Assyrian Organization Protests Exclusion of Assyrian New Year From Syria's Official Holidays

The statement read:"While we appreciate the inclusion of both the anniversary of the Syrian Revolution on March 18 and December 8 as Victory Day, and we value the consideration shown in the schedule of official holidays for the country's religious diversity, we had hoped that national and ethnic diversity would also be recognized.

This could have been done by including holidays that reflect Syria's rich cultural and national heritage, such as Akitu (the Babylonian-Assyrian New Year) and Newroz, which hold deep symbolic significance for two main components of the Syrian people -- the Syriac-Assyrians and the Kurds.

As the Assyrian Democratic Organization, we express our disappointment and rejection of the omission of national festivals belonging to Syria's various communities -- particularly Akitu, which represents a deep historical and civilizational legacy, being an ancient Syrian festival celebrated for thousands of years.

We stress that recognizing Syria's ethnic diversity is a source of strength for the new Syria, not weakness. The exclusion of national holidays representing ethnic communities contradicts the provisions of the constitutional declaration, which affirms the ethnic and cultural diversity of Syrian society.

Therefore, we call upon the Presidency of the Republic to reconsider the list of national holidays and official breaks, and to include Akitu and Newroz as unifying national festivals for all Syrians -- truly reflecting the rich mosaic of Syria's people and their ancient, 6 history."
LISBON, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,000 people gathered in downtown Lisbon on Saturday to show solidarity with Palestinians and demand the release of three Portuguese citizens detained by Israel after attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Police said the turnout far exceeded organizers' expectations. While around 500 participants had been anticipated, the crowd ultimately swelled to approximately 3,000, a number described as "largely exceeded."

Among those participating were former Left Bloc leader Francisco Louca and Communist Party presidential candidate Antonio Filipe.

Speaking to Lusa News Agency, Louca said the movement for Palestinian causes had gained "enormous scale worldwide" and stressed it was "impossible to stop this movement against the Israeli government, as seen in demonstrations across Europe."

Palestinian activist Serena Sabat addressed the crowd, drawing attention to what she described as ongoing actions against Palestinian civilians. She urged the international community not to allow such situations to continue.

The three Portuguese citizens detained by Israel are Mariana Mortagua, actress Sofia Aparicio, and activist Miguel Duarte. They were aboard vessels intercepted by Israeli naval forces as part of the Global Sumud flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Portuguese authorities have confirmed that consular support is being provided to the detained citizens through the embassy in Tel Aviv. 
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BUDAPEST, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on Sunday criticized the European Union's (EU) proposed seven-year budget framework for 2028-2034, calling it an "Ukraine budget" and warning that European taxpayers' money would be spent in Ukraine instead of strengthening Europe's economy.

Speaking to public broadcaster Kossuth Radio, Szijjarto said EU leaders plan to allocate citizens' money to arm and equip the Ukrainian army and sustain the Ukrainian state.

"The Hungarian government will not allow Hungarian citizens to pay an even higher price for the war in Ukraine," he said.

Szijjarto described what he called a "harsh war psychosis" among European political leaders, criticizing a growing long-term, war-oriented mindset in Brussels and across Western Europe. He said the European economy faces serious challenges and argued that EU funds should be used to restore competitiveness rather than finance Ukraine.

Hungary will not support such measures, he added.

The European Commission proposed a two-trillion-euro (2.33 trillion U.S. dollars) budget for 2028-2034 in July, to be negotiated with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU before final adoption. The framework, set to take effect in January 2028, allocates 131 billion euros to defense and space - five times more than in the current plan. (1 euro =1.17 U.S. dollar) 
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More than 60 people have been killed across India and Nepal after days of relentless monsoon rains triggered landslides, flash floods and infrastructure collapses, authorities said on Sunday.

In Nepal, officials reported that 47 people had died since Friday, with most casualties in Ilam district, which borders Indias West Bengal state.

Thirty-five people were killed in separate landslides in Ilam district in the east bordering India, said Kalidas Dhauboji, a spokesperson for the Armed Police Force. Nine people were missing after being swept away by floods, while three others were killed by lightning in other parts of the country, he added.

Rescue efforts for the missing persons are going on, said Shanti Mahat, a spokesperson for Nepals National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The deluge has blocked major roads and destroyed several bridges, cutting off the capital, Kathmandu, from other parts of the country. The airports domestic flights were largely suspended, though international operations remained unaffected, said Rinji Sherpa, spokesperson for Kathmandu airport.

open image in gallery High tidal waves crashing Koshi Barrage at Bhardaha in Saptari district, Madhesh province after river Koshi overflowed owing to heavy rain showers in Nepal ( AFP via Getty )

Authorities said the Koshi River in southeastern Nepal  which often causes deadly flooding in Indias Bihar state  was flowing above danger levels.

All 56 sluice gates of the Koshi Barrage, a dam-like structure regulating water flows, had been opened to release excess water, said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, district governor of Sunsari. Vehicular movement across the barrage was banned as a precaution.

Across the border in India at least 17 people were confirmed dead in landslides in the eastern Himalayan region of Darjeeling in West Bengal, where days of heavy rain caused a bridge collapse and widespread destruction.

The Dhudia iron bridge over the Balason River, linking Siliguri and Mirik, was washed away by the swelling waters.

The loss of lives is tragic. As per our reports, 11 people have died in Mirik and six in Darjeeling. But the figure is not yet confirmed, said Udayan Guha, North Bengal Development Minister, describing the situation as alarming.

open image in gallery Army personnel carrying a landslide victim evacuated by a helicoper following heavy rain-triggered landslides and floods in Nepal ( AFP via Getty Imag )

Rescue operations have been slowed by continuous rainfall and treacherous terrain. The terrain is slippery, and several houses have been damaged. Earthmovers are finding it extremely difficult to operate on these slopes, a senior police officer told Press Trust of India.

Local officials said families from several hillside villages, including Bishnulal Gaon and Jasbir Gaon, have been relocated to temporary shelters set up with the help of NGOs and the district administration.

Prime minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims families, saying authorities were committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected.

In Mirik, where a landslide struck a house in the early hours of Sunday, four people were killed while sleeping.

They had gone to Dara Gaon from Salbari near Siliguri to celebrate Dasai (Dussehra), the biggest festival of the Gorkhas, said Aditya Pradhan, a local leader, told the Hindustan Times.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for extreme rainfall in the sub-Himalayan districts of West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, warning of further landslides and flooding until at least 6 October.
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In an attempt to achieve better sleep and reduce snoring, some people are taping their mouths shut.

But doctors have advised against it.

The claims, which are not backed by science, are taking off on places like TikTok, sometimes pushed by people working for companies selling related products.

The studies behind mouth tape are small, the benefits are modest, and the potential risks are there, said Dr Kimberly Hutchison, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at Oregon Health and Science University.

Some of those risks include making sleep disorders like sleep apnea worse or even causing suffocation.

It is better to breathe through your nose most of the time

Mouth breathing in adults is not a major health problem, but it is better to breathe through your nose, experts say.

Your nose is a natural filtering system, trapping dust and other allergens before they can get to your lungs.

open image in gallery Experts say the studies behind mouth tape are small ( Getty/iStock )

If youre breathing with your mouth open at night, you could wake up with a dry mouth and irritated throat, which can contribute to bad breath and oral health problems.

Mouth breathing is also associated with more snoring.

Dont rush to use mouth tape

But even though breathing through your nose is better than breathing through your mouth, taping your mouth shut isn't the best way to fix the issue.

There's no strong evidence that it helps improve sleep. A few studies have been conducted, most of which showed little or no impact, but they were so small that experts say conclusions should not be drawn from them. Meanwhile, there are potential dangers to be avoided.

Dr David Schulman, a sleep doctor at Emory University, said there are other things to try, like prescription mouthpieces that can open up your airway, or a CPAP machine. If youre a smoker or are overweight, for example, quitting smoking and losing weight can help.

Mouth breathing could be a sign of something serious, so find out

The safest approach is to figure out why exactly you are breathing with your mouth, because there could be something else going on.

You may be breathing through your mouth because you have obstructive sleep apnoea, a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because of a blocked airway.

The disorder is linked to both open-mouth breathing and snoring, and is typically treated with a CPAP machine.

open image in gallery You may be breathing through your mouth because you have obstructive sleep apnea ( Getty/iStock )

The reason sleep apnea can be bad is that any decrease in the quality of sleep can affect you day to day or over the course of your life, said Dr Brian Chen, a sleep doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. Depending on how bad the sleep is, you may just feel sleep deprived or require more sleep.

The best thing to do, Emory's Shulman says, is to get a sleep test, some of which can be done at home.

Its always better to know than not know, he said. And if you know that somethings going on and you choose not to pursue therapy, at least you know youre making an educated decision.
There are some cabinet ministers whose rise the Westminster circus sees coming a mile off. Shabana Mahmoods ascent to home secretary has been a quiet one, unaccompanied by commentator fanfare. Perhaps its because the first Muslim woman to hold one of the great offices of state has been underestimated by the media; perhaps its more a product of the fact shes been less focused on briefing the press on her ambitions than some of her colleagues. But now shes ended up in one of the most strategically important jobs for this government, shes firmly placed herself in the one to watch category.

Mahmoods rise has been steady as opposed to breakneck. Elected to represent her home constituency of Birmingham Ladywood in 2010, she held a range of shadow ministerial positions under Ed Miliband, from prisons, to higher education, to shadow financial secretary. Like many of the most senior members of the cabinet  but unlike her boss Keir Starmer  she declined to serve under Jeremy Corbyn, and returned to the backbenches in 2015. Starmer promoted her to national campaign coordinator after he was elected leader, a party-facing role, then, in 2023, to shadow justice secretary.

It is a sign of how trusted she is by No 10 that she was elevated to the Home Office a little over a year after Labours election win, where it has been an intense first month for the home secretary, spent launching eye-catching policies on immigration and asylum, and responding to the antisemitic terrorist attack in Manchester that cost two British Jews their lives.

That trust is partly a product of her close relationship with Starmers chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, which developed when the two worked together in opposition on Labours campaign strategy, but it goes beyond that. Mahmood is seen as highly competent; during her time as campaign chief, she is credited with helping to achieve the Batley and Spen by-election win in opposition that helped settle growing nerves in the party in the early days of Starmers leadership.

As justice secretary, she faced the immensely difficult prospect of having to release thousands of prisoners early as a result of the previous governments failure to build enough prison places. She managed not just to pull that off, but also to introduce much-needed legislation to scrap most short prison sentences, without ever appearing soft on crime.

This was the product of smart political positioning, including getting former Tory justice secretary David Gauke to lead a review for her, and deft media management.

She is understood in Downing Street as a very shrewd political operator, whos played a key role in setting the governments political priorities, one of her former staffers tells me. As well as being appointed home secretary, she has just been elected chair of Labours all-important National Executive Committee with the leaderships blessing.

Mahmoods own politics  she is self-avowedly blue Labour, economically liberal and socially conservative  mean she is ideally placed to deliver policies that toughen up immigration rules while calling out Nigel Farage for going too far. Born in Birmingham to parents from Azad Kashmir, in Pakistan-administered territory, when she was a baby, she and her twin brother moved with their family to Taif, Saudi Arabia, where her father worked as a civil engineer. After seven years abroad, the family returned to Birmingham, where he continued his engineering career, ran a corner shop, and became chairman of the local Labour Party.

As a child of immigrants herself, she identifies with those of her constituents who she says want a fair, managed migration system that reflects the rules many of them followed when they themselves came to the UK.

open image in gallery Unlike her boss Keir Starmer, Mahmood refused to serve under Jeremy Corbyn ( PA )

While the Home Office is widely acknowledged as one of the riskier cabinet gigs; from immigration to policing, theres always the chance of something going so wrong on your watch that the only outcome is resignation. But, alongside the Chancellors, theres perhaps no other cabinet role thats more fundamental to the political fortunes of Keir Starmer, who spent his party conference underlining that his main electoral threat isnt the Conservatives, but Reform.

In just a few weeks as home secretary, she has built on existing government plans that will mean migrants will have to live in the UK for 10, rather than five, years before applying for indefinite leave to remain, along with her announcement that applicants will also need to meet a number of additional tests, including good English, a clean criminal record, and doing voluntary work.

Taking inspiration from Denmark, where a centre-left government has significantly reduced the generosity of its asylum offer, she has said refugees will no longer be entitled to automatically settle in the UK on a permanent basis or to bring their families over to join them. She could well turn out to be Starmers secret weapon against Reform  but only if he backs her against those elements of his party who would prefer Labour to tack more soft left.

A self-described full-blown geek as a girl, it was her love of Kavanagh QC that prompted her interest in a career at the bar. Mahmood attended an all-girls grammar school before studying law at Lincoln College, Oxford. Here, she was elected Junior Common Room president  with a vote from Rishi Sunak, then a student in the year above. After graduating, she moved to London to train as a lawyer for much of her twenties, but after Clare Short announced she was standing down in her home seat, she decided to give up the law for politics.

open image in gallery Mahmood gave up the law to stand successfully for election in Birmingham Ladywood ( Labour Party )

She has been arguing for some time that the European Convention on Human Rights may need reform in order to reduce its use in preventing the deportation of foreign criminals and maintain public legitimacy, though she has drawn a clear line with those who say the UK should derogate from it altogether.

Of course, this brand of politics isnt always an easy sell to the party faithful. It was noticeable that her tough-message conference speech in Manchester was not as enthusiastically received by many party members in the hall. However, that doesnt seem to worry her either. While 45-year-old Mahmood may not have actively talked herself up as a future leader, she has been refreshingly honest about her own ambitions when asked: You shouldnt believe anyone in politics who says theyre not ambitious about the top job because theyre basically lying, she joked at an event last week.

But the truth is the Home Office could be a difficult brief from which to pitch to the party membership that currently holds all the votes in a future leadership race, and shes not one of the most popular cabinet ministers amongst members.

But the respect she commands among Labour MPs goes much broader than any blue Labour faction. She brings real grit to the role of home secretary; having made tough decisions in justice, shes proven shes got the mettle, one backbencher told me. Im a big fan  shes got sound instincts and real political mettle, her appointment is very good news for the government and for the country, said another.

open image in gallery Mahmood has impressed some colleagues  and angered others by taking a clear stand on controversial issues ( House of Commons )

Mahmood is not afraid to take a clear stand on issues that are controversial. On grooming gangs, she shunned the nothing to see here line many of her colleagues initially took, instead telling the Spectator earlier this year that theres an outstanding question of why so many people maybe looked the other way and theres still a moment of reckoning to come. On the highly contested issue of womens rights to single sex spaces versus male rights to self-identify into them, she has taken a strong stand, a position quietly appreciated by MPs who are concerned that other cabinet members continue to undermine Labours manifesto commitment to protecting womens existing Equality Act rights.

Its fairly unusual for politicians to be as open about the importance of their faith to their politics as Mahmood, but she has spoken about how it has anchored her through difficult times in politics, including becoming a target for those whove found fault with Labours response to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

As a practising Muslim, she is opposed to assisted dying, but in her letter to constituents that set out her position on this issue, she was clear she has a number of serious safeguarding concerns about the legislation, which are shared by non-religious opponents of assisted dying in Parliament.

Mahmood is not at the moment particularly well known among the public and has strict boundaries, keeping her private life private. She is also not without political challenges of her own: her seat was once one of the safest in the country, but her majority was slashed at the last election by Gaza independent Akhmed Yakoob, who particularly appealed to Muslim voters in her constituency, and the former Labour MP Zarah Sultana is reportedly thinking about running against her at the next election.

She will have her work cut out in selling her Home Office agenda to MPs and members on the left of her party. But as the cabinet minister who will inevitably be front and centre of Labours battle with Reform, if she makes a success of the Home Office brief, she could be on the way to bigger things yet.
This week has been an emphatically bad one for Baroness Mone of Mayfair in the City of London. On Wednesday, a High Court judge ordered that PPE MedPro, a firm controlled by her and her husband Doug Barrowman, should repay at least 122m for supplying 25 million surgical gowns that did not meet rules on producing sterile equipment.

Baroness Mone is, of course, Michelle Mone, probably best known by her tabloid sobriquet, Baroness Bra, because of her former career as a lingerie tycoon, in which she apparently netted millions from her supposedly massively successful Ultimo range of lingerie.

But then, Mone is used to having bad weeks: along with Barrowman and companies and charities associated with the couple, she has been, or is currently being, investigated by HMRC, the National Crime Agency, the Charity Commission, and the commissioner for standards of the House of Lords, from where the life peer announced she will be taking a leave of absence [] in order to clear her name of the allegations that have been unjustly levelled against her concerning her alleged links to PPE MedPro, which was awarded 200m of PPE contracts.

In addition, it recently emerged that Mone had to sell her luxury yacht for a reported 10.25m, as well as her house in Belgravia for 20m.

Although Mone has not yet completely fallen from grace, it does seem timely to wonder just how successful Ultimo really was, and thereby to establish just how brilliant a businesswoman she really was. Lets not forget that Lady Mone was awarded an OBE in the 2010 new year honours list for services to the Lingerie Industry, and her peerage was granted in September 2015 because she was one of the UKs leading entrepreneurs.

It is easy to see why the governments of both Gordon Brown and David Cameron gave Mone these honours, because on the surface, it looked like she was very successful indeed.

After all, this was a woman who through sheer drive and ability had emerged  in her own words  from a childhood of both personal and economic struggle to form Ultimo Lingerie, which she apparently took from from zero to hero, transforming it from an initial idea and concept into one of the UKs leading lingerie lines for over two decades before selling it to lingerie giants, MAS Holdings  one of the worlds largest manufacturers of intimates.

As well as being apparently so successful, Mone also had an immensely high profile. It certainly helped that she felt sufficiently confident in her looks to model her own lingerie and that her glamorous and luxurious lifestyle ensured that Mone regularly appeared in the gossip pages of both tabloid and broadsheet alike. And partly thanks to her high-profile charity work, which included sitting on the board of directors for The Princes Scottish Youth Business Trust and hobnobbing with the great and good.

open image in gallery Mone modelled her own companys lingerie, heightening her profile further ( Ultimo )

Mone was feted, not just because of her glamour, but also because of what looked like her considerable business acumen. In the one interview, Mone is described as being the founder and chief executive of a 45m lingerie company, with her business, MJM International, lauded as one of the countrys top lingerie companies with five brands and a workforce of more than 120 people in the UK and Hong Kong, with a further 1,200 working in factories in China.

The company really took off when Julia Roberts wore an Ultimo bra for her role in Erin Brockovich and the brands fame spread further amid rumours that Camilla Parker Bowles wore one ahead of her marriage to Prince Charles. Tellingly, at the same time, it was reported that Mone is guarded about the firms sales figures.

open image in gallery Mone attends a St Andrews Day reception at No 10 Downing Street alongside the then chancellor George Osborne and racing driver David Coulthard in 2013 ( PA )

Michelle Mone would recount how the company enjoyed a 42m turnover, and that she had made her first million-pound turnover in 2001.

When once asked if she allowed herself the odd indulgence, the businesswoman unashamedly radiated an aura of deep, deep pockets.

Yes, I am a car fanatic! she replied. They are my real weakness. I own quite a few, including a Range Rover, Aston Martin, Bentley, Audi and Porsche Panamera. I also love Mont Blanc pens, and Ive got about 100.

Mone was undoubtedly saying to the world that she was very rich, and that she was very rich because she was a very good businesswoman.

But how successful was Ultimo really?

open image in gallery Mone was awarded an OBE in 2010 ( Getty )

To answer, we just need to look at the records filed to Companies House by MJM International, a limited company of which Mone was a shareholder, along with her then husband, Michael Mone, and, over the years, a succession of others. As the company was incorporated in 1996 and finally dissolved in 2021, there are too many records to go through here, but it would be useful to have a look at how the company was faring at the time she was doing her round of interviews.

Lets go back to the claims she was making in 2007. (Incidentally, Im going to leave aside the Julia Roberts/Erin Brockovich bit, because that has been widely discredited, and I havent the foggiest whether the Queen did sport an Ultimo bra, and Im certainly not going to ring up the palace and ask.) What was the basis that Mones firm was worth 45m?

Heres the balance sheet from April 2007.

open image in gallery MJMs 2007 accounts were filed for a small company ( Supplied )

To me, this doesnt look like a company worth 45m, or that employs 120 people. Interestingly, the accounts were filed for a small company, which, before 1 January 2016, meant that your companys annual turnover could not be more than 6.5m, the balance sheet total could not be more than 3.26m, and the average number of employees could not be more than 50. Not 120. Nor 1,200.

By April 2008, MJM was now a medium-sized company, reporting a pre-tax profit of just over 900,000.

open image in gallery MJMs accounts for 2007-08 report a pre-tax profit of 919,012 ( Supplied )

Curiously, the number of employees was nowhere near 120, but somewhat fewer  a mere 25 (see below).

In addition, Mone and her husband, along with their fellow directors and investors, also awarded themselves 426,000 in dividends in January 2008, on top of the emoluments of around 100,000-plus that the three directors each took. Id estimate that Mone herself probably made, before tax, some 250,000 that year. Thats clearly a very nice income, but its not multimillionaire stuff.

In short, Mone and her husband were building a nice small to medium-sized business, but they were drawing an enormous amount out of it, both in dividends and in loans, and there was still a lot of debt.

open image in gallery The 2008 accounts state that the average monthly number of employees was 25 ( Supplied )

Lets spool forward to a few years later, to 2011: how was her business looking at the time?

In short, it wasnt looking great. In the year ending April 2009, the profit before tax was 960,524. For April 2010, the profit was down to 794,557. And by April 2011, the profits were down a huge amount  to 104,790, on a turnover that had decreased by 18 per cent to 8.4m from 10.2m. After tax, the business reported a total profit of just 1,418. Unsurprisingly, no dividends were paid that year.

I have a small inkling of how Mone and her husband were able to afford that 500,000-plus fleet of cars, or indeed collect expensive fountain pens, and it lies in the fact that the couple had borrowed just over 600,000 from the firm, which seems like rather a lot.

open image in gallery Loans to the directors totalled 604,008 in the tax year ending April 2009 ( Supplied )

There was no way that Mones company was ever worth more than 40m as she was claiming. Had they looked a little closer, both the Brown and Cameron governments, before they awarded her any honours, might have indicated that Mones business was not quite as spectacularly successful as was often claimed.

Besides, by September 2015, when she was made a peer, Mone had sold her stake in MJM for an undisclosed sum, which cannot have been remotely substantial, as by then both it and its related company  Ultimo Brands International Limited  were trading as small companies, with meagre balance sheets.

Judging by the records at Companies House, the whole basis of Mones reputation as a brilliant businesswoman needed to be called into question years ago. One leading Scottish businessman said at the time of her appointment to the Lords that Mone was a small-time businesswoman with PR exposure far in excess of any success.

It is hard to disagree. Where Mone is brilliant, however, is creating a financial decolletage that has turned the heads of far too many over the years.

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The Labour faithful have left Liverpool on the sugar high of a stirring conference speech by Keir Starmer. From taking the fight to Farage, interweaving personal experience with self-deprecating jokes, to a quick-fire list of achievements in office and new ideas sprayed like artillery back at detractors, it was a slicker performance than previous plodders. This should not be surprising, given that Starmer now has as his chief communications guru Tim Allan  who, with Alastair Campbell, overhauled Labours shouty speech style to reach middle England and set the party on a path out of the wilderness.

Allan, returning from a lucrative career in the private sector, is, as one Downing Street joker puts it, Tonys political love child. He is also one of a small group of Blairites familiar enough to talk about his old boss casually as Mr Tony. He adds to the penumbra of staffers, counsellors and policy wonks who all have roots and contemporary connections to Tony Blairs New Labour era from 19972007  either having worked in government or more recently in the ever-expanding Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI).

As soon as Starmer left the safe harbour of opposition for the pitfalls of government, he began to flounder. Underprepared for national challenges on everything from the rise of Reform UK in the red wall, to redefining immigration and asylum rules and rebooting UK growth amid global conflict and trade wars, he was feeling the strain. Whereas Tony Blair made governing with a huge majority look like a breeze  fun, even  the pressure quickly began to show on Starmer.

When I encountered Blair and Starmer alongside each other at a centre-left gathering in Canada two years ago, the dynamic was fascinating. Starmer scanned his notes assiduously on big topics as we spoke, like a man overpreparing for a big exam.

Afterwards, on a balcony overlooking old Montreal, he was unrecognised by most of the international VIPs and looked visibly tense even after a glass of wine. Blair, by contrast, swept in with a flotilla of aides  joking with old acquaintances and posing for selfies. He is one of the few leaders whose retinue and glamour factor have increased since leaving office.

The Blair machine reassembled

Starmer and Blair are not often seen together. Many of the Blair gang, including Allan, didnt know him at all. Sometimes the in crowd risks disaster by being cliquish, but they are all seasoned operators who know the levers to pull.

In the end, Allan was brought into the Starmer fold to take over the main communications role by another Blair veteran, Jonathan Powell, who is now No 10s national security adviser. The appointment of Blair pal Lord Mandelson was, many say, helped along by Starmers chief of staff Morgan McSweeney. While McSweeney did not hold a senior role under Blair, he was very much part of the party apparatus in its Blair-era phase, with one of his first jobs in politics being tasked with feeding Peter Mandelsons Excalibur computer  which held campaign intelligence for the 1997 election.

Mandelsons Washington appointment backfired when he was dismissed over revelations of emails to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But Sir Keir still insisted he had confidence in McSweeney, even when reports surfaced that he had personally pushed for Mandelson despite concerns over the links to Epstein. Meanwhile, Liz Lloyd, a former deputy chief of staff to Blair, was until recently in a senior delivery role in No 10 but was ousted after reported tension with other staffers.

open image in gallery Blair believes he can play a key role in achieving peace between Israel and Palestine ( GPO )

The Blair influence over this government remains undeniable  and growing. As Starmer seeks to shore up his internal position (it has been firmly underlined that Andy Burnham, the Manchester mayor who has called out the culture of fear in No 10, will not be helped into any safe seat that opens up), many more ex-Blair machine figures now buzz around key policy areas  including the fraught matter of how to end the war in Gaza.

An expert in statecraft

If Mr Tony wants to be involved in statecraft, or his proxies wield influence and research to prove a point, it tends to happen. Gone are the days when Blair, tainted by Iraq and disliked by more Calvinist Labour types for his appetite for making money from his global connections, was kept at arms length. It is, as one of his old ministers puts it, like having a rare vintage car in the garage: a lot of people want to see it out for a spin, not the (sir) Kia in the drive.

Blairs influence is now traceable in many attempts to revive Labours sagging electoral chances in the Save Starmer movement. Policies like digital ID cards, which started under Blairs tenure, have suddenly resurfaced despite not featuring in the manifesto. When I bumped into Liam Byrne, the affable Birmingham MP, and asked if he was a fan (others, including Burnham, have many doubts), he joked: Well, I would be, because I was minister for that under Tony  at the Home Office.

That line of descent from Blair to heirs shaping how the country runs today is visible in the health secretary Wes Streetings NHS reforms. His mentor was Alan Milburn, who served in several senior roles in Blairs governments, including secretary of state for health. Milburn now leads as a non-executive at the Department of Health and has urged Streeting to move faster on tech-enabled reforms, like this weeks plan to replace hospital visits with digital doctor appointments, using AI-supported diagnostics and monitoring for chronic conditions. More controversially, he has encouraged Streeting to bring back league tables of health trust performance, which many trust CEOs believe measure the wrong things and damage morale.

open image in gallery Blair has emerged as a pivotal figure in the Gaza plan supported by Donald Trump ( Getty )

Most significantly, Blair has emerged as a pivotal figure in the Gaza plan supported by Donald Trump. Blair gained Trumps trust and positioned himself as a potential interim consul  a power broker between Israel, where he has deep ties to the Netanyahu administration, and Qatar, which many believe could act as a backchannel to Hamas and allow senior fighters a route out of Gaza in return for a ceasefire.

As loudly as critics cite Blairs misjudgements in Iraq and the fiasco over WMDs, his vast self-belief enables him to shrug off such criticisms. The real lessons, he told me, would take decades to figure out, rather than emerging from the heated blame games of the early 2000s.

As a George Bush-appointed envoy to the region after leaving office in 2007, Blair long supported economic revival plans for Gaza as the route out of a deadly cycle of Palestinian intifadas and Israeli clampdowns. Finally, they look like they could be part of a solution  but even that riles tempers and entwines Blair in UK policy in the Middle East.

David Lammy, who left the role of foreign secretary in the latest reshuffle, said he knew nothing about the final shape of the Blair-Trump plan until it emerged. It also means the UK could be seen as aligning with Trumps desire for US Dubai-style real estate opportunities in the region. Blair greeted the transitional Trump plan for peace as intelligent, a word he will know the US president relishes hearing attached to his name.

open image in gallery Blair met with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in July, but some within Labour believe he missed chances to engage with Hamas in the past ( AFP/Getty )

Business secretary Peter Kyle, a special adviser in the Blair years, told me in an interview at the Liverpool conference this week that Starmer benefits from having an elder statesman figure people around the world know and trust involved in resolving a crisis that has divided public opinion. The war has forced Starmers recognition of Palestinian statehood, he added: And we should be proud of that  and Tony Blair.

Its not a view wholeheartedly shared in Labour. Blair is not trusted by the Palestinian side, because he failed to engage with Hamas when he had the chance as an envoy, and before it became totally radicalised, says one former ambassador in the region.

Friends in tech

Underlying much of the scepticism about Labours most famous pensioner is an ongoing tussle over how the centre-left should engage with the vast power of tech titans and AI. That is intertwined with the backing of the Tony Blair Institute by Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, whose foundation donated about $33.8m (25m) to TBI.

As one of the worlds richest men and a techno-visionary who predicted the rise of AI, Ellisons funding helps support TBI initiatives in digital infrastructure and vaccination databases in African countries  projects involving vast government-held personal data. Ellison is also a driving force behind ideas like digital ID cards, unifying data in ways AI models can consume. Blair, too, believes aggressively harnessing technology is the only way public services like the NHS can survive cost and demographic pressures. Beyond policy alignment, Blair and Ellison are also close personal friends.

Labours plans in this area make Blair and his TBI policy teams  including health policy chief Charlotte Refsum, a polished KPMG graduate providing a steady stream of information for Wes Streeting  influential. They bring an understanding of the US tech scene and the potential of AI as a driver of growth and productivity gains.

open image in gallery In this new phase of Labour, Blair seems to be everywhere ( AFP/Getty )

The thornier issue is that big-name AI apostles are also competitors. Oracle seeks major NHS data contracts, as does Palantir, run by another controversial tech visionary, Peter Thiel. The Institute strongly denies its commercial and policy work are in any way linked. A TBI spokesperson told the New Statesman recently: We dont advocate for technology solutions because we work with Oracle. We work with Oracle and other technology companies because we believe technology holds the key to the future.

Back to the future

In the complex, intertwined, and always ambitious world of Mr Tony, this makes total pragmatic sense. It is, however, undeniable that in this new phase of Labour, Blair is everywhere. Remembering the halcyon days when the New Labour project showed voters it was a more reliable choice than state-centred remedies on the left or fiercer disruptions from the right, the belief is that they can do it once again.

Burnham is to be kept firmly in the cellar, as one minister put it to me over a late-night pint. And oops weve lost the key. The direction of travel is clear. Labour is going back to the future  with the leader turned guru who never quite leaves the stage.

Anne McElvoy is executive editor at Politico and host of the podcast Politics at Sam and Annes
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Four people arrested in connection with a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue remain in custody after police were granted extra time to question them.

Three men remain in hospital after the car and knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on Thursday.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while attempting to prevent Al-Shamie entering the synagogue during the attack.

He was killed with Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the premises.

The police operation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW). They were granted the warrants on Saturday, meaning they can detain four of the suspects for a further five days.

The warrants are in relation to two men, aged 30 and 32, and a woman, 61, all arrested in Prestwich, and a 46-year-old woman arrested in Farnworth.

Two other people, an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man who were arrested in Farnworth, were released with no further action on Saturday night.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) statement said: Our investigation into the appalling terrorist incident that took place outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue is continuing at pace.

The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North West supported by resources from across the national Counter Terrorism Policing (CPT) network and Greater Manchester Police.

open image in gallery Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch visited Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue on Saturday (Peter Byrne/PA)

Significant resources from across CTP have been mobilised in order to establish the full picture into what has happened.

We have been granted warrants of further detention for four individuals currently in custody. This means they can remain in custody for up to a further five days.

Everyone in custody has been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

Inquiries are ongoing.

On Saturday, the force said three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds.

On Friday the police watchdog, which is investigating the incident, said it was examining the use of lethal force by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) firearms officers.

The investigation would include whether police may have caused or contributed to the death of Mr Daulby.

open image in gallery Investigations continue at the scene of the synagogue

A GMP spokesman said they had increased patrols to reassure the community.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was joined by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Assistant Chief Constable John Webster as she visited the synagogue on Saturday.

Mrs Badenoch has said Jewish people in the UK must be given greater security as some are leaving to go to Israel.

She said: Jewish people right now are telling me that they are leaving to go to Israel. Israel is at war. How can people be leaving the UK to go to a war zone and think that theyll be safer there?

We need to bring back safety to our streets.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who visited the scene on Friday, urged people planning to protest in Manchester and London this weekend to respect the grief of British Jews, and said demonstrations could cause further pain to mourners.

Writing in The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News, Sir Keir said: This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain.

Israels foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said he had spoken to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and urged the Government to fight the pro-Palestinian marches and protests.

The protest in central London, organised by the protest group Defend Our Juries, is to go ahead and the group said : Cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.

Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust (CST), said that incitement has been off the charts in mosque sermons since the October 7 attacks.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I think more broadly, across civil society and across parts of industry, there is an inability to recognise antisemitism or a reluctance to deal with incitement in ways that have just allowed it to grow.

I think the anger is directed there and I think a lot of Jewish people will be saying OK, the sympathy is great, but wheres the action?

A fundraising page set up for CST on gofundme by supporter Andrew Fox has raised more than 15,000 of its 22,000 target by Saturday afternoon.

He posted on X: A donation not only helps keep Jewish communities safe, it is a tangible way to stand with them during these dark times.

A minutes silence was held at Old Trafford on Saturday during Manchester Uniteds match against Sunderland, in tribute to the victims, and players were expected to wear black armbands.

Head of counter-terrorism policing Laurence Taylor said, on Friday, that a suspicious device attached to Al-Shamies torso had been confirmed to be fake, and that police believed he may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology.

He added: Based on some fast-time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing, however he does have a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history.

This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed.
ATHENS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- A woman died after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Lesvos Island in Greece on Sunday, Greek authorities said.

Seventeen people were rescued, while a search and rescue operation involving the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) was ongoing, according to the HCG.

The nationalities of the victim and the rescued migrants have not yet been determined.

Since 2015, Greece has been a key entry point for irregular migrants and refugees seeking to reach the European Union, with more than one million arrivals recorded. Hundreds have died at sea while attempting the dangerous crossing. 
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Companies that charge drivers fees for recovering parking ticket debts are operating with an average profit margin of more than 60 per cent, a Government document has disclosed.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stated that this figure indicates a "market failure", while the AA branded the margins "disproportionately high".

Debt recovery agencies are employed by parking operators to pursue payment for unpaid tickets, often adding up to 70 in additional fees per ticket for drivers.

These charges were set to be banned when the then-Conservative government introduced a code of practice in February 2022, but this was withdrawn four months later after a legal challenge by parking companies.

open image in gallery The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the profit figures showed a market failure ( PA )

A new consultation document setting out the current Labour Governments proposed code stated the 70 cap is likely to be higher than can be reasonably justified but it is seeking further evidence.

It added that recovery agencies have an average profit margin of approximately 63 per cent.

This is comparable to highly innovative companies despite the businesses involved providing standard services such as payment plan provision, according to the document.

It continued: We therefore do not consider them to be providing significantly innovative services, and as such the high profits may be indicative of these firms having too much control over the market, thereby indicating that there is a market failure.

Parking operators can take drivers to court if they continue to resist paying for tickets.

The MHCLG said debt recovery agencies would break even with fees of approximately 26 per ticket, if the proportion of those paying was stable.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: The 63 per cent profit margin feels disproportionately high for the services provided.

This only highlights the need to curb the sector and ensure balance for all.

There remains an overzealous cohort among some private parking operators where they hand over cases to debt recovery firms for seemingly innocuous charges.

He added that the ban on debt recovery fees in the original consultation was the right position and claimed the latest version falls short of the mark.

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: The profit margins revealed by the Government help explain why there are now more than 180 private parking firms buying vehicle keeper records from the DVLA so they can send demands to drivers  its a huge and profitable business.

The private parking industrys failure over time to be more open about its activities is part of the problem and its ongoing reluctance to open its books to official scrutiny shows why ministers must follow through with plans to bring transparency and independence to this sector.

Recent analysis by the PA news agency and the RAC Foundation found 4.3 million tickets were issued by private companies to UK drivers between April and June.

That was a 24 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

A BPA spokesman said it strongly disputes the Governments profit calculations and called on it to publish the methodology behind these figures.

He continued: The numbers presented are misleading and fail to reflect the reality of the debt resolution sector.

He insisted the purpose of debt recovery fees is not to generate profit but to act as a fair and effective deterrent against deliberate non-payment.

An MHCLG spokesperson said: This Government inherited a private parking market that lacks transparency and protection for motorists.

We share their frustration, which is why our private parking code of practice will drive up standards in the industry and hold parking operators to account.

We consulted on the current cap on debt recovery fees and will publish our response as soon as possible.
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A protest group campaigning against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terror organisation has promised civil disobedience in key cities and towns across Britain after the home secretary announced police would be given greater powers to restrict demonstrations.

Defend Our Juries (DOJ) warned of a major escalation in its campaign after Shabana Mahmoods announcement on Sunday, which followed a protest held by the group on Saturday, when there were almost 500 arrests.

Under the greater powers, Ms Mahmood said officers would be allowed to consider the cumulative impact of repeated demonstrations, saying repeated large-scale protests had caused considerable fear for the Jewish community.

In response, DOJ said it will escalate its campaign to lift the ban on Palestine Action ahead of the legal challenge against its proscription being heard in the High Court. The Judicial Review hearing will take place between 25 and 27 November, with civil disobedience across cities and towns planned for between 18 and 29 November, it said.

open image in gallery Protesters taking part in a demonstration in support of Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square, London, on Saturday ( REUTERS )

It comes after 488 people were arrested for supporting Palestine Action in a vigil staged in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, bringing the total number of arrests for defying the ban on the group to 2,000, according to DOJ.

A spokesperson for the campaign group said: It beggars belief that the government has responded to widespread condemnation of its unprecedented attack on the right to protest  from the United Nations, Amnesty International, legal experts and even the former Director of Public Prosecutions  by announcing a further crackdown on free speech and assembly in our country. This confirms what weve warned all along: the proscription of Palestine Action was never just about one group  its a dangerous, authoritarian escalation that threatens everyones right to protest in our country.

They added: The Home Secretarys extraordinary new affront to our democracy will only fuel the growing backlash to the ban. We are announcing a major escalation in the lead-up to the High Court challenge to the ban in November.

Saturdays event in London took place despite calls for restraint from Sir Keir Starmer and police chiefs following the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday.

open image in gallery Defend Our Juries announcement comes after 488 people were arrested for supporting Palestine Action in a vigil staged in Trafalgar Square on Saturday ( PA Wire )

The government will now amend Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to explicitly allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests on local areas in order to impose conditions on public processions and assemblies.

The home secretary will also review existing legislation to ensure powers are sufficient and are being applied consistently by police forces  this will include powers to ban protests outright.

There is currently a high bar restricting polices ability to ban a march entirely. It requires a risk of serious public disorder.

Under the changes being proposed, if a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end and caused repeated disorder, the police will have the authority to impose conditions such as ordering organisers to hold the event somewhere else. Anyone who breaches the conditions will risk arrest and prosecution.

During Saturdays protest, the Met Police said people had to be carried by several officers at a time because they refused to be walked away.

Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said officers were physically exhausted but continued to be called on to facilitate these relentless protests.

But Kerry Moscogiuri, director of campaigns at human rights group Amnesty International UK, said: Arresting hundreds of people for peacefully sitting down and holding these signs is not the job of police.

These arrests are in breach of the UKs international human rights obligations and should not be happening.
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Kemi Badenoch has been warned that she has a death wish for the Conservative Party with her new hard-right policies of mass deportations and potential withdrawal from an international treaty on human rights.

The warning from former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve came as Ms Badenoch made the move to the right in a bid to reverse her partys decline in the face of the rise of Nigel Farages Reform UK.

As the Conservative Party conference in Manchester opened yesterday, the partys leader confirmed that she would withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if she won the next general election.

The policy came with an added pledge of deporting 150,000 foreign criminals and illegal immigrants a year with no clear detail on where they would be sent.

open image in gallery Badenoch at the Tory party conference in Manchester on Sunday ( PA )

This followed the announcement last week that they would also repeal the Climate Change Act and scrap net zero policies.

Mr Grieve said: I think it is a death wish for the Conservatives to essentially make them the same as Reform and making them indistinguishable.

He said the idea that leaving the ECHR would end the migration crisis as complete fantasy claiming that the convention has only a marginal effect compared to other agreements like the Refugee Convention.

It just makes the Conservatives look incoherent, he said.

The moves aped those already made by Reform UK as the Tories attempted to outflank him on the populist right under Ms Badenochs leadership.

With her party stranded on 16 per cent, less than half Reforms 34 per cent, Ms Badenoch tried to rally her party with a speech on day one of the conference.

Ms Badenoch said the Conservatives could bring the UK back together by combining "strong borders with a shared culture".

She told the conference in Manchester: "Well-meaning treaties and statutes, like the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Convention on action against Trafficking, drafted with the best of intentions in generations gone by, and more recent additions like the Modern Slavery Act, are now being used in ways never intended by their original authors.

Justifying her plans, she said: "Britain needs deep change, but I reject the politics that everything must go, that everything must be torn down, that everything is broken.

"But if we leave it to Labour or Reform, Britain will be divided. Only the Conservatives can bring this country back together.

"This is a battle we must win by combining secure borders with a shared culture, strong values and the confidence of a great nation. We can win the debate and win the next election."

open image in gallery Dominic Grieve issued the warning to Kemi Badenoch on the back of her proposals to leave the ECHR ( PA )

In a video Ms Badenoch proposed a new deportation force based on the controversial ICE agents used by Donald Trump in the US.

She also suggested that the party could restrict the right to protest with an attack on those protesting in favour of Palestine in the wake of murders of Jews in Manchester.

British streets must not become a "theatre for intimidation", Ms Badenoch has said.

The Tory leader said the Conservative Party stood in solidarity with the Jewish community.

She said: "We cannot import and tolerate values hostile to our own.

"We must now draw a line and say that in Britain you can think what you like, and within the bounds of the law you can say what you like, but you have no right to turn our streets into the theatres of intimidation, and we will not let you do so any more.

"To our Jewish friends, we stand with you shoulder to shoulder. You are part of the fabric of Britain and you always will be."

But with the party staring at oblivion and question marks over her own future as leader, Ms Badenoch tried to strike a positive note.

She said: We can win the debate and the next election ... we have a mountain to climb but we have a song in our heart and we are up for the fight.

But the huge Manchester Central conference centre was noticeably quiet on the first day with many corporate sponsors staying away and relatively few members and others attending what would normally be a crowded centre.

Half empty trains went from London to Manchester while hotels were offering rooms at off-peak rates.

The only packed-out meetings on the first day were fringe events for Sir James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick, the two men most likely to replace Ms Badenoch as leader.

The main focus of the event appeared to be harking back to Margaret Thatcher in the 100th anniversary year of her birth with a museum display of her clothes and letters in a prime spot normally filled by a major corporate sponsor.

Earlier on Sunday, Ms Badenoch clashed repeatedly with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC over where she would deport migrants to.

She described the question as a self-defeating argument and said it doesnt matter, all that matters is they should not be here.

She implied that they could be deported back to countries like Syria, Iran and Afghanistan.

However, Ms Badenoch attempted to draw a line between her party and both Labour and Reform suggesting that she and the Tories do not buy into identity politics.

She claimed: "Both deal in grievance, both divide our country into tribes and labels. Both practise identity politics, which will destroy our country. And I am saying no. No to division and no to identity politics.'' She added: "What Britain needs is national unity. I am black, I am a woman, I am a Conservative.
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Police are to be given greater powers to restrict repeated protests, the home secretary has announced, hours after hundreds were arrested at a Palestine Action demonstration in London.

The event went ahead despite calls from Keir Starmer and others in the wake of the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester during which two people were killed.

The home secretary Shabana Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused "considerable fear" for the Jewish community.

open image in gallery Palestine Action protest ( Reuters )

She said: "The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear.

"Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes.

"This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days.

"These changes mark an important step in ensuring we protect the right to protest while ensuring all feel safe in this country."

In the wake of the arrests in London on Saturday, Amnesty International said it should not be the job of the police to arrest people peacefully sitting down, and that the arrests amounted to a breach of the UKs human rights obligations.

As part of the new crackdown ministers will amend Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to explicitly allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests on local areas.

The home secretary will also review existing legislation to ensure powers are both sufficient and being applied consistently by police forces  this will include powers to ban protests outright.

In response, the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch asked: What took them so long?

She also said pro-Palestine demonstrators were abusing their right to protest and that many people at the marches are "actually out to intimidate Jews".

But Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson said: "People spreading antisemitic hate and inciting violence against Jews are getting away with it, and we fear the governments approach will do nothing to tackle that while undermining the fundamental right to peaceful protest.

open image in gallery Home secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined the proposals ( PA )

The president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Phil Rosenberg, said the move was one they had called for for months.

He said the change was a necessary start. We have been calling for this for many months, and it was one of our key demands in the meeting with the prime minister and home secretary on Friday. But the government now needs to go further. We will work with them to ensure that these and other measures are as effective as possible in protecting our community.

On Saturday officers arrested hundreds of people at a Palestine Action protest in London, days after the Manchester synagogue attack.

Met Police said 492 people were arrested at the protest in support the proscribed group, which was classed by the UK government as a terror organisation earlier this year.

Most of the arrests were made at Trafalgar Square, where around 1,000 protesters sat silently, some holding signs backing Palestine Action, despite calls from Sir Keir and police chiefs to stay away following the terror attack in Manchester.

The Met said many of those arrested had to be carried out of the square after refusing to walk, with each person taking up to five officers to move away safely. Some were pictured holding their hands in the air defiantly.

Paula Dodds, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said officers were physically exhausted but continue to be called on to facilitate these relentless protests. And we are coming under attack for doing so. How can this be right? she asked.

She added: There arent enough of us. Hardworking police officers are continually having days off cancelled, working longer shifts and being moved from other areas to facilitate these protests.

Our concentration should be on keeping people safe at a time when the country is on heightened alert from a terrorist attack. We are emotionally and physically exhausted. What are politicians and senior police officers going to do about it?

Event organiser Defend Our Juries said that among those arrested was 79-year-old Elizabeth Morley, a Jewish woman and daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

In what it called the largest defiance of the ban on Palestine Action to date, people of a mixture of ages sat for the silent vigil, before taking out pens and writing signs in support of the group. Some read: I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.

At the same time, around 100 people gathered in Manchester city centre for a similar demonstration, organised by Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine.

The prime minister had urged protesters to respect the grief of British Jews, while Jewish figures called the action phenomenally tone deaf after two people were killed in the attack in Manchester on Thursday.

Politicians and senior police officers also joined calls for the events not to go ahead. Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley warned the rallies would likely create further tensions and some might say lack sensitivity in the wake of the attack, while Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Stephen Watson urged would-be attendees to consider whether this is really the right time.

Sir Mark added that protests are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most. Police forces have deployed extra officers to synagogues and other Jewish buildings to offer protection and reassurance in the aftermath of the attack, with hundreds of extra officers around Manchester in particular.
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Angela Rayner is facing questions after her taxpayer-funded bodyguards were seen helping her partner move belongings into her second home.

The former deputy prime minister, who quit Sir Keir Starmers cabinet after underpaying stamp duty on the purchase of a seaside flat, was accused of wasting public money.

Pictures published in the Mail on Sunday showed two close-protection officers helping the former Labour MP Sam Tarry, Ms Rayners boyfriend, move bags and boxes in a BMW X5 between their two homes.

open image in gallery Angela Rayner is facing questions over the use of her personal security detail ( Reuters )

The security experts and the car are paid for by taxpayers at a cost of thousands of pounds per day.

Ms Rayners spokesperson defended the move, saying the MP has a heightened and active security risk, and that her Hove home had recently been daubed with misogynistic graffiti.

But critics pointed to the fact that Ms Rayner was not seen as the security detail ferried Mr Tarry and a series of boxes from her property in Hove to his flat in Brighton  a three-mile journey.

Bodyguards were later seen filling the car with bags from Mr Tarrys flat before taking them back to Ms Rayners seaside home.

The Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake told The Independent that Labour has serious questions to answer.

He said: Its right that MPs and their families are protected from intimidation and violence.

But Labour must now explain why Sam Tarry has been making use of Angela Rayners taxpayer-funded security and transport.

The public deserves to know whether she has been abusing these privileges and taking them for a ride yet again.

Critics questioned why Ms Rayners bodyguards were apparently being used to help with her private living arrangements after her resignation from the cabinet.

Ms Rayner last month quit Sir Keirs government after it emerged that she underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat.

She saved 40,000 on the property in Hove, East Sussex, by removing her name from the deeds of a family home in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency.

Sir Keirs ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus found that she had breached the ministerial code.

open image in gallery Angela Rayner has had an on-off relationship with the former Labour MP Sam Tarry ( Getty )

He said the former deputy prime minister and housing secretary had "acted with integrity", but failed to "heed the caution" contained within legal advice she received when buying the 800,000 property in Hove.

In her resignation letter, the former deputy PM wrote: I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards.

While the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.

After the pictures were published, the Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty told the Mail on Sunday: Highly trained close-protection officers shouldn't be moonlighting as removal men.

The public will be astonished at this outrageous waste of taxpayers' money and appalled at such shameless behaviour.

Angela Rayner's arrogance has already cost her her ministerial career. Her sense of entitlement shows calls by senior Labour figures last week to bring her back are very poorly judged.

And the Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said her removals should not be funded by the taxpayer.

The Mail on Sunday reported that a close protection officer was seen carrying empty boxes out of Ms Rayners home into the BMW before driving with Mr Tarry to his home 45 minutes later.

Ms Rayners spokesman said: Angela has a heightened and active security risk, and her property in Hove has been attacked with misogynistic and extremist graffiti.

Mindful of the ongoing risks facing Angela, the security team facilitated her partner moving a small number of her possessions into a vehicle to minimise risk to her security.

The close-protection team may undertake tasks based on the assessment of the situation and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the person they are protecting.

A House of Commons spokesman declined to comment on MPs security arrangements.
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The Conservative Party conference has historically been a magnet for protesters, from climate change activists to opponents of Partygate.

But as Kemi Badenoch hosts its annual gathering in Manchester this week, the streets around the convention centre are eerily quiet.

Protesters, even including the notorious anti-Brexit demonstrator Steve Bray, have not bothered to show up, in a sign of the fading relevance of the Tories under Ms Badenoch.

open image in gallery Notorious anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray has not come to Tory conference ( AFP/Getty )

Speaking to The Independent, one shadow minister on Monday noted that something is missing, noting that the usual crowds of protesters had failed to gather.

It is not just protesters, however, who are staying away from the conference this year. A walk around the conference hall or a trip into the main hall shows just how few activists thought it was worth the trip to Manchester.

open image in gallery Guests at the conference can speak to an AI-generated Winston Churchill ( The Independent )

And a look at the stalls spread throughout the conference centre show businesses, charities and lobby groups have concluded the party is not worth their time either. Many stalls, which would previously have been a key source of cash for the party being taken up by businesses, are left empty with Conservative branding in place instead.

All in, the conference exhibition hall is a shell of what it was in previous years, and attendees at the conference could be forgiven for forgetting who their leader is, as Ms Badenochs face is far from the most prominent in the exhibition centre.

Instead, the main hall is plastered with pictures of Margaret Thatcher as the party harks back to its days under the Iron Ladys leadership.

The merchandise stall is flogging mugs, Christmas baubles and bottles of whisky bearing Thatchers face as the Conservatives celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday.

open image in gallery The Tory conference is dominated by Margaret Thatcher ( The Independent )

Despite the milestone, the prominence of Thatcher makes the absence of Ms Badenoch all the more stark. After polling guru Sir John Curtice said the Tory leader has failed to make an impression on the country, it is the sign of a party unsure of itself, clinging to a bygone era in which it had a strong, unwavering leader.

Another former leader is prominent in the conference arena, with attendees able to speak to an AI-generated Winston Churchill supplied by a digital consultancy.

Meanwhile, prime exhibition spots have been taken up by Conservative party gimmicks  including a funfair game called Labours circus of despair, where you can spin Rachel Reeves wheel of tax and whack a taxpayer.

And, in another indicator of the Conservative Partys decline, what would usually have been a packed train from London to Manchester on the opening day of its conference was practically empty.

open image in gallery A Tory-branded stall, which in previous years would have been sponsored by a business or lobbying group ( The Independent )

Meanwhile, the usually packed bars, restaurants and cafes dotted around the conference centre have hardly anybody in them. There was one big attraction, with a fringe event featuring Badenochs former leadership rival James Cleverly filling up 15 minutes before it started.

And the Conservative Party was on the attack on Sunday, with press officers passing round a goody bag stuffed with its immigration plan as well as an anti-Rachel Reeves pamphlet and a fake box of Reform UK-branded cigarettes.

The pamphlet is based on claims that the chancellor embellished parts of her CV, and features AI-generated photos alongside fake achievements, including Ms Reeves having built the pyramids of Giza and the Great Wall of China.

open image in gallery Attendees can 'whack a taxpayer' in Labours circus of despair ( The Independent )

The empty cigarette box contained detailed costings of Reforms policies, with a warning on the front that unfunded promises can seriously harm economic health.

Meanwhile, the merchandise stand has devoted significant attention to attacking Labour in its offerings  one example being a blank notebook titled Leaked! Labours plan for the country.

While in previous years, these may have been fun  if a little unnerving  political merchandise, one look at the polls renders them more awkward than anything else.
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President Donald Trump is planning a significant aid package to U.S. soybean farmers to help them survive Chinas boycott of American beans in response to his trade war even as the president says he is still seeking a soybean deal with Beijing.

But farmers are worried that time is quickly running out to reach a deal in time to sell any of this year's crop to their biggest customer.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday said on CNBC that the public could expect news of substantial support for our farmers, especially the soybean farmers as soon as Tuesday.

Details of the aid package are unknown, but it would come as the worlds two largest economies have been unable to reach a trade deal and China has halted purchases of U.S. beans. China, the biggest foreign buyer of American soybeans for many years, last bought American beans in May and has not bought any for this harvest season, which began in September.

The Soybean Farmers of our Country are being hurt because China is, for negotiating reasons only, not buying, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday. Weve made so much money on Tariffs, that we are going to take a small portion of that money, and help our Farmers.

Ill be meeting with President Xi, of China, in four weeks, and Soybeans will be a major topic of discussion," Trump wrote.

The soybeans that China imports largely for oil extraction and animal feed are an important crop for U.S. agriculture because they are the top U.S. food export, accounting for about 14% of all farm goods sent overseas and China has been buying 25% of all American soybeans in recent years.

U.S. farmers grew $60.7 billion worth of soybeans, or nearly 4.3 billion bushels, in the 2022-2023 marketing year, according to the American Soybean Association. Just over half were exported. Illinois is the top soybean growing state, but Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota are also large producers.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping, to be held at the end of October in South Korea.

In Trump's first trade war with China, he gave American farmers more than $22 billion in aid payments in 2019 and nearly $46 billion in 2020, though the latter also included aid related to the COVID pandemic.

Time is running out

Caleb Ragland, a Kentucky farmer who serves as president of the American Soybean Association, welcomed Trump acknowledging the difficulties faced by farmers. He said actions are needed to prevent many farmers from going out of business.

Before the trade war, farmers were already pinched by high costs and low crop prices, he said. Then, their biggest customer vanished.

Its just unfortunate that were being used as a bargaining chip in this trade war thats not of our own doing, Ragland said.

He said time is running low for the two governments to strike a deal, because China has already ordered soybeans from countries such as Brazil and Argentina for deliveries through December and, if there's no soybean deal soon, China could skip the U.S. entirely.

If they get another couple months, theyre into new crop soybeans in Brazil and Argentina. And theyre going to bypass us altogether if were not careful, Ragland said.

Deal is still likely

China has slapped 20% tariffs on U.S. soybeans since Trump announced his tariffs on the world in the spring, making U.S. beans uncompetitive in price.

The retaliatory tariffs are in response to Trump's new import taxes on Chinese goods over allegations that Beijing has failed to stem the flow of chemicals used to make fentanyl as well as Trump's across-the-board Liberation Day tariffs, which have been reduced to the 10% baseline rate.

Observers say China could ease tariffs on U.S. farm goods should the White House walk back on fentanyl-related tariffs. That has yet to happen.

The White House has not prioritized fentanyl since this spring, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. She said Wang Xiaohong, Chinas public security minister, showed up in Geneva in May but met no counterpart from the U.S. to negotiate with.

But it is not time yet to write off a soybean deal, she said. China still needs to have something to show for at the leadership meeting in South Korea, Sun said.

Gabriel Wildau, managing director of the consultancy Teneo, said a soybean deal is the lowest-hanging fruit for both governments.

China needs beans, and the U.S. has them to sell. It costs China basically nothing to shift towards U.S. beans and away from Brazil and Argentina, Wildau said. If Washington and Beijing cant reach a deal on soybeans, then they dont have much hope of reaching a deal on thornier issues like export controls.

Argentina is a sore subject for U.S. farmers right now because on September 24, Beijing took advantage of a tax holiday in Argentina and ordered nearly 2 million tons of Argentine soybean and soy products. The tax holiday came after the U.S. signaled it would provide a $20 billion support package to help stabilize the Latin American countrys economy.

That situation was angering to many farmers, Ragland said. And while I dont think the specific intent was just to give a big chunk, give $20 billion to Argentina so that they could send China soybeans. That was the result. And the optics of it look absolutely terrible.

Farmers prefer trade over aid

Government aid might be necessary to help farmers get through this year if they cannot sell to China, but farmers say they would rather sell their crops on the market.

All farmers are proud of what they do and they dont like handouts. Wed rather make it with our own two hands than have it handed to us, Iowa farmer Robb Ewoldt said.

Meanwhile, farmers like Ryan Mackenthun, a fifth-generation farmer in south-central Minnesota, say they will do everything they can to survive.

Its definitely tighten the belt, to look at the inputs, look at the previous investments I made in fertilizer and see if I can stretch another year or two out of them to reduce costs but maintain the same yield projections, run equipment longer, Mackenthun said.
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Both Israel and now Hamas have signaled support for the new U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza and release all remaining hostages there. President Donald Trump says he thinks Hamas is ready for a lasting peace and has told Israel to stop bombing the territory, but he warns that all bets will be off if Hamas doesn't move quickly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he hopes to announce the release of all hostages in the coming days.

Many uncertainties remain around the plan ahead of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt on Monday. Already, Netanyahu says there will not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Tuesday marks two years since the war began.

Heres what we know.

The plans essentials

All hostilities would immediately end. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it holds, living or dead. The militants still have 48 hostages. Israel believes 20 of them are alive.

Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons and 1,700 people detained from Gaza since the war began, including all women and children. Israel also would hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each body of a hostage handed over.

Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza after Hamas disarms, and an international security force would deploy. The territory would be placed under international governance, with Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.

An interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would run day-to-day affairs. Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure, including tunnels, would be dismantled. Members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty. Those who wish to leave Gaza can.

Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza. Large amounts of humanitarian aid would be allowed and would be run by neutral international bodies, including the U.N. and the Red Crescent.

What Hamas has said

A Hamas statement on Friday said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. The statement made no mention of Hamas disarming, which is a key Israeli demand.

The statement also reiterated its longstanding openness to handing power over to a politically independent Palestinian body.

What Israel has said

Netanyahu on Friday said Israel was prepared for the implementation of the first stage of Trumps plan, apparently referring to the release of hostages. But his office said in a statement that Israel was committed to ending the war based on principles it has set out before. Netanyahu has long said Hamas must surrender and disarm.

Israels army on Saturday said the countrys leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the U.S. plan. Late on Saturday, Netanyahu said the military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and that Hamas will be disarmed in the plans second phase, diplomatically or through a military path by us.

What remains uncertain

Questions include the timing of key steps. One Hamas official said it would need days or weeks to locate some hostages' bodies. And senior Hamas officials have suggested there are still major disagreements requiring further negotiations.

Its not clear Hamas officials can agree among themselves on the plan. One official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Araby television that Hamas would refuse foreign administration of the Gaza Strip and that the entry of foreign forces would be unacceptable.

Parts of the plan remain unclear. Hamas wants Israel to leave Gaza completely, but the plan says Israel would maintain a security perimeter presence, which could mean it would keep a buffer zone inside the territory.

And the future of Gaza remains in question. The plan says that if the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank, reforms sufficiently and Gaza redevelopment advances, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.

What happens next

A senior Egyptian official on Saturday said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to lead the U.S. negotiating team. Delegations from Israel and Hamas will join the talks under way.

The official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gazas future. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to brief the media.

What Palestinians and Israelis say

There is cautious hope but also memories of negotiations failing earlier in the war.

We want to end the war by any means possible because we are tired, one displaced Palestinian in Gaza, Arafa al-Amour, said Saturday. Others said they hoped Arab nations would pressure Hamas to end it.

A group representing some families of hostages in Gaza said Saturday that the prospect of seeing loved ones return home has never been closer. They appealed to Trump to keep pushing with full force and warned that extremists on both sides will try to sabotage the plan.

Two vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahus coalition, ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, have criticized the plans progress but didnt threaten to immediately leave the government.

___

Anna reported from New York.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
PARIS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Sunday announced the first part of his cabinet lineup, nearly a month after his appointment.

Among the key appointments, Bruno Le Maire, who served as economy minister from 2017 to 2024, was named defense minister, while Roland Lescure was named the economy minister, tasked with delivering a tight budget plan for next year.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot kept his post. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin also retained their positions. Culture Minister Rachida Dati remained in office.

The presidency unveiled 18 names in total, including 16 ministers and two ministers delegate. Further appointments are expected later.

Following the announcement, Elysee Palace Secretary-General Emmanuel Moulin said President Emmanuel Macron will convene the first cabinet meeting of the Lecornu government on Monday afternoon. 
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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has revealed that the Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the states National Guard after the president gave him an ultimatum.

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has deployed troops to Democratic-led cities across the country: to Los Angeles in June; Washington, D.C. in August; Memphis in September; and Portland this month.

Now, the president is adding Chicago to the list, despite major opposition from Pritzker.

This morning, the Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, the Illinois governor said in a statement shared on social media Saturday.

It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will, Pritzker added. For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.

open image in gallery Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says President Donald Trump is federalizing the states National Guard after giving him an ultimatum ( AP )

I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois, he said, noting that he refuses to call up the Illinois National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people.

The Independent has asked the White House for comment.

Trump has threatened to send troops to Chicago since August, when he called the city a mess. At the time, Pritzker vocally opposed the move, calling the plans authoritarian.

Hours before Pritzkers announcement, a U.S. citizen was shot in the village of Broadview, a suburb west of Chicago, following a confrontation with Border Patrol agents, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Law enforcement officers were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars. One of the drivers was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, McLaughlin said.

Agents were forced to deploy their weapons and fired defensive shots at the armed woman, who later drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds, the statement added. No officers were injured in the incident.

For days, tensions have flared outside the ICE facility in Broadview, with protesters clashing with federal agents.

Employees working at a business next-door to the facility say they have been hit by pepper balls or tear gas, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Some videos posted to social media captured agents slamming demonstrators to the ground.

open image in gallery Law enforcement officers operate amid tear gas during a standoff with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal officers in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois on October 4 ( REUTERS )

open image in gallery Federal officers hold down a protestor in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side ( AP )

Last week, more than 200 rioters blocked access to one of the gates in front of the facility while another 30 have swarmed another gate and are attempting to forcibly and illegally trespass on federal property, the Department of Homeland Security said.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she was blocked from accessing the Village of Broadview Municipal Building. We were stopping for a quick bathroom break. This is a public building. The Village of Broadview receives at least $1 million in federal funding every year, she wrote on X Friday.

Trump is also butting heads with state and city leaders in Oregon, who sued the Trump administration to stop the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, calling the plans heavy-handed and unlawful.

The ordeal stemmed from protests outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland. Last week, Trump claimed on Truth Social that the facility was under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists and ordered Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland.

Hegseth then federalized 200 members of the Oregon National Guard.

The lawsuit argues that the federal government infringed on the states sovereign power to oversee its own troops. The administrations provocative and arbitrary actions threaten to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry, the suit, filed in federal court, says.

President Trump and Secretary Noem are restoring LAW AND ORDER in Portland. No more chaos. No more anarchy. If you lay hands on an officer you will be arrested, the Department of Homeland Security posted on X alongside a video of uniformed federal agents at a chaotic scene. Law and order will win the day.

On Saturday evening, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from deploying the National Guard in Portland.
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Individual immigration law enforcement officers and agents in Chicago are being targeted by gangs and cartel members with bounties of up to $10,000 on their heads, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Sunday.

Protesters in the Windy City have been clashing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol agents as they conduct sweeping immigration raids at the direction of President Donald Trump, and against the wishes of Chicagos mayor and Illinoiss governor.

Noem has condemned protesters and claimed that DHS intelligence indicates many are part of organized crime groups seeking to kidnap or kill federal immigration law enforcement agents.

We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their head, Noem told Fox & Friends. Its been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them, theyve released their pictures, theyve sent them between their networks, and its an extremely dangerous situation.

Noem claimed gangs, cartel members, and known terrorist organizations are the ones behind the bounties but did not identify specific groups.

open image in gallery Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem insinuated protesters in Chicago were being 'paid' by criminal organizations to push back on immigration law enforcement ( Fox News / YouTube )

The Independent has asked the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more information.

Trump directed DHS to conduct immigration raids in Chicago as part of his campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States. Federal agents have used extensive resources, including drones and helicopters, to conduct raids on apartment buildings, sometimes in the middle of the night.

Trump has specifically targeted Democratic-led Chicago for its sanctuary city policies that prevent local police from assisting federal immigration law enforcement with its efforts.

The administration has justified the aggressive raids by insisting many of the immigrants are violent criminals, with some belonging to cartels, though immigration advocates and lawyers dispute that and say the evidence shows otherwise.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have pushed back on Trumps immigration raids. Protesters have taken to the streets to voice opposition to them as well.

But Noem said that those protests have led to increased violence against agents, which she in part blamed Democrats for.

open image in gallery Anti-immigration protests in Chicago have led to tense exchanges between law enforcement and the public  some of them turning violent ( Middle East Images/AFP via Getty )

The Homeland Security secretary cited an example where a group of federal immigration agents were followed and ambushed by people in a caravan of 10 different vehicles over the weekend. A U.S. citizen was shot on Chicagos South Side after Border Patrol agents said they were rammed by 10 cars and became boxed in during a confrontation in the Broadview section of the city.

Noem then suggested that anti-immigration protesters were being paid by organized crime groups to display opposition.

All the protesters are wearing the same gas masks, carrying the same kind of signs, many of them were printed with the same font, they look like they came from the same company, Noem theorized.

To be that organized and have the same equipment to push back on law and order, you know that somebody is funding them and organizing them and that theyre being paid, Noem added.
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Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer is advising Donald Trump on who is disloyal to MAGA during late-night phone calls between the pair, according to a new report.

The 32-year-old, self-styled journalist is known to be a close confidante of the president and has successfully campaigned for the dismissal of multiple national security officials in recent months.

Loomer began her career at Project Veritas, a right-wing organization known for its often discredited undercover videos, and has twice run unsuccessfully for Congress. She hosts a twice-weekly podcast, Loomer Unleashed.

She has also applied for press credentials to cover the White House, after failing to get a job within the Trump administration. She has not yet been granted the accreditation, according to the Wall Street Journal.

open image in gallery Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer is advising Donald Trump who around him are disloyal to him in evening calls with the president, according to a new report. ( Getty Images )

People familiar with the matter told the outlet that Loomer has in effect an unofficial advisory role with the president.

Those facing allegations of disloyalty may include stalwart members of the MAGA movement, with whom Loomer has fallen out, including prominent figures such as former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

In a previous social media post, she dubbed Carlson Tucker Qatarlson and claimed he had been bought off by the Muslim Brotherhood. I pity everyone who has fallen for his Islamic propaganda. Its sickening. He is owned by Muslims, Loomer wrote.

She has also targeted those among Trumps base that she deems to be anti-Israel, amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Loomer, who is Jewish, has begun to expand her attacks following increasing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

open image in gallery In a previous social media post, Loomer dubbed Carlson Tucker Qatarlson and claimed he had been bought off by the Muslim Brotherhood ( Getty )

Earlier this year, during a prolonged online feud, Loomer claimed GOP Representative Greene was corrupt following an argument over the Trump administration's continued support for Israels war in Gaza.

She also accused Greene of cheating on her ex-husband like a whore, and went on to claim the congresswoman is funneling money from her campaign to one of her daughters.

White House officials are reportedly seeking to understand the motivations behind Loomers near-constant posting. They are concerned that she may be being paid for her various attacks, according to the Journal.

They can attack me all they want, Im more America First than them, Loomer said in a previous interview, per the Journal, referring to other members of the MAGA movement.
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President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Portland, a move that comes shortly after a federal judge blocked his administration from using Oregons own guard in the city, California Governor Gavin Newsom said.

Trump has reportedly turned to Californias National Guard in seeking to crack down on anti-immigration raid protests and crime in Portland, a famously politically progressive city that he characterizes as war-ravaged.

Thats after a federal judge refused to allow Trump to federalize Oregons National Guard for now, casting doubt on Trumps claims that Portland is riddled with daily unrest.

Newsoms office announced Trumps decision Sunday, accusing the president of flouting the law by using members of Californias National Guard. The California Governor said he plans to sue Trump to stop him from using members of his states guard  the second time such a lawsuit has arisen.

His deployment of the California National Guard to Oregon isnt about crime. Its about power. He is using our military as political pawns to build up his own ego, Newsom said.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump turned to Californias National Guard after failing to utilize Oregon troops. California Gov. Newsom announced Trumps decision Sunday, accusing the president of flouting the law and said he plans to sue ( Getty Images )

The White House did not make an official announcement about using Californias National Guard in Portland. Similarly, the White House did not formally announce its intention to federalize the Illinois National Guard - that states governor, JB Pritzker, did.

In a statement from the White House, spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement. For once, Gavin Newscum should stand on the side of law-abiding citizens instead of violent criminals destroying Portland and cities across the country.

Federalizing a states National Guard is a controversial move that is rarely invoked. But Trump has pushed the boundaries of his executive power in seeking to control immigration and crime in major U.S. cities, mostly Democratic-led.

In June, Trump invoked 4,000 members of Californias National Guard after small anti-ICE protests broke out in Los Angeles in response to sweeping immigration raids.

A federal judge sided with Newsom in September, though the ruling is currently temporary halted as the appeals process continues.

open image in gallery For the second time this year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said hell sue Trump for federalizing his states National Guard ( Getty )

Trump does not appear bothered by lower court rulings on the matter and continued to use the National Guard in cities, including Chicago.

Trump also sent 800 D.C. National Guard members into the nations capital to help curb crime. Unlike the states National Guard, the president does have immediate authority

The president campaigned, and won, on promises to deport undocumented immigrants and crack down on crime in major cities. Hes seemingly intended to fulfill that agenda, regardless of criticisms, judges rulings, and any evidence that suggests violent crime is not a problem.
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A MAGA reporter who was arrested in Portland, Oregon, has claimed he was detained by police for being a conservative.

Nick Sortor claimed that he had done nothing to provoke his arrest and had been harassed himself by a group of people described by his supporters as Antifa thugs.

The 27-year-old, who is a regular guest on Fox News and whose X profile has more than 1 million followers, was arrested Thursday night with two other people outside the citys Immigration and Customs Enforcement building.

It is not precisely clear why Sortor or the others were arrested. Portland police said they moved into the crowd to make arrests as fights broke out. They arrested Sortor and two others.

They say when they make arrests based on observed behavior, Sortor said, recalling the incident to Fox News Saturday. I believe, in these circumstances, that observed behavior was being a conservative, if Im being totally honest with you.

open image in gallery Portland Police load onto a van as people protest outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, Friday October 3 ( AP )

You saw the video, there was another video that came out yesterday showing a close up of what happened.

Video from Thursday showed Sortor grabbing an American flag that had been set on fire and stamping out the flames. In another, he was seen being verbally abused by protesters as he walked down the street.

Nobody, even my biggest detractors, cannot take that video and say I was the aggressor in that situation, simply trying to walk down the sidewalk with my camera, Sortor continued.

I get up and I walk over to the Portland police, not to report anybody because, honestly, I didnt expect anything to be done anyway. I just walk over there for a little safety, you know, calm down for a few minutes.

open image in gallery It was previously reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth considered deploying an elite Army unit to Portland to address what the president had called lawless mayhem ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

But instead I sit there, 7 or 8 minutes, and a sergeant walks up and points to me and says to the officers, Cuff him. No reason given, the officers didnt know what they were doing.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later blasted the arrest, calling it extremely troubling. Speaking to reporters, she said that Sortor had been ambushed by Antifa and was defending himself from these assaults.

But instead of arresting these violent mob members night after night after night who are ravaging this community, the police arrested a journalist who was there trying to document the chaos, and everyone in this room should be extremely concerned about that, she said.

The Independent has contacted Portland police for comment about Sortors arrest.

open image in gallery Federal agents walk into the street as people protest outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland, Oregon, Friday, October 3 ( AP )

Before his arrest, Sortor had been posting consistently on social media about Portland, which he described as a third world hellhole. Antifa is in full control out here. President Trump NEEDS to step in, he wrote.

It was previously reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth considered deploying an elite Army unit to Portland to address what the president had called lawless mayhem.

High-ranking Trump administration officials exchanged messages about potentially deploying the Armys 82nd Airborne, a division historically sent into combat in both World Wars, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Any move to send the unit domestically would likely face legal challenges under federal restrictions on the use of military forces within the United States.
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Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem has blamed Illinois Governor JB Pritzker after she was blocked from using the restroom at a public building during a visit to an ICE facility in the state.

Video showed Noem and her team approaching the Village of Broadview Municipal Building, located in a suburb of Chicago, but being loudly refused by the staff inside.

My team and I were just blocked from accessing the Village of Broadview Municipal Building in Illinois. We were stopping for a quick bathroom break, Noem wrote on X.

This is a public building. The Village of Broadview receives at least $1 million in federal funding every year. This is how JB Pritzker and his cronies treat our law enforcement. Absolutely shameful.

Video captured by conservative commentator Benny Johnson, who was accompanying Noem and the DHS team, showed a man inside the building loudly responding, "No, you cannot!" to Noems request for entry to use the bathroom.

open image in gallery Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem has blamed Illinois governor JB Prtizker after she was blocked from using the restroom at a public building during a visit to a state ICE facility ( U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement )

The secretary calmly replies, "OK, all right, thank you," and walks away.

When asked by Johnson what had occurred, she replied: A worker here for the city would not allow us to go in and to use a restaurant at the police station.

So as much as these local leaders and governors talk about cooperating and having the backs of our law enforcement, this is what we have to put up with every single day, and all we're doing is getting criminals and terrorists and gang members off the streets to make families safer here, it's ridiculous.

She added, This is a real problem. I'm so proud of our officers that deal with this every single day. They know that America's got their backs, but what they face here every day is real prosecution.

The incident occurred as Noem met with employees in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview. The meeting drew protesters, some of whom became agitated by newly installed barricades that separated them from law enforcement officers stationed outside, and several arrests were later made.

open image in gallery The incident occurred as Noem met with employees in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Broadview. Several people were arrested Friday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Broadview officials told Fox News that Noem and other DHS members had shown up unannounced on Friday morning and requested a meeting with Mayor Katrina Thompson, who was not there.

"Since DHS Secretary Kristi Noem appeared this morning, unannounced, at Broadviews Village Hall asking for a meeting while Mayor Katrina Thompson was out of the building, the mayor returned her visit," village spokesperson David Ormsby said in a statement shared with the outlet.

"Mayor Thompson went to the ICE center, accompanied by the Broadview Police Chief Thomas and officers, to ask for the illegal fence to be dismantled. The mayor was told by agents at the gate the secretary was unavailable to meet."

DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied that Noem had been there for a meeting. "She didnt ask for a meeting. She asked to use the restroom. This is insane," McLaughlin told Fox News.

Following her meeting at the processing facility, Noem accompanied ICE agents on a raid near a local Walmart store.
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President Donald Trump has slammed the federal judge, whom he appointed, for blocking his decision to deploy some 200 National Guard troops to Portland to stop what the president has called lawless mayhem.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut issued the order Saturday, saying the relatively small protests in Portland did not justify the use of federalized forces and allowing the deployment to harm Oregons state sovereignty.

 I wasnt served well by the people who pick judges. I appointed the judge, and it goes like that. If he made that decision, Portland is burning to the ground all you have to do is look at the TV and read your newspapers. That judge ought to be ashamed of himself, Trump told members of the media at the White House en route to address U.S. Navy servicemembers in Norfolk, Virginia.

open image in gallery Trump told reporters Sunday that Judge Karin J Immergut "should be ashamed of himself" ( Wikimedia Commons )

This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs, Immergut wrote, later adding: This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.

State and city officials sued to stop the deployment last week, one day after Trump officials said that 200 Oregon National Guard troops would be federalized to protect federal buildings in what Trump declared a war-ravaged city.

Despite Trumps efforts targeting Democratic-led cities, sending the National Guard to Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE protesters in June, before sending them to Washington, D.C., to crack down on crime he claims is rampant, the judge noted Trumps response did not match the situation in Portland.

open image in gallery Trump made the remarks as he departed to address members of the US Navy in Norfolk ( REUTERS )

The presidents determination was simply untethered to the facts, Immergut wrote.

The temporary restraining order issued by Immergut is set to expire on October 18.

Following Immerguts order, the Trump administration on Saturday filed a notice of appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement  we expect to be vindicated by a higher court, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said.

Meanwhile, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the ruling a healthy check on the president.

open image in gallery A federal judge temporarily blocked Trumps deployment of 200 National Guard troops into Portland Oregon to protect ICE buildings ( Getty Images )

It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the presidents war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion, Rayfield said in a statement. He added: Members of the Oregon National Guard are not a tool for him to use in his political theater.

Trump has deployed or threatened to deploy troops to several U.S. cities, including Chicago, Memphis, Los Angeles, and Washington.

California sued the administration in the wake of Trumps deployment of National Guard troops and U.S. Marines into Los Angeles. A federal judge earlier this month determined that the administration illegally deployed military assets into the Los Angeles area.

In a similar lawsuit filed in Oregon, state leaders also stated that Trump is breaking the law, as well as Tenth Amendment protections, which ensure that police authority rests with the states, not the federal government.

The Trump administrations stated basis for federalizing members of Oregons National Guard is patently pretextual and baseless, state leaders wrote in the suit.

Trump singled out a particular disfavored jurisdiction for political retribution and seeks to eviscerate the constitutional principle that the states sovereignty should be treated equally, they argued.

With reporting by The Associated Press.
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A top adviser to Donald Trump echoed the presidents threats of mass federal layoffs across the government if Democrats in Congress do not agree to vote to reopen the government soon.

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House Economic Council, made the warning on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday. White House officials spent the past week taking varying positions on whether the president relished causing staff reductions at federal agencies, while the president himself seemed to imply as much.

Hassett, on Sunday, warned that Democrats needed to come to the table on Monday or the White House would take action.

"I think that President Trump and Russ Vought are lining things up and getting ready to act if they have to, but hoping that they don't, he told CNNs Jake Tapper. Layoffs will begin "if the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere."

Hassett added that he hoped "we can get the Democrats to see that it's just common sense to avoid layoffs like that."

open image in gallery Kevin Hassett warned that the White House would make a decision Monday based on whether Democrats returned to the table for shutdown negotiations ( X/CNN State of the Union )

Speaker Mike Johnson, on CBS and NBC, laid the blame for those potential layoffs squarely on Democrats  despite criticism that his party controls both chambers of Congress and the White House, the latter of which is making the threats.

Johnson, denying that he or the president wanted to use the threat of mass firings as leverage, told CBSs Face the Nation that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was to blame for his caucus opposing a House-passed clean continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government. Schumer opposed using a shutdown as leverage to halt DOGE cuts earlier this year, but is now backing that strategy in the hopes of forcing Republicans to extend subsidies for Obamacare public exchange health care plans.

Democrats are not buying the presidents threats or the White Houses attempts to soften the language used by some advisers to the president  and Trump himself  about potentially engaging in mass firings seemingly for the purpose of scoring political points.

Members of the minority party attacked Trump for claiming hed target Democrat agencies, rhetoric which suggested to many of the presidents critics that he viewed federal agencies as inherently hostile to his agenda.

A Republican senators comment to Fox News this past week, suggesting that Russell Vought, the presidents director of the Office of Management and Budget, had been waiting since puberty to carry out mass layoffs, was also a revealing look into the divide among the presidents defenders on the issue.

"As for the Speaker telling you or not telling you his position on the president threatening the mass layoffs of federal employees  there's no one forcing him to do that, Sen. Adam Schiff told MSNBC on Sunday.

He will do that because he wants to do that, because he and Russell both want to cause even more pain for the American people, added the senator.

And Schumer, on CBS and NBC, responded that Johnson and his fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, were being dishonest when they claimed they were open to negotiations on the topic of Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies  but only after Democrats voted to reopen the government.

Later means never, the Democratic Senate leader told Margaret Brennan. Johnson does not want to do it.

He's just not serious about it, as exemplified by him sending the House home for two weeks, added Schumer.

Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, are reportedly equally divided over the prospect of causing further federal chaos to put pressure on the Democrats. Some warn that the strategy risks collapsing the remaining credibility Republicans have with some voters over the shutdown fight.

This is certainly the most moral high ground Republicans have had in a moment like this that I can recall, and I just dont like squandering that political capital when you have that kind of high ground, Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican, told CNN last week.

open image in gallery Donald Trump threatened to target Democrat agencies with mass layoffs; his aides have struggled to explain what that meant ( AP )

Trump himself has kept up the pressure on Democrats in his own way  by issuing threats  while on Sunday, he attacked Fox News for the conservative networks decision to invite a Democratic senator, Mark Kelly, on air to discuss the shutdown.

Why is Fox News and Peter Doocy putting on Democrat Senator Mark Kelly to talk about, totally unabated or challenged, Healthcare? Trump said, before seemingly suggesting that the cable network should pick whether or not it to remain on his side: Fox should either get on board, or get off board, NOW, but at this point, it just doesnt make any difference to me. They suck up the Ratings because of us, and then spin them in the Democrats direction.
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Donald Trump privately told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop being so negative as Israel and Hamas appeared this weekend to be on the brink of reaching a permanent peace agreement two years into the bloody siege of Gaza.

The U.S. president and his Israeli ally spoke on Friday, according to Axios. During the call, Trump reportedly told the prime minister to accept a response from Hamas as good news while urging him to continue the peace process.

Hamas political officials based in Qatar, on Friday, announced that the group would accept the framework of the deal provided that appropriate field conditions were met, and agreed to release all remaining hostages  living or dead. Reporting suggests that a divide may exist between the groups political leadership in Qatar and its militant wing in Gaza, the latter of which controls the hostages.

Trump, however, focused on the positives during his call with Netanyahu and urged him to do the same, according to a U.S. officials account.

Bibi told Trump this is nothing to celebrate, and that it doesnt mean anything, the official with knowledge of the call told Axios, who said the president responded: I dont know why youre always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.

open image in gallery Donald Trump used his relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu to engineer what is increasingly appearing to be a deal that could permanently end the Israeli assault on Gaza ( Getty )

On Sunday, CNNs State of the Union conducted a text-message interview with the president of the United States, who gave his typical answer: Soon, when asked by Jake Tapper when the country would know if both sides of the conflict were entirely on board with the U.S.s mandated ceasefire terms.

Will you know if Hamas is truly committed or just stringing the world along? And is Prime Minister Netanyahu on board with ending the bombing as you called for and whatever else you need him to do to make this peace proposal a reality? Tapper asked Trump.

Yes on Bibi, said the president. Soon on the rest!

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expanded on the administrations perception of the progress it was making towards a deal on ABCs This Week.

This is the closest weve come to getting all of the hostages released, every single one, all 48, including the 28 who are deceased, Rubio said. But theres a lot of pitfalls along the way. Theres some work to be done here.

This is not something that can drag out. We cannot be here three weeks from now, still discussing, you know, the logistics of how hostages are going to be released. That has to happen very quickly in order for the rest of this deal to gain momentum, he added.

open image in gallery Relatives of hostages protest in Israel ( AP )

According to the terms of the U.S.-negotiated deal, Israel is to immediately end its assault on the Gaza Strip once both sides are officially signed on to the proposal; representatives are set to meet Monday in Cairo as those talks continue. The deal would also see all hostages, including remains, released within 72 hours, while Hamass military wing is to disarm. Aid is also set to be surged into the famine-stricken Gaza Strip after hostilities end.

In Gaza, United Nations officials and civilians told The Independent that while there had been a lessening of fire in the north, and some displaced families were attempting to return home, Israels shelling and bombing had continued over the weekend, with wounded families and children pouring into hospitals.

People are obviously desperate for a ceasefire, but we havent seen a lot of change on the ground. There has been heavy shelling, missile and small arms fire all day, said James Elder, spokesperson for the U.N.s child agency Unicef, speaking to The Independent from southern Gaza.

The Palestinian militant group has yet to agree to the disarmament demand. Trump, meanwhile, repeated his demand for Israel to cease attacks in a Friday Truth Social post. The next day, he said Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line.

Rubio, speaking on Sunday, said he hoped that 90 percent of the deals provisions would be defined and agreed upon by both sides before talks began on Monday in Cairo.

Our hope is that by the time our team gets to Cairo, 90 per cent of this has been worked out, and were just sort of finalizing the logistical piece. Wed like to see it done yesterday, he said.

In a second interview on CBSs Face the Nation, the secretary contended that Israels image was lessened by its conduct during the war. A poll this week from the IMEU Policy Project and Gen-Z for Change found that seven in 10 Democratic voters nationally believe that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza.

[W]hether you believe it was justified or not, right or not ... you cannot ignore the impact that this has had on Israels global standing, said the secretary.

Bel Trew contributed to this report
PARIS, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Sunday announced the first part of his cabinet lineup, nearly a month after his appointment.

Among the key appointments, Bruno Le Maire, who served as economy minister from 2017 to 2024, was named defense minister, while Roland Lescure was named the economy minister, tasked with delivering a tight budget plan for next year.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot kept his post. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin also retained their positions. Culture Minister Rachida Dati remained in office.

The presidency unveiled 18 names in total, including 16 ministers and two ministers delegate. Further appointments are expected later.

Elysee Palace Secretary-General Emmanuel Moulin said President Emmanuel Macron will convene the first cabinet meeting of the Lecornu government on Monday afternoon.

Following the announcement, National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella criticized the lineup, saying on social media that the new cabinet just "represents continuity" of the old government.

Former Prime Minister Francois Bayrou was ousted after losing a confidence vote in the National Assembly over his budget plan on September 8. President Macron appointed Lecornu, then defense minister, as prime minister the following day. 
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Civilians in Gaza and families of hostages in Israel said they were holding onto a glimmer of hope for a peace plan, as Israel continued to pound the Strip despite Donald Trump urging for an immediate ceasefire.

Overnight, Mr Trump called on Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza, saying Hamas was ready for lasting peace after the militant group accepted some elements of his 20-point peace plan  including the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza.

On Saturday night, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to announced the release of hostages in coming days as the countrys army said it had been instructed to prepare for the first phase of the US proposal.

But in Gaza, United Nations officials and civilians told The Independent that while there had been a lessening of fire in the north, and some displaced families were attempting to return home, Israels shelling and bombing had continued  with wounded families and children pouring into hospitals.

People are obviously desperate for a ceasefire, but we havent seen a lot of change on the ground. There has been heavy shelling, missile and small arms fire all day, said James Elder, spokesperson for the UNs child agency UNICEF, speaking to The Independent from southern Gaza.

He said that on Saturday, he had seen a girl aged 10 with horrific shrapnel wounds from air strikes as she attempted to collect water, and another boy who had been shot in the knee while trying to access aid from one of the militarised distribution points.

The people need to see concrete evidence on the ground  which means concrete not falling from the sky, he added.

In central Gaza, Marwan Sabita, 45, a father of five, said that news Hamas and Israel had apparently agreed to parts of a deal represented a glimmer of hope. He said: I ask God that it will be a ray of hope  and that the bloodshed will actually end now.

open image in gallery Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations are engulfed by smoke following an Israeli military strike in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday (Leo Correa/AP) ( AP )

In Israel, families of the remaining 48 hostages  both alive and dead  said it was a time for action not words urging Israel to stand together and demand loudly: do everything possible to bring our brothers and sisters home.

Ruby Chen, whose son Itay an Israeli soldier was killed on 7 October and his body held by militants in Gaza, spoke of cautious optimism.

We are feeling cautious optimism and have a lot of questions, but the fact Hamas is willing to front-load and release all the hostages is very positive. Mr Trump is leading the way and taking ownership of the process  which is a very positive development, he added.

Last week, Mr Trump unveiled a 20-point plan to end the war on Gaza: a conflict that has dragged on for nearly two years since the bloody Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which over 250 people were taken hostage.

Since then, Israeli bombardment and siege have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, razed swathes of the enclave to the ground, displaced most of its two million residents, and triggered famine, according to the UN-backed hunger monitor. Last month, a UN special inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide, something Israel vehemently denies.

The international community welcomed news that Mr Trumps plan for an end to the war has apparently been endorsed by both Mr Netanyahu and Hamas.

In the version of the plan shared by the White House, Hamas would hand over all 48 remaining hostages within 72 hours, disarm, relinquish control of Gaza under an amnesty agreement. The plan stipulates that Israel will not be permitted to occupy or annex Gaza or forcibly displace its inhabitants. The Strip would be governed by an interim technocratic authority presided over by a Board of Peace headed by Mr Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

open image in gallery Mr Trumps plan for the end of the war has apparently been endorsed by both Mr Netanyahu and Hamas. ( Getty Images )

Both Hamas and Netanyahu appeared to endorse parts of the plan although Netanyahu added additional stipulations including that Israel retain security responsibility for Gaza at press conference, and senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera the proposal "cannot be implemented without negotiations".

Mr Trump, who has campaigned as a peacemaker president, warned on social media that all hell would break loose if this agreement was not reached by the end of Sunday.

He wrote on Truth Social: Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly!

Mr Trump appears keen to deliver on his pledges to end the war and return the hostages ahead of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday. His proposal has received widespread international support.

On Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer labelled Hamas's partial acceptance of Mr Trumps peace plan as a significant step forward and called for an agreement without delay.

In a statement, he said that this was an opportunity to end the fighting, for the hostages to return home, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it. We call on all sides to implement the agreement without delay.

open image in gallery Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza, by vehicle and on foot, carrying their belongings along the coastal road near Wadi, last month ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

On Saturday, in his brief statement, Mr Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt "to finalise technical details" of the US plan to end the war, adding that "our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days".

In Gaza, families said they were desperate for good news but also worried about the apparent differences in interpretation of the deal between Israel and Hamas.

The general atmosphere is tense for me, and I have no optimism because Hamass response doesn't match what Netanyahu is demanding. I hope the opposite of what I think will happen, said Ali Hassan, 42, displaced from the north to Deir al-Balah.

Unicefs James Elder said there was no time to lose as families were at breaking point in the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. He said an Unprecedented level of support  for the international community is needed to push this through.

I have failed to understand how the reports of 19,500 girls and boys killed since the horrors October 7 - does not capture the world leadership every single day. It's a thousand babies, he said.
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Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced Saturday.

After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas, the president wrote on Truth Social.

Hamas has not confirmed, the president added. But if Hamas does, the ceasefire will be effective immediately and the hostages and prisoner exchanges will begin, Trump continued, adding that we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.

Trump had earlier warned all hell will break loose if an agreement is not reached by the end of Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expanded on the plans. Our goal is to limit the negotiations to just a few days. Trump made it clear: We will not tolerate stalling tactics or evasions, Netanyahu said Saturday.

Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, President Donald Trump announced Saturday. Hamas has not yet confirmed, he added ( REUTERS )

Netanyahu then laid out a multi-phase plan. First, Hamas will release the hostages while the Israeli military maintains control of all of the dominant areas deep inside the strip, he said.

Then, Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized. This will happen either through the diplomatic path by the Trump plan or through the military path, but it will be achieved, the Israeli prime minister added.

On Friday, Trump called on Israel to immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, he wrote in a Truth Social post.

Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, its far too dangerous to do that, Trump said.

Israel launched dozens of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip just hours after Trump called for an immediate ceasefire, Palestinian officials claimed. At least 36 people in Gaza have died since Trumps demand.

Hamas said Friday it would agree to some aspects of Trump's plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages and handing over administration of the enclave, but that it would seek negotiations over many of its other terms.

The group agreed to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump's proposal, so long as the field conditions for the exchange are met.

Hamas appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, [and] the immediate entry of aid, the statement read.

As the war nears the second-year mark, demolished buildings and piles of rubble are almost ubiquitous in Gaza, satellite images show. The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza; more than one million people have been displaced and more than half a million are trapped in famine. Since the war began, 67,000 people in Gaza have been killed, the Gaza health authorities said this week.

The October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel killed around 1,200 people. There are 48 Israeli hostages remaining of 251 people who were taken  but only 20 of them are believed to be alive, Israel has said.
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Pablo Picasso is coming to the National Gallery. Not the National Gallery that overlooks Trafalgar Square, but the one in Ireland, housed behind a 19th-century neo-classical facade on Merrion Square in the centre of Georgian Dublin. The National Gallery of Ireland hasnt, as Londons previously did, limited itself to art before the 20th century, and this autumn will host the major new exhibition, Picasso: From the Studio, in partnership with the Musee Picasso in Paris.

The show will be packed with remarkable works from the single most transformative artist of the 20th century. However, Picasso was also among the most troubling artists of the 20th century  particularly for his attitude to women. The charges begin with the painters treatment of Fernande Olivier, the first live-in lover in Paris, whom he locked up in their squalid studio apartment. Then Olga Khokhlova, the ballerina wife Picasso subjected to many indignities, among them his affair with the teenager Marie-Therese Walter  his junior by 28 years. Theres Walters successor as muse and bedfellow, the artist Dora Maar, whom he struck on occasion, and Francoise Gilot, the mistress Picasso couldnt forgive for writing a book about their relationship, to the extent of disinheriting their children.

open image in gallery Picasso was one of the single most transformative artists of the 20th century ( Getty )

Read more: The best museums you should visit in the UK

The Dublin team do not deny there are problems. Picasso was a tricky person all round, says co-curator Janet McLean. His relationships with women were difficult, and sometimes with his children and grandchildren, men and his friends. He would often take what he needed, and then he would move on.

There is no record of Picasso visiting Dublin, but the new show is a compelling reason to visit a city that, for most Britons, is only a ferry or one-hour flight away across the Irish Sea. The National Gallery of Ireland offers visitors access to an enviable, if little-known in the UK, free-to-see collection. There are works by Goya, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio and more, with regular guided tours of the collection at no extra charge.

open image in gallery The National Gallery of Ireland offers visitors access to a free-to-see collection ( Getty )

Read more: The best cheap hotels in Dublin

While youre in town, cross the River Liffey to the Hugh Lane Gallery on Parnell Square to encounter one of the most audacious modern art installations in Europe: Dublin-born painter Francis Bacons London studio, which was relocated here in 1998. Every paint tube and oily rag, even the dust from the floor, has been moved from London. That coup was engineered by Barbara Dawson, visionary director of the Hugh Lane Gallery, and it is women who are behind Picasso: From the Studio. The Nationals director is Caroline Campbell, and McLeans co-curator is Joanne Snrech of Musee Picasso in Paris. Housed in a baroque mansion in the Marais, the Musee embarked on a major reconsideration of its dedicatee in 2023 at the instigation of its female director Sabine Longin. The idea was to talk about everything that seems problematic about Picasso, says Snrech. His relationship to women, his position during the war, his interpretation of non-Western art. To not just go, Picasso treated women badly.

open image in gallery Portrait of Marie-Therese (1937) ( Musee National Picasso-Paris/Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2025/GrandPalaisRmn/Adrien Didierjean )

Consequently, their exhibition re-thinks how Picasso worked, how the tumbling, apparently endless succession of pictures, sculptures, ceramics and prints  over 50 of which will be in Dublin  were made. Rather than a lone genius in the studio, Picassos art came out of a larger creative constellation; he was dependent on networks of people, most of all, perhaps, on the women we see in his work. Its a different way of thinking about art history, says Snrech. Not focusing just on Picasso but also highlighting the importance of the other people around him; moving away from that genius narrative to something that is more inclusive.

Read more: Inside the Paris neighbourhoods you should know before visiting

Picasso has so many collaborations, says McLean. When he wanted to do printmaking, the printmakers in Paris set up a studio to accommodate him. There was just this incredible output, hundreds and hundreds of things. Rather than diminish or falter, this seemed to increase as he grew older. Turning 70, Picasso took up with the ceramic workers of Vallauris on the Cote dAzur. A trove of the often quirkily humorous pitchers, plates, and figurines that resulted is coming from Paris.

In 2023, on the fiftieth anniversary of Picassos death, New Yorks Brooklyn Gallery mounted Pablomatic: Picasso According to Hannah Gadsby, wherein the Australian feminist comic attempted to boot the artist out of the canon. Picasso was a monumentally misogynistic and abusive domestic authoritarian dictator. But as the Dublin show will make clear, its more complicated than that. Dora Maar was a major artist in her own right; she both photographed Picasso at work on Guernica in the studio and advised him as he created the greatest painting of the 20th century.

open image in gallery A trove of figurines is coming from Paris, including the 1953 Head of a Woman ( Musee National Picasso-Paris/Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2025/GrandPalaisRmn/Adrien Didierjean )

Likewise, you might argue that Walter, who haunts the show in works like Portrait of Marie-Therese (1937) and the bronze sculpture Head of a Woman (1931-1932) was the co-author of Picassos remarkable rebirth in the 1930s. Rather than ask if great art can excuse bad behaviour, the necessary question might be, why havent these women been given more credit for Picassos work? Either way, go to Dublin and make your own mind up.

Read more: Best luxury hotels in Dublin 2025, reviewed

Picasso: From the Studio, National Gallery of Ireland, 9 October-22 February
One winter morning, a headteacher texted me at dawn: We have no milk. No cereal. Nothing for the breakfast club. At that very moment, my team was unloading supermarket pallets piled with perfectly good yoghurt, bread and fruit that had been rescued only hours from destruction. We transported it to the school and, by 8am, 200 children had eaten.

That is the moral contradiction of our age: children in Britain starting school hungry while edible food is destroyed at scale because our systems make waste cheaper than compassion. The mass wastage of food in a country where hunger is rising is Britains quietest scandal. It is also one of the most overlooked drivers of the climate crisis.

Recent figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap) highlight the scale of Britains food waste crisis. An estimated 10.7 million tonnes of food valued at around 17bn is discarded each year across farms, factories, shops, restaurants and homes. Break that down and it works out at roughly 1,000 of wasted food for an average family of four.

Households are responsible for around 60 per cent of the total, while farms contribute nearly a sixth. Shockingly, almost half of what is thrown away is still perfectly edible, representing millions of lost meals every day. Beyond the financial and social impact, the environmental cost is profound, with wasted food producing around 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, undermining both the UKs climate commitments and its food security.

The real cost is to the planet, at a time when were hosting global climate talks and pledging net zero. If we are serious about food security and climate leadership, tackling food waste must be treated as a national priority. And yet, when governments file their climate plans under the Paris Agreement, fewer than 15 per cent even mention food waste. It is a blind spot that borders on negligence.

My team and I have spent 12 years intercepting surplus food and redistributing it to schools, shelters and community hubs with the aim of zero waste and zero hunger. In that time, we have saved thousands of tonnes of food from landfill and served millions of meals  but this has been achieved against the odds.

Households are responsible for around 60 per cent of the total 10.7 million tonnes of food wasted every year in Britain, working out at around 1,000 of food a year per family of four ( Alamy/PA )

What I have seen is not just inefficiency but a system that actively incentivises destruction. Farmers are locked into contracts where it is cheaper to plough crops back into the soil than to harvest and distribute them. Supermarkets continue to impose cosmetic standards that see edible produce rejected. Defra, the very department tasked with protecting our food system, commissions endless reviews and pilots, and fails to legislate. Meanwhile, the consultancy industry profits handsomely from producing reports and frameworks about food waste, while redistribution hubs such as mine survive on volunteers and near-zero core funding.

This is not uniquely British. In the United States, confusing date-labelling laws result in millions of tonnes of food being discarded. By contrast, in 2016, France introduced the Garot law, which made it illegal for supermarkets to destroy or make edible food unusable, and instead made them donate surplus food to charities. One of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals commits the world to halving food waste by 2030, but we are off track. Every year of delay is a year of squandered emissions cuts.

The scandal is not that waste exists; it is that we designed systems that make waste rational. Retail procurement contracts that penalise oversupply but not disposal. Liability regimes that make donation a risk but landfill safe. Subsidies that reward energy-from-waste plants for burning surplus instead of redistributing it. And a government that prefers to outsource solutions to consultants rather than fund the vans, fridges and workers that can fix the problem tomorrow.

This is Britains quiet hypocrisy. The Food Standards Agency enforces strict traceability on every sandwich sold, but when that same sandwich becomes surplus, no system ensures that it reaches a hungry child instead of a bin. If food waste is a symptom of broken systems, then education must be part of the cure. That is why we are paving the way for a forward-looking model of learning where sustainability is not a module at the margins but the principle that underpins everything.

Food waste is not a side issue. It is the billion-meal scandal at the heart of climate breakdown and social injustice. Halving it would deliver emissions savings larger than grounding every plane in the world. It would feed people tonight and safeguard the planet tomorrow.

If leaders want Cop30 to be remembered for more than words, they must confront this scandal  not with pilots and pledges, but with investment and courage.

In a century defined by scarcity, waste is not just careless: it is indefensible.

Taz Khan MBE is the founder of Londons Community Kitchen
Hospitality

Simon Wallis, CEO of German Doner Kebab, said the brand found the strength of the Irish economy particularly attractive

German Doner Kebab (GDK) has revealed plans to open up to 30 restaurants across the island of Ireland, potentially creating 1,000 new jobs within the next decade.

The quick service restaurant brand, which has over 170 outlets globally, shared the plans ahead of the launch of its first Irish restaurant in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. The brand will open in the Dublin destination at the end of November, creating 30 jobs.
Corporation tax was up again in September in advance of Budget 2026.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe heads into next Tuesdays Budget in a strong position, with gross revenues for the year so far standing at 91.2bn, almost 10pc more than at the same time last year.

Record payments of corporation tax, which have been bolstering the Exchequer finances, are still showing no signs of slackening. Some 1.8bn was collected last September, which was up 0.3bn on the same month last year.
Brother of murder victim Valerie French claims killer husband is delaying sale of her estate

James Kilroy was convicted last year of murdering his wife at their home in Mayo

Valerie French was murdered by her husband James Kilroy

Ali Bracken Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 16:20

The brother of Valerie French, who was murdered by her husband, claims her killer is maintaining a vendetta against him as he tries to secure her estate for her three sons.
Garda suspended over alleged sexual assault of a female officer

Alleged attack took place in male gardas home in north-east

Garda stock image

Ali Bracken and Ken Foy Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

A garda based in the north east has been suspended over the alleged sexual assault of a female officer, the Sunday Independent can reveal.
Its just 24 hours to Budget 2026  and heres everything we know so far

All will become crystal clear tomorrow but for now readers, we have your budget guide in the bag with what we think is coming next

Thousands of family carers want the Carer's Allowance means test abolished. Stock image

Mary Regan, Fionnan Sheahan, Kevin Doyle, Conal Thomas and Laura Lynott Mon 6 Oct 2025 at 09:00

Were just a day from Budget 2026 and with that in mind, heres everything we know so far:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Israel has temporarily stopped the bombing in the Gaza Strip to give hostage release and the 20-point peace deal a chance to be completed, according to U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Saturday.

"Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off," he said in a Truth Social post. "I will not tolerate delay ... Let's get this done, FAST."

In a separate post on Saturday, the president said that after negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which has been shown to Hamas.

"When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal," he added.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza "in the coming days" as indirect talks with Hamas continued in Egypt on Monday on a new U.S. plan to end the war.

In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu mentioned he has sent a delegation to Egypt "to finalize technical details," adding that "our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days."

On Friday, Trump said that Hamas must accept the 20-point peace plan on Gaza by 6 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Sunday, otherwise "all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas." Hamas announced later that it had accepted the proposal in principle and was ready to open mediated talks, a response broadly welcomed by the international community, which urged both sides to seize the chance to end the war and ease civilian suffering.

The 20-point plan outlines a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, a phased Israeli withdrawal, a demilitarized Gaza, and international oversight of Gaza's reconstruction and governance after the end of the conflict. Hamas will be excluded from the governance structure.

Under the ceasefire terms, Israel will halt military actions and pull back to the agreed lines. Hamas, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement, must release all hostages, alive and deceased. In return, Israel will free 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after Oct. 7, 2023. Disarmed Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence will be given amnesty and those who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries. 
Its like a village in the city  why property prices may soon shoot up in Dublins latest cool neighbourhood

Prices see rise of up to 14pc after Time Out cool listings, with the Liberties expected to benefit next

Prices may soon shoot up for Time Out's Coolest Neighborhoods in Dublin

Wayne O'Connor Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Being identified as a cool neighbourhood has helped to fuel double-digit percentage price growth in some of Dublins most rejuvenated areas, with the Liberties now expected to see significant growth in the coming years.
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
In his talks to students, Manchan Magan told them that although his maternal grandmother and her family were fluent Irish speakers, he had turned his back on the language until it found him, rather than him finding the language.
The Oscar-winning Irish make-up artist Michele Burke has died in Los Angeles at the age of 75. A trailblazer in her field, she was the first woman to win an Academy Award for make-up, developed a close working relationship with Tom Cruise and ran make-up departments on some of the biggest budget films of the 1990s and early 2000s.

One of my fortes, she said once with commendable modesty, is being able to work it out so that we can pump out these actors to the director ready to go, and that the make-up doesnt fall off them.
Planners give green light for asylum-seeker hub by Dublins Grand Canal

Plans for offices on Mount Street Lower, near the International Protection Office, have been the subject of a backlash from residents and businesses

The building on Mount Street Lower

Wayne O'Connor Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Plans to convert offices close to the Grand Canal in Dublin into a centre for asylum-seekers have been approved by An Coimisiun Pleanala, despite local concerns and legal threats.
Connolly gets warm welcome on Wexford canvass  but no sign of former Labour leader on home patch
Eilis OHanlon: Catherine Connolly is surging ahead in the presidential race because her rivals stand for nothing

Jim Gavin must know he is in trouble when even the Fianna Fail party faithful are lukewarm about voting for him

Cartoon by Harry Burton

Eilis O'Hanlon Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

The bad news for Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys is that just 6pc of people thought she won the first TV debate of the presidential election campaign.
She needs to tell people where she stands on things  mixed reception for Heather Humphreys on campaign trail in Galway

Lack of ability in Irish is raised, but Fine Gael candidates supporters say her campaign is about unity

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys has some fun with a busker on the streets of Galway city. Photo: Ray Ryan

Emma Smith Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Heather Humphreys took to Catherine Connollys home turf of Galway yesterday.
Tourists in Dublin City have been left disappointed after discovering that the Molly Malone statue has been boarded up.

Many visitors who came to see the iconic bronze sculpture on Suffolk Street in Dublin 2 were surprised to see it was boarded up for maintenance repair.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Sunday that the U.S. State of California would sue the Trump administration for deploying National Guard from the state into Portland, Oregon, saying Trump "is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens."

In a press release, Newsom disclosed that U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying 300 California National Guard troops to Portland after a federal judge temporarily denied Trump the ability to federalize the Oregon National Guard.

"They are on their way there now," the press release said. "This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words -- ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents."

"We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the President of the United States," Newsom said.

Trump claimed that the deployment of federalized troops was necessary because the city of Portland was under siege by protesters opposing the immigration enforcement actions conducted by federal agents.

On Sept. 27, Trump ordered to send "all necessary troops" to Portland, putting 200 members of the Oregon National Guard under the command of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Oregon State and the city of Portland filed a lawsuit in response to this order on Sept. 28. Karin Immergut, a federal judge in Oregon, wrote in her ruling Saturday that the protests there were "not significantly violent or disruptive" to justify Trump's use of Oregon's National Guard.

The Trump administration later appealed that decision to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals based in San Francisco, California. This court previously restored Trump's ability to call up the National Guard in Los Angeles in June, after a federal judge in San Francisco ruled it should be halted. 
Ministers scramble to square austere budget with record tax revenues and questionable Vat cuts

McDonalds will enjoy a Vat cut and developers hope for a tax break  but theres little for workers

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. Photo: Collins

Conal Thomas Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

It was not Jack Chambers who set the wheels in motion for what is being framed as the most austere budget in years, with ministers still battling it out this weekend for a slice of the 10bn pie.
Fionnan Sheahan: Jim Gavin is proving more Thunderbirds than Top Gun as poll ratings plummet

Independent Catherine Connolly is setting the agenda, while Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys sits back and lets it all play out

New Sunday Independent / Ireland Thinks poll reveals who is on course to be the next president

Fionnan Sheahan Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

In the green room in the Virgin Media studios, two of the candidates were quite nervous, while one was oozing confidence.
Catherine Connolly is setting the agenda but poor polling numbers could convince Jim Gavin to try a more radical approach

Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin and Heather Humphreys before the first presidential debate last week. Photo: PA

Presidential elections can be many things  but in recent history they usually become two-horse races.

Even in the lopsided contest of 2018, when Michael D Higgins was up against a bunch of nobodies, one nobody, Peter Casey, emerged from the pack to be the lightning rod for those disaffected by the presidents weekly homilies.

Presidential elections also become gruelling wars of attrition in which candidates might shine briefly, only to be struck down by unexpected revelations.

Higgins was the last man standing in 2011, after various allegations ruled out candidate after candidate from serious consideration.

In 2025, there are only three candidates, so voters cannot shuffle through a series of people to arrive at the right one.

The first full week of campaigning has been revealing, and the biggest thing it revealed is that almost anyone else might have beaten these three.

Catherine Connolly has successfully set the agenda

The news that in 2018 Catherine Connolly hired a person to work in Leinster House who had recently been released from a prison term for possession of firearms would normally have been enough for voters to move to the next best candidate.

The woman was found in possession of weapons, ammunition, black pillowcases and cable ties. She was a member of Eirigi, an extremist party that regarded Sinn Feins move into normal politics as a sell-out.

But there is just one candidate on the left, and so the left is stuck with Connolly  even if those backing her might prefer to withdraw from her extreme positions.

But Connolly has successfully set the agenda.

Rather than see what should be a vote on the character and abilities of the various candidates  which is what usually happens  the other two candidates, Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin, have so far ended up talking endlessly about Gaza and housing. Neither of these is an issue a president can do anything about, other than opine.

Jim Gavin revealed himself to be very wooden

The campaign so far has shown that Connolly is the best at opining. She is the most articulate, and at least she is willing to distinguish herself from the others by delivering more than platitudes.

When this becomes a two-horse race, it seems that Jim Gavin, the Micheal Martin candidate, might be the one to fall at the first  a hunch underlined by todays Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, which has him trailing his rivals on 15pc. He may be high on name recognition, but he is low on political profile.

While he was assertive and willing to challenge Connolly in last weeks TV debate, Gavin revealed himself to be so wooden that only Micheal Martin could think him charismatic.

He seems to be built in Martins mould, but he is inarticulate and his lack of experience is showing.

The Fianna Failers might be wondering why they let the Taoiseach impose this candidate on them. Presidential elections have a habit of ending party leaders careers. Gavin might become best known as one of the reasons that brings Martins career to an end.

Gavins week was filled with gaffes, showing his political inexperience. But it might be allegations in the Irish Independent yesterday about his behaviour as a landlord that could be the final nail in his campaigns coffin.

Heather Humphreys has offered no reason as to why we should elect her

Humphreys is also not very articulate. Although the Fine Gaeler has plenty of political experience, she did not show much evidence of it in the first debate.

She still has offered no narrative or story as to why we should elect her  even though with her being an Ulster Protestant, there is an obvious selling point.

Humphreys is possibly too agreeable. Any time she is pushed on a point, she falls into line and agrees with the challenger. That might be an admirable quality for a president, but it does not come across well on TV or radio.

Humphreys is an Enda Kenny-style campaigner: she works best out and about, hugging voters and kissing babies, not arguing her case in TV studios.

Candidate Jim Gavin with his wife Jennifer and Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Photo: Damien Eagers

While her campaign might emphasise meeting people, Humphreys cannot avoid debates.

So she needs to get out with a narrative rather than respond to Connollys. The Independent candidate, whose politics has not evolved beyond her teenage years, with the slogans to match, will keep bringing up housing and Gaza.

She wants the election to become a referendum on the Government.

If that happens, Humphreys, the candidate most associated with the Government, could get herself into trouble. She feels compelled to defend government positions, and doesnt have the political skill to move the conversation on, to talk about the things that she should want to talk about.

Gavin and Humphreys should be more willing to upset a few voters who are not going to vote for them anyway.

What harm would it do their respective campaigns to say that the Occupied Territories Bill might not be worth Ireland paying a significant economic cost? And on migration, none of the candidates appears willing to step outside the guardrails of polite society.

Gavins polling numbers might convince him to try something radical, but his party might not let him.

Something will have to change in the next three weeks, or else this will be the Connolly election, even if she does not ultimately win.

Do you want to share your opinion on the issues raised in this article? Email sunday.letters@independent.ie to submit a response of up to 300 words to be considered for publication in our letters section
Sarah Breen: I was never a Swiftie  but after listening to her new album, I may be converted

Fans lose their minds whenever Taylor Swift releases new music, and its no wonder: her songs are like a Christmas Day EastEnders without the misery

Fans gather in Melbourne at a listening party for Taylor Swifts new album, The Life of a Showgirl, which was released on Friday. Photo: AFP

Sarah Breen Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

On August 12, Taylor Swift revealed the cover and title of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl. The following day, Dublin Airports official Instagram account posted a picture of Dubby the hare, the airports mascot, in a sparkly orange jacket with the caption Sparkles, departures, the life of a ShowHARE.
Declan Lynch: Thank you, Michael McDowell, for saving us from our first can a woman have a penis? election

With Maria Steen in the race, her culture-warrior followers would have dragged the presidential contest into a debate about transgenderism

Michael McDowell said the election of Maria Steen as president would be a "divisive and a step backwards for the kind of Ireland I believe in". Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Declan Lynch Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 06:30

Explaining his decision last week not to nominate Maria Steen for the presidency, Michael McDowell put it like this: I was opposed to her election, which might very well have happened, in my view. It would have been divisive and a step backwards for the kind of Ireland I believe in.
Sophie White: Its almost Christmas and my husband and I are at each others throats. But if were arguing at least it means were not Quiet Divorcing
The margins are gone  Cork bar owner warns pubs may not survive the winter

The owner of two major bars says Cork hospitality sector hit by costs, lost events and tourism downturn

Publican Sean McCarthy outside one of his bars, Tequilla Jack's

Kevin Galvin Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 07:20

The owner of two major bars in Cork says he cannot be sure whether either business will still be operating in a years time.
A planning application has been submitted to Kerry County Council on behalf of BNRG Laccamore Limited for a ten year permission for a solar farm with a 40-year operational life and all associated works.

The proposed development is on a 30-hectare site within townlands in Kilflynn and Abbeydorney in North Kerry. The consent of ten local landowners for the proposed development have also been submitted with the application.

The townlands are Lackamore, Parkmore, Lissireen, Tullacrimeen, Aulaneduff, Ballyconnell, Fahavane, Knockbrack West, Knocknacaska, and Knocknagun. The planning application was received by the council on September 26, with a decision due on November 20.

A number of assessments were carried out in advance of the application. This included a glint and glare assessment within the study area.

The study concluded that there will not be any notable glint and glare effects upon road receptors resulting from the proposed Laccamore Solar Farm.

While there is potential for reflectance effects to occur along the N69, there are a number of ameliorating factors which ensure any reflectance effects will not be notable.

A landscape and visual assessment also found that where residual visibility of the proposed development is present, it will generally be limited to partial views of isolated parcels, which diminishes the potential for the proposed development to notably alter the local landscape character.

Moreover, it stated the proposed effects are not considered to exceed Moderate significance, even in the immediate context of the site and residual visual effects are not considered to exceed 'Moderate-slight significance. It is deemed these moderate to low level residual effects are Not Significant.

BNRG representatives held a public consultation meeting at the community hall in Kilflynn in August. However, not all locals are said to be in favour of the development and expressed dissatisfaction at the way the consultation meeting was held.

BNRG say it will establish a Community Benefit Fund for the distribution of an anticipated 2.9 million over 15 years once the solar farm is constructed and generating electricity. The community will be invited to participate and give its views on how the fund can best be invested.

The solar panels would be located mainly on private lands, which BNRG say will minimise disruption to the community during a construction phase that is expected to take nine months.

If granted permission, the project is likely to take place during 2028 and 2029.
A young Wexford woman who is in need of life-saving surgery is still at the centre of the community as local groups continue to fundraise for her surgery overseas.

Maeve Duffy from Gusserane has been battling a rare and aggressive tumour for five years, a facial nerve schwannoma, and all options in Ireland for courses of treatment have been exhausted. Maeve must travel for a surgery that costs 107,000, lead by specialists at the International Neuroscience Institute in Hanover, Germany.

Over the summer months, there was an outpour of support and donations made as a GoFundMe campaign was initiated by Maeves family, which also states how the young woman now lives with relentless pain, nausea, dizziness, and significant hearing loss. Despite everything, she remains her kind, funny, and fiercely determined self.

A charity skittles tournament organised separately to the league by Jim Byrne, was held in Mary Joes, Barntown, which is one of the most recent fundraisers for the life-saving campaign.

The event involved eight teams of skittle players from across the county and raised a total of 2,500 which was donated towards Maeves much-needed funds for her to get the surgery.
Officials within the Greystones Municipal District are to consider installing accessible toilets for people living with disabilities and complex care needs.

The move comes after Independent Cllr Orla Finn brought forward a motion before her district colleagues at their September monthly meeting, which was unopposed and received unanimous support.

Cllr Finn is calling for the facilities as she believes the toilets are essential for promoting social inclusion and independence.

Without them many people face isolation, inconvenience, and even health risks, which hinders their ability to enjoy everyday activities.

These facilities should provide the necessary space, equipment, and safety features, such as hoists and changing benches, to enable safe and dignified personal care for a wider range of individuals who cannot use standard accessible toilets.

Cllr Lourda Scott pledged her support for the motion and suggested seeking other forms of funding, as the budget for such a project would far exceed what the districts discretionary funds would allow.

District officials have pledged to explore how the project could be funded and progressed and suggested it could form part of a wider strategy to make the town more accessible.

Plans are in the pipeline to install more of these facilities across the county.

A new facility at the Arklow Primary Health Centre recently registered with Changing Places Ireland - whose mission is to introduce fully accessible toilets to shopping centres, libraries and sporting arenas across the country  with a second unregistered Wicklow facility located at Beyond the Trees Avondale.

Its estimated that there are currently only 19 changing places toilets in Ireland.

As a result of regulations introduced in 2022, as many as 80 changing places toilets could be provided nationwide over the next decade, in buildings or locations such as shopping centres, museums, galleries, cinemas, hotels, roadside service stations and heritage sites.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
Key Points

UnitedHealth has faced multiple headwinds recently, and its results haven't been strong of late.

Its low valuation, however, means a lot of bearishness is priced in.

The stock's risk-reward profile may be enticing for long-term investors.

10 stocks we like better than UnitedHealth Group 

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) reports its third-quarter earnings results later this month, on Oct. 28. It could be a pivotal report for the company, which indicates whether the stock's recent rally continues or if it goes back into a tailspin.

The healthcare company has faced challenges with rising medical costs in recent quarters, which resulted in it missing expectations. It changed its CEO, the Department of Justice is investigating its billing practices, and there's been a shortage of reasons to be bearish on the stock. This year, it's trading down a whopping 30%.

Despite all that, here's why you may want to buy the stock before it posts its latest earnings numbers.

Image source: Getty Images.

UnitedHealth's stock is ridiculously cheap

Due to its decline in price over the past year, UnitedHealth is trading at a low price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 15. That's well below its five-year average of 25 (and that's also what the average stock on the S&P 500 index trades at). Even based on analyst estimates of future earnings, its forward P/E multiple of 20 isn't that high, either.

This gives investors a valuable buffer, a margin of safety, should the company underwhelm in its upcoming earnings. That buffer is important, as it can limit the downside risk for investors who are concerned about the stock. With so much bad news priced into its current valuation, unless something completely unexpected arises, UnitedHealth probably won't go into a deep decline after earnings. The company released updated guidance in July that projects its adjusted earnings per share for the full year to be $16 per share, at least. Ultimately, this remains a strong and profitable business.

UnitedHealth looks like a good stock to invest in for the long haul, and at a discounted price, it can be a no-brainer buy.

Should you invest $1,000 in UnitedHealth Group right now?

Before you buy stock in UnitedHealth Group, 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 UnitedHealth Group 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 $626,942!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,157,870!*
Our expert has the lowdown on the latest mesmerising fragrances

I know Ive been heave n-scent to you, haha, but this week Im all about fragrance. Its not just about the perfumes we douse ourselves with, you know; I have a little of everything from scents for your hair to your home. Smell you later!

Loana, 65, greenangel.com

Family Fragrance

Theres a lovely story behind Irelands newest fragrance Loana (65, greenangel.com), created by the leading luxury skincare brand Green Angel. The perfume blends rich oriental and woody base notes, blooming florals and fresh vanilla, and is named after Loana Mitchell, who was born in Vietnam and is the daughter of the brands founders, Mary and Chris Mitchell. Loana says that the scent is about celebrating identity and confidence, and she hopes that people feel that when they wear it.

GISOU Honey Infused Hair Perfume Minis, 44, brownthomas.com

Hair Heaven

It was my daughter Mini who got me into the GISOU Honey Infused Hair Perfume Minis (44, brownthomas.com) after negging me to get them for US! These handy little hair heroes fit perfectly in my handbag or her school bag. Theyre great for refreshing hair after being around strong odours. Not only do they make hair smell great, but they also nourish it. This isnt just about applying fragrance, its an innovative way to hydrate hair.

Dolce & Gabbana Devotion for Men, from 99, arnotts.ie

Dude Devotion

And not forgetting the guys, Dolce & Gabbana is celebrating the essence of masculine elegance with its new Devotion for Men (from 99, arnotts.ie) eau de parfum. This seductive and classically masculine fragrance pays tribute to the enduring power of the heart. Your guy will smell divine in this bold and distinctive woody fougere fragrance created by master perfumer Olivier Cresp, which contains lavender, lemon, black pepper, coffee, Madagascar vanilla, guaiac wood and oakmoss.

The Jo Malone Advent Calendar, 415, brownthomas.com

Go Jo!

This is a splurge but its so worth it. If you are a Jo Malone fan, this will be the perfect Christmas treat for you. The Jo Malone Advent Calendar (415, brownthomas.com) is a 25-day luxury calendar that has gold-tinted drawers, and it contains seasonal favourites, timeless colognes, candles and bath and body luxuries to give each day a gorgeous scented treat.

Intuitia Collection Home Perfume, 31.90, rituals.com

Ritual Scent

And not forgetting the home. Rituals has a new limited-edition collection called The Intuitia Collection that contains 14 bath and body, home or beauty products that exude the warm, comforting scent of saffron, sandalwood and vanilla. The collection includes the Intuitia Collection Home Perfume (31.90, rituals.com), a floral, woody and spicy fragrance that gives your home a warm, relaxing ambiance thanks to its soothing aroma.

Still Bobbi: My Story, 31.90, easons.com

Treat

Book smart Im a big fan of make-up queen Bobbi Brown, and love her memoir, Still Bobbi: My Story (31.90, easons.com). Bobbi shares her story of how she navigated childhood, formed her concept of beauty, and built her namesake company into a billion-dollar worldwide business. Loaded with philosophies for life.

Trick

Ice ice, baby It isnt for the fainthearted, but dunking your face in a sink full of ice in the mornings can reduce puffiness, ease inflammation and tighten pores. Its a great way to wake up your face, because cold temperatures constrict your blood vessels, followed by an increased blood flow as the body responds to the cold, which can contribute to a healthier, more radiant complexion. Sage advice considering Kate Moss and Trinny Woodall are both fans of the ritual.

Treatment

Mood elevator There is a vital connection between physical aesthetics and mental wellbeing, which is why I was excited that BTL Exomind (500 a session, ailesburyclinic.ie) has launched in Ireland. This pioneering innovation in mental wellness is a non-invasive, drug-free treatment that takes less than 30 minutes. Studies have shown remarkable results, including improved sleep onset and stress management, leaving you feeling more energised and in a better mood.
Jane Goodall, who has died aged 91, spent a lifetime studying chimpanzees and, in the process, completely transformed mankinds understanding of our nearest relation; her work was described by the writer and biologist Stephen Jay Gould as one of the Western worlds great scientific achievements.

Valerie Jane Goodall was born in London on April 3, 1934. Her father was an engineer and her mother was a novelist. She was not quite two years old when her mother gave her a toy chimpanzee which she named Jubilee. I cannot remember a time when I did not want to go to Africa to study animals, she recalled in 1963.
Displaced Palestinian woman sits next to a tent, during the Israeli military offensive, in Gaza City yesterday. Photo: Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters

Palestinians in Gaza have greeted Hamass conditional acceptance of President Donald Trumps deal to end the two-year Israel-Gaza war with a mix of cautious optimism and weary scepticism that the leaders of the two sides would finally agree to stop fighting.

Ola Jouda (31), said she supported ending the war as quickly as possible and by any means, even if there are concessions  we do not want.
LATEST | The explosions don't stop where is the truce Trump told us about? - Israel strikes Gaza as Palestinians pin hopes on Trump's plan

Israel pounds Gaza despite Trump's call for end to bombingPalestinians wonder when Trump's Gaza plan will be implementedCairo prepares to host ceasefire talks

A mourner reacts at the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday, according to medics, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, October 5, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Nidal al-Mughrabi Reuters Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 10:31

Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight and on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, witnesses said, as Palestinians desperately awaited implementation of a U.S. plan to end the war.
Happy Karwa Chauth 2025 wishes, images & messages to share:

Unique Karwa Chauth wishes in English

May your Karwa Chauth fast reflect your endless love and commitment. Wishing you a truly Happy Karwa Chauth!

As you fast for our love today, know that youre always in my heart. You mean the world to me. Happy Karwa Chauth, my love.

My fast feels complete when I see you. Theres one moon in the sky and one in front of me  you. Thank you for filling my life with love. Happy Karwa Chauth!

May this day strengthen our love and fill our lives with happiness and blessings. Happy Karwa Chauth to us!

Youre the most beautiful woman Ive ever known, and today you look even more stunning. Wishing you a lovely Karwa Chauth!

On this blessed day, may Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati bless our marriage with happiness and peace. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Wishing you moments full of love, joy, and laughter on this special day. Happy Karwa Chauth!

As you fast today, remember Ill always value and support you. You are my strength and my forever.

As you end your fast tonight, may our love feel fresh again and our bond grow even stronger. Happy Karwa Chauth!

May your love glow as brightly as the moon tonight and your bond stay strong forever. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Sending heartfelt wishes for a day filled with love, care, and togetherness. Happy Karwa Chauth!

On this special occasion, I wish you happiness, peace, and success. Thank you for being my life partner.

May the sound of your bangles and the colour of your mehendi bring good fortune tonight. Happy Karwa Chauth!

The moon shines bright, blessing our love and togetherness. Wishing us a long, happy life ahead. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Happy Karwa Chauth to my wonderful wife! May your fast be easy and our love grow deeper each day.

You shine brighter than the moon tonight. Thank you for filling my world with your light. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Happy Karwa Chauth Wishes 2025 to share on WhatsApp

( Image credit : Happy Karwa Chauth images, cards, photos, to share | Credit: Freepik )

Wishing you a blessed Karwa Chauth! May this day bring long-lasting love, happiness, and good health to you and your husband.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your fast be as strong as your bond, and may your love grow deeper with each passing year.

On this Karwa Chauth, I wish you and your partner endless joy and togetherness. Stay blessed and happy forever!

Wishing you a day full of love and devotion on Karwa Chauth. May your prayers bring joy and a long, healthy life to your husband.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your love for each other shine as bright as the moon tonight and always.

May this Karwa Chauth bring you both even closer and fill your lives with happiness and peace. Happy fasting!

On this beautiful day of Karwa Chauth, I pray for your husband's well-being and your everlasting happiness. Have a joyful celebration!

Wishing you a very Happy Karwa Chauth! May your devotion to each other keep growing stronger every day.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the moonlight tonight bring you and your husband endless blessings and a lifetime of togetherness.

Wishing you a beautiful Karwa Chauth filled with love, devotion, and happiness. May your bond continue to grow stronger with each passing year!

Best Karwa Chauth wishes in English

Wishing you a beautiful Karwa Chauth, may your love grow stronger and your bond deepens with each passing year.

May this Karwa Chauth bring endless happiness, love, and togetherness into your life. Happy fasting!

On this Karwa Chauth, may your prayers be answered, and your marriage be blessed with joy and harmony.

Wishing you a day filled with love and devotion. May your fast bring blessings and happiness to your home.

May the moon tonight bless you with a life full of love, health, and prosperity. Happy Karwa Chauth 2025!

Sending warm wishes to Karwa Chauth, may your relationship grow stronger and filled with love forever.

On this Karwa Chauth, may your love for each other be as eternal as the moonlight. Stay blessed!

May the bond you share continue to flourish, and your marriage be filled with endless joy. Happy Karwa Chauth 2025!

Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Karwa Chauth, may your prayers be fulfilled, and your marriage flourish.

May the love you share always be strong and pure. Have a wonderful Karwa Chauth filled with blessings and joy!

Heartfelt Karwa Chauth Messages 2025

( Image credit : Happy Karwa Chauth images, cards, photos, to share | Credit: Freepik )

Karwa Chauth messages for 2025

Wishing you a blessed Karwa Chauth! May the love you share with your husband grow stronger with every passing year.

Happy Karwa Chauth! Your dedication and love for your husband inspire all of us. May this day bring you joy and prosperity.

On this special day of Karwa Chauth, may your prayers be answered, and may your bond with your husband deepen with each fast you observe.

Sending you warm wishes on Karwa Chauth! May the moonlight shine as brightly as your love for your husband.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May this day fill your life with happiness and your home with love. Your devotion is truly inspiring.

Wishing you a joyful Karwa Chauth! May your husband's life be long and happy, and may your love for each other always flourish.

On this Karwa Chauth, may your fast be filled with blessings, and may your relationship be strengthened by love and faith.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the love you have for your husband shine bright, bringing happiness and peace to your lives.

As you celebrate Karwa Chauth, may your love story continue to inspire others. Wishing you a day full of joy and affection!

Wishing you a beautiful Karwa Chauth! May every moment spent with your husband be filled with love, laughter, and togetherness.

Meaningful Happy Karwa Chauth wishes & messages for your love

On this auspicious occasion, I wish for your happiness and prosperity. Thank you for being my partner in every journey.

Marriage is a partnership where both the husband and the wife support and inspire each other. And so, I hope you are fasting and celebrating on this auspicious day together. Happy Karwa Chauth to the lovely couple.

You are my strength, my happiness, and my forever love. As I observe this fast today, I pray for your well-being and for our love to keep blossoming with every passing year. Happy Karwa Chauth!

You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met in my life. On this special occasion, your beauty is even more exquisite. Happy Karwa Chauth.

A good marriage is not something that you find, but it's something you create with love and patience. Happy Karwa Chauth!

I promise to always share your burden, wife. So, I observe this fast with you to let you know that you always have my support. Happy Karwa Chauth.

Hoping for a lifetime of love and togetherness on this Karwa Chauth!

The tinkling of your bangles, your shringar, and the hues of your mehendi make the Karwa Chauth celebrations even more beautiful! Happy Karwa Chauth, wife.

May the moonlight flood your life with happiness and joy, peace and harmony. Happy Karwa Chauth.

On this auspicious day of Karwa Chauth, may your marriage continue to grow stronger. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Like the beautiful moon lighting up the night sky, your love has filled my life with every joy. Happy Karwa Chauth.

Hope this festival of love and togetherness brings happiness and prosperity in your lives. Happy Karwa Chauth!

May your Karwa Chauth be filled with devotion and love that lasts forever. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Karwa Chauth is a beautiful reminder of the love that lasts forever, wishing you and your partner endless happiness, love, and laughter. Happy Karwa Chauth!

As I sit under the moon tonight, Ill think of all the moments that have filled our lives with love. You complete me in every way, and this fast is just a small token of my devotion to you. Happy Karwa Chauth, my love!

May the moonlight shine on your marriage and make it stronger with each passing day. Happy Karwa Chauth!

May this Karwa Chauth bring you all the happiness that you deserve, my dear. I fast for your long life and our togetherness, and I pray that our bond only grows stronger with time. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Marriages, like any other relationship, need love, patience, time and constant nurturing. Remember, no one is perfect in life. And these are some of the secrets of a happy marriage. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Happy Karwa Chauth Greetings

Wishing you a blessed Karwa Chauth! May the love between you and your husband grow stronger each day.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the moonlight bring joy and happiness to your home today and always.

On this special day, may your fast be fulfilled with love and your husband's life be long. Happy Karwa Chauth 2025!

Sending warm wishes to Karwa Chauth! May your prayers for your husbands health and happiness be answered.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the bond you share shine brightly like the moon tonight.

Wishing you a joyful Karwa Chauth! May you enjoy this day filled with love, rituals, and delicious food.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your heart be filled with love and your home with joy on this auspicious day.

On this beautiful day of Karwa Chauth, may your husbands life be blessed with good health and happiness.

Wishing you a prosperous Karwa Chauth! May the divine blessings strengthen your marriage and bring you joy.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May this day bring you closer to your loved one and fill your life with love and light.

Inspiring Karwa Chauth quotes

( Image credit : Happy Karwa Chauth images, cards, photos, to share | Credit: Freepik )

"On this Karwa Chauth, may your love shine as brightly as the moon and your bond grow stronger with each passing day."

"Wishing all married women a joyful Karwa Chauth filled with love, hope, and togetherness."

"As you fast for your husband's long life, remember that your love is the greatest blessing of all."

"This Karwa Chauth, may your heart be filled with love and your home with happiness."

"Let the moonlight inspire your love; may every Karwa Chauth bring you closer together."

"On this special day, celebrate the beautiful journey of love and commitment with your partner."

"May your fast be as sweet as the love you share, and may the moon bless your union."

"This Karwa Chauth, embrace the joy of love and the strength of your bond."

"Wishing you a day filled with hope and a lifetime of happiness on this Karwa Chauth."

"Let this Karwa Chauth remind you of the power of love and the joy of togetherness."

Happy Karwa Chauth wishes to wife

Wishing you a beautiful Karwa Chauth, my love! May your fast bring us both happiness and prosperity.

Happy Karwa Chauth to the most wonderful wife! Your love fills my life with joy, and I pray for your health and happiness.

On this special day, I thank you for being the amazing wife that you are. Happy Karwa Chauth, my sweetheart!

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your love and devotion light up my life today and always.

To my beautiful wife, I wish you a joyous Karwa Chauth filled with love and blessings. You are my everything!

Happy Karwa Chauth! Your strength and love inspire me every day. May your fast be fulfilled and your wishes come true.

Wishing you a lovely Karwa Chauth, my dear wife! May this day strengthen our bond and bring us closer together.

On this Karwa Chauth, I pray for your happiness and well-being. Thank you for being such a wonderful partner!

Happy Karwa Chauth! Your love is a treasure that I cherish every day. May this day be as special as you are!

To my amazing wife, wishing you a very Happy Karwa Chauth! Your love means the world to me, and Im grateful for you always.

Happy Karwa Chauth wishes to Newlywed

( Image credit : Happy Karwa Chauth images, cards, photos, to share | Credit: Freepik )

Wishing you a beautiful Karwa Chauth filled with love and joy! May your bond grow stronger with every passing day.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May this special day bring you both closer together and fill your life with happiness.

On this Karwa Chauth, may your love shine brighter than the moon. Enjoy every moment of this beautiful festival!

Happy Karwa Chauth to the lovely couple! May your marriage be blessed with endless love and cherished moments.

Wishing you both a joyful Karwa Chauth! May your fast strengthen the love you share and bring you closer together.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May this day be as special as your love story, filled with sweet moments and blessings.

On this Karwa Chauth, may your hearts be filled with love and your lives be filled with happiness. Enjoy this lovely day!

Wishing you both a blessed Karwa Chauth! May your love grow deeper with each passing year.

Happy Karwa Chauth to the sweetest couple! May your bond be unbreakable and your love everlasting.

On this special Karwa Chauth, may you both celebrate your love and create beautiful memories together.

Cute Happy Karwa Chauth wishes

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your love shine brighter than the moon tonight.

Wishing you a joyful Karwa Chauth filled with love and happiness. Enjoy this special day!

Happy Karwa Chauth! May your fast bring you and your husband endless love and joy.

On this Karwa Chauth, may your bond grow stronger, just like the light of the moon.

Sending you warm wishes for a beautiful Karwa Chauth. May your love story be forever sweet!

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the moon bless you with happiness and your husband with good health.

Wishing you a lovely Karwa Chauth! May your fast be as sweet as the love you share.

Happy Karwa Chauth! Here's to a day filled with love, laughter, and cherished moments.

On this special Karwa Chauth, may your heart be filled with joy and your home with love.

Wishing you a wonderful Karwa Chauth! May your husband's love shine bright like the full moon.

Happy Karwa Chauth 2025 Whatsapp status

( Image credit : Happy Karwa Chauth images, cards, photos, to share | Credit: Freepik )

Wishing all the lovely wives a blessed Karwa Chauth! May your fast bring joy and happiness.

Happy Karwa Chauth 2025! Here's to love, devotion, and the beautiful bond of marriage.

Celebrating the strength of love this Karwa Chauth! May your husbands be blessed with long life.

Happy Karwa Chauth to all the amazing wives! Your love shines brighter than the moon tonight.

On this special day, may your fast be fruitful and your love everlasting. Happy Karwa Chauth!

Sending love and warm wishes on Karwa Chauth 2025! May you always cherish each other.

Happy Karwa Chauth! Heres to celebrating the beautiful connection of love and devotion.

Wishing all wives a joyful Karwa Chauth! May your prayers bring blessings to your families.

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the moonlight shine brightly on your love and happiness.

Celebrating Karwa Chauth with love and gratitude! May your bonds grow stronger each

Happy Karwa Chauth 2025 Facebook status

Wishing all the beautiful women a Happy Karwa Chauth! May your love grow stronger and your husband's live long. 

Happy Karwa Chauth! Heres to love, devotion, and a lifetime of happiness for all married couples. 

On this special day, may the moon bless you with joy and your husbands with good health. Happy Karwa Chauth! 

Happy Karwa Chauth to all the lovely ladies! Lets celebrate love and devotion together. 

Wishing you a blessed Karwa Chauth! May your fast bring peace and happiness to your family. 

Happy Karwa Chauth! Heres to a day filled with love, blessings, and beautiful memories. 

Sending love and warmth on Karwa Chauth! May your bonds grow stronger with each passing year. 

Happy Karwa Chauth! May the moonlight fill your life with happiness and your hearts with love. 

Wishing all the wonderful women a Happy Karwa Chauth! May your prayers be answered and your husbands be blessed. 

Happy Karwa Chauth! Heres to celebrating the beautiful bond of marriage and the love that lasts a lifetime. 

Creative Happy Karwa Chauth 2025 Instagram captions

"Fasting today for the love of my life. Heres to a bond that grows stronger with each moonrise!  #HappyKarwaChauth #LoveForever #StrengthOfLove"

"Celebrating the magic of Karwa Chauth with a heart full of love and a plate full of blessings.  #KarwaChauth2025 #Blessed #FestiveVibes"

"To the moon and back, I fast for your happiness. Heres to love that never fades!  #KarwaChauth #Happiness #LoveStory"

"On this Karwa Chauth, may our love shine as bright as the moon!  #HappyKarwaChauth #MoonlitLove #TogetherForever"

"Todays fast is a small price to pay for the joy you bring into my life. Happy Karwa Chauth!  #KarwaChauth2025 #JoyOfLove #Grateful"

"With every sip of water, my love for you grows stronger. Cheers to us this Karwa Chauth!  #HappyKarwaChauth #Love #Celebration"

"Heres to love, laughter, and happily ever after. Happy Karwa Chauth! #KarwaChauth #EverAfter #FestiveJoy"

"Today, I celebrate the beautiful bond we share. Wishing everyone a joyous Karwa Chauth!  #HappyKarwaChauth #BondOfLove #Festivities"

"To the love of my life, may we always celebrate each moment together. Happy Karwa Chauth!  #KarwaChauth2025 #TrueLove #Togetherness"

"Fasting with love, praying for happiness, and cherishing every moment. Happy Karwa Chauth!  #KarwaChauth #LoveAndFaith #CelebratingTogether"

Karwa Chauth, also called Karva Chauth or Karak Chaturthi, is a major Hindu festival celebrated by married women. In 2025, it will be observed on Friday, 10th October, during the Chaturthi Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the Kartik month. On this day, married women keep a strict fast (Nirjala Vrat) from sunrise to moonrise, praying for the long life and good health of their husbands. As the festival nears, women are busy getting mehendi done and shopping for bright new outfits.Applying mehendi or henna on hands and feet is an important part of the festival, as its believed to bring good luck for married women. Before sunrise, they eat Sargia special pre-dawn meal prepared by their mother-in-law. It usually includes coconut water, vermicelli (seviyan), soaked nuts, dry fruits, stuffed rotis, fruits, fruit juices, homemade sweets, and other tasty treats.During the day, women pray to Chauth Mata for their husbands long and happy lives. They wait eagerly for the moon to appear. Once it rises, they offer water (arghya) to the moon using a karwa (earthen pot), look at their husbands and the moon through a sieve or cloth, touch their husbands feet, and finally drink water from their hands to end the fast.As Karwa Chauth draws near, celebrate this meaningful day by sharing heartfelt Karwa Chauth wishes, messages, quotes, and WhatsApp or Facebook statuses with your loved ones.Celebrate Karwa Chauth 2025 with these heartfelt and simple wishes, perfect for sharing on WhatsApp. Spread love, joy, and blessings as you honour the sacred bond between husband and wife.Celebrate the special bond of love and devotion on Karwa Chauth with heartfelt wishes. Here are some unique and simple Karwa Chauth messages to share with your loved ones.Celebrate the love and devotion of married women with these heartfelt. Share your wishes for joy, prosperity, and a strong bond with your loved ones on this special day.Celebrate the spirit of Karwa Chauth with heartfelt wishes and greetings that honour the bond between married couples. Share love and joy with your husband as you observe this special festival filled with rituals and blessings.Celebrate Karwa Chauth with inspiring quotes that reflect love and devotion. Share these heartfelt messages to honour the special bond between married couples.Celebrate the spirit of Karwa Chauth with heartfelt wishes for your wife. These simple yet meaningful messages express love and gratitude, making the day even more special.Celebrate your first Karwa Chauth together with heartfelt wishes that strengthen your bond. May your love story blossom on this special day, bringing joy and blessings to your marriage.Celebrate the beautiful festival of Karwa Chauth with heartfelt wishes and love. Share joy and happiness with your partner as you observe this special day together!Celebrate the love and devotion of Karwa Chauth 2025 with heartfelt wishes and meaningful connections. Share your joy with these unique WhatsApp status messages to spread happiness and blessings!Celebrate the spirit of love and devotion this Karwa Chauth 2025 with heartfelt wishes and blessings. May this special day bring happiness and prosperity to all married couples!Karwa Chauth is a special occasion where married women fast for the well-being of their husbands. Celebrate this beautiful festival with love, joy, and heartfelt wishes shared on social media!
Yogi government focuses on planned urban development

Slum redevelopment a top priority

Drainage systems to be strengthened across cities

More community toilets and basic services in slum areas

Smart City projects to drive growth and revenue

Ban on unapproved colonies and illegal settlements

Accountability and regular monitoring

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has called for a comprehensive overhaul of urban infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on slum redevelopment and improved civic amenities. Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Urban Development Department in Lucknow, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that all development works are planned, coordinated, and time-bound.He said that every urban citizenregardless of their localitymust have access to essential facilities such as clean drinking water, effective drainage, sanitation, garbage collection, road connectivity, and street lighting. Highlighting the need to strengthen urban drainage systems, CM Yogi also urged authorities to prevent waterlogging and maintain public hygiene. Stressing accountability and transparency, he warned officials against negligence and emphasised that no delay in urban development projects would be tolerated.CM Yogi Adityanath instructed officials to adopt a coordinated approach among departments to prevent duplication and delays in urban projects. He directed them to implement a joint action plan for timely completion of works and to prioritise citizens convenience in all development activities.The Chief Minister said that cleanliness, potable water, drainage, road connectivity, garbage collection, and street lighting are essential amenities that must reach every slum area. He stressed that the responsibility for implementing these improvements should rest with urban local bodies, not contractors, to ensure accountability and sustained upkeep.Highlighting the recurring issue of waterlogging during heavy rains, CM Yogi directed that every city should have a robust and well-connected drainage network. He instructed officials to regularly monitor both new and existing systems to ensure they function effectively during the monsoon season.The Chief Minister ordered the construction of additional community toilets in slum areas and public spaces, along with strict cleanliness standards. He further directed that newly incorporated villages under urban bodies must receive basic facilitiessuch as drinking water, sanitation, and lightingwithout delay.Reviewing the Smart City Mission, CM Yogi said that urban projects must promote overall city development while increasing municipal revenue. He directed that initiatives such as shopping complexes, multi-level parking facilities, restaurants, and auditoriums should be developed through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models for efficiency and sustainability.The Chief Minister issued firm directives to curb unauthorised colonies being developed without approval. He said that strict preventive action must be taken at the initial stage to stop illegal settlements and maintain planned city structures.Concluding the review, CM Yogi stressed that regular monitoring of all ongoing projects is essential to ensure transparency and timely execution. He warned that negligence or laxity in implementing urban development projects would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Justin Bieber in a Turning Point USA hoodie? Netizens react

( Image credit : Justin Bieber allegedly seen wearing an TPUSA hoodie in now viral image | Credit: X/@liberalcrat )

Fact check: Was Justin Bieber really wearing a Turning Point USA hoodie?

( Image credit : The viral image is AI-generated, originally shared by the Facebook page Qbanguy | Credit: Facebook )

More about Charlie Kirk's death

( Image credit : Charlie Kirk was shot during Utah Valley University event last month | Credit: X/kirkcharlie )

Is Justin Bieber a Charlie Kirk supporter?



On many occasions, hes also been honest about the struggle of trusting God, saying that having faith during the hardest times is challenging, but that God is faithful to complete what he started. These moments show just how central faith is in his life, even if he hasnt weighed in on every public event.

Its been nearly a month since conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot, yet social media hasnt quieted down. While some continue to defend his legacy, others remain sharply critical of his views. Now, the discussion has taken a new turn after a photo of pop star Justin Bieber wearing a Turning Point USA shirt went viral. The organisation, founded by Kirk, promotes freedom, free markets, and limited government. The image has prompted many to question whether Bieber genuinely endorses the late right-wing influencers controversial beliefs. Heres what we know.Many pages on X, especially those that promote right-wing ideology, have been sharing a picture of Justin Bieber wearing a Turning Point USA hoodie and wearing a sombre expression. Given that Bieber is seen sporting a buzz cut, it appears that the picture was recently taken, as this is how his current hair looks. The photo was circulated with the caption, "Whoa, I DID NOT have Justin Bieber supporting Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA on my Bingo card."In the comments section, fans couldn't keep calm, as one noted, "Okay, Im not gonna say I had it on my bingo card, but JB being heavily into his faith and a good Christian, I may believe it to be true. Now, the only way we know whats up is if JB confirms this." "Justin Bieber was thrown to the demons at a young age and then had every debauchery a young superstar could indulge in. His light is trying to outshine the darkness that surrounds him. Pray for him," another noted.A third person commented, "Are folks surprised? Justin Bieber has found his faith in Christ. Hes building his family. Im happy for him and glad hes finding peace with all that hes been through." "That kid has been used, abused, and hung out to dry by the powers on the Left his entire life.Yeah... it totally tracks."Well, no  the viral photo is actually AI-generated. Internet sleuths traced the image back to a Facebook page called Qbanguy, known for posting sarcastic AI content daily. The photo was originally shared five days ago with the caption JB showing support, along with hashtags like #lifestyle, #explore, #JustinBieber, and #AI. Since then, its racked up more than 54,000 likes, 2,000 comments, and 700 shares. Beyond Facebook and X, the AI image has also spread across Instagram, Threads, and TikTok, catching many fans off guard.Charlie Kirks death shocked both his supporters and critics alike. On September 10, the conservative commentator was shot in the neck while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, in front of an audience of nearly 3,000 people.He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, but didnt survive. Just two days later, police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who now faces multiple charges, including aggravated murder. Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty in the case, marking a grim chapter in the aftermath of the activists killing.Justin Bieber hasnt said anything publicly about Charlie Kirks death. But faith has always been a big part of his life, and he often shares glimpses of it with his fans. Over the years, hes spoken about how his relationship with God helps him navigate lifes ups and downs.In one Instagram post from August 2025, he wrote about being grateful for each day and how Jesus meets him at my lowest with love and forgiveness he feels he doesnt deserve. Hes described his faith as the coolest thing hes experienced, giving him peace even when life feels uncertain.
Vijaya Shobha Yatra: A living tradition of Gorakhpeeth

Devotion, diversity, and unity on display

Cultural splendour and traditional performances

Divine conclusion at Mansarovar Temple

Gorakhpeeths message of harmony and spirituality

Gorakhshpeethadhishwar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led the traditional Vijaya Shobha Yatra from Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, marking a grand celebration of devotion, harmony, and culture on Vijayadashami. The procession drew huge crowds, reflecting the unity and spiritual vibrancy nurtured by Gorakhpeeths centuries-old tradition.Members from all communitiesincluding Muslim, Sindhi, and weaver groupswelcomed the yatra with warmth, symbolising peace and brotherhood. Accompanied by folk performances, religious chants, and traditional Nath instruments, the event celebrated Indias cultural richness while reinforcing social harmony. The yatra concluded with sacred rituals at Mansarovar Temple and the coronation of Lord Ram, blending divine reverence with festive splendour.The Vijaya Shobha Yatra is one of the most revered traditions of the Gorakhnath Temple. Each year, it symbolises the victory of truth and righteousness. CM Yogi Adityanath, as Gorakhshpeethadhishwar, leads this sacred procession, offering prayers to Guru Gorakhnath before mounting the chariot adorned with flowers and symbols of divinity.The Yatra witnessed participation from thousands of devotees across religions and communities. Members of the Muslim, Sindhi, and weaver communities extended floral tributes, creating an inspiring display of social harmony. This mutual respect underscored the inclusive ethos of Gorakhpeeth, which embraces every section of society.The Gorakhpur streets came alive with vibrant music and dance. Folk troupes organised by the Culture Department presented local art forms, while the children of Shri Shri Hanuman Dal performed daring stunts, enthralling the crowd. The rhythmic beats of Nagphani, damru, and drums infused spiritual energy throughout the Yatras route.The Yatra culminated at Mansarovar Temple, where Yogi Adityanath offered prayers to Lord Shiva and other deities. The event concluded with the Ramlila coronation ceremony, during which Lord Ram was anointed King, marking the spiritual triumph of good over evil.Through the Vijaya Shobha Yatra, Gorakhpeeth continues to promote Indias timeless values of unity, faith, and compassion. The grand participation from all walks of life reaffirmed the Peeths role as a spiritual and cultural cornerstone, strengthening the bonds of harmony across society.
Key Points

Dividend stocks have historically outperformed non-dividend paying stocks.

Electric vehicles should power demand for Albemarle's lithium production.

Constellation Brands has key distribution rights for its Mexican beer brands.

10 stocks we like better than Constellation Brands 

Dividend stocks are an incredibly popular option among investors, especially those looking for a steady income or to reinvest dividends to enable the power of compounding. Generally, these dividend stocks are more stable businesses, financially mature, and are often fairly valued.

However, if you can find some that are trading on the cheap and receive not only a dividend but a potentially increasing share price, it's a double benefit! Here are two such stocks, trading on the cheap and offering a dividend.

An electrifying stock

Unless you spend a lot of time researching the basic materials sector, Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) is likely a company you haven't heard of. Albemarle is one of the world's largest lithium producers and operates lithium refining plants in the U.S., Chile, and China. Lithium demand is mostly driven by batteries, where lithium is used as the energy storage material, and electric vehicles are a primary source of demand.

The great long-term news is that the future of the global automotive industry is almost certainly electric vehicles, which should drive lithium demand for decades. Not only does Albemarle have top-tier lithium assets, they are among the lowest-cost sources of lithium production on the planet. Further, Albemarle also owns resources in the U.S. and Argentina that are still in the early development phase, enabling a long-term boost for its lithium production volumes in the coming decades.

One of the reasons Albemarle is trading at a discount right now is because CATL's lithium mine was temporarily shut down due to expired permits, a development that was expected to last six to 12 months. Instead the shutdown of only one month means the lithium market will likely remain oversupplied in 2025, leaving lithium prices lower.

While Albemarle's roughly 2% dividend yield won't jump off the page, its discount does. Morningstar rates the company's fair value at $200, meaning it's trading at a roughly 58% discount to fair value. It could be a fantastic opportunity to scoop up what should be a long-term lithium winner while it's on the cheap.

All about the beer

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) is the largest provider of alcoholic beverages in the U.S. across beer, wine, and spirits categories, generating more than 80% of its revenue from Mexican beer imports such as Modelo and Corona. The beverage company also owns a 26% stake in Canopy Growth, which is a medicinal and recreational cannabis producer.
Yogi Adityanath interacts with citizens during Janta Darshan

Focus on sensitive and transparent governance

Action against land grabbers and exploiters

Support for medical treatment and welfare cases

Encouraging education and personal growth

Proactive governance for public welfare

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reaffirmed that his government is fully committed to bringing prosperity to peoples lives through transparent, compassionate, and efficient governance. Despite a busy festival schedule, he began his Friday morning by holding a Janta Darshan at Gorakhnath Temple, where he personally interacted with nearly 200 citizens. Listening attentively to their grievances, he directed officials to ensure fair and prompt resolutions.The Chief Minister stressed that every issue, from land disputes to welfare assistance, must be handled with sensitivity and justice. He also urged officials to extend government schemes to those still left out. Displaying his humane side, CM Yogi encouraged children attending the session to study diligently, giving them chocolates as a gesture of care and inspiration.During the event at Gorakhnath Temples Mahant Digvijaynath Smriti Bhavan, CM Yogi moved among the people, listening patiently to their concerns. He assured that no genuine grievance would go unresolved and directed immediate action where necessary.The Chief Minister directed officials to handle each matter with fairness and empathy. Bringing prosperity to citizens lives is the governments firm resolve, he said, urging for transparency and a sensitive approach in administration.Yogi Adityanath ordered strict measures against those involved in land grabbing or exploiting vulnerable groups. He advised officials to resolve family and property disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding to promote peace and harmony.Several citizens sought financial assistance for medical treatment. The Chief Minister instructed officials to expedite their cases and ensure quick delivery of aid so that beneficiaries receive timely help without bureaucratic delays.Women and children attending the Janta Darshan received a warm response from the Chief Minister. He blessed the children, encouraged them to focus on education, and handed out chocolatesreinforcing his belief that the youth are the foundation of a prosperous India.Yogi Adityanaths continued engagement with citizens, even after days of festival duties, highlights his commitment to accessible governance. His Janta Darshan initiative remains a direct bridge between the public and administration, reflecting a governance model rooted in compassion and accountability.
Lucknow leads in total revenue case disposal

Jaunpur tops among district-level courts

Outstanding performance by district magistrates

Strong results in land revenue case disposal

Yogi governments focus on fast, transparent justice

Under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths proactive leadership, Uttar Pradesh has achieved remarkable progress in revenue case disposal through consistent monitoring and accountability. The Chief Ministers regular reviews have accelerated case resolution and strengthened transparency in governance. According to the September report from the Revenue Courts Computerized Case Management System (RCCMS), Lucknow topped the state with 21,296 cases resolved, while Jaunpur led among district-level courts with 704 cases.The results reflect the Yogi governments focus on fast-tracking justice delivery and ensuring administrative efficiency across all districts. With a total of 3,88,145 revenue cases resolved in September alone, Uttar Pradesh continues to set new benchmarks in timely dispute resolution, reaffirming the governments commitment to fairness, good governance, and citizen welfare.According to the RCCMS September report, Lucknow recorded the highest number of resolved revenue cases at 21,296. Prayagraj followed with 11,396 cases, Shahjahanpur with 9,075, Jaunpur with 8,856, and Gorakhpur with 8,448 cases. This reflects the success of Yogi Adityanaths data-driven monitoring system and the administrations swift execution.At the district-level courts, Jaunpur secured the top position by resolving 704 revenue casesnearly three times the set monthly target of 250achieving an outstanding 281.6% completion rate. Lakhimpur Kheri ranked second with 415 cases, and Basti followed closely with 412.Jaunpur DM Dr. Dinesh Chandra Singh credited the achievement to the CMs continuous guidance and the teams dedication. Fatehpur DM Court achieved the states highest ratio by resolving 79 cases against a target of 30 (263%), while Jaunpur DM Court resolved 77 and Kushinagar 67. These figures highlight the increasing efficiency of district administrations in handling revenue disputes.Jaunpur also led in land revenue case resolution, with the Additional DM (Land Revenue) clearing 251 casesfive times the monthly target of 50. Ghazipur followed with 30 cases, Mirzapur with 24, and the Additional DM (Finance and Revenue) with 21, ranking third.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths emphasis on time-bound case disposal, monthly reviews, and technology-driven monitoring has significantly boosted efficiency. The governments commitment to transparency, fair hearings, and public accountability continues to strengthen Uttar Pradeshs justice delivery system.
Meghan Markle attends the Balenciaga SS26 show in Paris

( Image credit : Meghan stunned in a minimalist all-white Balenciaga outfit with wide-legged trousers and a flowing wrap | Credit: X/@SaraEli256 )

( Image credit : She was there to support her longtime friend and designer, Pierpaolo Piccioli | Credit: X/@DivinelyMeghan )

The internet trolling begins

I thought she didnt wanna wear white. The palace made her wear white and neutral colors. Now shes free she can wear colors but here she is wearing white.  BFD (@BusterKitteh) October 4, 2025

Obviously shes not a true advocate for children. Or shes so poor now she doesnt care?  Kim Rulli (@kim_rulli) October 4, 2025

Megan Markle attending a fashion show heavily backed by Balenciaga. Megan you are the epitome of a hypocrite. Dont ever talk about the safety of children again. pic.twitter.com/hToThSRmkV  opinionated russian (@Katsbigopinion2) October 4, 2025

Why Meghan Markle can't escape the trolls

( Image credit : Meghan Markle was previously trolled for her cooking show | Credit: Netflix )

Meghan Markle, the duchess of Sussex, made a highly anticipated return to the fashion scene by attending the Balenciaga Wear Spring/Summer 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week. This marked her first fashion show appearance in over a decade; her last was during her acting days at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks. This was also her first visit to Europe since 2022Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the Suits alum has focused on philanthropy and her lifestyle brand, making this appearance a notable return to the public eye. Unsurprisingly, her look quickly became fodder for online trolling, with social media users sharing sarcastic jibes and memes about her all-white ensemble.Meghan Markle made a rare fashion show appearance on October 4. She was seen sitting in the front row to support her long-time friend and designer, Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently became the creative director at Balenciaga.For the occasion, Meghan wore an elegant all-white Balenciaga outfit featuring a flowing white wrap over a matching button-down shirt and wide-legged trousers. She accessorised with black pointed-toe heels, a black clutch, diamond stud earrings, and a sleek low bun. Her minimalist and sophisticated look reflected her admiration for Piccioli's modern and refined designs.While Meghan's appearance was nothing but an ode to style and fashion, it quickly became fodder for online satire. One user wrote, "So thats where her bedsheets have gone!" while another commented, "I thought she didnt want to wear white. The palace made her wear white and neutral colours. Now that shes free, she can wear colours, but here she is wearing white."Many pointed out the context that Balenciaga had been embroiled in controversy over a campaign featuring children inappropriately styled, prompting harsh commentary such as, Obviously shes not a true advocate for children. Or is she so poor now she doesnt care? "Meghan, you are the epitome of a hypocrite. Dont ever talk about the safety of children again," one added.Meghan Markle has long been a favourite target online. Her fashion choices often spark memes, and her Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan (March 2025), was mocked as less Martha Stewart, more Marie Antoinette.Additionally, her interviews and public appearances regularly get roasted, and even her cooking show drew laughs for its flashy, over-the-top luxury. Now, her latest all-white Balenciaga look and her association with the controversial brand have put her in the spotlight of internet trolling once again.
Villains of Ramayana and Mahabharata reappear in new forms

Vijayadashami: Symbol of victory over injustice

Sanatan Dharma as the guiding force of humanity

Valmikis Ramayana continues to inspire generations

Indias development reflects the ideals of Ramrajya

Faith, heritage, and national pride

Chief Minister and Gorakhpeethadhishwar Yogi Adityanath said that the villains of the Ramayana and Mahabharata still exist today in new forms, attempting to divide society and disrupt peace. Speaking during the Rajtilak of Lord Shri Ram at Mansarovar Ramlila Maidan in Gorakhpur, he emphasised that Sanatan Dharmas unity and strength always triumph over divisive forces.Yogi Adityanath explained that those spreading casteism, discrimination, and insecurity carry the same destructive intent as the ancient demons of the epics. He urged every follower of Sanatan Dharma to remain vigilant. Highlighting the eternal relevance of Ramrajya, he said Lord Rams ideals of justice and righteousness inspire every generation. Under Prime Minister Modis leadership, he added, India is embodying these ideals through the coordination of development and cultural pride.Yogi Adityanath said that while names change, evil characters persist through time. Even today, society faces people like Shurpanakha, Tadaka, Khar-Dushan, and Maricha, he remarked, urging vigilance against those dividing society. He added that individuals causing unrest are modern reflections of Duryodhana and Dushasana.The Chief Minister described Vijayadashami as a festival that marks the triumph of truth and justice over oppression. The burning of Ravanas effigy, he said, symbolises gratitude towards Lord Ram and the reaffirmation of righteousness in every age.Calling Sanatan Dharma the foundation of peace and welfare, Yogi Adityanath said it is more than a religionit is a philosophy ensuring harmony between humans and nature. He stated that devotion to Ram and Krishna inspires courage, balance, and moral strength in all circumstances.Quoting Maharshi Valmiki, the Chief Minister said that Lord Ram is the living embodiment of Dharma. He recalled the wide popularity of the Ramayana television serial, which reached millions in the 1990s and again became Indias most-watched show during the Covid-19 pandemic, proving its timeless appeal.Yogi Adityanath highlighted Indias transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, describing it as a balance between progress and cultural heritage. This is the true reflection of Ramrajya, he said, noting the countrys rise as a global power and its upcoming milestone of becoming the worlds third-largest economy.The Chief Minister criticised those who, in his words, questioned the existence of Ram and Krishna and failed to value Indias spiritual legacy. He said that the renewed pride in heritage, along with infrastructure growthhighways, metros, and airportsreflects a new India that inspires the world.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story

What is Monster: The Ed Gein Story about?

Monster: The Ed Gein Story

( Image credit : Adeline Watkins reel vs real | Credit: Netflix, @ComplexPop )

Reel vs real: Who was Adeline Watkins?

( Image credit : Monster: The Ed Gein Story poster | Credit: Netflix )

Monster: The Ed Gein Story ending explained

Monster: The Ed Gein Story

( Image credit : Ed Gein in Monsters | Credit: Netflix )

Who plays what in Monster: The Ed Gein Story?

In Monster: The Ed Gein Story,

uncovers the terrifying true story of Ed Gein, one of Americas most infamous killers, and his complex relationship with Adeline Watkins. Adeline played a crucial role in Geins early life, and their disturbing connection has been sparking a lot of conversation since the show was released on Netflix. Were the two going to get married? What did Adeline think about Ed? Heres all we know.is the third installment in Netflixs true-crime anthology series Monster, created by Ian Brennan. Premiering on October 3, 2025, the series explores the life and crimes of Ed Gein, a reclusive farmer from Plainfield, Wisconsin, whose gruesome acts inspired legendary horror characters such as Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill.Adeline Watkins was a woman from Plainfield, Wisconsin, who briefly came into the public eye following the 1957 arrest of Ed Gein, the infamous serial killer and grave robber. In a 1957 interview with the Minneapolis Tribune, Watkins claimed she had a romantic relationship with Gein lasting over 20 years. She described him as sweet and kind, recalling their shared love of reading and simple movie dates, and said he had once proposed to her, a proposal she claimed to have turned down.However, she later retracted these statements, telling a local newspaper that their relationship had been purely platonic and criticizing earlier misquotations. Despite this retraction, her initial claims have continued to draw attention in media portrayals, including Netflixs Monster: The Ed Gein Story. In the series, Watkins is shown as a significant figure in Geins life, involved in a complex and disturbing relationship with him. She is portrayed by actress Suzanna Son, sparking renewed interest and speculation about the true nature of their connection.In the final episode of, Eds fantasies take a surprising turn. Instead of being violent, he imagines helping FBI agents catch Ted Bundy, a delusion the hospital nurses accept. Sick with cancer, Ed meets Adeline one last time. She tells him shell continue his dark work, but he asks her not to, a shift from their earlier dynamic.Originally, the creators planned for Eds mother, Augusta, to visit him in the asylum, but they changed it to show the dark legacy he left behind, including inspiring killers like Richard Speck and Ted Bundy. Near the end of his life, Ed sees visions of the killers he influenced praising him, and then ascends a staircase to meet his mother, summing up his strange and dark life.The series ends by showing teens attempting to steal Eds gravestone, scared off by the echoes of Norman Bates, Buffalo Bill, and Leatherface, highlighting Eds cultural influence. The final scene revisits a younger Ed with his mother, who tells him, Only a mother could love you, a haunting message that shaped his life until the end.the cast brings to life the key figures surrounding the infamous killer. Charlie Hunnam stars as Ed Gein, the reclusive farmer whose horrific crimes inspired legendary horror characters. Laurie Metcalf portrays Augusta Gein, his controlling mother, while Suzanna Son plays Adeline Watkins, who claimed to have had a long-term romantic connection with Gein. Vicky Krieps appears as Ilse Koch, adding a historical element, and the recurring cast includes Robin Weigert as Adelines mother Enid Watkins, Charlie Hall as Deputy Frank Worden, Tyler Jacob Moore as Sheriff Schley, and Alanna Darby as Christine Jorgensen. Together, the ensemble delves into Geins disturbing life, his crimes, and the lasting cultural impact of his actions.
It Ends with Us

Cancelled

The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift wears Blake Lively's bracelet in the Cancelled clip

The Life of a Showgirl

Cancelled

Cancelled

Gossip Girl

It Ends with Us

( Image credit : Taylor Swift seen wearing Blake Lively's custom bracelet in Cancelled Spotify clip | Credit: X/@cerselwyn )

( Image credit : Lively was seen wearing the bracelet during It Ends with Us London premiere | Credit: X/@cerselwyn )

I may not like Blake, but I love Tay for standing by the ones who stood by her during 2016. That loyalty is beautiful.  Marnie (@PotterFave) October 5, 2025

FINALLY i knew that she was team blake the entire time and the first time i listened to the song i literally went oh she said blake for life  rachel  (@coldaspugh) October 5, 2025

Blake Lively shows subtle support for Swift's new album

Simple Favor

The Life of a Showgirl

( Image credit : Blake Lively shows subtle support for The Life of a Showgirl | Credit: X|@taylorswift13 & @charli_xcx )

How did Taylor Swift get dragged into Blake Lively's legal drama?

( Image credit : Lively and Swifts friendship was rumoured to have hit a rough patch following Justin Baldonis legal controversy | Credit: Instagram/@blakelively )

Taylor Swift found herself caught up in Blake Livelys highly publicised legal battle with her(2024) co-star and director Justin Baldoni, which led to widespread whispers online about a potential fallout between the former best friends. Although both Taylor and Blake had largely stayed silent amid the speculation, fans now believe that the pop star has subtly addressed the rumours through her new song, featured on her recently released 12th studio album,, quashing rift speculations and paying an ode to their enduring friendship.Swifties are currently busy analysing and dissecting every detail of Taylor Swifts latest album,, with particular focus on the track, which has generated significant interest and discussion across social media platforms. Many fans believe that the song appears to address and seemingly quash longstanding rumours of a feud between Swift and Blake Lively, suggesting instead a celebration of their friendship.According to fans interpretations,seems to highlight Taylors bond with her cancelled friend, a phrase that has been widely attributed to Lively in fan discussions since her Justin Baldoni drama.Adding further weight to this theory, a new detail has emerged that seemingly confirms that the track is indeed referencing thealum: in the Spotify clip of the song, Swift is seen wearing a Lorraine Schwartz custom bracelet that Blake Lively had famously worn for the London premiere ofin 2024.This subtle yet meaningful detail has been noted by fans as a potential nod from Swift to her friend, reinforcing that there was never a feud between the pair, who have been each other's rock through the years.Theactress has quietly shown her support for, also putting to rest some of the online chatter about a supposed rift between the two on her part.On October 3, 2025, Lively liked Swifts Instagram post announcing the album release, a simple but meaningful gesture that fans quickly noticed as a sign of her endorsement and continued friendship with the pop superstar.For years, Swift and Lively were the ultimate friendship goals, cheering each other on through red carpets, premieres, and everything in between. But their bond was said to have hit a wild patch when Lively got caught up in a legal mess with Baldoni.In December 2024, she filed a sexual harassment complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, which spiralled into a full-blown legal drama, including Baldonis $400 million defamation lawsuit against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist (eventually dismissed). Naturally, the internet went into overdrive, spinning rumours of a fallout between Swift and Lively, especially after some leaked texts suggested Lively had called Taylor her dragon, sparking theories that their friendship was somehow weaponised in the courtroom chaos.However, with a not-so-subtle ode to Lively in her new track, Swift has seemingly put all the rumours to rest.
Peoples participation driving Viksit Uttar Pradesh 2047

Youth leading the change for Uttar Pradesh 2047

Education and agriculture top the feedback list

District-wise participation shows strong rural engagement

Citizens call for sustainable and balanced growth

Building a roadmap for a developed Uttar Pradesh

Theis paving the way for a developed and empowered Uttar Pradesh by 2047. Drawing participation from over 21.5 lakh citizens, this people-driven initiative has collected valuable suggestions to guide future policymaking. Most inputs came from rural communities, highlighting strong grassroots involvement.The campaigns focus on sectors such as education, agriculture, health, and urban development reflects the peoples priorities for inclusive growth. With millions of young voices contributing ideas and innovators proposing reforms, this campaign is shaping the foundation of a prosperous, modern, and sustainable Uttar Pradesh. The initiative stands as a powerful example of how collective participation can fuel transformative governance and long-term state development.The campaigns success lies in its extensive outreach. Nodal officers and eminent citizens visited all 75 districts, encouraging interaction with students, entrepreneurs, farmers, NGOs, and the general public. The campaign portal has so far received around, withandcontributors.Over, showing that the youth are eager to shape the states development roadmap. Their inputs highlight the need for better education, skill development, and job opportunities to align with the Uttar Pradesh 2047 Vision.Education received about, followed by. Many citizens proposed improving rural schools, modernising curriculums, and promoting digital learning. Farmers, like Vikas Pandey from Rampur, recommended, andto strengthen agricultural resilience.Districts such asrecorded the highest participation, whilecontributed fewer responses. This district-level diversity demonstrates both the scale and inclusiveness of the campaign.Citizens likeemphasised, while others focused on. These collective voices reflect a growing awareness of sustainability and responsible progress.The insights gathered will shape the. The state government aims to translate these public inputs into actionable strategies for growth, innovation, and welfare  ensuring that development truly reflects the peoples aspirations.
Why London Police have been granted extra powers?

Dozens of police officers arresting an elderly peaceful protestor in a wheelchair under the Terrorism Act for holding a sign.



Makes a complete mockery of Anti-Terrorism Laws when there are real terrorists going undetected attacking places of worship. pic.twitter.com/oJk6XgCLAt  Cllr Martin Abrams  (@Martin_Abrams) October 5, 2025

What are these extra powers under the Public Order Act?

Cop plus blind terrorist, Trafalgar Square, London, UK, terrorist being arrested for holding a sign that read I oppose genocide at a from the river protest, both cop and terrorist show female  gait, heels move inwards. #EGI



(staged viral content) pic.twitter.com/v5cxR6P98d  Max63 (@John63SixtySix) October 5, 2025

Impose conditions on the size, location, or timing of protests

Take into account public safety and the disruption caused by repeated demonstrations

Ban protests outright if they are found to pose a serious risk or cause fear among local communities.

Why were 500 arrests made recently?

UK police arrest an elderly man during Gaza protests in London.



Demonstrations erupted across the city after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian aid mission that had departed from Barcelona, attempting to breach Israels blockade of Palestine's pic.twitter.com/1gbJXcvm1K  TRT World (@trtworld) October 5, 2025

Manchester Synagogue terror attack and its impact

Faraj Al-Shamie openly praised Hamass October 7th attack on Israel, calling the fighters Allahs men on earth.



Yesterday, his son Jihad attacked a Manchester Synagogue and murdered two Jews.



This family has no place in Britain. Deport them. Enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/m8HAoYQYEM  Nicholas Lissack (@NicholasLissack) October 3, 2025

The UK government has announced that police will now be given greater powers to control the protests following weeks of large-scale pro-Palestinian demonstrations across London. This comes after nearly 500 arrests were made at a protest on October 4 and growing concerns about public safety after the Manchester synagogue terror attack.The government says the decision aims to address the "cumulative impact" of repeated protests, particularly in London, where frequent mass demonstrations have caused disruption and raised tensions among communities.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said these repeated protests had caused "considerable fear" within the Jewish community, with some people feeling unsafe and intimidated in their own neighbourhoods. "The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the right of others to live their lives without fear," she added.The government says that repeated protests in the same areas, especially around central London, have not only stretched police resources but have also left the residents feeling vulnerable.The government plans to amend Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, giving police new authority to consider the combined effect of multiple protests when deciding whether to impose restrictions. Until now, police could only assess each protest individually. Under the new rules, they will be able to consider the "cumulative impact" of ongoing demonstrations and thus decide if they want to limit or even ban future events in the same area. These powers will allow police to:After a major pro-Palestinian protest in London on Saturday, about 500 people were arrested. Demonstrators gathered in Trafalgar Square and Westminster to show support for Palestine Action, a group that was banned in July after being labelled a pro-terrorist organisation by the UK government.Despite police warnings and appeals from politicians to postpone the protest, activists went ahead with the demonstration, demanding the government to lift the ban.The Metropolitan Police confirmed that 492 people, aged between 18 and 89, with almost 300 still in custody. Some of these elder people included those walking with sticks and in wheelchairs. Police officers described being "emotionally and physically exhausted" from weeks of constant protests across the city.The recent Manchester synagogue terror attack has intensified concerns about public safety during politically charged protests. Just two days after the attack in Crumpsall, protesters still gathered in London, defying appeals to delay the event. Police officials, including Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, warned that resources were already stretched and that holding protests so soon after the attack could undermine efforts to protect vulnerable communities.The Manchester Synagogue terror attack was a tragic incident that occurred on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. A man driver a vehicle into pedestrians outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, then launched a stabbing attack. Two innocent men, Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, lost their lives, while several others were seriously injured. Police responded quickly and shot the attacker, who was later confirmed to be a British man of Syrian descent, Jihad Al-Shamie, believed to have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology
When you pictured the ways artificial intelligence would change the future, you might have imagined AI powering flying cars. Though were not quite there yet, AI has already transformed many areas of daily life  from how we access information to how we plan for retirement.

For You: Heres Why You Might Want To Invest Your Retirement Savings in a Roth 401(k)

Learn About: 3 Advanced Investing Moves Experts Use to Minimize Taxes and Help Boost Returns

Working on retirement planning with a professional financial advisor who is familiar with your situation and goals is always best. However, new AI-powered tools can supplement that guidance by helping you better define your objectives and gain insights into best practices.

To learn more about how AI is transforming retirement planning  and how it can impact your nest egg  GOBankingRates spoke with Vasant Dhar, professor of data science at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University and host of the Brave New World podcast. As a pioneer in AI, Dhar helped bring machine learning to Wall Street in the early 1990s. His book, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI, will be published this year.

Unsurprisingly, Dhar had detailed insights into what people preparing for retirement today can expect from AI.

AI Can Offer Personalization

Though AI cant match the human touch of sitting across from an advisor, Dhar says AI-powered financial planning tools like robo-advisors can offer a degree of personalization.

Using a robo-advisor, youll likely fill out an online questionnaire that touches on a few key areas:

Financial goals

Risk tolerance

Time horizon

External financial data

Personal preferences

Once AI gathers this information, algorithms can generate suggestions for retirement plans or even manage a portfolio. Of course, these surveys can be superficial, and robo-advisors may offer limited suggestions without considering complex situations  or human emotions.

Still, Dhar believes working with AI tools can help clarify your retirement goals and available resources.

Such tools can personalize retirement planning in several ways. They can help you clarify your objectives, which is one of the hardest problems in retirement planning, he said.

Read Next: I Help People Retire Every Day  Heres the Most Common Retirement Mistake People Make

Retirees Can Benefit From Faster Optimization and Risk Management

From his work bringing AI to Wall Street, Dhar has seen how it has changed portfolio optimization, tax strategies and risk management in professional investing.
Tina Huynh, marketing and communications director at Caphe Roasters, prepares Vietnamese coffee at the Kensington shop on Thursday. Caphe Roasters raised prices 10% to 15% recently amid a 20% tariff on its Vietnamese beans. Read more

Brittany Stampone is torn.

The Northeast Philly native likes supporting independently owned coffee shops, but she said she can seldom justify the prices.

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I really try to find something within my budget, said Stampone, 35, who works in health insurance.

When visiting Wildwood last month for Irish Weekend, she said she couldnt find a place selling iced coffee for less than $5. She ended up going to one of her cheap-coffee mainstays, McDonalds, which advertises $1 any-size iced coffee before 11 a.m.

With climate conditions and tariffs driving up coffee costs, caffeine-loving consumers are feeling the pinch at coffee shops and grocery stores, where its difficult to find a 10-ounce can of ground coffee for less than $7, or a 26-ounce one for less than $15.

Stampone said shes grateful shes not a picky coffee drinker. In the grocery store aisle, she and her husband typically buy whatever brand is on sale.

And, she reminds herself, its still more cost-effective to buy coffee at the store and make it at home than to order it each day from a cafe or vendor: Id rather spend maybe $8 on a tin of coffee vs. buying something that is only going to last me a day.

How much a cup of coffee costs in Philly

Coffee is increasingly expensive for a variety of reasons.

Volatile weather conditions in coffee-growing regions like Brazil and Vietnam, as well as the Trump administrations 50% tariff on Brazil, has put upward pressure on the market," according to the International Coffee Organization.

Across the U.S., this pressure has U.S. consumers paying more. The price of roasted and instant coffee jumped nearly 21% between August 2024 and August 2025, according to the most recent Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was the largest annual increase since 1997, the bureau found.

 READ MORE: Meet the recipe influencers making six figures cooking, baking, and posting from their Philly-area kitchens

Naturally, Philly customers are also paying more at coffee shops, according to data from the restaurant-management platform Toast.

The median price of a cup of hot coffee in the city rose to $3.84, an increase of nearly 10% between August 2024 and August 2025, Toast found in a data analysis released Monday in honor of National Coffee Day. Over the same period, the median price of a Philly cold brew saw a small 1% hike, rising to $5.

But if you want lattes, macchiatos, or other concoctions, expect to pay more.

Victoria Mendez, 25, who runs a local foodie Instagram account, Impulse Food, with her husband, Rafael Aponte, said she visits about two city coffee shops a week. She usually pays between $8 and $8.50 for a specialty drink, often her go-to vanilla iced latte.

Sometimes, she said, the drink is worth the price tag.

It honestly depends if its good or not, Mendez said, and whether she could replicate the drink in her own kitchen.

Why Philly-area coffee shops are charging more

Local coffee shop owners said they must strike a balance between making money and not scaring away customers with eye-popping prices.

At Caphe Roasters in Kensington, customers pay about $6.50 on average for a specialty drink, which can include homemade syrups, expensive dairy and nondairy milk, and espresso or coffee, said CEO and founder Thu Pham.

Meanwhile, the cost of a 12-ounce drip coffee, served hot, is $2.75. A 12-ounce bag of ground or whole coffee beans is between $18 and $20.

Pham has raised prices about 10% to 15% since the 20% tariff imposed on Vietnam, where she sources most of her coffee beans, she said. More price increases could come in the future, she said, but dont expect anything too drastic.

We try to make it competitive, but being in Kensington, serving regular people  we like to make sure our regular drip coffee is as reasonable as possible, Pham said.

 READ MORE: A matcha shortage is threatening some of Phillys coolest drinks

In Gloucester County, Joe Fultano, owner of Endgrain Coffee Roasters, said he recently raised the prices on his 12-ounce retail bag from $14 to $15. He said the $1 jump felt like the safest increase without offending people in the blue-collar, working-class town of Pitman.

Fultano, who has owned Endgrain for a decade, said he had no choice but to increase prices. Even though he no longer sources beans from countries with high tariffs, he said he is still paying about a dollar a pound more for unroasted coffee than he did at this time last year.

Each month, he added, Endgrain goes through approximately one ton of coffee (about 2,000 pounds).

Coffee-loving consumers cut back

Some local consumers said theyve cut back on coffee-shop splurges, instead opting to make coffee at home or settle for cheaper fast-food coffee.

In Haddon Township, Jessica Rumer, 32, said she rarely gets coffee out anymore.

I refuse to pay Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks prices, said Rumer, who works at an auto body shop. Its too much.

Shes eliminated some grocery store items, too, including the jugs of premade iced coffee that she once drank regularly. She can no longer justify the price.

 READ MORE: How to spend $70 or less on a weekly grocery haul for two in the Philly area

It has skyrocketed, Rumer said, with a 48-ounce container costing as much as $7.

Instead, she said, she makes hot coffee at home with the cheapest grounds or grabs a McDonalds $1 coffee in the mornings.

Mendez, the Philly food and coffee influencer, said shes grateful that Philadelphia prices still remain lower than in some other large metro areas. Of 20 major U.S. cities, only Charlotte, N.C., and San Antonio, Texas, had lower median hot coffee prices than Philadelphia, according to the Toast report, and no city had cheaper cold brew.

While visiting New York City last week, Mendez said, a friend spent $13 for a specialty coffee. Fortunately, she said, the drink was delicious.
President Donald Trump moved to deploy the National Guard in another city Saturday by authorizing 300 troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, where the government said Border Patrol agents shot and injured a woman while firing at someone who tried to run them over.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson confirmed that the president authorized using the Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called ongoing violent riots and lawlessness that local leaders have not quelled.

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President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities, Jackson said.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said the guard received notice from the Pentagon early in the day. He called the move unnecessary and a manufactured performance  not a serious effort to protect public safety.

This morning, the Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, Pritzker said in a statement. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will. 

Trump has long threatened to send troops to Chicago, but it was not immediately clear when or exactly where they would be deployed.

Meanwhile the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the shooting of the woman on the southwest side of Chicago. It said in a statement that Border Patrol agents on patrol were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars, and when they got out of their trapped vehicle, a suspect tried to run them over, forcing the officers to fire defensively.

The woman who was shot was a U.S. citizen and was armed with a semiautomatic weapon, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, noting that the woman was accused in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin last week of doxing agents.

The woman was treated and released in the afternoon, according to Mount Sinai Hospital. No officers were seriously injured, McLaughlin said.

The Chicago Police Department confirmed a shooting in the area but offered few details, saying it responded only to document the incident and control traffic.

CPD is not involved in the incident or its investigation. Federal authorities are investigating this shooting, it said in a statement, referring questions to federal officials.

The escalation of federal law enforcement follows similar deployments in other parts of the country. Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles over the summer and to Washington, D.C., as part of his law enforcement takeover there. Tennessee National Guard troops are expected to arrive in Memphis to help police.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued to stop the deployment in Los Angeles and won a temporary block in federal court. The Trump administration has appealed that ruling that the use of the guard was illegal, and a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has indicated that it believes the government is likely to prevail.

Pritzker criticized the Illinois deployment for pulling the National Guard troops away from their families and regular jobs, saying, For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.

He also noted that state, county and local law enforcement have been coordinating to ensure the safety of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Broadview facility on the outskirts of Chicago.

Federal officials reported the arrests of 13 people protesting Friday near the facility, which has been frequently targeted during the administrations surge of immigration enforcement this fall.

Trump also said last month that he was sending federal troops to Portland, Oregon, calling the city war-ravaged. But local officials have suggested that many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on images from 2020, when demonstrations and unrest gripped the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Oregon officials sued to stop the deployment the next day. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut heard arguments Friday and temporarily blocked the Trump administration on Saturday from deploying the guard in Portland.

Immergut issued the order pending further arguments in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs said a deployment would violate the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal law that generally prohibits the military from being used to enforce domestic laws.

Trump has federalized 200 National Guard troops in the state, but so far it does not appear that they have moved into Portland. They have been seen training on the coast in anticipation of a deployment.
A harrowing home invasion in Northeast Philadelphia early Saturday morning led to an officer opening fire on armed suspects, police said.

A family on the 2100 block of Princeton Avenue was confronted by an unidentified number of suspects who forced their way inside the home. The family was restrained at gunpoint by the suspects, who stole items from the house, police said.

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The ordeal continued for two of the family members who were abducted and taken to a second location, where they were physically harmed, police said. Police did not provide details of the second location.

Police intervened on the 2000 block of Albright Street in Kensington, more than three miles from the original location, leading to an altercation with the suspects. One unidentified officer fired their weapon, but police said no one was injured.

Both victims were freed by police and treated for their injuries.

The suspects fled the area on foot and are being sought. Philadelphia police are continuing their investigation.
Emily Blunt finds Dwayne Johnson a "calming" influence.

Emily Blunt has become close friends with Dwayne Johnson

The 42-year-old actress has collaborated with the WWE icon once again for the new movie The Smashing Machine and is extremely grateful for The Rock's friendship.

Emily told People at The Smashing Machine's Los Angeles premiere: "Oh my God, he's just the best friend. He is endlessly joyful about other people's successes. He's innately kind. He's wise.

"He gives incredible advice. He's steady. That zen Polynesian vibe, he lives by it. And so in that way he's a very calming person to talk to if you're in the chaos of what this industry can be sometimes."

Emily and Dwayne became pals after starring together in the 2021 Disney flick Jungle Cruise and Blunt explained how their friendship developed in a "very fast" manner.

The Oppenheimer star said last month: "We just became very fast friends, like an immediate secret language, which I think you feel with certain people that you work with.

"We just talked and shared our souls. And I was just really taken by, I guess, how different he was from what I had imagined.

"He was so gentle and quite interior and sort of contemplative and kind, just easy. Like, so lovely to be around, funny and quick, all these qualities."

Meanwhile, Blunt recently revealed that her Hollywood career doesn't really impress her children.

The Golden Globe-winner, who has daughters Hazel, 11, and Violet, nine, with her husband John Krasinski, told Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week: "I dont know if theyre meant to be impressed.

"I did a photoshoot the other day for the cover of a magazine. I was pretty stoked about it. Id spent the whole day with people saying, 'Oh my god. So fierce. You look so good. You just look so gorgeous, Emily.' And I walked into my apartment still with my photoshoot makeup on, and my oldest daughter, Hazel, went, 'Ew.'

"And my little one, Violet, was like, 'I think you look nice, mama.'

"So I, you know, Ive turned one of them."

Asked whether her daughters' friends ever reacted to her fame, Emily explained it was usually their parents who took more notice.

The Mary Poppins Returns star said: "Sometimes the parents try to sort of recruit them, and theyre like, 'Thats Mary Poppins.'

"And Im there in my sweatpants, and the kids are like, 'Its not. Its really not. Or I hope its not.'"
(Reuters) -Drugmaker AbbVie said on Friday it has lowered its annual profit forecast, after a flagging an expected $2.7 billion charge related to in-process research and development (IPR&D) expenses in the third quarter.

Shares of the North Chicago-based company were down nearly 1% at $232.0 in extended trade.

AbbVie said in a regulatory filing that such expenses may arise from collaborations, licensing deals or asset buys, but are not forecast due to uncertainty around timing and occurrence. It did not specify how the expense was incurred.

Including the third-quarter charge, AbbVie now expects full-year adjusted earnings per share between $10.38 and $10.58, compared with the prior range of $11.88 to $12.08.

Analysts were expecting full-year adjusted EPS to be $12.02, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company's previous forecast for full-year adjusted earnings, issued on July 31, excluded any IPR&D expenses beyond the second quarter, it said.

AbbVie added that results for the quarter ended Sept. 30 have not been finalized and are subject to its financial statement closing procedures.

"There can be no assurance that our final results will not differ from these preliminary estimates," the company said.

It forecast third-quarter adjusted EPS in the range of $1.74 to $1.78, including the impact of the IPR&D expense, much lower than the analysts' estimate of $3.27.

Separately, AbbVie said earlier this week it started building a new active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing plant in North Chicago, Illinois. The $195 million plant is expected to produce medicines in immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, and be fully operational by 2027.

AbbVie has been leaning on newer immunology drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq to offset declining sales of its blockbuster arthritis treatment Humira, which began facing biosimilar competition in the U.S. in 2023. The company has spent more than $20 billion on acquisitions since then to bolster its pipeline.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)
Moshannon Valley Processing Center, in Clearfield County, Pa., is the largest immigrant detention facility in the Northeastern United States. Read more

After spending over 40 years of a life sentence in the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon for first-degree murder, Subramanyam Subu Vedam was set to be released, corrections officials confirmed. Instead, he ended up in Pennsylvanias largest immigrant detention center.

Charges were dismissed on Thursday related to new evidence that surfaced in a case that dates back to the 1980s, when Vedam, then a student at Pennsylvania State University, was arrested and later charged with killing Thomas Kinser of Boalsburg, Pa.

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But upon his release, due to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer issued in 1988, Vedam was transferred into ICE custody, according to a statement from Pennsylvanias Department of Corrections.

We are disappointed that Subu has been taken into ICE custody, said Vedams sister, Saraswathi Vedam, in a statement shared via email with the Inquirer by a spokesperson for his legal team. This immigration matter is a remnant of Subus original murder conviction which has now been overturned.

Around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, while still in the prison in Huntingdon, instead of going free, Vedam was turned over to ICE, according to Mike Truppa, a spokesperson for Vedams legal team.

As of Saturday afternoon, he was being detained at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, according to Truppa.

 READ MORE: Inside Pa.s largest immigrant detention center: Violence, desperation, little oversight

ICE issued a written statement in response to questions late Saturday.

Mr. Vedam is a native and citizen of India subject to a final order of removal that was lawfully issued by a federal immigration judge, said ICE spokesperson Jason Koontz. Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, individuals who have exhausted all avenues of immigration relief and possess standing removal orders are priorities for enforcement.

In August, Vedams case was overturned, according to court documents. The Centre Daily Times reported at the time that this decision came after a finding that Vedams due process rights were violated. This week, the state decided to dismiss the case against Vedam, court documents indicate.

Since that wrongful conviction has been officially vacated, and the charges against Subu have been dismissed, we have asked the immigration court to re-open the case and account for the fact that Subu has been exonerated, Vedams sister said in a statement.

Moshannon Valley Processing Center, a remote holding facility run by the private prisons giant GEO Group, has become a recent flashpoint in President Donald Trumps push to deport a record number of people.

With capacity for nearly 1,900 prisoners, it is the largest detention center in the Northeast. Most people ICE picks up from New York to Maryland pass through the facility.

Its part of a growing network of immigrant holding facilities that house more than 61,000 people nationwide. The facilities include federal detention centers and county jails, as well as the infamous complex in the Florida Everglades known as Alligator Alcatraz.

According to ICE data, only about 20% of people booked into Moshannon this year have been convicted of serious crimes. Roughly 60% had either pending cases or no criminal convictions at all.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was deported to El Salvador and returned to the United States. over the summer, was transferred to Moshannon on Sept. 26. The Trump administration has claimed that Abrego Garcia, who was born in El Salvador, is a member of the MS-13 gang.

On Friday, a Nashville judge found that there was a likelihood that the charges against Abrego Garcia were vindictive in nature.

Since taking office, Trump has called on ICE to do all in its power to deliver the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History. His administration has sought to revoke the citizenship of immigrants who commit crimes and is working to end birthright citizenship for children born to those without legal status or who are in the country temporarily.

A September survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans were more likely than they were in March 2024 say immigrants who come to the U.S. legally provide a major benefit and contribute to economic growth. The survey also found Americans were less likely than they were in January to say that the U.S. should reduce the number of legal immigrants.
With the budget closing in faster than a roll of plastic over a freshly made pit of silage, our Auld Lehane has pieced together 10 budget proposals that he feels might encourage farmers to stick with the job, in spite of all the hardship.

Buy every farmer a new tractor

There is nothing like a new tractor in the yard to make a farmer feel special. And it would be a great legacy to leave behind.

Would this finance minister like to be remembered as the man who presided over a mediocre budget, or the man who famously gave every farmer a brand-new tractor?

Its a no-brainer, really. The tractor idea is a winner, and it will ensure that the minister will be remembered for decades to come.

Stop taxing farmers

This notion of taxing farming was never a good idea. First introduced back in the 1970s, it stunk back then, and it stinks today. Get rid of it. Its not fit for purpose. Nobody likes it, particularly us farmers.

Ensure that every farmer has a wife

Now, while this crisis might take more than money to solve, the least we can do is throw money at the problem.

Love in rural Ireland today is as rare as the cry of the corncrake. Im blue in the face from calling for action on the romance front but, alas, up to now, my cries have fallen on deaf ears.

Financial support for dance halls to bring back the slow set

Sorry minister, but our fearless columnist Denis Lehane does not mince his words: Bring back the slow set. Do you hear us, minister? BRING BACK THE SLOW SET.

Again, staying on the subject of romance, it has now been conclusively proven that the demise of the slow set is the main reason why rural Ireland is currently so besieged with bachelors.

With dance halls and discos at the coalface of the problem, it would be a very prudent investment to finance the purchase of Michael Bolton records and smoke machines.

Combat climate action: Put money aside for Masses

With the weather gone bananas and our climate action plan falling flat on its face, I believe prayer is the only answer in our battle for good weather.

A slush fund needs to be set up to pay for countless Masses and rosary beads, which can be used when the hay is on the ground and newborn lambs need to be let out.

Look after the armchair farmer

The forgotten hero of Irish farming hasnt gone away, you know.

He might be sitting on his arse in front of the telly all day long but the armchair farmer hasn't gone away, you know. Picture: iStock

His farm might be leased out, he might be sitting on his arse in front of the TV all day long, but hes still one of us.

I salute you today, my comrades surrounded by soft furnishings. May you rest easy on your sofa, and lets hope the finance minister realises that you are an important cog in the farming machine.

You are a fabric of farming life that needs to be minded just like your armchair.

A Farm Exam for everyone

Ensure that every farmer gets a copy of Irish Examiner Farming every Thursday morning.

This paper remains the most important document in a farmers life (bar the single farm payment application of course). With its analysis of farming life and its up-to-date news, views, and market reports, a week without the Farm Exam would be like a week without oxygen.

Cut the price of a pint in rural pubs

Just as agricultural diesel is far less expensive than road diesel, the price of a pint in a rural bar should be less than that in its urban equivalent.

Reduce the price of a rural pint, minister, and give us all a reason to be cheerful.

Give every farmer a free ticket for the Ploughing Championships

As most of us try to get in for free anyway, all the minister would be doing in this regard would be saving us the time and trouble.

The problem with budgets in Ireland over the past few years is that the freebies are scarce. Free tickets to The Ploughing would be a nice touch.

A ministerial fund for kicks up the rear end and slaps across the face

By giving a farmer a euro every time we get a kick up the rear end or a slap across the face from a dirty tail, farming could be back on track in no time.

If I had a euro for every time this happened to me, Id be a millionaire today! Minister, for Gods sake, lets make the dream a reality for farmers on budget day.
The rain returned with a bang as storm Amy hit and it certainly was a miserable 48 hours. Sadly, West Cork seemed to suffer a lot worse than we did, with many rivers bursting their banks, roads impassable and so much land flooded.

It is next to impossible for rivers to handle that much rain in a short space of time. Our farm is bounded by a river with a smaller tributary running through part of the land.

This year, the County Council did fantastic work in clearing debris all along the smaller river to help reduce flooding. They worked closely with landowners to ensure the work was done in conjunction with what everyone was happy with.

This week, we had a visit from the council engineer to view the work, which needed to be completed by the end of September. It is always great to chat with someone who understands the importance of us all working together to improve water quality while also balancing that with the challenges of climate change and flooding.

Twenty years ago, an excavator would have spent the summer working its way up the river at great pace. Times have changed and there is now much more awareness of the importance of protecting riverbeds. Nowadays, the excavator cannot enter the river and only works from the riverbank.

The work can take longer and be more tedious, but it is a balancing act of ensuring nature can live alongside humans  and farmers are always very conscious of that balance

We have seen an owl on the farm a couple of times over the last three years, and sightings were always at night. Recently, while I was in the UK, Pete was bringing in the cows at 6am and there was our resident owl, content as could be, sitting on a fallen tree and taking no notice of the sound and lights of the quad.

We had been contemplating clearing the fallen tree, but now that we know it serves a purpose and is a safe area for the owl, we will happily leave it in place. Given how long the owl has been living on the farm, it would be a shame to interfere with its territory.

We have never seen the boundary rivers at such low levels for so long this year, but the heavy rain raised the river level over 5ft in 12 hours when the rain hit this week.

Thankfully, the swollen tributary had somewhere to go, with no blockages, and thanks to the good work of the Co Council, a lot of land remained unflooded.

Denis, our Munster Bovine milk recorder, also visited this week to complete another milk recording. It will help give a clearer picture of the SCC for the freshly calved cows and also create a picture for how we will deal with the spring calvers when we start to dry off cows.

We will complete another milk recording in early November and then start to dry off any early spring calvers

We have been busy packing for the National Dairy Show, gathering up feed supplies to ensure the team are well fed while away from home. It is a big task to transport all the feed, supplies and animals back to Millstreet. Two trailer loads of feed and show gear, the show team taking up another four cattle trailer loads, and then all the humans need to be fed back there as well, so the mini kitchen has been packed.

Katherine has arrived in from the UK, Becky and Richard have been busy clipping, and Pauric arrives to help on Thursday. With 14 animals at the show, it is all hands on deck. Richards sons Ben and Charlie will also be helping and showing with us  they know the heifers well from being at shows all year with us.

We have four Jersey milkers competing: Kali and Kasey, both no strangers to the show scene; their dam Kiki, who will be having her first outing to a show five weeks freshly calved; and Potterswalls Victorious Cash VG87 two-year-old, also on her first show outing.

We also have four junior Jerseys: Kaira, Kalani, Khaleesi  all of whom have been successful for us  and Potterswalls Knox Glamour, who will make her debut.

We have six junior Holsteins on the team: Rouge and Jagerbomb, who compete in the same class; our November-born Sidekick Acclaim heifer; and three heifers in the DecemberJanuary born heifer class.

It will be a hectic few days showing, but everyone on the team knows their job. Pete and I get to compete alongside each other in the Jersey heifer in milk class, and hopefully, the hard work will pay off and we will bring home a few rosettes.

The cows have been milking extremely well, with September production 10% ahead of 2024, and so far in October, we are continuing that trend in daily production

Cows are in great condition and grass growth has been superb with mild temperatures and good ground conditions. We didnt extend the grazing rotation in late August or September and pushed ahead with grazing the cows as regrowths were so good. I think extending the grazing rotation would have been a mistake, as it would have led to higher grass covers and slower regrowth.

Calendar farming really is obsolete now, as weather patterns have changed so much. How we farm has become very area-specific  not just different parts of Ireland, but even area-specific within counties. Parts of East Cork were struggling with grass growth in August due to drought, and farmers were still supplementing with high levels of concentrate ration in September. Meanwhile, other parts of Cork had an abundance of grass. East Cork farmers welcome any rain now, while West Cork deals with flooding.

That scenario is exactly why farmers get so frustrated with being asked by policymakers to farm out of a book or from a calendar.

National Dairy Show

We have been busy packing for the National Dairy Show, gathering up feed supplies to ensure the team are well fed while away from home. It is a big task to transport all the feed, supplies and animals back to Millstreet.

Two trailer loads of feed and show gear, the show team taking up another four cattle trailer loads, and then all the humans need to be fed back there as well, so the mini kitchen has been packed.

Katherine has arrived in from the UK, Becky and Richard have been busy clipping, and Pauric arrives to help on Thursday. With 14 animals at the show, it is all hands on deck. Richards sons Ben and Charlie will also be helping and showing with us  they know the heifers well from being at shows all year with us.

We have four Jersey milkers competing: Kali and Kasey, both no strangers to the show scene; their dam Kiki, who will be having her first outing to a show five weeks freshly calved; and Potterswalls Victorious Cash VG87 two-year-old, also on her first show outing.

We also have four junior Jerseys: Kaira, Kalani, Khaleesi  all of whom have been successful for us  and Potterswalls Knox Glamour, who will make her debut.

We have six junior Holsteins on the team: Rouge and Jagerbomb, who compete in the same class; our November-born Sidekick Acclaim heifer; and three heifers in the DecemberJanuary born heifer class.

It will be a hectic few days showing, but everyone on the team knows their job. Pete and I get to compete alongside each other in the Jersey heifer in milk class, and hopefully, the hard work will pay off and we will bring home a few rosettes.
Living by the sea in Allihies, West Cork, the artist Rachel Parry has often created sculptural objects from materials  such as fishbones, jellyfish and seaweed  she has found along the shore. Cloaks and Pinholes, her forthcoming exhibition at the Allihies Copper Mine Museum, on the Beara peninsula in West Cork, features a series of pinhole photographs and two new sculptures  or cloaks, as she calls them  she has fashioned from similar materials.

Cloaks and Pinholes opens on October 10 as part of the Mine Museums Autumn School, which this year focuses on the Cailleach Bheara. The Cailleach is one of the most ancient and revered figures in Irish mythology, a corn goddess from whom the clans of Munster claim descent. The subject of an epic Old Irish poem, she is remembered in many local legends, one of which describes how she turned herself to stone to avoid conversion to Christianity by an over-zealous priest. This is the form in which she survives today, overlooking the sea in Kilcatherine, in the neighbouring parish of Eyeries.

Parry sees correlations between the Cailleach Bheara and St Brigid, both of whom straddle the pagan and Christian traditions in Ireland. Brigid has to do with the spring and fertility, growing energy and the beginning of new life, she says, while the Cailleach could represent the transformation from life into darkness or sleep, or the underground. Shes often associated with winter, and the ending of the year.

St Brigid has various associations with cloaks. In one legend, a local king agrees to grant her land on which to build a convent, as much as her cloak will cover, and is amazed when the garment grows miraculously to encompass several acres. In another, the Brat Bride, a piece of cloth or handkerchef, is left outside on January 31, the Eve of St Brigid, to be blessed by her and used for protection and healing throughout the year.

This is partially what inspired Parrys sculptures. Ive also learned that the word cailleach could be derived from the Latin pallium, a woollen cloak, she says. The landscape around where the Cailleach Bheara stands is all rocks, covered in lichen. And I decided to use that in one of the cloaks. I wanted to make it as something I could wear and perform in, but also hold the shape of a rounded boulder. So it has a half-human/half-landscape form.

Kelp Cailleach, by Rachel Parry.

Parry is a member of Na Cailleacha, which she describes as a collective of women over the age of 70, who are looking at being visible as artists in our old age. There was a desire to represent age in my new work, so I made a second cloak out of bones, stitched together with leather. This piece was also inspired by the story of how the Cailleach slaughtered a cow every year and kept its bones in her loft. When visitors tried to determine her age by counting the bones, they could never get to the end of them.

Although I wouldnt consider myself an eco-artist, the fact that Im not casting things out of bronze actually matters to me, says Parry. Im using materials that can be found all around. For this new cloak, Ive used bones from whales and dolphins, a fox and various other animals and birds. Theres even a badgers spine. The cloak is quite symmetrical. Theres two of everything. I went to a lot of trouble finding the right bones. Parrys interest in pinhole photography compelled her to complete a workshop with the Cork-based artist Harry Moore last year. The technique involves using a wooden or cardboard box as a camera, with a pinhole aperture that projects the image to be recorded onto film or photographic paper.

I used matchboxes for some of the images, says Parry. I wrapped them in tape, to protect them from the rain, tied them to fence posts around the Cailleach Bheara, and left them there for three weeks. For me, it was magical to have absolutely nothing to do with what they recorded. Theres a sort of energy around the Cailleach Bheara, and in one of the images, theres an aura of light that the camera has picked up on.

Rachel Parry, with Bone Cloak

Parry made another series of photographs in which, wearing her bone cloak, she disappears into an underground chamber in the nearby graveyard at Kilcatherine. The idea was to become the Cailleach for a spell, she says. To wear the cloak and be outrageously old. That was the fun part. But then I had to experiment with so many different film grains and exposure times to record the images on black and white film. I made a darkroom in my shed, and developed the photographs myself.

Parry also photographed her daughter Molly and granddaughter Alannah, who appear as ghost-like figures in the landscape. I wanted Molly and Alannah to be almost transparent. It was Harrys suggestion to photograph them first, and then put a piece of card in front of the lens. When I took the card away, the camera could go on photographing the landscape, and I could get the effect I was looking for.

Parry has engaged with the Cailleach Bheara as a subject in her work before. A few years ago, inspired by Paula Regos iconic painting Angel, she created Kelp Cailleach, a dress made of seaweed she collected on the shore. Parry produced a photograph that shows her wearing the dress, and holding two black-backed gulls wings in place of the sword and the sponge in Regos painting. She showed the photograph as part of Na Cailleachas exhibition In Reference to Paula Rego at the Dock in Carrick-on-Shannon in the spring of 2023, and last month she showed the dress itself at Bere Island Arts Festival.

She now plans to return it to the sea. Ill probably do that at Tra an Phiarla, she says. Its the place near here where I swim most days. I had planned on doing it on my own, walking into the water in the dress, and letting it fall apart around me. But theres been a lot of interest, so now I expect Ill do it as a performance, and record it on film.

Parry has also been collecting mermaids purses, the shark egg cases one finds discarded along the shore, for use in a future sculptural project. At the moment, my intention is to make a portal, like a big archway that people could walk through one at a time. And each of the purses would have inside it someones vision for a clean ocean, written in seaweed ink on paper. Thats a project I hope to collaborate on next year with a couple of marine scientists.
(Reuters) -Drugmaker AbbVie said on Friday it has lowered its annual profit forecast, after flagging an expected $2.7 billion charge related to in-process research and development (IPR&D) expenses in the third quarter.

The Chicago-based company said in a regulatory filing that such expenses may arise from collaborations, licensing deals or asset buys, but are not forecast due to uncertainty around timing and occurrence. It did not specify how the expense was incurred.

Including the third-quarter charge, AbbVie now expects full-year adjusted earnings per share between $10.38 and $10.58, compared with the prior range of $11.88 to $12.08.

Analysts were expecting full-year adjusted EPS to be $12.02, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company's previous forecast for full-year adjusted earnings, issued on July 31, excluded any IPR&D expenses beyond the second quarter, it said.

AbbVie added that the results for the quarter ended Sept. 30 have not been finalized.

"There can be no assurance that our final results will not differ from these preliminary estimates," the company said.

It forecast third-quarter adjusted EPS in the range of $1.74 to $1.78, including the impact of the IPR&D expense, much lower than the analysts' estimate of $3.27.

Separately, AbbVie said earlier this week it began building a $195 million manufacturing plant in North Chicago, Illinois, expected to produce immunology, oncology and neuroscience drugs and be fully operational by 2027.

AbbVie has been leaning on newer immunology drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq to offset declining sales of its blockbuster arthritis treatment Humira, which began facing biosimilar competition in the U.S. in 2023.

The company has spent more than $20 billion on acquisitions since then, and plans to spend another $10 billion on expansion in the country over the next decade.

Its shares were down marginally in extended trade.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)
The brother of murdered Cork woman Valerie French Kilroy says the focus on preserving the family unit has been taken to an absolutely fundamentalist degree in the case of his sisters children.

David Frenchs 41-year-old sister was killed by her husband James Kilroy in Westport, Co Mayo, in 2019. Kilroy was found guilty of the west Cork natives murder by a jury at the Central Criminal Court last year.

However, despite a murder conviction, the killer retains his guardianship rights over their children, ensuring he has a right to know where they live and to be involved in major decisions affecting their lives.

Mr French has campaigned for changes to the law around guardianship in cases where parents kill their childrens other parent, with the government bringing forward the General Scheme of the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill, 2025 earlier this year.

The bill would would see guardianship rights removed from anyone convicted of killing their partner or parent of their child.

It would allow an application to be brought to the District Court to remove guardianship rights from the perpetrator. This application should be sought within six months, with the court then ordering a guardian to be appointed for the child.

Legislation report

The Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has now published a report on its pre-legislative scrutiny of the legislation, which will now be considered by the government before the final legislation is drafted.

In welcoming the report, Mr French: In our case we've seen this focus on preserving the family taken to an absolutely fundamentalist degree where even the crime of murder cannot be seen as comprehensively dissolving the family and the father's rights are actively preserved and protected.

He said he particularly welcomes the recommendation by the committees report that the bereaved family in a case is made a notice party to any court case in relation to guardianship.

He said: I have spent thousands becoming a notice party to my nephews' case and been in Court twice (District and Circuit) against Tusla and Kilroy to get it.

Womens Aid says there are key factors in the report which would make a big difference to families affected by familicide, including what it terms a good and strong emphasis on the best interest of the child and the voice of the child.

It also welcomed the consideration being given to enabling an interim order, which would temporarily remove guardianship immediately upon conviction, until the full order application is resolved.

And the organisation said: Its incumbent on us all, including legislators and policymakers, to look at the absolutely devastating fallout of a domestic homicide and who is left behind to pick up the pieces. So many families are left split apart, struggling with the trauma, and they should not have to face additional legal burdens when they are trying to support children to pick up their lives.
Funding is being sought in Tuesdays budget to commence the delayed opening of a psychiatric unit in the Central Mental Hospital which could "significantly reduce" the lengthy waiting times for severely ill prisoners to be admitted.

Minister of state for mental health, Mary Butler, said that additional funding was being sought to begin opening the intensive care rehabilitation unit in 2026.

The ICRU is located in the Central Mental Hospital complex in north Dublin.

The CMH, the main part of the National Forensic Mental Health Service, was due to open by the end of 2019, but for various reasons, including covid, did not start operation until November 2022.

The 170-bed complex includes a 130-bed CMH, a 30-bed ICRU and a 10-bed Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service unit.

But the latter two units have not opened and a total of 112 of the 130 beds at the CMH are being used.

Ms Butler told the Dail that she had secured additional funding of 2.1m under Budget 2025 to open the remaining 18 beds in the CMH this year.

She said this would bring the hospital to its full operational complement of 130 beds. Ms Butler added:

Recruitment is progressing for the 41 WTEs [whole time equivalents] funded, with 34 of the posts accepted and at various points of onboarding and final checks.

In relation to the ICRU, she said that additional funding was being sought in the Estimates process to commence opening the ICRU next year, adding that this would proceed on a phased basis.

A Council of Europe watchdog, which published an inspection report on Ireland last July, said the opening of the ICRU was likely to significantly reduce waiting times for admission to the CMH for severely-ill prisoners.

It said that these prisoners face lengthy waits in prison for transfer.

Ms Butler said that once the ICRU was in place it would be evaluated in order to inform the developments of similar models regionally, in line with the national mental health policy Sharing the Vision 2020-2030.

In 2021 the Mental Health Commission said ICRUs should be developed in the south and west of the country, similar to whats available in England and Wales.

Ms Butler said that the CMH entailed a capital cost in excess of 200m, which, she said, was one of the most modern of its type in the world.

She said the bed capacity in the new CMH increased from around 95 beds in Dundrum to 112 when relocation took place. She added:

These 112 operational beds across nine units provide high and medium secure care for patients with major mental illness and associated violent behaviour.

"There are 88 beds for men, 14 for women, and 10 beds for men with both mental health and intellectual and developmental difficulties. The hospital receives admissions from prisons, courts and approved mental health centres nationally."

Ms Butler said clinical care was delivered by nine multidisciplinary teams, each led by a consultant forensic psychiatrist.

Separately, justice minister Jim OCallaghan said that the outreach service provided by the CMH in Irish prisons had a case load of 341 people, with a further 51 awaiting assessment.
The Irish Government is planning a major series of events to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America next year.

America250 is set to be a series of national and international events organised between the Department of Culture and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

An independent Commemorations Advisory Committee, of which Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys was announced as a member earlier this year, is providing advice to the State on the project.

In response to a parliamentary question, minister for culture Patrick ODonovan released further information on the commemoration plans which he said were brought to the Government in a memorandum last month.

The events in the US will have three separate themes, including Ireland as an international partner of the US, an academic series on Ireland and the making of America and highlighting the distinct Ulster Scots contribution in collaboration with the Northern Irish Executive.

The programme will see events take place across the United States including musical partnerships, academic series, historical exhibitions and people-to-people celebrations, the minister said.

The Irish programme of events will be developed and led by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport through the Commemorations Unit. These initiatives are currently being developed.

Mr ODonovan said the programme of events here will follow the template established during the decade of centenaries programme which marked Irelands struggle for independence and the foundation of the State.

The advisory committee, which is chaired by journalist and former broadcaster Bryan Dobson, will guide on a programme that is based on historical authenticity, accessibility, inclusivity as well as an ethos of respect and acceptance, he said.

I have had significant engagement with my ministerial counterpart in Northern Ireland, communities minister Gordon Lyons, where it was agreed to work closely together to commemorate the contribution of Irish people from all communities in the shaping of the United States, the minister added.

The events for America250 will take place from now until the countrys independence day on 4 July 2026.

'Presidents trail'

He added that funding should be made available, pending approval, for local authorities to support the presidents trail proposal put forward by Fine Gael TD Edward Timmins.

This trail would pinpoint key counties and locations linked to the ancestral roots of US presidents.

I strongly believe my proposal for an American Presidents Trail could be a hugely positive North-South project, Mr Timmins has said.

This could be a massive attraction for US visitors, especially those with Irish links and could be comparable to the Wild Atlantic Way.

A spokesperson for the Department of Culture said: "Plans for the America250 commemoration programme are currently at developmental stage within the Department. It is anticipated that an announcement will be made in the coming months.
Independent TD Catherine Connolly has said that "no rules were broken" in her employment of a woman who had been convicted of firearms offences.

The second live presidential debate on RTE's The Week In Politics saw Ms Connolly and Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys clash on the employment of former Eirigi member Ursula Ni Shionnain to a committee on the Irish language in 2018.

Ms Humphreys suggested that "rules had been circumvented", a charge Ms Connolly rejected.

Ms Connolly said that she "admired" Ms NI Shionnain as "one of the small success stories" of the prison system.

The Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin, meanwhile, said that he was "sorry" if he had failed to pay back a former tenant 3,300.

Mr Gavin admitted that he hadn't registered that tenancy which ended in 2009 as had been required by law and that "the majority of people" hadn't at the time.

He said that 2009 was a "stressful time" for his family as they had gotten into financial difficulties but that he would "look into it...with urgency".

Ms Humphreys rejected the suggestion by her former cabinet colleague Shane Ross that she had been opposed to drink-driving legislation.

She said that she had voted in favour of the laws twice. When it was put to her that she did not bring about an apology to the family of Shane O'Farrell when she was Justice Minister, Ms Humphreys said that she was happy that an apology had been delivered this year by Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan.

All three candidates were asked about the lack of a debate in Irish, with Ms Connolly the only candidate who is fluent.

Ms Humphreys is a former Gaeltacht minister and pledged in 2014 to re-learn Irish. She said that she would feel at a disadvantage in such a debate.

Answering as Gaeilge, Ms Connolly said that there should be a debate in Irish using either subtitles or proxies.

On the issue of a united Ireland, Mr Gavin backed up his party leader Micheal Martin who has ruled out a border poll in the seven years of the next presidency.

Mr Gavin said that he felt that there was more work to do on the issue. Ms Connolly said that those in the North should have a vote in the election and that there was a "lack of political will" to extend the franchise. Mr Gavin agreed, saying that he would "keep highlighting these issues to government".

Asked why they each should be President over the others, Mr Gavin said that his relative lack of political experience was not relevant.

"The President is the first citizen, not the first politician," he said.

Ms Humphreys in response said that for her part, people "look at your experience when you apply for a job".

Ms Connolly, meanwhile, said that she would be "an independent candidate with an independent mind".

On the issue of neutrality, Ms Humphreys said that she supports Ireland's neutrality, but did not disagree with plans to alter the Triple Lock.

Mr Gavin said that a referendum on that issue was a matter for the Government. He said that there was no question that there is a Russian threat to Europe.

Ms Connolly, for her part, said that Ireland was a "post colonial country in a unique position" and that a "wise country with a wise president" would build upon that. She said it was "completely inaccurate" to suggest that she has not criticised Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ms Humphreys said that there was no question that Russia is the aggressor in that war.

Asked about comments she made in the first debate which suggested that the Occupied Territories Bill would ultimately do little, Ms Humphreys said that the bill was "just one more lever". Asked about the potential cost to the economy of the bill, Ms Connolly said that "we need to look at the cost to humanity of genocide".

On the issue of US president Donald Trump, Ms Connolly said that she can "carry out any job professionally" but that she was "not into flattery".
In the split second before US firefighter Captain Hunter Clare lost consciousness, he saw his thermal imaging camera suddenly flicker red and then Boom. The building exploded.

It was his last clear memory for over two months.

Clare and his hazmat (hazardous material) team of firefighters at Peoria Fire-Medical Department had been investigating a suspected battery fire at the McMicken Battery Energy Storage facility at the edge of the desert suburb of Surprise, Arizona, on April 19, 2019.

Shipping container-sized metal boxes housing hundreds of lithium-ion battery cells were seeping milky-white smoke and in a highly volatile state known as thermal runaway.

Clare bore the brunt of the catastrophic explosion which followed.

He was blown through a chain link fence and 70ft into the desert.

US firefighter Captain Hunter Clare bore the brunt of the catastrophic explosion at the McMicken Battery Energy Storage facility at the edge of the desert suburb of Surprise, Arizona, on April 19, 2019. Picture: Youtube

One of my guys, when he came back to consciousness, he was still holding the hose line and looked out in the desert and saw this bush on fire, and so he put water on it.

And lucky he did, because that was me burning in the bush, he tells the Irish Examiner.

I suffered a traumatic brain injury. I lost vision and a portion of my right eye. I broke my neck  C4, 5, and 6.

I broke my back in several places. I shattered my right scapula into five pieces. I broke a bunch of ribs. I lacerated my liver and was bleeding out inside.

"I broke my hands. I amputated my feet, from tumbling across the desert, but they were trapped in their boots. So, they had to reattach those. My feet were broken also. I had to learn to walk again. They called me three times, he says matter-of-factly.

Clare, now Peoria fire chief, also suffered a mixture of thermal and chemical burns as a result of the gas cocktail of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, and ethane that batteries can produce in a fire.

He will never be cleared to return to the truck as a frontline firefighter or hazmat technician and now leads training in best practices for firefighters to address the hazards of lithium-ion battery fires for state agencies and the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Unless we go to nuclear energy, its our future

Battery energy storage systems  also known as battery farms  is a growing industry in Ireland but it has seen an equal rise in local opposition to them.

Just last week, a new group formed to fight proposals for a massive 300-acre solar farm and battery storage facility close to the East Cork town of Carrigtwohill.

However, rising electricity demands (from the State as well as data and AI centres), renewable energy goals, and soaring energy bills all mean the need for such facilities is real, if not critical.

Eirgrid is predicting a 45% rise in electricity demand between now and 2034 which will put considerable pressure on the national grid.

The superpower of battery storage systems is their ability to stabilise that grid.

They store excess electricity from unpredictable renewable (wind and solar) energy sources and release it back into the national grid when demand is high, keeping an even balance between the two.

Their main purpose is to stabilise the grid for a short duration of time, explains Robert Lynch, associate professor in Energy at the Department of Physics at the University of Limerick.

When people start turning on kettles and things in the evening, the batteries can step in for a while so that the grid stays stable.

"If theyre not there, then the grids output power and input power wont balance.

"And then the grid would crash, which is what happened in Spain a few months ago, says Lynch, referring to a major power blackout in April across the Iberian Peninsula, which affected mainland Portugal and Spain, with electric power interrupted for about 10 hours  and longer in some areas.

The outage saw cities grind to a halt, with thousands stranded on trains and in lifts, and flights cancelled.

Here, the State is also relying on battery energy storage systems (BESS) to help achieve its target of a 75% reduction in emissions by 2030.

The closer and closer we get to 100% electricity coming from renewables, the more and more batteries we would need on the grid.

"We cannot have renewable energy power grid without the batteries, says Lynch.

Electricity grid

Unless we go to nuclear energy, its our future, he adds.

Bobby Smith, the head of Energy Storage Ireland, the all-island advocacy association for the energy storage industry, agrees.

Its not just green and clean energy, its also more affordable energy because its displacing more expensive fossil fuels, he says.

Were currently seeing just how international gas prices are impacting our electricity prices. The quicker we get off that by using our indigenous renewable energy resources, including energy storage, the better.

That should definitely bring more affordable and stable electricity prices for consumers, he adds.

The membership of his organisation has grown from 20 in 2020, to 78 energy companies today.

It parallels the surge in planning applications being submitted to county councils around the country for large-scale battery storage facilities in the past two years, something which Smith doesnt see slowing down any time soon.

Thatll be the expectation. We want to obviously displace fossil fuels.

We want to have a stable electricity grid. And we want to have affordable energy and wind solar energy storage. And to do it right.

Doing it right also means planning for batteries biggest hazard, fire.

The risk can be mitigated against but never completely eliminated.

If a battery cell becomes unstable, a chain reaction spreads to adjacent cells in a reaction called thermal runaway which is very difficult to stop.

Flammable and toxic gases are released and, in the worst-case scenario, intense fires break out.

Battery fires are uniquely hazardous in that even if the fire is extinguished, thermal runaway can re-ignite hours or days after the fire is extinguished.

The batteries are best cooled down through water immersion and firefighters must distinguish between extinguishing and cooling.

Its unlikely for there to be a fire, says Lynch. But if there was it would be contained within that one container. Everything has risks. Things do go on fire. Its a question of mitigating those risks, he says.

Battery fires are extremely, extremely rare, agrees Smith.

We already have thousands and thousands of these facilities operating globally. The industry is continuously learning and evolving and updating its safety standards of best practice.

The Newmarket Environmental Protection Group protest.

Last January 29, a fire broke out at the Xerotech Ltd Lithium-ion battery manufacturing and storage facility at Claregalway Corporate Park, Galway.

It forced nearby businesses, schools, and homes to be evacuated for several days.

Five firefighters were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation as a precautionary measure. The company folded less than a month later.

Despite his injuries, Chief Clare is not against battery storage plants.

I am not anti-batteries at all, he says. Im very pro-training and partnerships with those that have us mitigating their emergencies. And you would think somebody that was blown up by batteries would be anti-batteries. But we have to understand the beast that were dealing with.

Do Irish firefighters understand the beast they will have to increasingly face?

Galway Fire Service did not respond to requests for comment on their experiences in the Claregalway fire.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which has overall responsibility for the fire services, was asked if there was any national roll-out of hazmat training programmes for local fire services focussing specifically on Lithium BESS facilities.

A spokesperson said the assessment of fire cover needs  is a statutory function of individual fire authorities.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management provides a general central training programme and issues guidance on operational matters, but did not explicitly mention battery training.

A 2023 department pre-incident planning document on best practice for assessing fire hazards makes no mention of BESS facilities either. Another standard operational guidance document on incidents involving electricity also had no mention of BESS facilities and was dated June 2010.

No plan in place

Con OConnor, his wife Maura Cronin OConnor, and their three young children are living and farming in the townland of Curraduff, near Newmarket, North Cork.

They have recently appealed to An Coimisiun Pleanala a decision by Cork County Council to grant planning permission for a 72-container BESS facility on lands bordering their farm.

Their parents house is less than 200m from the proposed facility.

They hope to continue dairy farming and pass it on to the next generation, but believe the BESS poses a direct risk to that.

Con O'Connor and Maura Cronin O'Connor with their three sons looking over their ditch to the site of a proposed battery energy storage system at Curraduff, Glenlara, Newmarket, Co Cork.

Fire is breaking out in the best facilities around the world, so the risk is still there, Maura Cronin OConnor says.

The biggest problem we have is that theres no plan in place if a fire does happen. Fair enough mitigation is there. Were hoping nothing would ever happen. But if it does, whats the plan?

There was one community meeting, says Cronin-OConnor, who is spokesperson for Newmarket Environmental Protection Group. One of the local community members asked what do we do in the instance of fire? What about the town? What about the evacuation of schools and stuff? and it was pretty much ignored. Theres no evacuation plan.

The planning application by French renewable energy group Neoen Renewables Ltd attracted 190 objections from the local community and 89 observations on the appeal.

Galetech Energy Services, which submitted the application on behalf of Neoen was contacted for comment.

Even a piggery needs an EIA

One of the biggest factors undermining public confidence in BESS facilities are gaps in the current laws which mean operators dont have to apply for a fire safety certificate, dont have to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, and are not subject to the Chemicals Act or the Control of Major Accident Hazards involving Dangerous Substances Regulations 2015.

In May 2024, then environment minister Eamon Ryan told Niamh Smyth TD in a written reply that BESS facilities were not considered a substance or mixture and therefore not a dangerous substance.

Former Green Party senator Vincent P Martin introduced a bill on October 9 2024 to amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 and make BESS facilities require an EIA report.

He told the Seanad that his bill should improve the all-important local community buy-in.

A piggery, for example, requires an environmental impact assessment, but there is no such obligation on these large-scale projects.

Energy Storage Ireland chief Bobby Smith points out that many BESS operators submit a Natura Impact Assessment voluntarily.

But Martin believes thats beside the point: What are they afraid of? If its so good it should be able to withstand the rigours of an EIA, he tells the Irish Examiner.

Senator Vincent P Martin introduced a bill on October 9 2024 to amend the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 and make BESS facilities require an EIA report.

Cronin-OConnor agrees that making EIA reports mandatory would be a definite help.

However, a Department of Local Government spokesperson said it was up to individual county councils or An Coimisiun Pleanala to determine whether an EIA is required and confirmed they do not intend to update the current 2001 regulation to make EIA reports mandatory for battery facilities.

A Department of Enterprise spokesperson also confirmed they had no plans to include lithium BESS facilities in the scope of an EU directive on industrial sites and flammable, toxic, or explosive substances.

Vincent P Martins bill expired after the last general election, and while Fine Gael senator Sean Kyne restored it to the order of business in June, he made it clear he would not be progressing it further.

A Green Party spokesperson also said it is not planned for the party to advance the bill in the term of this Seanad.

Has the Government dropped the ball by failing to address public concerns? Both sides of the debate are calling for the State to step up and engage with communities.

Theres definitely room for further engagement. We support that, says Bobby Smith of Energy Storage Ireland.

He believes promoting the benefits of battery storage is incumbent on the Government, political parties, and local authorities.

I think we shouldnt be behind the door, allowing distrust to build up, says Martin.

The Government should be all over this, being proactive, trying to instil confidence in this process.

BESS regulation is widely spread across the remits of several government departments: Climate, Energy and the Environment, Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

The Department of Energy hosted a stakeholder forum on November 21 last year, the only actionable outcome of which was to continue to talk among government departments with a view to clarifying the standards and safety of BESS facilities.

Martin claims this lack of a specific government State agency standing up and saying this is us, were the regulatory authority, is the bigger point.

Theres a lot of questions the Government have to answer as to what were actually doing with the renewable energy space, and battery energy storage systems are part of that, says Cronin-OConnor.

Speaking at the annual Michael Collins commemoration at Beal na Blath in West Cork, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill had a message for those who object today to the development of solar or wind energy.

I say: Please, no. Please think in long strides.

The Governments current approach however, just doesnt seem to be the right way about it, according to Cronin OConnor. 

And it doesnt seem to be open for negotiation or discussion. Were really trying to get our point across, as are, I would say at this stage, hundreds of communities.
Georgias Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Sunday accused the opposition of trying to topple his government and vowed a further crackdown on dissent, hours after the ruling party claimed a landslide win in local elections snubbed by its main rivals.

Tens of thousands marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on polling day against the governments repressive policies, and what they see as Georgias steady drift into Moscows orbit.

Mr Kobakhidzes Georgian Dream party claimed victory in every municipality across the South Caucasus country in local elections boycotted by the two main opposition blocs as a sham.

Opposition supporters with Georgian national and EU flags gathered in the city centre of Tbilisi, boycotting the municipal elections and calling for the release of political opponents (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP)

Protests and political unrest have rocked Georgia since Georgian Dream halted talks on joining the European Union last November, despite it being a cherished goal for many Georgians that has been enshrined in the countrys constitution.

The move triggered waves of protests that have been met with mass arrests and police violence.

It came after the long-time ruling party declared victory in a parliamentary election that the opposition said was rigged.

The rallies, big and small, have continued despite a multipronged crackdown by the government through laws that target demonstrators, rights groups, nongovernmental organisations and independent media.

Critics say some have been modelled on legislation passed in Russia, where President Vladimir Putin has harshly stifled criticism.

Riot police used water cannons and tear gas on Saturday to drive protesters out of the presidential palace, after they smashed the gates and attempted to enter the building.

The opposition had painted the latest march as part of a peaceful revolution to restore democratic values, but in a press briefing on Sunday, Mr Kobakhidze cast it as the culmination of months of attempts to overthrow his government.

Police block a street to prevent demonstrators from advancing during an opposition rally (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP)

Georgian officials have repeatedly sought to present the protests as co-ordinated and funded from abroad, often citing statements from European officials in support of the movement.

Mr Kobakhidze referenced this rhetoric on Sunday, as he pledged to completely neutralise foreign agents.

He also implied that EU officials and diplomats have meddled in Georgian politics by voicing support for the protests.

But he said Georgian Dream was ready for dialogue with Tbilisis Western partners.

I am ready to forget everything, to reset relations, to start from a clean slate. We are ready for friendship and relations with everyone, he said.

EU officials did not immediately comment on Mr Kobakhidzes claims.

In July, the blocs diplomatic service slammed what it said was disinformation and baseless accusations by Georgian government officials about its alleged role in the countrys politics.

Activists were arrested, accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the government (Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP)

Five activists, including celebrated opera singer Paata Burchuladze, were detained following Saturdays rally.

According to Georgias Interior Ministry, they were accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the government as well as organising, leading and participating in group violence.

The interior ministry also vowed to find all those who tried to force entry into the presidential palace.

Georgians went to the polls on Saturday to elect the mayors of five major cities, including Tbilisi, the heads of more than 50 other municipalities, and members of municipal councils.

Georgias two main opposition blocs and several other parties critical of Georgian Dream boycotted the vote.
MILAN  Aeffe shares plunged 43.34 percent to close at 0.25 euros on the Italian Stock Exchange on Friday.

This followed Aeffes decision to proceed with filing an application for access to the negotiated settlement of the group business crisis (CNS), along with requesting the appointment of an independent expert and the application of protective measures.

More from WWD

In a statement issued by Aeffe, the Italian group specified that the application is filed in the interest [of Aeffe] and its subsidiary Pollini. The group also controls the Alberta Ferretti and Moschino brands.

The statement underscored that the move has been carefully evaluated as the most appropriate solution to ensure stability during the period necessary to implement actions aimed at overcoming the financial strains currently affecting the company and Pollini, attributed to the deep crisis impacting the entire luxury fashion sector and the recent negative development between late August and September 2025.

Aeffe is aiming to preserve the integrity of the corporate assets of Aeffe and Pollini, safeguard business continuity and protect the interests of all stakeholders.

KPMG Advisory SpA has been appointed as financial adviser, and law firm Orsingher Ortu Avvocati Associati will support Aeffe and Pollini on legal matters.

As reported, similarly, LuisaViaRoma in August resorted to this same measure, called Composizione Negoziata della Crisi, a voluntary, extrajudicial negotiated restructuring process, and the e-tailer was assigned a commissioner tasked with conducting negotiations with creditors, seeking to avoid a court-mediated composition with creditors measure.

Pollini is a storied footwear and handbags brand that marked its 70th anniversary in 2023, when it reedited its signature Cavaliere boot. The styles visibility was boosted by Bernardo Bertoluccis controversial 1972 film Last Tango in Paris with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider as the late actress wore the brands boots throughout the movie. Pollini is also a producer of accessories for Aeffe, contributing to the success of Moschinos biker bag and heart-shaped clutches, to name a few.

Founded by the Pollini family, the firm over the years has produced for third parties including the likes of Fendi, Jil Sander and Dsquared2, among others. For the latter brand, its artisans created the skeleton heel or the ankle boots with the ice skate heel years ago.

Pollini no longer produces under license for brands outside the Aeffe Group, and over the years it has ventured in different directions, having been designed by the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood and Rifat Ozbek, and expanded with ready-to-wear collections of its own. Largely distributed through wholesale, it is understood that this channels ongoing challenges have weighed on the performance of the brand.

Aeffe group revenues fell 27.8 percent to 100 million euros in the six months ended June 30 and net losses amounted to 28.5 million euros, compared with a net loss of 20.4 million euros a year earlier.

The groups wholesale channel was down 29.7 percent to 64.4 million euros, accounting for 64.4 percent of sales.

As of June 30, debt stood at 95.7 million euros, net of the IFRS 16 effect compared with 135.2 million euros at the end of June last year.

In August, Aeffe said it was launching a major cost rationalization project that will take full effect in 2026, including the reduction of fixed costs, direct costs and labor costs, as it expected a further slowdown in sales.

Executive chairman Massimo Ferretti said at the time that former Ferragamo chief executive officer Marco Gobbetti was named to the board to help develop growth strategies and strengthen the group, including, where opportunities arise, through strategic partnerships. He also mapped out measures to cut costs and to improve organizational efficiency with a focus on the provision of services, beginning in the first half and throughout a 2026 to 2028 plan.





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French prosecutors said Sunday they had opened a "war crimes" investigation after a drone killed a French photojournalist on assignment in war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Antoni Lallican, 37, was embedded with Ukraine's Fourth Armoured Brigade near the front line in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine when he was killed on Friday, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Ivanchenko was wounded in the same attack, which Ukraine's military and French President Emmanuel Macron blamed on Russia.

The investigation has been entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes, France's anti-terror unit PNAT said.

A "war crimes" charge falls under PNAT's remit and consists of "deliberate attacks on the life and physical or mental integrity of a person protected by international humanitarian law".

Lallican, an award-winning photojournalist whose work had appeared in leading French and international media, is the first journalist to be killed by a drone in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the European and International Federations of Journalists.

At least 17 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the groups said, while UNESCO puts the number at 22.

They include AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed by rocket fire in 2023.
Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) is included among the Best Dividend Stocks for a Dividend Champions List.

Altria Group (MO): A Dividend Champion Built on Innovation and Endurance

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) is best known for owning Marlboro, along with a portfolio that includes oral tobacco products, cigars, and e-vapor devices. Beyond tobacco, the company also holds a sizable stake in Anheuser-Busch.

Cigarette use in the US, which is Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)s core market, has been sliding for years. Even so, the company has managed to keep profits strong. It has leaned on price hikes, cut costs, and squeezed more efficiency out of its cigarette operations. Those moves have allowed the company to grow consolidated free cash flow by nearly 60% over the past decade, reaching $8.7 billion in the last twelve months.

Looking ahead, Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) is putting money into products outside of cigarettes. Its cigar segment remains stable, while newer areas like vaping and nicotine pouches are gaining traction. The on! pouch brand has been a bright spot, posting 26.5% volume growth last quarter. To broaden its reach, Altria recently teamed up with KT&G in South Korea, a deal that opens the door to new pouch products and potential investments in the energy space. It is still early to see how much this will move the needle, but it makes clear the direction the company wants to go.

When it comes to Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)s successes, the companys dividend history also takes the lead. In the past 56 years, the company managed to raise its payouts 60 times, which makes it one of the best stocks for a dividend champions list. Its quarterly dividend now comes in at $1.06 per share for a dividend yield of 6.54%, as of October 2.

While we acknowledge the potential of MO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 12 Best REIT Dividend Stocks to Buy Now and 11 Best Affordable Dividend Stocks to Buy Now.

Disclosure: None.






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Tensions are rising within the United Opposition as two of its top figures, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and ex-Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiangi, publicly clashed over the strategy for selecting the coalitions presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Both leaders are reportedly eyeing the ticket, but their approaches differ sharply.

On Friday, October 3rd, Gachagua accused Matiangi of attempting to secure the nomination through closed-door meetings and elite consultations.

There is no President you will make in a boardroom. Presidents are made in the field, Gachagua said, emphasizing grassroots mobilisation as the only viable path to victory.

His remarks appeared to target Matiangis low public visibility and preference for engaging influential figures behind the scenes.

The former CS is believed to be the preferred candidate of Jubilee Party, led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In a swift rebuttal, Matiangi addressed over 500 youths in Nakuru, promising to launch a nationwide campaign.

Let us meet on the ground, he declared.

I will wear my Sketchers and go to every village in this country, talking to Kenyans to seek their votes and support.

The dispute highlights growing internal divisions within the opposition alliance.

Wiper Party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, another potential contender, is also facing scrutiny over an alleged private meeting with President William Ruto.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Former Nyeri Town MP, Ngunjiri Wambugu, has intensified his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, insisting he remains unfit to lead the Mt Kenya region.

Wambugu has instead thrown his weight behind former Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiangi, whom he describes as a more suitable presidential candidate.

Both Gachagua and Matiangi are key figures in the United Opposition and have declared their intentions to challenge President William Ruto in the 2027 general elections.

Despite their public show of unity, reports suggest growing tensions between the two leaders.

Wambugu claims Gachagua is increasingly unsettled by Matiangis strategic political engagements in Mt Kenya, which have been met with warm receptions.

According to Wambugu, Matiangis rising popularity threatens to dismantle the political stronghold Gachagua has built in the region.

While the opposition continues to hold joint rallies and emphasize cohesion, insiders point to the presidential ticket as a potential flashpoint.

Gachagua has positioned himself as the factions front-runner, often using sharp criticism of President Ruto to galvanize support.

In a bold statement, Gachagua recently declared his kingmaker status, saying, Mimi ndio nilifanya Uhuru President, na tena nikafanya Ruto president yule anataka kuwa president 2027, lazima apitie kwa mkono yangu.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Former Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry, Moses Kuria, has expressed deep disappointment over the stagnation of key industrial projects he initiated during his tenure.

In a post shared on his official X account on Saturday, October 4th, 2025, Kuria reflected on his ambitious vision for Kenyas economic transformation, lamenting that his efforts have not been sustained.

Exactly 2 years ago, I left the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry.

I had huge dreams for our country I dreamt of rapid industrialisation, he wrote.

Kuria recounted launching County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, along with several Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones aimed at boosting manufacturing and exports.

He also highlighted his role in advancing bilateral trade and regional integration, positioning Kenya as a magnet for foreign direct investment and business process outsourcing.

My dream was to create millions of jobs for Gen Z, Kuria stated, underscoring his commitment to youth employment and economic inclusivity.

However, the former CS did not hide his frustration with the current state of affairs.

Looking back at the last 2 years, I am disappointed that this dream has been extinguished, he declared.

Despite his disillusionment, Kuria struck a hopeful tone, reaffirming his belief in Kenyas potential.

I refuse to give up on Kenya. We still have a great country with immense potential.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Tears flowed freely in Nyamira County as Pamela Moraa, a devastated mother of four, narrated her double tragedy after mysteriously losing her two sons within a span of just three months.

Moraa, who was married in 1996 as a second wife, said her union had been blessed with four children - two sons and two daughters.

Today, only her daughters remain after both sons died under unexplained circumstances.





Her firstborn son, Brian Kombo, 26, was a university graduate and police officer based in Nairobi.

Moraa recalled how he had returned home earlier this year to console her after she lost her own mother.

After spending a week with her, Brian left to resume duty.

But tragedy struck along the way.

When he got to a place called Ikonge, he alighted from the vehicle. As he walked a few steps, he suddenly collapsed by the roadside and died. He had no illness, nothing. We dont know if he was poisoned, Moraa tearfully narrated.

Three months later, grief visited the family again.

Her second son, Maxwell Kombo, who was in his final year at Africa Nazarene University, was found dead inside his late brothers house within their home compound.

One morning, we woke up only to find him dead inside. It was painful, very painful, Moraa said, overwhelmed with emotion.





The distraught mother believes her sons were bewitched, directly pointing fingers at her co-wife and her family, whom she accuses of wanting to grab her land.

It is known they are behind my sons deaths. Even during the burials, they made statements linking themselves. This is all because of land. They want my share, but even the chief said they cannot have it. My sons are gone because of this land dispute, she alleged.

The mysterious deaths have left villagers in shock, with some whispering about curses, while others urge for investigations into what exactly happened to the two young men.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Drama is unfolding online after upcoming rapper, VJ Patelo, lashed out at controversial blogger, Edgar Obare, issuing what many have termed as intimidation and threats.

This comes just hours after Obares BNN Premium dropped an explosive expose claiming that Patelos wife, Diana wa Patelo, once dated flamboyant Congolese businessman, Eric Mandala Kinzenga, a suspected drug trafficker who was arrested in Spain with 200 kilograms of cocaine.

In a fiery video response, Patelo blasted Obare for dragging his wifes name into scandals, warning him to keep off his family.

The visibly agitated rapper even threatened to cause bodily harm to the blogger.

"Nitakutafuta and nitakupata," Patelo warned in the video, a statement many netizens interpreted as a direct threat.

Patelo to Edgar pic.twitter.com/sKGDuSt5PS  The Nairobi Times (@TheNairobiTimez) October 4, 2025

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Technically, the story gets interesting: rising volume suggests renewed investor appetite, while the 14-day RSI, now pushing around 60, signals strengthening bullish momentum. The chart shows classic volatility with sharp swings, but the recent uptick hints at a stabilizing base.

The company debuted via a SPAC merger on April 11, sparking a surge in investor attention, and briefly hitting $79.56 before momentum cooled. Today, trading around $14, BULL has shown resilienceup 9% in the past month and just about flat over three months, while climbing by 19% from its 52-week low of $9.54.

Headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Florida, Webull is a digital-first broker giving retail investors direct access to equities, options, and ETFs through its licensed platform. Its market capitalization currently stands at $7.2 billion.

Given catalysts like those, Rosenblatt initiated coverage with a "Buy" rating, pointing to crypto-driven revenues as a fresh catalyst for growth. And with the Street pounding the table on this under-the-radar stock, lets take a closer look at BULL.

The company had announced reintroducing 24/7 crypto trading last month, which would cover over 50 assets from Bitcoin to Solana (SOLUSD), marking a return to form after a two-year pause. The relaunch, tested successfully in Brazil and backed by restructuring, is expected to lift trading volumes as retail demand converges with crypto access on one platform.

Webulls evolution is sharpfrom a niche data service to the second-largest mobile-first brokerage in America, serving millions of retail investors. Its edge lies in execution speed, sleek design, and an all-in-one trading ecosystem tailored for high-velocity retail activity.

The resurgence of cryptocurrency has reshaped the trading landscape. With Bitcoin (BTCUSD) and Ethereum (ETHUSD) regaining momentum, altcoins are rallying, and U.S. regulators are striking a softer tone under the Trump administration, brokerages are scrambling to plug digital assets into their core business. What was once treated as an optional add-on is now viewed as a key driver of order flow and revenue growth. Into this shift steps Webull Corporation (BULL), a platform that has quietly built itself into a formidable player.

Story Continues

Priced at 235 times forward adjusted earnings and 17.8 times sales, BULL is definitely not cheap, trading above the sector averagebut thats the point. The investors are quietly baking in outsized growth, fresh crypto revenues, and a swelling user base.

www.barchart.com

Webulls First Report as a Public Company Shines Bright

On Aug. 28, Webull unveiled its Q2 2025 earnings results after the closing bell, and the numbers were impressivethe newly public brokerage is hitting its stride. In its first quarter as a listed company, Webull not only extended its streak of three consecutive quarters of operating profitability but also set a fresh record for customer assets, now sitting at an all-time high. Driving the momentum were strong trading volumes, rising net deposits, and a retail trading environment the company described as the most favorable since the pandemic boom.

Revenue growth surged ahead of expenses once again, fueling robust operating profits. Total revenue climbed 46% year-over-year (YoY) to $131.5 million, with trading-related revenue up an impressive 63% annually. Meanwhile, expenses grew just 20% to $108.2 million, mostly tied to transaction charges and heavier marketing spend. Adjusted operating profit reached $23.3 million, or $0.05 per share, while adjusted net income swung to $15.4 million from a -$1.5 million loss a year ago.

Customer assets surged 64% to an all-time high of $15.9 billion, with net deposits up 37% YoY. Funded accounts grew 9% to 4.73 million, while registered users jumped 18% to nearly 25 million.

Trading activity was equally strong, with options contracts reaching 127 million and equity notional volume climbing 58% to $161 billion. The company also noted that its revamped options pricing model continues to pay off, driving revenue faster than contract growth.

Looking ahead, Webull sees no slowdown. Assets under management have already surpassed $18 billion midway through Q3, and July was the firms highest revenue month ever. Management expects another solid quarter barring major market shocks. With crypto trading relaunched, global expansion underway, and a growing base of active traders hungry for sophisticated tools, Webull believes it is well-positioned to keep accelerating.

Analysts monitoring the digital retail trading platform project Webulls bottom line to dip by 71.4% YoY to $0.06 per share in fiscal 2025, before rebounding sharply with an 83.3% annual jump to $0.11 in fiscal 2026.

What Do Analysts Expect for BULL Stock?

Chris Brendler of Rosenblatt is betting big on BULL, starting coverage with a Buy rating with a target price of $19, framing the stock as a quiet but powerful growth story. His thesis leans on two pillarscrypto and international expansionboth backed by shifting market conditions.

In his note, Brendler pointed out that crypto once made up nearly a fifth of Webulls revenue. While the analyst does not expect that level to return soon, he still views crypto as a core growth driver, especially with U.S. regulations turning friendlier in 2025.

But the bigger opportunity, he argues, lies overseas. Webull already holds licenses in 14 regionsincluding Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, the UK, and Australiamarkets earlier in the retail participation curve and less saturated with competition. Brendler believes these regions represent Webulls most significant medium-term catalyst, even as domestic share gains remain strong.

Rosenblatt highlighted Webulls rise from a niche data shop to the #2 mobile-first brokerage in the U.S., fueled by zero commissions, sleek tech, and a top-rated app that resonates with active traders. With tailwinds from retailification, prediction markets, and crypto, the firm projects Webull sustaining over 25% annual revenue growth through 2027, well above consensus. While BULL is not trading cheap, Rosenblatt calls the multiple attractive compared to prominent names like Robinhood (HOOD), especially given Webulls smaller base, operating leverage, and faster growth profile.

BULL is not exactly a household name on Wall Street, but analysts are quietly warming up. The stock has a consensus Moderate Buy rating overall from the three analysts offering recommendations. Out of those, two advise a Strong Buy rating and one has a Hold.

Meanwhile, the mean price target of $18.50 suggests the stock could surge as much as 30%. Rosenblatts street-high target of $19 implies BULL could rally as much as 34% from todays close, putting fresh momentum behind this under-the-radar play.

www.barchart.com

Final Thoughts on BULL Stock

Webulls return to crypto trading after a two-year pause is definitely turning heads. Streamlining access by bringing Webull Pay directly into the main app removes a barrier that frustrated users before, and that could drive stronger adoption. For traders, its a fresh avenue to ride the volatility of digital currencies without juggling multiple apps. From a revenue standpoint, higher engagement and trading volume are definitely in play.

But lets be realease of access does not equal guaranteed gains. BULL is not suddenly the golden ticketit is still a SPAC-born stock with volatility. The market can swing fast, volatility bites both ways, and regulatory or tech hiccups can derail momentum. One could think of BULL more like a hands-on space for traders to try out different approaches rather than a buy-and-forget stock. Investors might have to do their homework well, manage position size, and use stop losses to trade BULL wisely.

Analysts like Rosenblatt see promise here. The crypto relaunch and hourly contract offerings could lift earnings, though sustained growth is not guaranteed. BULLs SPAC-born journey remains far from a straight line, where every spike or pullback tells a story about adoption, investor confidence, and the markets judgment on crypto-driven revenues. Patience, technical cues, and active monitoring could be keys for now.

On the date of publication, Sristi Suman Jayaswal 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






Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Diana wa Patelo, who shot to fame after tying the knot with upcoming rapper, VJ Patelo, in their viral Odi ghetto wedding, is once again the subject of controversy after explosive details surfaced online.

It has now emerged that Diana was at one time romantically involved with flamboyant Congolese businessman, Eric Mandala Kinzenga, who is currently at the center of a massive international drug-trafficking scandal.

Diana shares a teenage son with Kinzenga, and insiders claim that he has been secretly funding her lavish lifestyle.

The tycoon was dramatically arrested in Spain earlier this year after authorities intercepted a staggering 200 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a van at a shopping mall parking lot.

The shipment had been trafficked from Ecuador, passed through the port of Algeciras, and was destined for Morocco.

Spanish media reported that his movements were closely monitored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in collaboration with Spains Central Unit of Drugs and Organized Crime (Udyco).

Investigations revealed that the operation had been ongoing since August 2024, when the DEA first identified the container carrying the cocaine from Ecuador.

In a shocking twist, it also emerged that in 2020, Eric Mandala splashed 1.85 million to purchase a luxurious 221.85-square-metre apartment on the 84th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world.

See his photos below.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
MY uncle and his wife died recently, within two weeks of each other, and I was pleased to see that they died surrounded by family.

Too often these days, Irish elders live surrounded by strangers, or are put into homes to be cared for by people who care nothing for them.

Ireland today has become like most modern countries; the aged are no longer valued, their experiences ignored. Its impossible to exaggerate what monsters we would seem to any of our ancestors.

For ten thousand generations our forebears dealt with life and death every day; they hunted and fished, cared for the animals they would one day slaughter, defended their families with violence and buried their own dead.

Unlike any other animal, we know we will die, and every culture had its own intimate spiritual rituals for it.

Death is frightening for the unprepared, Mary Fogartys grandmother told her in the The Farm by Lough Gur, but our religion teaches us how to live and die. At the end of this month will be All Hallows Eve, the night when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.

On Ash Wednesday, the priest rubs ashes into our heads to reminds us, Remember, man, that you are dust, and into dust you shall return  not as a morbid preoccupation, but as a way  the way  to make us truly live.

Today, we can afford to hide death as we once hid sex, but at the cost of maturity. Without it we hurtle towards our end unprepared.

As my father drove to town in the pony and trap, he would tip his cap and make the sign of the cross as he passed particular gateways and old houses, Ann Gardinier remembered in The House Remembers. (and) launch into reminiscences about neighbours who had passed away.

My father felt a closeness to nature with a full acceptance of its laws and the laws of God, Alice Taylor said in To School Through the Fields. Years afterward, when he was a very old man, visiting him I would ask, How are you? and he would smile serenely and say, Waiting."

Today, death  like birth or food or education or anything else in our culture  has become an industry, an inconvenience we outsource to government agencies or corporations. For thousands of years, though, Irish people knew the elderly in their villages.

They saw them every day, heard their stories, sang next to them in church, footed turf with them, sowed fields together.

The old were never alone as the neighbours joined hands around them and the young, too, were included in the circle, Taylor said.

When elders grew close to death, friends and neighbours from all around came to visit, people who might have explored birds nests together, helped foot the turf, accepted each others cheques when the banks closed.

People depended on each other, so a death meant a library of memories gone, a gap in the voices of the choir, an empty pew in church, a vacant seat at the pub. Only in our modern world do so many people die alone and unremembered.

Their last days were a vigil of daughters and sons and sisters, people who shared most of the same daily memories for decades, their souls intertwined into a single living thing with a memory centuries old.

Together they had delivered, nursed, healed and buried many relatives before them, their joys heightened because they were shared, their grief lessened because they were shared.

As death drew nearer the family gathered around the dying in their small rooms, just as the Irish had for thousands of years.

They said the rosary together, prayer after prayer. And sometimes a swelling rose inside them, like a wind filling sails, and their gathered bodies became its instruments, and they lifted their voices together in song.

This weekend, we will gather to remember my aunt and uncle with a proper wake. We will gather in their name, pray, sing, tell stories and laugh, and embrace their deaths without modern embarrassment.

Ive heard it said that death is like being carried sleeping to your bedroom as a child, and you can still hear the laughter in the next room. I know that my aunt and uncle will be with us, and will be able to hear ours.
Soybeans (ZSX25), a key component of animal and human food products, have emerged at the center of the U.S.-China trade war, uniting farmers, commodity futures traders, and even hobbyist market watchers in fresh panic.

Essentially, a perfect storm is brewing for soybeans, which are the second-largest crop in the U.S., making them of key importance to farmers. Weather conditions in 2025 have set the stage for record crop outputs, but the demand side of the equation is falling worse-than-flat.

More News from Barchart

Thats because China is typically responsible for around half of all U.S. soybean exports. But this year, China hasnt bought any U.S. soybeans.

This decision, painful for farmers and worrisome for futures traders, stems from tariffs that President Donald Trump levied on major trading partners like China earlier in the year. In response, China levied its own 20% retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, which, combined with other import fees, have placed the overall duty rate on U.S. soybeans at 34%. Trade relations remain icy in the absence of a U.S.-China trade deal, and China isnt willing to pay up for U.S. soybeans in the meantime.

And its not that China is simply going without. Making matters worse is the fact that China appears all too willing to source soybeans from South American countries like Argentina and Brazil, and that those countries have rapidly growing soybean infrastructure. Recent reports that China purchased the majority of 40 soybean cargoes from Argentina created fresh fear for farmers and traders.

With many pointing their fingers at the trade situation, and the American Soybean Association advocating for a U.S.-China trade deal, Trump says soybeans will be a major topic of discussion at an upcoming meeting he will attend with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump also said that his administration plans to use a portion of the revenue it has generated from tariffs to support American farmers. Other reports suggest that this bailout could total at least $10 billion. The president has promised to make soybeans, and other row crops, great again but Barcharts agriculture experts remain split on just what will come next.
Due to overwhelming demand, a limited number of additional tickets for the Castle Park Concert with 'SPRINGSTEEN - A TRIBUTE' will be released this Friday, October 3 at 10am, available at www.savourkilkenny.com.

The Castle Park Concert makes its much-anticipated return on Saturday, October 25, as part of Savour the Night, a Kilkenny Night-Time Economy initiative. This open-air event, set against the stunning backdrop of Kilkenny Castle, will once again light up the city after dark with another exciting performance by one of Irelands leading tribute bands.

In addition to the concert, the event will celebrate Kilkennys role as the 'Home of Halloween', with a costume competition. Festival organisers are inviting ticket holders to dress up and join the festivities at the Castle Park Concert where attendees will have the chance to win fantastic prizes.

READ NEXT: ESB and emergency services called to Kilkenny incidents

This years concert is not only a celebration of food and culture but also an opportunity to support a community facility. Proceeds will go to Cois Nore, Kilkennys cancer support service, as they fundraise 2 million for their new facility on the Waterford Road.

"We believe that goodwill is woven into the fabric of Kilkenny. Its the neighbour who brings dinner. Its the friend who drives someone to chemotherapy. Its everyone who sees themselves in the journey, even if theyve never walked it," Bill Cuddihy Chairperson of Cois Nore said.

Please note, once these additional tickets sell out, no further releases will be made.

FOR MORE KILKENNY CITY NEWS, CLICK HERE
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the Top 10 Long-Term Stocks to Invest In According to David Tepper. On September 26, Bernstein reaffirmed its Buy rating to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), keeping the price target at $379.

Lance Wilkes from Bernstein kept a Buy rating on UNH as the company remains a strong pick amid a sector recovery. Wilkes sees strong short-term potential in UnitedHealth, considering the stability and earnings upside. The analyst remains positive on the relative strength of diversified managed care organizations (MCO) and believes that UNH has solid long-term value at current levels with strong earnings growth potential.

Bernstein Reaffirms Buy Rating on UnitedHealth Group, Keeps PT at $379

Similarly, UBS maintains its $378 price target and a Buy rating on UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) as of September 19. UnitedHealth mispriced its business and experienced an abrupt management change, leading to a surprise decline during the last two quarters. UBS analyst A.J. Rice remains optimistic following the companys reaffirmation of 2025 guidance. The analyst did acknowledge the risks from v28 Medicare Advantage changes in 2026, but pointed to managements margin-strengthening efforts to be a major catalyst for continued growth.

As of September 30, UnitedHealth Group Incorporateds (NYSE:UNH) average price target of $325, based on analysts estimates, implies a downside of almost 5.88% from current levels.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is one of the leading healthcare companies in the U.S. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx.

While we acknowledge the potential of UNH as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
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Key Points

Chevron has a 4.3% dividend yield and a 38-year history of annual dividend increases.

EPD has a 6.9% yield and a 27-year streak of annual distribution increases.

Both energy stocks are good investment options, but for vastly different reasons.

10 stocks we like better than Chevron 

Energy is one of the most important things in the world. Spend one day without power of any kind and you quickly realize that you might as well be living in the Stone Age. Most investors should have some exposure to energy, including the highly volatile oil and natural gas sector. But what's the best way to include it in your portfolio?

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) are top-notch choices. They both offer attractive yields, but they are vastly different businesses. Here's how you can pick the one that's right for your income portfolio.

Great dividend streaks either way you go

Before going into the different business models here, it is important to examine how reliable each of these income stocks really is. Chevron is a much older company and has a 38-year streak of annual dividend increases behind it. Enterprise's streak is 27 years long, which is basically as long as it has existed. Pretty clearly, they stand toe to toe when it comes to income reliability.

That said, there's a vast difference when it comes to dividend yield. Chevron's yield is 4.3%. Enterprise's distribution yield is 6.9%. This isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, however. Chevron is a traditional corporation, while Enterprise is a master limited partnership (MLP). The MLP structure is a bit complex and it is specifically designed to pass income on to unitholders in a tax-advantaged fashion. The trade off is more work come tax time, thanks to the K-1 form unitholders have to deal with.

If you want to keep your tax life simple, you'll want to avoid MLPs like Enterprise. But if you want to maximize the income your portfolio generates, you'll definitely want to consider MLPs. But the bigger difference between Enterprise and Chevron for most investors is going to show up in how they operate.

What do Chevron and Enterprise do?

Enterprise Products Partners is what is known as a midstream MLP. It owns energy infrastructure assets that move oil and natural gas around the world, including storage, pipelines, and transportation assets. These are expensive to build (or buy), but they generate reliable fee income. And the fees are paid for the use of the assets, so the price of the oil and natural gas that they move is far less important to Enterprise's financial results than commodity prices.
The top 10 largest crypto exchanges in the world are ramping up their hiring efforts, with over 1,600 open roles currently being advertised.

Thats according to an analysis into these companies advertised roles made by DL News. The investigation examined the 10 largest exchanges by volume, as listed on CoinGecko.

And with the industry making inroads across Wall Street and Silicon Valley alike, recruiters in this space are feeling a buzz around recruitment that the industry hasnt seen since before the 2022 crash.

The next two months are going to be absolutely massive, Sam Wellalage, a crypto industry recruiter at recruitment firm WorkInCrypto.Global, told DL News.

The exchanges hiring spree comes amidst a wealth of bullish signals for the crypto industry.

Over the past year, US President Donald Trump has inked industry-friendly executive orders, signed a landmark stablecoin bill into law, hosted the first ever White House crypto summit, and appointed several crypto advocates to key government roles.

The market has responded in kind. Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP are just some of the cryptocurrencies that have reached new price records this year.

Indeed, expansion is happening across the $4.2 trillion industry.

Heres whos hiring.

Binance

The worlds largest crypto exchange is looking to fill some 303 roles, according to its website. The bulk of the open positions, 114 of them, are in the engineering team.

This cycle is about quality over quantity: selective, high-bar hires in critical areas to raise our talent density, sharpen execution, and put the right skills in the right seats when it counts, a Binance spokesperson told DL News.

Gate

Gate celebrated crossing the 30-million-user mark in July, and is eager to continue growing its global footprint.

The second biggest exchange in the world by trading volume has 167 roles open.

Gate founder and CEO Lin Han told Decrypt that he doesnt plan to rest on his laurels to remain competitive as the crypto space is evolving faster than ever.

Gate declined to comment.

MEXC

MEXC had 32 open roles listed on LinkedIn, including one advertisement for people to join the Ghost Army, the exchanges outreach programme.

Other open roles included calls for interns and trading assistants.

Bitget

Seychelles-registered Bitget has 129 open positions, according to its website.

The roles span across several departments, including its product and design, operations management, and brand management team.

Bybit

Bybit has 79 open roles, according to the exchanges website. The company didnt return a request for comment.
POPE Leos first 100 days in the Petrine Office recently took place. His ministry is fuelled with deep discernment and prayer.

Two qualities stand out: calmness and confidence.

The calmness seems to come from his overwhelming belief that most problems are less intractable the more people can really listen to one another. (Its a conviction that dove-tails nicely with the importance of listening to others which is at the very core of the synodal approach as the best and only way being church developed by Pope Francis). Before debate or discussion or discerning solutions, he suggests, we need to listen, really listen by giving others our full and undivided attention.

Leos confidence too is truly remarkable. Even before he became pope, he had the confidence to correct Vice-President J. D. Vance (who only became a Catholic in 2019) when he used Catholic teaching to justify Trumps draconian immigration policy. That said, it must have been a surreal moment of holy bewilderment when the reality dawned on Cardinal Robert Prevost in the conclave as the votes began to dictate the possibility and then the probability and then the reality that though he entered the conclave as a cardinal he would be leaving as pope.

Another surreal moment was to follow when the eyes of the world were trained on the balcony of St Peters, that small narrow space where dramas have unfolded for centuries as pope after pope, inevitably shell-shocked and cautious, was introduced to the millions and now billions of Catholics and Christians, those of faith and no faith and all who were captivated by the extraordinary event emerging before their eyes. And then as the first actors in the holy frame emerged from the shadows and the cardinal designated to announce a new pope to the world cleared his throat and, as tradition demands, proclaims in Latin  the official language of the Catholic Church  the same words Habemus Papam (We have a Pope) and revealed the new popes own name and his chosen name as pope.

Then Cardinal Prevost emerged as Pope Leo XIV on the balcony of St Peters and spoke in English, Italian and Spanish, first slightly faltering words as if the emotion of the occasion was in danger of overwhelming him then extraordinarily confident words to the massed thousands in St Peters Square and to the billions around the world.

His first words to the crowd gathered in St. Peters Square were words of peace, directed to all the world: Peace be with you all! Beloved brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who has given his life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to all peoples, to all the earth. Peace be with you! In the 100 days that followed, his calmness and his confidence indicated a serious man with a clear sense of the balance needed in his new role. If Leo appeared to be deliberately walking a tightrope by reaching out to both the liberal and conservative wings of the Church, it was fully intended.

If the question hanging in the air was whether Leo was a pope like Benedict XVI or Francis I, the answer Leo was proposing was that he was a bit of both. So, the first image of him was in the traditional vestments that Benedict loved and this was balanced by a clear statement that the Francis reform would continue. In Irish-speak, he is going to bring both sides of the road with him.

Another example of that balance was the publicity given to two churchmen he invited to meet him. One was the Jesuit priest and LGBTQ+ advocate, Fr. James Martin, with whom he echoed Pope Francis words that everyone is welcome in the Church and encouraged Martin to continue his ministry. The meeting and the message, as one commentator expressed it, reassured progressive circles of continuity in pastoral inclusion.

He also invited Cardinal Raymond Burke, a staunch traditionalist, to celebrate the Latin (Tridentine) Mass at St. Peters Basilica  a practice restricted under Francis. The gesture is seen as an olive branch to conservatives, helping to reassure conservative Catholics who felt marginalized during Franciss reforms.

Two other straws in the wind encourage confidence in Leos leadership. One is his measured and assured touch in calmly arguing for peace in a world at war. Gaza and Ukraine in particular, have elicited a focus on the need for hostages to be released from Gaza, the plight of the exhausted civilian population in Ukraine and for immediate humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

The other is his repeated identification of himself as a son of Augustine. He sees himself as an Augustinian friar, thus highlighting the importance of fraternity and community, indicative of his commitment to shared leadership in the way of Francis. Colm McCann of the Sunday Independent who spent some time with Leo reached this reassuring verdict: One thing is clear; he (Leo) doesnt want to be the centre of attention . . . he realises that if you want to speak out, first you have to listen.

A listening pope is surely a good omen for the building of a synodal church, a Peoples Church.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The leader of Sinn Fein and the Northern Ireland Secretary are among those who have criticised Tory calls to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said every party candidate must sign up to leaving the ECHR or face being barred from standing at the next election.

She kicked off the annual Tory conference in Manchester with a pledge to leave the ECHR as part of a plan to deport 150,000 people a year from the UK.

The British state, whoever is in government, cannot walk away from the commitments that have been solemnly undertaken with Ireland in respect of the six counties Mary Lou McDonald

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald described Ms Badenochs comments as very worrying while Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said the stance was utterly irresponsible.

Reform has also advocated for a withdrawal from the ECHR.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Sunday, Ms McDonald said the ECHR is an essential building block of the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed as part of the peace process to end the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

She said: Everybody in British public life should know that.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (Danny Lawson/PA)

So that is a very worrying statement and just to be clear: the British state, whoever is in government, cannot walk away from the commitments that have been solemnly undertaken with Ireland in respect of the six counties.

Mr Benn accused the Conservative Party of advocating a policy that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

In a statement on social media, Mr Benn said: When the Northern Ireland Bill to implement the Good Friday Agreement was debated in the House of Commons on July 20 1998, the then Conservative opposition gave it its full support.

The GFA has resulted in over 27 years of peace after the trauma of the Troubles.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn (Peter Byrne/PA)

And yet the Conservative Party has now joined Reform in advocating a policy that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement  namely by proposing to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Until recently, it was completely unthinkable that a party aspiring to govern the United Kingdom would countenance putting that agreement at risk, given that ECHR membership is one of the GFAs founding pillars.

Or that they would seek to put the UK in the same group as Belarus and Russia as the only three countries in Europe which would not be signatories to the convention. Utterly irresponsible.
There were several food, car and product recalls for the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2025, that you need to know about. Canva

Whether its what youre eating, using or driving, recalls are more common and serious than people realize.

From frozen foods that could cause illness or injury to vehicles and products with dangerous defects, the items you use the most might pose unexpected risks.

These recalls cover everything from frozen food contamination to defective car seats and car parts.

Here are four recalls for the week of Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, 2025, that you should not ignore.

4 food, car and product recalls between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5

Item Detail Start Date Week of Sept. 29-Oct.5 Whos affected? Consumers of frozen shrimp scampi, corn dogs and sausage on a stick, as well as families who use certain car seats and drivers of certain BMWs Whats changing? See each specific food, car or product recall for more information. What will happen? People will have to stop consuming or using the products, return them to their place of purchase, and/or throw the products out.

Tyson Foods recalls 58M pounds of corn dogs, sausage on a stick: Throw out ASAP

Tyson Foods is recalling more than 58 million pounds of corn dogs and sausage on a stick products distributed nationwide due to pieces of wood found in the batter.

According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service, the company has received five reports of injuries to date.

Tyson sent out an announcement saying that it initiated the recall out of an abundance of caution.

The recall encompasses select State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick and Jimmy Dean Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick products from Hillshire Brands, a division of parent company Tyson Foods.

The affected products were made from March 17, 2025, through Sept. 26, 2025, according to the announcement.

The recalled products should have an establishment number of EST-582 or P-894 on the packaging.

You can find a full list of affected products by clicking the link in the notice.

Consumers who have purchased the affected items should not eat them and should throw them out.

Those with questions about the recall should call the company at 1-888-747-7611, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and reference the packaging.

You can read more about the recall in our article.

Scott & Jons frozen shrimp scampi with linguine recalled due to potential listeria contamination

Demers Food Group is recalling select batches of Scott & Jons frozen shrimp scampi with linguine due to potential listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The product was distributed nationwide from Sept. 15, 2025, to Sept. 25, 2025.

The recall is only for the shrimp scampi with linguine and not any other products from the brand.

The voluntary recall was initiated because these products contain a recalled linguini pasta ingredient supplied by Nates Fine Foods which was recalled due to listeria contamination, according to the FDA.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The affected products have a UPC number of 858175003919, a GTIN number of 10858175003916 and weigh 9.6 ounces.

Consumers should clean or sanitize surfaces that the product may have come into contact with and should not consume the product.

Instead, people should discard the product or return it to its place of purchase for a refund.

Those with questions should contact the company at 1-800-239-9731 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

BMW recalls more than 145K vehicles due to fire risk

BMW is recalling more than 145,000 vehicles due to a fire risk caused by overheated starters, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall impacts 145,102 vehicles, including X5, X6, X7, 2020 340I, 840I and 740 LI models.

In some events, the engine starter might not start the vehicle properly, which could cause the engine starter to overheat.

If the starter overheats, locally, during these starting situations, the engine acoustic protection material can be ignited if contaminated, the NHTSA said. In rare cases, this could lead to a thermal event while driving or shortly after parking, if the vehicle had a starting event shortly before being parked.

No injuries or accidents have been reported to date.

Owners will be notified by mail about the issue and urged to take their vehicles to their local dealers to swap the engine starter with a newly-designed one at no charge.

Evenflo recalling 324K car seats due to choking hazard

Evenflo recalled more than 324,000 car seats due to headrests that could pose a choking hazard.

The affected Gold Revolve360 Slim and Revolve360 Slim car seats were sold in the U.S. and Canada and contained pieces of foam in the headrest that could increase the risk of choking if a childs mouth was too close to them.

When a child seated in certain Revolve360 Slim models can reach behind the cushion, pick, and dislodge the foam from the headrest, it could pose a potential choking hazard if placed in the childs mouth, according to a notice from the company. The foam itself is non-toxic.

No injuries were reported to date.

The affected car seats were made between Dec. 1, 2022 and Dec. 8, 2024, and have the model number 3681 located on the back of the car seats shell.

Evenflo is mailing all affected customers free repair kits to block access to the foam.

Families may continue to use their car seats safely if the foam remains intact and out of reach, Evenflo said.

Customers will be notified in the mail by Oct. 31, 2025, and recall repair kits should be sent out by early November.

The company urges customers to register the recalled car seats or confirm your information at this website.

Customers with questions can contact Evenflo at 1-800-233-5921 or via email at parentlink@evenflo.com Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Authorities are investigating a Saturday afternoon shooting that damaged several homes and a vehicle but left no one injured.

Easton-area police responded to the area of 20th and Ferry streets at approximately 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 4 after reports of shots fired, according to Wilson Police.

At the scene, responding officers discovered several spent shell casings in the roadway and found that gunfire had struck multiple residences and a vehicle in the area.

Police made contact with residents in the affected homes, who were all unharmed during the incident. No injuries were reported.

Investigators believe the shooting was not a random act and that a person or persons were likely targeted, police said.

Palmer Township and Easton police departments assisted Wilson police with their response to the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Peterson at 610-250-5491, ext. 5491.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation on Wednesday authorizing alkaline hydrolysis, commonly known as water cremation, as an approved cremation method in the state.

The bill would give Pennsylvania families a more environmentally sustainable option for end-of-life services. Alkaline hydrolysis uses a mixture of water and alkali in a sealed pressurized steel chamber to reduce the body to bone, which is then processed into ash.

The process consumes significantly less energy than traditional flame cremation, which requires temperatures exceeding 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the Mayo Clinic, alkaline hydrolysis uses only about one-quarter of the energy required for flame cremation.

As more families choose cremation, its important to recognize the environmental costs that come with flame-based methods, said Daley, D-Montgomery. People often assume cremation is the greener alternative to burial, but in reality, it requires tremendous energy consumption.

Major, a Republican representing Armstrong and Westmoreland counties who is also a licensed funeral home director, emphasized the growing demand for cremation services. I have seen firsthand the significant shift to the use of cremation after a loved one dies, she said. By allowing for alkaline hydrolysis, we can offer folks another choice for disposition that is already available in more than half of the states in our country.

State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, framed the legislation as part of broader environmental efforts. Confronting the climate crisis means ensuring sustainable options in every sector, including end-of-life practices, he said. Authorizing alkaline hydrolysis gives Pennsylvanians a choice for cremation that results in significantly less carbon emissions than traditional cremation.

The bill advances to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Similar legislation passed the House during the 2024-25 session but was not voted on by the Senate.

This legislation is about giving Pennsylvanians greater choice while also moving toward practices that are both dignified and environmentally responsible, Daley said. Complex challenges demand innovative solutions, and end-of-life care is no exception.

Generative AI was used to organize and structure information for this story, based on data provided by legislative sources. It was reviewed and edited by lehighvalleylive.com.
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Missing out on a great deal is never fun, but keeping up with every deal thats out there? Thats nearly impossible, so let us lend a helping hand.

Things are more expensive than ever, so each week were rounding up all the best sales from the week that are still going strong this weekend.

This week, youll find everything from deals on Adidas viral sneakers and a retiring Le Creuset hue to Madewell jeans and so much more.

After all, if youre going to spend your hard-earned money, you should do it wisely, right?

Adidas Gazelle Indoor Sneaker $120 Now $96 Save 20% off for a limited time. $96 at Adidas

Its not often we see a deal on Adidas Gazelle sneaker, and this one is hard to pass up its so good.

Adidas has the Gazelle Indoor sneaker on sale for 20% off in mens and womens sizes and select colors, but theres plenty to choose from.

A New Day Belted Satchel Handbag in Black $35 The Margaux is a forever bag, no doubt. But if youre not ready to drop four grand on a purse, Targets version is a savvy alternative that still taps into the quiet luxury trend. Its timeless, practical and pairs just as well with tailored workwear as it does with weekend off-duty looks. Get it now at Target

If youve spent any time on fashion TikTok or scrolling through celebrity street style, youve likely seen The Rows Soft Margaux 12 Bag in action.

With a price tag upwards of $4,350, its a splurge even by luxury standards, but that hasnt stopped it from becoming the go-to top-handle bag for minimalist icons and influencers alike.

Fortunately, if you want the look for less, you can get it in Targets A New Day Belted Satchel Handbag for just $35.

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Automatic Espresso & Coffee Machine $900 NOW $550 Save 39% off this espresso and coffee machine for a limited time. Buy Now at Amazon

Even the best baristas can miss the mark on your go-to order, which is why investing in a reliable machine that nails your perfect cup every time might be the smartest move this fall.

The DeLonghi Magnifica Evo Automatic Espresso & Coffee Machine is 39% off at Amazon, and right down to its July Prime Day price  best ever, across the board.

The Emmett Wide-Leg Full Length Jean: Patch Pocket Edition in Allentown wash $138 Now $70 Shop the jeans for 49% off. Buy Now from Madewell

Madewell just dropped the prices on several everyday styles just before fall weather arrives that arent worth passing up.

With soft, structured, trending jeans now on sale up to 50% off, Madewells latest sale section has all the fall staples.

Signature Oval Dutch Oven $475 Now $300 Save $175 on this oval Dutch oven while supplies last. Buy Now from Le Creuset

Yep, you read that right. Le Creuset is officially retiring its vivid sage green hue. As sad as we are to see it go, this means one thing: one final blowout sale.

With tons of popular Le Creuset styles (were talking everything from its iconic Dutch ovens to pans and more) now available at discounted price points, youll want to head over to the brands site to shop this colorway before its gone for good.

Weber Master-Touch 22 Kettle Charcoal Grill $339 $289 Save 15% off $289 on Amazon

The weather may be changing but that doesnt mean you have to forget grilling for the year, especially if you grab the deal on this Weber Kettle Grill from Amazon.

The Weber Master-Touch 22 Kettle Charcoal Grill is on sale for $289, instead of $339, for a savings of 15% off.

HOKA Rincon 4 Sneaker $125 $100 Save 20% off. $100 at HOKA

If youre feet are looking for a little relief, HOKA has a deal on one of its most popular walking shoes thatll help.

The HOKA Rincon 4 everyday walking and running shoe is on sale for $100, instead of $125, for a savings of 20% off in mens and womens sizes, wide widths and a variety of color options.

HAPPRUN Official-Licensed Netflix 4K Smart Movie Projector $320 Now $230 Save 28% off  but only for a limited time. $230 on Amazon

If youve been dreaming of turning your backyard into the ultimate outdoor theater, the deal on this HAPPRUN 4K Movie Projector from Amazon will make this dream a reality.

The HAPPRUN 4K Smart Movie Projector is now on sale for $230, instead of $320, for a savings of 28% off  but only for a limited time.

UNO Ryze - Scale Up $90 $72 Step into savings when you score 20% off these Skechers sneakers. Buy Now at Skechers

Is it just me, or did Skechers sneakers recently get a whole lot cuter?

The Skechers UNO Ryze - Scale Up is giving New Balances 530 sneakers some heavy competition  and they cost less!

Right now, you can pick up these dad-coded Skechers sneakers for 20% off at checkout when you sign up to become a Skechers member (its totally free!).

Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer $120 Now $90 Shop now for 25% off. Buy Now on Amazon

Make your favorite foods extra crispy with this top-of-the-line air fryer you can score during an early Prime Big Deal Days sale on Amazon.

The Cosori 9-in-1 TurboBlaze Air Fryer is available at a new low price during a limited-time sale. The popular air fryer is a fan favorite with over 20,000 sold this month.

9-Tool DEWALT 20V MAX Power Tool Combo Kit $699 $949 Save 26% off  but only for a limited time $699 on Amazon

Amazon has a DEWALT Power Tool deal thatll give you everything you need for those home repairs and on-the-job tasks at a major discount.

The 9-Tool DEWALT 20V MAX Power Tool Combo Kit is on sale for $699, instead of $949, for a savings of 26% off  but only for a limited time.

Little Words Project "Showgirl Stack" $120 $95 This Little Words Project stack is the perfect way to show your Taylor Swift pride during this album release week. Buy this "Showgirl Stack" before it sells out

If you have been looking for a subtle way to show your love for Taylor Swifts latest album, then look no further than the Little Words Project.

The Little Words Project released a Showgirl stack in celebration of Taylor Swifts latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, which dropped on Oct. 3, and these bracelets are the best way to show your love for the album.
In 1940, drivers lined up for hours to be the first to drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which opened at midnight on Oct. 1, 1940.

Journalists at the time called the Turnpike a dream highway and super highway, according to an article by Curtis Miner, senior history curator at The State Museum of Pennsylvania.

The toll at the time was one penny a mile.

The original section of the Turnpike covered 160 miles from Irwin in Westmoreland County to Carlisle in Cumberland County. Today the Turnpike extends to 565 miles.

According to the Turnpike Commission, more than 500,000 people use the roadway daily.

Governor George Earle signed the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission into law in July 1937.

The following year, the Roosevelt administration agreed to finance the project to create a four-lane highway over the abandoned South Penn railroad route.

It took only 23 months from start to finish to get the first section of the Turnpike opened to traffic.

The PA Turnpike has been a transportation leader since our opening day. Eight and a half decades later we are still in growth mode, continuing to deliver best in class operations that reinforce our mission of providing a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce, said Mark Compton, PA Turnpike CEO, in a news release.

In the past 10 years, the Turnpike said it has rebuilt 164 miles of roadway through its total reconstruction program, while adding 13 miles with the Southern Beltway and working to construct approximately 14 miles on the Mon/Fayette Expressway. New interchanges, including Interstate 95, State Route 29 and State Route 903, were added to improve access.

This year, the Turnpike is converting to Open Road Tolling to provide seamless, nonstop travel. Overhead gantries  equipped with technology that permits drivers to pass at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping  span the road. Coupled with E-ZPass, launched at the turn of the millennium and now responsible for 85% of toll transactions, the PA Turnpike continues to keep customer convenience at the forefront."

Turnpike engineers also were responsible for the invention of the Sonic Nap Alert Pattern rumble strips that are now used nationwide. The Turnpike is working on bringing online a 500-mile Fiber Optic Broadband Network.

The PA Turnpike is dedicated to safely improving and maintaining our roadway for all who ride and work on it, said Craig Shuey, PA Turnpike chief operating officer, in a news release. Mixing modern and established techniques to preserve our historic roadway creates the best ride possible while preparing for future needs.

We take immense pride in maintaining the PA Turnpike and setting the pace for industry innovation. Im confident well continue to be a trendsetter for decades to come.

The Turnpike said it has a goal of becoming Americas First Sustainable Superhighway in 2040  just in time for our centennial celebration.

Already, the Commission is building microgrids for energy independence and examining pilot projects for in-road, inductive wireless charging. It manages environmental challenges, such as stormwater runoff, with its Stormwater Asset Management Program and Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems programs.

And its built six pollinator habitat initiatives across the system, including at the Middletown headquarters, to preserve agricultural and biological diversity. Consequently, the PA Turnpike is the first and only Commonwealth agency to achieve three consecutive perfect scores from the PA GreenGov Council, based on a wide-ranging set of sustainability guidelines.
A Judge branded as unforgiveable the actions of a man who drove at 177kph with two unrestrained children in his car.

Laii Mutean (29) of Russell Lawns, Tallaght, Dublin 24, appeared in court via video link where he was accused of dangerous driving and having no licence or insurance on the M7 at Ballydavis, Portlaoise on August 14, 2024.

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had been driving a silver coloured 151C registered VW Passat on the date in question and was detected doing 177kph in a 120 zone.

He said the man told gardai a child had been sick and had fainted. Sgt Kirby said the mans two daughters, aged five and six, were unrestrained in the car and the six year old was lying across an adults lap in the back of the car. He said the man had a long list of previous convictions which were mainly for road traffic offences.

Judge Catherine Ryan noted that the man, who is serving a sentence, had 92 previous convictions.

Andrew Dunne BL said there is very little I can say about this gentleman. He asked the court to take the guilty plea into consideration and asked the court to do its best for him.

Judge Ryan noted the man had been disqualified from driving for ten years a year previously.

Sgt Kirby said the man is serving a prison sentence and had a release date of November 18.

Judge Ryan said the offending was at the top end and the man had shown no regard whatsoever to road traffic laws.

Sgt Kirby agreed and said the child in the front seat really compounded it in terms of aggravating circumstances.

Judge Ryan said there was a litany of things that he has done in total disregard of the law. She said he had put himself, his children and other road users in danger through his actions.

This is at the very high end of dangerous driving, said Judge Ryan.

She sentenced the man to four months in prison consecutive to the sentence he is serving, fined him a total of 6,500 and disqualified him from driving for four years.

Judge Ryan said the court was left with no choice given the long list of previous and really no regard for the laws of the land in terms of road traffic.

You need to be off the road, she told the defendant during the sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

I apologise for all this, it is just I was going through some bad times, the defendant said.

Judge Ryan said it was unforgiveable and told the man you will take your punishment and learn before she fixed recognisance in case of appeal.
A 27-year-old Irish man converted a van into a home in just four months for him and his dog Tezza.

Dean Maher from Tramore in Waterford is a mechanic and is currently in Spain working on repairing go-karts.

Dean said in an exclusive interview that he decided to take on the huge DIY project of converting a small van into a home because of his dog!

When Dean went on a ski-trip in Italy he had left his dog Tezza with his mother to mind but he said: "my poor dog was just depressed and looking out the window everyday waiting for me to come home".

"When I came home then I said right I need to find a way to bring the dog with me next time....I said I'll have to buy a van....so that was the idea just to be able to bring my dog away with me."

READ NEXT: Fans 'can't wait to watch' new series of DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland airing very soon

The process of converting a van into a home took Dean four months to do himself.

Dean is a plumber by trade and said with that experience over the last six years he had a good idea of how to convert a van.

"It was actually a really fun situation, " Dean said when he was asked how he went about buying a van in the first place.

"I started initially by bringing my dog with me in my jeep.....but my dog hated it! She wouldn't settle in it at all and I ended up driving home from Dingle at like four o'clock in the morning".

"My neighbour beside my garage...I was telling him about it and he said 'no way I actually have a van in my field and it's been there about two years now'".

Dean said the van was fairly mossy and mouldy but he went out anyways and had a look and "took it away for 1,000".

He gave the van a good power wash and gave himself four months to convert the van.

"It's probably 90 per cent there...there's still a couple of things....but it's pretty much done...I lived it in Spain for four months with the dog off the coast in Spain".

"It was brilliant...but it was very hot. In Valencia in July it was 55 degrees....it was bad and obviously the dog was struggling".

"I just had to stay beside the beach and we would just be in the water throughout the whole day....but it was the best four months of my life".

Dean said that Spain in his experience is very camper living friendly and can be very easy and safe to do.

"I met a 37-year-old Norwegian fella who has been living in his Jeep in Spain for the last four years just working remotely".

At the moment, Dean has bought a bigger van because the one he has now doesn't have a bathroom or shower.

Dean said that it's "terrible that the economy has gone this bad that people are looking at living in the back of vans as a way to live.....but from a travel point of view I think it's absolutely brilliant".

"It doesn't cost you any money really.....you just have to put diesel in it...buy a disposable barbeque....cook up at any beach anywhere and wake up to the sunrise".

"And your not fixed to one place.....if you have a big night out and you embarrass yourself you can just get up and move town!".
Bitcoin's market capitalization has reached roughly $2.4 trillion, a value that exceeds the total market capitalization of the largest five banks in the world.

As of October 3, Bitcoin is trading above $120,700 and remains the largest digital asset by market capitalization, with a volume of $71.1 billion.

Big banks left in the dust

Over the past five years, Bitcoin has seen a price appreciation of more than 1,000%. By comparison, the largest banks in the world have generated far lesser returns.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM), the most valuable bank today, has a market capitalization of $845.7 billion and a five-year gain of 214%, as per Yahoo Finance.

At the same time, Wells Fargo (WFC) is valued at approximately $260 billion, representing a 235% increase, and Bank of America (BAC) is worth around $373.9 billion.

Wells Fargo headquarters and museum located at 420 Montgomery street in San Francisco, CA.Getty Images

Two Chinese lenders, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), worth about $340 billion, and Agricultural Bank of China (AgBank), worth roughly $231 billion.

Combined, the five banks have a little more than $2.05 trillion in market capitalization, which is about 17.1% smaller than Bitcoin's overall market capitalization  a gap of roughly $350 billion in Bitcoins favor.

More news:

The stock prices of the five largest banks have shown a gradual appreciation compared to Bitcoin.

New asset class

Institutional research sees crypto as a new type of asset class that is different from stocks and bonds, as per Fidelity. Investors use small sleeves to spread their risk and potential gains, knowing that the market is quite volatile and risky.

The interest in Bitcoin is driven by rising institutional demand, the advent of exchange-traded products, and its use in broader discussions about digital assets as a new store of value.

Related: Why BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF proves 'ETFs are no joke'

As of today, the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have made it easy for brokers to hold BTC. BlackRock's IBIT has $93.5 billion in assets, and Bitcoin ETFs have experienced net inflows of billions of dollars every week lately, indicating a tremendous demand for regulated wrappers.

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A tale about a Kildare ghost features in a new book.

As a follow-up to last years bestselling Haunted Ireland, author Kieran Fanning has just released Enchanted Ireland  An Atlas of Magical Stories from Every County.

This beautifully produced hardback, published by Gill Books, features enchanting illustrations by Canadian artist Julia Iredale, as well as a map guiding readers to each of the 32 locations featured.

For County Kildare, Fanning retells the tale of the Rathcoffey Pooka, set in Rathcoffey Castle near Clane during the time of Archibald Hamilton Rowan. When Rowan was arrested for his role in the United Irishmen, the castles servants neglected their duties, preferring to spend their evenings drinking and telling stories. Strangely, every morning they found the dirty dishes washed and put awaythough none admitted to the work.

READ NEXT: Kildare author publishes debut novel.

One night, a servant boy who had fallen asleep by the fire awoke to find a talking donkey stoking the flames. Realising it was no ordinary donkey but a pooka (or puca)a mischievous shapeshifter of Irish folklorethe boy followed it to the kitchen and witnessed it washing the dishes. Over time, the pooka also ironed clothes, spun wool, and made candles for the lazy servants.

Eventually, the boy gave the pooka a coat as a gift, unknowingly breaking the spell that had bound the creature to the castle. The pooka laughed, vanished, and never returnedleaving the boy to face all the chores alone.

Fannings version is adapted from Padraic OFarrells The Rathcoffey Pooka (1997), itself based on Patrick Kennedys The Kildare Pooka (1866).

The collection spans Irelands storytelling traditionfrom ancient myths of the Tuatha De Danann to more recent folklorefeaturing legends such as The Children of Lir, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, and Cuchulainn.

A teacher in Co. Meath, Fanning says the project took a year to research:

It was great fun trawling through old books and the dusty corners of the internet, hoping to uncover lost stories.

Enchanted Ireland is published by Gill Books and is available in all good bookstores from October 9th.
Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, set out plans for Irelands enterprise sector at an event in Carrick-on-Shannon on Friday, October 3.

The event, Powering Up Scaling for Impact, hosted by Norah Casey at Carrick Business Campus, featured a series of talks from business leaders on helping companies scale across the west of Ireland and beyond.

Opening the event, Minister Burke said that Budget 2026 will be an enterprise budget, aimed at accelerating growth opportunities for Irish businesses.

He spoke of several strategies under development, including a new accelerator policy in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, which he said will identify funding gaps and deliver targeted support to early-stage companies.

Well be opening up a consultation with Enterprise Ireland in the coming months. Hopefully well have a lot of exciting news for the north west, he said.

READ NEXT: 'We need to fight tooth and nail': Anger at withdrawal of Leitrim bus service

The Minister pointed to the scale of Enterprise Irelands current impact, highlighting that its client companies support 234,000 jobs and Ireland has recorded a record 36 billion in exports.

Looking ahead, he said the Government wants to grow exports to 50 billion, increase employment supported by Enterprise Ireland by an additional 75,000 jobs and back 1,200 significant start-ups over the next five years.

Burke also spoke about the importance of family businesses, which he said employ two-thirds of people across Irish communities, and pledged continued support for them.

On the broader economy, he cited the Governments Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, which includes 34 billion in additional capital spending.

He said Irelands position in eurozone competitiveness rankings had slipped from fourth to seventh, and stressed the need to focus on housing, water, wastewater and energy to support future growth.

READ NEXT: Heartland Credit Union secures naming rights to Leitrim GAA's Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada

On the hospitality sector, which employs 240,000 people nationwide, Burke described it as central to Irelands tourism offering. They enhance that authentic offering that Ireland has; why people come here. We don't want to lose our small, independent coffee shops and restaurants to chains and bigger operations. We need to continue to have that offering thats so authentic, he said.

Ireland currently has a record 2.8 million people in employment, but the Minister warned against complacency. 2.8 million people are employed which is a record, we can never take that for granted and continue growth in that field.

Budget 2026 will be announced on Tuesday, October 7. With many businesses still under severe pressure, attention will now turn to whether the Governments plans can deliver meaningful change in the year ahead.
Jim Gavin said it was not his experience that there was a culture of looking away from cultural problems in the Defence Forces.

The Government has committed to a tribunal into allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying and discrimination in the Defence Forces after the recommendations of a report by an independent review group (IRG).

It will examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces concerning workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.

Reports of abusive behaviour have been made by the Women of Honour support group for former and current Defence Force members.

Early in the presidential campaign, Mr Gavin said he had championed those who had come forward but said he had never seen any instances of bullying or sexism in the Defence Forces.

While welcoming the comments, a spokeswoman for the Women of Honour said it had never had any contact with the Fianna Fail candidate in the past.

Retired Army and Air Corps captain Diane Byrne also said it was difficult to understand how Mr Gavin and others in high-ranking positions did not see bullying.

She said she had no issues with Mr Gavin in her limited engagement with him during her time in the Defence Forces but told the PA news agency: On a broader issue of people who reach certain positions in the Defence Forces, it is difficult to understand how they did not see it.

Ms Byrne suggested there were broader cultural problems within the Defence Forces where officials did not seek out ongoing issues with members.

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.

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.

Speaking to reporters after an RTE televised debate on Sunday, he said he had a very positive experience in the Defence Forces.

Mr Gavin said he could only be accountable for his own actions and what he witnessed during his career.

If I would have come across  somebody told me, reports to me, or I would have seen it  people know me, I would have taken swift action.

Asked how he could say he championed Women of Honour without meeting them, Mr Gavin said he had made the comment when being asked about the tribunal.

What happened is absolutely terrible and we want to see that those who were involved are going to be held accountable for their actions.

Pressed on whether there was a culture of looking away from harassment and sexism in the Defence Forces, he said: That wasnt. I had a very positive experience in the Defence Forces and I do understand, and I have acknowledged, that that wasnt everybodys experience, and thats why I welcome the tribunal.

The IRG report found members were aware of long-standing practices of reprisals, including pejorative comments and withholding of entitlements as well as physical assaults and unfounded accusations being sent to gardai.

Almost 90% of female respondents to the IRG said they had experienced some form of sexual harassment, while the review found a discernible pattern of rape and sexual assault in its analysis of participants contributions.

More than a third of respondents said they faced bullying within the Defence Forces.

On misogyny in the Defence Forces in general, different sources available to the IRG concluded that, at best, the Defence Forces barely tolerates women and, at its worst, verbally, physically, sexually and psychologically abuses women in its ranks.

Whoever becomes president of Ireland will also hold the position of supreme commander of the Defence Forces.

Meanwhile, Mr Gavin said he is looking into reports he owes a former tenant 3,000 euro, adding he did not have all the information about the matter.

It relates to a dispute with a former tenant around the time his own family came into financial difficulty and lost the apartment.

He said: That matter was over 16 years ago. It was a very stressful time for myself and my family.

Like a lot of families and couples, we came into financial difficulty at that time.

Mr Gavin said: If it happened, Im very sorry that it happened. Im looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.

Asked if he accepted he was in breach of rental law by not registering the property with the Residential Tenancies Board, Mr Gavin said: Yeah, I didnt register it.
Eric Dane missed the Emmy Awards because he was in hospital.

Eric Dane missed the Emmy Awards after falling over

The 52-year-old actor - who revealed in April he had been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as motor neurone disease - had been due to present an award at last month's ceremony with Grey's Anatomy co-star Jesse Williams but his pal gave out the prize on his own, and Eric has now explained he was receiving treatment for a head injury after losing his balance and falling over at home.

He told the Washington Post newspaper: ALS is a nasty disease.

"So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head.

I missed an opportunity I was really looking forward to.

"It would have been great to see Jesse and get reunited with some of my peers, and to be able to present in front of my colleagues I thought would have a been special moment.

"I was a really upset about it, but you know, there was nothing I could do about it."

After going public with his diagnosis in April, Eric admitted he felt he "had" to be open about his condition to avoid speculation and he's been blown away by the level of "love and support" he has received.

He said: It wasnt something I ever really wanted to do. It was something I felt like I had to do.

"It was getting increasingly difficult to hide what was going on. And instead of letting people speculate what was happening, I just said it.  And Ive never experienced a bigger outpouring of love and support than I have after I announced that.

The Euphoria actor - who has daughters Billie, 15, and 13-year-old Georgia, with wife Rebecca Gayheart - hopes his profile can shine a spotlight on ALS and help others.

He said: "I have been an open book about certain things in my life. This is something I felt compelled to share with people.

"I dont really have a dog in the fight, per se, when it comes to worrying about what people are going think about me. This is more of a: How can I help? How can I be of some service?

Not to be overly morbid, but you know, if Im going out, Im gonna go out helping somebody.
On Oct 3, Bitcoin came close to a new all-time high, moving near the price point $124,457.12 and pushing its market cap to over $2.46 trillion.

On X, MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor ran a poll asking if Bitcoin would end the year above $150,000. Almost 76% agreed Bitcoin could make it to Saylor's price point, as of writing.

More news:

Meanwhile, Eric Trump posted a video from his company's American Bitcoin event, calling Bitcoin's rally "ripping!".

Prediction markets heat up

On Kalshi, the prediction market, more than 78% of nearly voted that Bitcoin will $125K in October.

Kalshi now offers Bitcoin a 97% probability of reaching $125,000 before December 2025. The chances have gone up a lot in the past few hours.

Traders also think there's an 86% possibility it will break that level before November 2025 and a 92% chance it will do so before January 2026.

At the top of the move, Bitcoin was trading over 2.6% higher on the day, with more than $73 billion in trading volume in the past 24 hours.

Related: Bitcoin beats world's top 5 banks by $350 billion

Bitcoin projections for the year

Forecasts from Wall Street analysts have added fuel to the optimism. Citigroup projects Bitcoin will hit $133,000 by year-end, while JPMorgan sets its target at $165,000.

Standard Chartered is the most bullish, suggesting Bitcoin could reach $200,000 in 2025. Citing these predictions, Matt Hougan, CIO of largest crypto index fund manager Bitwise wrote, "Q4 is going to be fun."

Crypto analyst Ansem wrote, "this may be the quietest bitcoin all time high i've ever experience on crypto twitter."

Saylor, the Bitcoin bull, reshared his previous post where he jokingly asked people to sell a kidney if necessary but to keep the Bitcoin, saying, "I hope you kept the Bitcoin."

As of writing, Bitcoin's market cap has surpassed the top five big banks in the world and the asset has a return of nearly 105.33% in just a year.

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
IFA Farm Business chairperson Bill OKeeffe has called on the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers to ensure that Irelands most important indigenous sector  agri-food - and in particular farmers, receives the necessary supports in Budget 2026.

Limerick IFA chairperson Louise Crowley put the case for local farmers forward at a pre-Budget lobbying event held in Dublin.

READ NEXT: Three farms of land in Limerick go under the hammer in a week for close to 2m

Mr OKeeffe acknowledged the significant economic challenges currently facing the country but stressed that Government must also recognise the vital and permanent role of agriculture in the national economy.

Agriculture is here to stay and will continue to contribute, regardless of geopolitical uncertainty.

Tillage farmers must be supported in Budget 26. Without immediate and substantial commitments next week, many tillage farmers will be forced out of the sector. IFA will not accept the demise of this critical part of Irish agriculture.

Mr OKeeffe said the average age of Irish farmers is 59.

If we are to encourage the next generation, the current cohort of farmers must be viable. Existing supports are essential to safeguarding farm incomes. Despite much-needed improvements in some commodity prices in 2025, many farmers remain dependent on our farm schemes, with the majority of livestock and tillage farmers earning below the national industrial wage.

Bill OKeeffe outlined several priority measures that must be delivered in Budget 26 - support for the tillage sector; continuation of existing taxation reliefs, particularly those facilitating generational renewal; increased funding for TB compensation and eradication scheme; increased funding allocation to TAMS; a permanent exemption for actively farmed land from Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT); enhanced funding for farming schemes and dedicated funding for farmers from the Climate and Nature Fund.

Mr OKeeffe said: This is the first Budget of this Government, and farmers expect meaningful delivery for our sector. The decisions made in the coming days and announced in next weeks Budget will be a clear signal of the Governments commitment to safeguarding the future of Irish farming.

IFA Rural Development chair John Curran said farmers, across all sectors, need tangible support even more so in this Budget than last year.

And theres no point robbing Peter to pay Paul either. Its additional supports, not redistributed support thats needed. We need existing supports to remain, and others, such as the ANC budget, to revert back to where they were in the past. Time will tell how much our minister and elected representatives really understand the pressures on-farm at the moment, he said.
By Ross Kerber

(Reuters) -Minnesota power regulators on Friday approved a $6.2 billion plan for a BlackRock unit and Canada Pension Plan to buy utility owner Allete, parent of Minnesota Power, saying recent modifications by the parties should address concerns about rates and clean-power investments.

The 5-0 vote by the Minnesota Public Utility Commission may reassure investors that BlackRock will be able to address regulatory and antitrust concerns as its Global Infrastructure Partners unit, which it bought last year, presses for more deals.

Earlier this week, people familiar with the matter said the infrastructure unit was in talks to buy utility group AES. Separately, on Friday two people said the unit was in talks to buy a data center business backed by Macquarie.

Company executives said the Minnesota deal, first announced last year, would help Allete to transition to clean energy sources.

Opponents, including the environmental group Sierra Club, business customers and State Attorney General Keith Ellison, had raised concerns the agreement could lead to higher rates and did not guarantee that Minnesota Power could meet a requirement for state electricity to be carbon-free by 2040.

At Friday's meeting, which was webcast, commissioners said recent modifications helped to ease their previous skepticism towards the deal. A filing from the companies indicates recent term changes will add benefits worth up to $258 million for utility stakeholders, including through a clean technology fund and via bill credits for consumers.

Commissioner Hwikwon Ham, in comments made before the decision, said those modifications gave him confidence in the agreement and that the commission could review company rates "if they misbehave."

Commission Chair Katie Sieben said Minnesota Power needs massive new investments to pay for projects such as a new transmission line to bring in hydropower from Manitoba.

In a securities filing, leaders of BlackRock and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board praised the decision and said that, with all required regulatory approvals now secured, the transition is expected to close in late 2025.

"We are committed to preserving Allete's legacy of intense community focus as it continues to provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy which is increasingly carbon-free for Northeastern Minnesota," said Global Infrastructure Partners' founding partner Jonathan Bram in the filing.

Several groups voiced criticism towards the decision, including the Private Equity Stakeholder Project and the Sierra Club, which said it remains concerned about rates and that it is not certain the investors would provide capital for less-polluting energy.

(Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
THERE are calls to restore the regional TV and film incentive in a bid to keep Ireland and the Mid-West on the map for internationally acclaimed productions.

According to a report by Olsberg SPI on behalf of Innovate Limerick and Film in Limerick, the incentive, which encouraged productions to film outside Dublin, could mean that locations like Limerick and the wider region, will be neglected.

The report argues that without renewed support, Ireland risks losing jobs, investment and its competitive edge in the global screen sector.

The Mid-West is home to Irelands largest film studio, 350,000 square feet of Troy Studios.

READ MORE: Two Limerick business women up for prestigious award

Since Troy Studios opened and Film in Limerick was set up, Limerick and more widely, the Mid-West, have developed into one of the countrys leading regional screen hubs, resulting in a really positive local economic impact.

The area also boasts more than 350 locally-based crew with experience on major features and TV dramas.

In 2018, while Nightflyers was being produced for Netflix, 90% of the crew were Irish and the production generated 53 million for the local economy.

The Irish-Belgian feature Bonhoeffer was shot across locations in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, while the upcoming film 4 Kids Walk into a Bank took over the city streets with many people capturing candid snaps of Liam Neeson on their lunchtime city walks.

The report, commissioned by Innovate Limerick/Film in Limerick as part of its ongoing efforts to assess and strengthen the Mid-Wests role in Irelands national screen industry, highlights future skills requirements and supports the continued growth of the regions screen industry. Additional support was provided by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and the Local Enterprise Offices in the Mid-West.

Paul C Ryan, Regional Film Manager, at Film in Limerick, said: As the report makes clear, without a functioning and long-term regional uplift, the regions cannot compete on a level playing field with Dublin and Wicklow. Restoring it will ensure that every region can keep crews in consistent work, and attract world-class productions.

The report also highlights the wider economic benefits, with more than 90 local businesses, from hotels to hardware suppliers, engaged by a single feature film production in the region.

With global competition intensifying, the study concludes that reinstating the regional uplift is a decisive step to keep Ireland at the forefront of international film and TV production.
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Moscow [Russia], October 5 (ANI): India is actively exploring the possibility of increasing its textile exports to Russia, and possibly to other CIS countries, as it understandably intensifies its diversification efforts.

On an official three-day visit to Russia this week, Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, underlined India's intent to deepen engagement with the Russian textile industry across trade, technology, and manpower, among others.

India currently exports textiles worth USD 37.4 billion, and the government is aiming for a threefold increase by 2030. "We are trying to diversify our markets and also exploring new markets," the minister told ANI over the phone after concluding his three-day visit.

Russia imports about USD 12 billion worth of textiles from global markets annually, and India's share is negligible.

During his visit, Margherita met Russian Deputy Ministers for Trade and Commerce and held high-level talks focused on future collaboration.

"We discussed the way forward in deepening our cooperation in the textile industry by enhancing industrial, R&D, investment and academic cooperation. Invited Russian companies to our flagship PM MITRA parks to benefit from its world-class integrated infrastructure and leverage the manpower available in Bharat," he wrote on X.

A major highlight of the visit was his interaction with officials and industry stakeholders in the Ivanovo region, which has historically been the hub of Russia's vibrant textile industry.

"I had a discussion with a strong delegation, including officials of that province. We had discussed about our possible future collaboration, technology exchange, joint ventures, and investments. They also indicated that, along with the import of textiles from India, they also want more skilled Indian workers for their textiles industry," Margherita said.

He also took time to visit Indian workers employed at a textile factory in the region, acknowledging their vital role.

"Had the opportunity to interact with Indian workers employed at a textile factory in the Ivanovo region of Russia. Appreciated their contributions, and reiterated our commitment to supporting safe, legal and orderly mobility of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled Indian workers abroad facilitated through the e-Migrate system," he said.

The Ivanovo textile industry is understandably prepared to absorb at least 2,500 Indian workers this year.

"Russia has a good working condition with good remuneration, and skilled Indian workers have immense opportunities there," Margherita noted.

Continuing the cultural and trade synergy, Russia is set to showcase Indian handlooms at one of its prestigious venues, more details about which would be available at a later stage. That particular museum has a 2 million annual footfall, which will enable rich Indian textiles to meet many eyeballs.

The Tsaritsyno Museum in Moscow will host 'Fabric of Time: India' in December 2025, an exhibition that will display a range of Indian textile products curated by the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy. The initiative marks "a new chapter in mutual exploration of our rich textile traditions."

The Minister also inaugurated the Best of India - Indian Apparel and Textile Fair in Moscow, held from October 1-3.

"More than 100 exhibitors and producers took part in that three-day event. There must have been several B2B meetings during all three days, besides an estimated footfall of over 10000 visitors," he said.

Organised by the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), the event aimed to strengthen India's textile exports to Russia and unlock opportunities in the wider CIS region.

The Best of India - Indian Apparels and Textile Fair in Moscow showcased the strength of India's handloom and textile sector. On the sidelines, Margherita also met with representatives of Russian textile companies.

"I apprised them about India's textiles value chain (from man-made fibre to exports), and related infrastructure, among other advantages. I also talked about the upcoming PM Mitra parks, wherein companies will get end-to-end facilities - right from yarn to apparel. Like many other sectors, India is also a preferred destination for textiles," he added.
Dream11 is relaunching as a freetoplay, adsupported fantasy platform even as the comeback raises a harder question of how to replace commissions from paid contests while keeping fans engaged at scale.

Speaking with Mint, Dream 11s chief marketing officer (CMO) Vikrant Mudaliar said the nearterm priority is to preserve the contest feel and add freetoenter contests, widen ad formats, and increase contests per match without breaking gameplay flow.

Dream11, India's once-largest fantasy gaming app that has relaunched with ad integrations from companies like Swiggy, Astrotalk and Tata Neu, highlights the central challenge: preserving the contest feel where fans return to build teams, track performance and compete, while also layering gratifications and rewards that keep interest alive without cash stakes.

Commissions on paid contests historically dominated revenues of companies like Dream 11 supported by sponsorships, partnerships, and data monetization. Now, they are floating integrated, gamified advertising to capture the highly engaged, match-time attention of fans. Their pitch is simple: high user activity during live sporting events offers brands critical real-time reach.

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, which took effect on 1 October, aimed to close legal loopholes around online gambling and betting, blocking payment facilitation for such games while explicitly supporting e-sports and educational games under a regulated framework.

User drop

Dream11's free-to-play app attracts only about 10 million daily active users (DAUs), a steep drop from its registered user base of roughly 250 million, underscoring the challenge of maintaining engagement after the reward loops of cash prizes disappeared.

The company historically ran an adfree app for paid fantasy contests, but Mudaliar noted the platform has long worked with brands through official partnerships and brand rewards rather than adsupported formats.

Over the years weve partnered with brands as official fantasy partners for the ICC, IPL and BCCI, with player rewards and curated tieins on platforms like Hotstar, but that wasnt an adsupported model," Vikrant Mudaliar said. Looking at ad monetization is a first of sorts for us, and its still early days."

Dream11 has begun a selective pilot for ad monetization using a mixed approach that pairs direct sales of prime inventory to align brands with limited programmatic buys. Alongside this, the platform is crafting curated sponsorships, customized contests and deeper brand integrations designed to show up at highengaged moments of a players journey.

The emphasis is on native, gamified ads and contextual placements rather than a performanceadsonly play. The goal is to create integrations that feel organic to fantasy gameplayWere onboarding brands selectively and focusing on meaningful partnerships that add value to the user experience rather than chasing volume," added Mudaliar.

Also Read | Conflicts rise as firms prep responses to draft online gaming rules

Other platforms including Games24x7 and Mobile Premier League, has removed real money rewards and turned into a free-to-play app, but has yet to explore monetization. A Gameskraft spokesperson said the company does not have plans for a re-launch yet.

Queries emailed to Mobile Premier League and Games24x7 remained unanswered.

Saurabh Parmar, an independent marketing and advertising consultant, doubts whether the new strategy will work, since the strategic question is user motivation and sustained engagement even without cash rewards.

Why would users come on?" he wondered, noting that brands that follow users and platforms must prove why fans will join and stay in a freetoplay environment.

Im sceptical about the current free-to-play model and its future. Of course, the 10 million DAU is a huge number, but Im not sure those will remain engaged unless there are meaningful incentives or prizes," said Parmar.

These platforms are also entering an already saturated advertising market, where an estimated 4,500-7,000 crore is spent annually on the IPL alone. They face entrenched competition from established TV broadcasters, OTT services, social media, and major digital platforms running programmatic channels. This competition makes pricing, reliable measurement, and unique ad integrations critical.

Experts noted that convincing large brands to advertise will be difficult in the near term. The real money gaming category has been contentious in India, and the current ad-supported plays are experimental, lacking the proven reach and measurable outcomes of established media channels.

Monetization challenge

Free-to-play implies a very significant revenue downgrade per match and per game due to the loss of user buy-in fees, a senior marketing executive at a real-money gaming firm said on the condition of anonymity.

"The only model that existed was the money that the user was putting in. That is all gone," the person said.

Insiders see monetization via advertising alone as unsustainable. Previously, gaming platforms often avoided ads; now, they are open to everything from display to video. The question is whether this becomes a sustained strategy.

"Ad-supported is possible, but its intrinsically not very friendly for core gamers when it shows up as interruptive adsplayers just want the ad to end, and most dont like anything cutting into gameplay," a second executive with a large RMG firm said.

This executive argued that for a defensible long-term future, free-to-play models will need multiple viable revenue options: subscriptions, in-app advertising, and in-app purchases.

Brands, the executive explained, optimize for sheer reach, and user scale will matter more than clever ad formats. With Big Tech dominating ad budgets, product innovation beyond simple advertising is essential for these apps to compete meaningfully.

The platforms' audience skew, which largely comes from Tier-2 and Tier-3 Indian cities, could be positioned as a unique targeting proposition.

However, consultant Parmar noted that brands ultimately decide on price rather than principle. A major unanswered question is whether these platforms can secure revenue on a stable bulk basis or if they must sell on a risky pay-for-performance model. If the latter, and users fail to engage initially, the entire financial experiment could fail to deliver.
Frozen potato products maker, HyFun Foods, is planning to launch an initial public offering (IPO) by 2028, and aims to hit 1,500 crore in revenue for the financial year 2025-26, reported the news agency PTI, citing the MD and Group CEO, Haresh Karamchandani, on Sunday, 5 October 2025.

Karamchandani highlighted how there is a rising demand for the company's products in both the domestic and international markets. With the help of the new facility, the company will target fundraising via the IPO route on the Indian stock market in 2028, according to the agency report.

What will the company use the funds? Haresh Karamchandani, along with Executive Director Kamlesh Karamchandani, stated that the funds raised from the IPO will be reinvested in the expansion to fuel growth opportunities.

Subsequently, we plan to continue investing in further expansion to capitalise on the growth potential, they told the news agency.

The company is also reportedly setting up a large capacity frozen French fry line, a frozen potato speciality line for which they aim to invest 1,000 crore in 2025.

We are almost investing around 1,000 crore this year, they told the news agency.

Future Outlook HyFun Foods expects a good uptake in the consumption of frozen foods in the Indian market due to the reduction in the goods and services tax (GST) on processed foods.

According to the agency report, the firm is focusing on expansion plans as it invests in large manufacturing facilities to widen its product portfolio.

So, overall, this year we will be doing around 1,500 crores of sales, they said, reported the news agency. The company also emphasised that it will focus on the Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Far East markets for exports.

We primarily focus on South East Asia, the Middle East, Far East, and because these countries were, you know, earlier importing from Europe and US, now India is emerging as an alternative supplier, Karamchandanis told the news agency.

They also highlighted that convenience is a big factor driving the growth of frozen foods in the domestic market.

We are not limiting ourselves to potato-based products, but also a lot of other products, because Indian consumers need a lot of variety. So, overall, we are looking at the opportunity, we want to tap the opportunity which India has to offer, they said.
New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): The Department of Consumer Affairs has received several complaints against e-commerce platforms for charging extra fees under various names, a practice that the government has classified as a "dark pattern" that misleads and exploits consumers.

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, shared the information on X, saying that the ministry has started a detailed investigation into the matter.

He said, "The Department of Consumer Affairs has received complaints against e-commerce platforms charging extra for Cash-on-Delivery, a practice classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers. A detailed investigation has been initiated and steps are being taken to scrutinize these platforms closely. Strict action will be taken against those violating consumer rights to ensure transparency and uphold fair practices in India's growing e-commerce sector."

The post followed a user on X sharing a screenshot from an e-commerce website that listed multiple additional fees, including "Offer Handling Fee," "Payment Handling Fee," and "Protect Promise Fee."

These charges comparatively increased the total cost of the item, even after discounts were applied, resulting in customers paying more than the displayed price.

Following the minister's response, several users joined the discussion, expressing their dissatisfaction and sharing similar experiences. Many pointed out that such extra charges were becoming common across different platforms, making online shopping more expensive and confusing. Some users also questioned the transparency of these practices, calling for stricter monitoring and regulation.

Dark patterns refer to manipulative design strategies or pricing tactics employed by digital platforms to deceive consumers into making unintended purchases or incurring hidden fees. The Department of Consumer Affairs has been actively identifying and warning against such practices in recent months, with a focus on protecting users in India's rapidly expanding digital market.
By Ross Kerber

(Reuters) -Minnesota power regulators on Friday approved a $6.2 billion plan for a BlackRock unit and Canada Pension Plan to buy utility owner Allete, parent of Minnesota Power, saying recent modifications by the parties should address concerns about rates and clean-power investments.

The 5-0 vote by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission may reassure investors that BlackRock will be able to address regulatory and antitrust concerns as its Global Infrastructure Partners unit, which it bought last year, presses for more deals.

Earlier this week, people familiar with the matter said the infrastructure unit was in talks to buy utility group AES. Separately, on Friday two people said the unit was in talks to buy a data center business backed by Macquarie.

Company executives said the Minnesota deal, first announced last year, would help Allete to transition to clean energy sources.

Opponents, including the environmental group Sierra Club, business customers and State Attorney General Keith Ellison, had raised concerns the agreement could lead to higher rates and did not guarantee that Minnesota Power could meet a requirement for state electricity to be carbon-free by 2040.

At Friday's meeting, which was webcast, commissioners said recent modifications helped to ease their previous skepticism towards the deal. A filing from the companies indicates recent term changes will add benefits worth up to $258 million for utility stakeholders, including through a clean technology fund and via bill credits for consumers.

Commissioner Hwikwon Ham, in comments made before the decision, said those modifications gave him confidence in the agreement and that the commission could review company rates "if they misbehave."

Commission Chair Katie Sieben said Minnesota Power needs massive new investments to pay for projects such as a new transmission line to bring in hydropower from Manitoba.

In a securities filing, leaders of BlackRock and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board praised the decision and said that, with all required regulatory approvals now secured, the transition is expected to close in late 2025.

"We are committed to preserving Allete's legacy of intense community focus as it continues to provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy which is increasingly carbon-free for Northeastern Minnesota," said Global Infrastructure Partners' founding partner Jonathan Bram in the filing.

Allete CEO Bethany Owen said the agreement positions the company "to meet the significant infrastructure demands of the clean-energy transition" without compromising service, reliability, or affordability.
New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal is visiting Doha, Qatar for the meeting of the Qatar-India Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce from 6-7 October 2025, the Ministry said in a release on Sunday.

The meeting will be co-chaired by H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Qatar.

The release added that Goyal's visit underscores the importance that India attaches to its trade and investment ties with Qatar, one of our important trading partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with bilateral trade estimated at over USD 14 billion in 2024-25.

On his first visit to Qatar, Goyal is also accompanied by senior officials from different Ministries. The two sides are expected to hold wide-ranging discussions reviewing bilateral trade performance, addressing existing trade barriers and non-tariff issues, and exploring avenues to enhance trade and investment flows.

The talks are likely to include deliberations on the proposed India-Qatar FTA, with the way forward on finalization of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which will further strengthen economic cooperation between both countries.

Cooperation in other key sectors such as finance, agriculture, environment, tourism, culture, and healthcare will also form an integral part of the discussions aimed at deepening the multifaceted partnership between India and Qatar.

A business delegation consisting of senior representatives of industries is also accompanying the Union Minister for the first meeting of the India Qatar Joint Business Council. The business delegation will also be actively engaging with Qatari businesses and entities, including Qatar Chamber, Qatar Financial Centre, Invest Qatar and Qatar Free Zones Authority.

On the sidelines of the visit, Goyal will also be meeting other Qatari dignitaries and top businessmen from Qatar Chamber and Qatari Businessmen Association.

In addition, he will engage with representatives of the Doha Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC), Qatar, as well as senior members of Qatari industries and the Indian community in Qatar.
In Starbuckss Seattle headquarters, it was known as Project Bloom."

Launched earlier this year, the hush-hush undertaking evaluated thousands of the companys coffee shops across North America on profitability, and the experience of customers and baristas.

It led to a roller coaster of a week in late September, in which the company abruptly closed hundreds of stores and laid off thousands of employees. It was Starbuckss second round of corporate layoffs in less than a year under Chief Executive Brian Niccol and among the chains biggest closing of cafes since 2008.

The reality is the business has not performed and we needed to recognize that aspect," Niccol said in an internal company forum Tuesday, a recording of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. We needed to make some changes."

In a year at Starbuckss helm, Niccol has overhauled its workforce and operations. He has remade the C-suite, hiring new executives to head operations, finances and development, while technology and coffee-sourcing leaders have retired in recent weeks. Menus and advertising are also evolving.

Now, with the cafe closures and staff cuts, a company long known for its sprawling growth has abruptly shrunk.

Niccol and his team have said major changes were needed to rebound from six consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales, and to build a more sustainable company that can pave the way to growth. Americans are recoiling at rising restaurant and coffee prices and eating out less, making Starbuckss turnaround more challenging.

Quick turnaround

In April, Niccol said Starbucks would review its global store portfolio and pipeline of new locations as construction and renovation costs climbed. He said in July that the review of North American stores would wrap up in two months.

Starbucks regularly reviews its store portfolio, but this assessment was more ambitious. The company owned 11,450 stores in the U.S. and Canada as of June 29, and licensees operated 7,300 others at locations like airports, hotels and malls.

Many Starbucks divisions were involved in assessing stores. Executives wanted the review on underperforming locations done by the end of the companys fiscal year on Sept. 29.

The companys board signed off on the store-closure and corporate-layoff plans last week.

Early on Thursday, Sept. 25, baristas and corporate employees received a companywide message from Niccol announcing the layoffs, store closures and reinvestment priorities. These steps are to reinforce what we see is working and prioritize our resources against them," Niccol said in the message.

Later that morning, Starbucks notified managers in cafes marked for closure. Regional corporate leaders convened calls with managers at stores remaining open to walk them through the plans.

The company advised store managers that they would need to help dispose of suddenly unneeded inventory, like cups, oat milk and lemonade. They also might hear from baristas looking for jobs.

Transparently, this is a really quick turnaround," said one regional Starbucks leader on a call, a recording of which was reviewed by the Journal.

Closing cafes

In closing locations, store signs went up to notify customers. The company provided a QR code to help them find a new one.

On Sunday, baristas at closing stores received emails about their jobs.

We regret to inform you that we no longer have a position available for you at Starbucks," read one of the emails. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Some customers vented online about the closures, and questioned their Starbucks loyalty. Baristas posted tearful TikTok videos after receiving layoff notices. Some of Starbuckss tightknit alumni offered assistance for those laid off, and others criticized the cuts and closures.

A huge impact to the soul of Starbucks," Christine McHugh, a former vice president who spent 27 years at the company before leaving in 2017, said in a LinkedIn post last week.

Starbucks said it hopes to hire back baristas as it resumes opening new stores this fiscal year, and said it is giving laid-off baristas an industry-leading severance package.

Some investors were pleased to see Niccol take action on Starbuckss expenses, and that store closures were occurring quickly. Since Starbucks announced the layoffs and store closures in late September, its stock has gained about 2.6%.

The new message

On Monday, Niccol said in a video message to employees that he hoped the broad staffing cuts and store closures were over. Shutting down stores like its flagship Seattle Reserve Roastery location was painful, but they were losing money, he said, and closing underperforming locations helps allocate resources to other cafes.

The following day Niccol held a forum at Starbuckss headquarters with employees and operations chief Mike Grams, to further explain his decisions and map out the road ahead. The last days were tough, Niccol said, but so were the months leading up to the closures.

Efforts over the past year to reinvest in cafe service and atmosphere have been boosting business, executives said, with the chain directing hundreds of millions of dollars toward cafe staffing and improvements.

Niccol said sales this week were strong, and the company was set to introduce new food and beverages, and a better app.

One morning early this week, Niccol said, he visited a Starbucks location to check in on a line of protein-infused beverages making their debut that day. He ordered around eight of them, and liked what he saw and tasted.

One day isnt a trend, but one day is how you start a trend," he said.

Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com
An Indian startup founder, who was fired from his remote US job in March, for focusing too much on his venture, has now successfully achieved $50,000 revenue and $10,000 monthly recurring revenue from the business.

Harshil Tomar, co-Founder of a startup called Dreamlaunch narrated his journey from devastation to success, in a detailed post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Was told we have to part ways. I was devastated According to Tomar, he was fired from a remote job with a US company exactly six months ago after he joined the morning meeting at 7 am on March 13 and gave updates on his work. I observed my TL (team leader) was a bit down. I asked him in the end what's the reason and there it was we have to part ways, Tomar recounted.

Reason simply being I was focusing too much on my startup as per them. I begged them to give me another chance if possible so that I could do better work and at a faster pace but alas the decision was made. I was devastated. I told my friend @ilavanyajain that I got fired and he was like are you joking for like 4-5 times. Then I told my co-founder @WasimShips of the same, he added.

I was scared finally took a call Tomar added that when he was fired, the startup was doing $1,000/mo roughly and over the next 10-15 days, he was in a confused state of choosing my dream or looking for a safety net again.

I was scared. I had like nine months of total runway if I lived super cheaply. I sat down and went to play out all scenarios possible, the best and the worst and the okay one as well. Finally I took the call. I will live cheaply, I will try to figure this out. Every day I spend more looking for safety, my life would push me towards not taking risk. 1 year more, I will need to pay rent, 1 year more, I will need to think about buying house, 1 year more, I will need to think about marriage, he wrote.

My parent think I am doing my main job as well So I took my call. Let's go all in! In the worst case, I will find some freelance gigs and make $1,000/mo from them so life could always keep running. We started on this journey, I started with a small salary from going full-time. My co-founder ( @WasimShips ) suggested this and he did not withdraw any finance to help ensure I stay afloat, he added.

Tomar shared that his parent still do not know he lost the remote job. I tell them I spend 2-3 hours coding each day and just resolve the tickets they give me. Families can be pretty scary to deal with in such situations so I finalised keeping the decision reserved to myself, he said.

Path to success: Journey has made me thick-skinned He added that over these six months, the highs and lows have been hard. From months with 0 clients to working with biggest brands. The Journey has made me more thick skinned than anything I have ever experienced in life. But with showing up daily, things happened. I got sponsors, I got retainers, I got things happening, he said.

According to Tomar, Today, we completed $50k revenue. Finally about to hire our 1 -> 10 team. Have had months w/ $10k MRR. Got sponsors on X. Got selected in Residency. Building my own SAAS.

He acknowleged that the decision could have taken a bad turn, but I took the scary jump and the universe rewarded me I guess. The little kid inside me who at once saw the dream of being a entrepreneur watching Sharktank USA finally launched his own dream, helping others build their own.
After years of aggressive dealmaking, private equity firms have slowed their hospital investments in India, opting instead to leverage the improved financials of multi- and single-specialty chains and take them public.

PE investments in Indian hospital chains have dropped to $142 million so far this year from about $1.15 billion 2024 and $3.6 billion in 2023, show data from Venture Intelligence. The number of deals has dropped to six this year from eight last year and 11 in 2023.

The largest PE deals in Indian hospitals were both in 2023: Temasek and TPG Capitals $2.4 billion investment in Manipal Hospitals, and Blackstones $700 million cheque to Care Hospitals.

Most of the larger hospital chains have the scale and size, which makes them appropriate for listing soon," said Sunil Thakur, partner at healthcare-focused private equity firm Quadria Capital.

It isnt like mega hospital deals have completely vanished. In February, global investment firm KKR announced its plan to buy a controlling stake in cancer treatment chain Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd, amounting to $400 million. (HCG is a listed company; Venture Intelligence has only considered completed transactions in private companies for its PE investment data.)

Manipal Hospitals has appointed investment bankers for a $1 billion initial public offering of its shares by the end of this financial year. In July, the Temasek-backed hospital chain acquired Pune-based Sahyadri Hospitals from Ontario Teachers Pension Plan in a deal valued at 6,200-6,400 crore ($740-760 million) as part of its pre-IPO strategy to bulk up its asset base.

PE investors remain interested in India's sector as hospital capital expenditure is now structurally healthier than before, said Anshul Gupta, managing director and head, healthcare investment banking, Avendus Capital. Unlike earlier phases, most new expansions are funded by internal accruals rather than debt, reflecting the strong cash flows of established operators."

Mid-size and single specialty hospital companies are also heading for the public markets.

Fertility chain Indira IVF, backed by Swedish investment firm EQT, has filed for an IPO with the Securities and Exchange Board of India via the confidential route. Creador-backed Paras Hospitals and NephroPlus, backed by Quadria Capital, are expected to go public in 12 months.

Indias IPO market is witnessing a surge despite broader macroeconomic turbulence, with a lineup of public share offerings worth more than 1 trillion. Tata Capital Ltds 15,511-crore IPO, the biggest this year and Indias fourth-largest, opens on Monday.

Consolidating geographies

Large hospital chains are opting to expand by acquiring smaller operators as investing in new properties could prove expensive and time consuming as they prepare to go public.

What youre now going to see is regional acquisition strategies playing out. They [target hospitals] will typically be single hospitals, maybe a group of a few hospitals," said Mayur Sirdesai, founder and managing partner at Somerset Indus Capital Partners, a PE fund focused on healthcare in India. Theyre [large hospital chains] now going to go after smaller assets to consolidate."

The consolidation in Indias hospital sector is shifting to smaller cities.

KKR snapped up Kerala-based Baby Memorial Hospital in July 2024 and Meitra Hospital in September this year. Following KKRs investment, Baby Memorial Hospital acquired Kerala-based Chazhikattu Multi Speciality Hospital last year for an undisclosed amount.

What youre also seeing now is large southern brands buying out hospitals in the north as they expand into these geographies... To build a pan-India model organically isnt easy," said Sirdesai.

Areas of opportunity

While large hospital chains head to the public markets, PE investors are shifting their focus to new hospital chains with operations in multiple cities.

In fact, PE firms are backing single-specialty hospitals as these need less capital, can be expanded fast, and tend to command higher prices.

Single-specialty hospitals are also emerging as a strong-conviction theme with lower capex intensity [and] optimized unit economics," said Avendus Capitals Gupta.

Avendus Capital expects single-specialty hospitals to grow at a 24% compound annual growth rate between 2024 and 2028 as they gain market share from multi-specialty hospitals.

The contribution of single-specialty hospitals to Indias overall private healthcare segment increased from 20% in 2019 to 30% in 2024. By 2028, their contribution is expected to jump to 40%, representing a CAGR of 20%, according to Avendus Capital.

Eyecare is reaching the scale required for IPOs, as are diagnostics and IVF," said Somersets Sirdesai. ... Orthopedics and cardiac, theyre still building up."
New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will visit Doha from 6-7 October to co-chair the first meeting of the IndiaQatar Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani in a bid to expand trade and cooperation with the Gulf region.

The two sides will hold wide-ranging discussions on reviewing trade performance, addressing existing barriers, and enhancing investment flows, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Talks are expected to focus on the proposed IndiaQatar Free Trade Agreement, as both countries work towards finalizing the terms of reference for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), it said.

Also Read | Exporters hit by global trade actions can tap retail market, says Goyal

Strategic partnership The CEPA framework, if agreed upon, would mark Indias second such initiative in the Gulf after the UAE and is seen as a strategic effort to secure stronger trade footholds amid shifting regional alliances.

The visit marks a significant step in deepening economic engagement with Qatar, one of Indias key trading partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with bilateral trade estimated at over $14 billion in 2024-25.

The discussions will also cover cooperation in areas such as finance, agriculture, environment, tourism, culture, and healthcare, reflecting the broad scope of the partnership.

This is a critical engagement as both sides seek to build on the momentum created during the Amir of Qatars visit to India earlier this year, the statement said.

During that visit in February 2025, the two countries elevated their joint working group on trade and commerce to a ministerial-level Joint Commission to drive a more structured dialogue on economic matters.

Goyals visit, his first to Qatar, is also expected to give a fillip to private sector partnerships. A high-level business delegation representing leading Indian industries will participate in the inaugural meeting of the IndiaQatar Joint Business Council, aimed at facilitating business-to-business engagements and identifying new areas for collaboration.

The delegation will also meet representatives from Qatar Chamber, Qatar Financial Centre, Invest Qatar, and the Qatar Free Zones Authority.

On the sidelines of the commission meeting, Goyal will hold discussions with key Qatari dignitaries and leading businessmen from the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association, the ministry said.

The minister is also expected to engage with members of the Indian diaspora, including representatives from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (Doha Chapter) and the Indian Business and Professionals Council, which play a vital role in fostering economic ties between the two countries.

Also Read | For India and EU, a deal is closer than ever

Investment push Experts noted that the talks come at a time when India is seeking to diversify energy and trade partnerships in the Gulf to secure supply chains and investment flows amid geopolitical uncertainty. Qatar remains one of Indias largest LNG suppliers, and strengthening trade beyond hydrocarbons is now being viewed as a priority for both sides.

India-Qatar trade stood at $14.15 billion in FY25, reflecting steady growth but a heavy energy hit. India ran a $10.78 billion trade deficit, driven by petroleum imports making up 89 of total imports, said Ajay Srivastava, founder, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Over 800,000 Indians live and work in Qatar, forming a crucial people-to-people link and a major source of remittance.
New Delhi: As part of its strategy to diversify exports amid US tariff headwinds, the government has drawn up a plan to boost rice shipments to non-EU (European Union) European countries by easing inspection norms.

According to a government notification issued on 4 October, exporters will no longer require the mandatory Certificate of Inspection from the Export Inspection Council (EIC) or its agencies for consignments headed to European countries outside the EU, the UK, and the four-nation bloc EFTA (European Free Trade Association)comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. EIC is a body under the ministry of commerce that assures quality of exports.

The exemption will be in force for six months, until 2 April 2026, and will benefit exporters targeting markets such as Turkey, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Moldova, and other non-EU, non-EFTA European destinations.

Also Read | Govt lifts ban on export of de-oiled rice bran

Explaining the objective behind the move, a senior government official said that the relaxation in mandatory certification for non-EU members would help Indian exporters tap new markets and enhance export opportunities.

The relaxation in certification norms also aligns with the harvesting of paddy, which generally begins in the first week of October. As per government estimates, the production of paddy is expected to reach a record 151 million tonnes in 2025-26.

The government's move is designed to reduce compliance costs and speed up shipments at a time when exporters are looking to expand into alternative geographies, the official cited above said.

The certificate of inspection is a document that certifies the safety, and quality of export goods before they are shipped abroad.

The mandatory inspection requirement, however, will remain in place for rice shipments to the 27 EU member states, the UK, and the EFTA countries. India has an FTA with EFTA nations, which came into force on 1 October.

The UK has been listed separately since it formally exited the EU in January 2020 following Brexit.

Together, these destinations account for 32 European markets where the certification will still be needed.

The relaxation will allow Indian rice exporters to tap the export markets of about 18 non-EU European nations.

Also Read | Why India should not divert its food security rice stocks to ethanol

Industry stakeholders have welcomed the exemption, pointing out that it would allow faster clearances and improve Indias competitiveness in smaller, but promising markets. "The development assumes significance as it will simplify the export process as it reduces compliance burdens and would boost exports from the country," said Vijay Setia, former president of the All India Rice Exporters' Association (AIREA).

According to people familiar with the matter, the decision was taken after consultations with trade associations and other stakeholders who sought relief from strict inspection requirements in non-EU European markets. It's a positive step in the right direction, as it would benefit farmers and also boost exports from India," said Raminder Singh, press secretary, Kirti Kisan Union, a farmer organization.

India, the worlds largest rice exporter with nearly 40% of global market share, has seen its shipments to the US come under severe strain following Washingtons imposition of a steep 50% tariff.

Trade analysts said the exemption not only gives relief to exporters but also aligns with Indias broader effort to secure new demand in Europe while final-stage negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement continue.

With India and the EU working towards finalizing a mutually beneficial trade deal, the exporters will gain an advantage in pushing a variety of agricultural products, including rice. The relaxation in certification norms, though targeting small markets, will help boost Indias export diversification initiatives," said Abhash Kumar, a trade economist.

The total area for rice cultivation in India for the 2025-26 Kharif season has been reported at 44.15 million hectares, an increase of 1.4% from the previous year, primarily due to a good monsoon and the government's increased minimum support price for paddy. Also, the total production of rice (paddy) for 2024-25 is estimated at 149 million tonnes, according to the third advance estimates released by the Union ministry of agriculture.
New Delhi: The global oil market may see increased crude availability, with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies likely to raise production targets for the coming months at a meeting on Sunday.

Mint explains the impact of the increase in oil supplies on the global oil market and the third largest global crude oil importerIndia.

A further increase by OPEC+ countries, as the larger group of oil producers is called, supplies will help ease prices. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected an increase in global oil production by 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) to 105.8 million bpd this year, and by 2.1 million bpd to 107.9 million bpd in 2026.

What is the OPEC+ meet on Sunday expected to discuss?

The meeting is aimed to reach a consensus on oil production plans for November, with either a modest or more substantial supply increase possible, a Bloomberg report said quoting delegates. The report had one delegate saying the base case is a repeat of this months marginal 137,000 bpd hike, while increasing output by two or more times that amount is also possible, according to another delegate.

Why is the meet important for the global markets?

The global oil markets are currently volatile with sanctions and tariff war concerns weighing on market sentiments. In such a scenario, a decision to increase production would ease sentiments and further lower prices in the global market. Anticipating an increase, the November contract of Brent on the Intercontinental Exchange prices have declined about 7.6% in the past week to close Friday trades at $64.53 per barrel.

The alliance of OPEC and other oil producing majors including Russia, is boosting output to reverse the two-year-long production cut and restore a total of 2.2 million bpd of production. OPEC's September crude production rose by 400,000 bpd to 29.05 million bpd, the highest in two and a half years.

IEA in September noted that of the projected 105.8 million bpd global output for this year and 107.9 million bpd for next year, non-OPEC+ countries would account for 1.4 million bpd and just over 1 million bpd, respectively. IEA has also projected that the global oil market is headed for a record surplus next year of 3.33 million bpd.

What does the likely increase in output mean for India?

India, which imports nearly 90% of its oil requirement, stands to benefit from the increase in supplies globally and easing prices. Experts estimate a $10 bpd change in oil prices could result in a $13-14 billion difference in India's oil import bill. India imported crude worth $137 billion in fiscal 2025. Reduced crude oil prices may also lead to a reduction in prices that petrol and diesel retail at.

What is the outlook for global demand and India's role in it?

IEA has projected that India will be the primary driver of global oil demand growth through 2030. According to the World Oil Outlook 2025, recently released by OPEC, primary energy demand of the world is set to rise from 308 million barrels of oil equivalent (mboe/d) in 2024 to 378 mboe/d in 2050. This is an increase of 23% over the outlook period, or 0.8% per annum on average. The growth will come almost entirely from developing regions, led by India, and other countries in Asia, Africa and West Asia. At the same time, energy demand in developed countries is expected to stay flat or decline.

Also Read | US giants sniff India opportunity in Trumps Russian oil threat
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer believes that India can and should diversify from its trade relationship with Russia, adding that the process has already begun, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

Addressing the Economic Club of New York last week, Greer expressed optimism that India's purchase of Russian oil is not some bedrock part of the economy and increased in volumes only after the Ukraine war in 2022.

He was also of the opinion that trade tensions between the US and India will be resolved, amid Donald Trump's hiked tariffs. He added that America is not looking to dictate relationships between other sovereign nations.

Here's why Jamieson Greer thinks India should move away from Russian oil Stating that India's oil purchases from Russia jumped in 2022, Greer said, This is something we believe they can do and should do and frankly I can already see them starting to diversify. I think they get it.

Acknowledging India's strong relations with Russia, he added, Obviously they are a sovereign country. They are going to control their decisions. President Trump is focused on this quite discrete issue of ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Were not trying to dictate to other countries who they can have relations with and who they cant. But we are trying to make sure that Vladimir Putin feels as much pressure as possible.

India-US trade to get back on track? Notably, Greer is among the top Trump administration officials who met with Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal at the UN General Assembly in September, for trade talks and to discuss the 50 per cent tariffs.

A senior state department official told HT that Greer and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are closely engaging with India to cut Russian energy purchases. Other US officials told the publication they expect a resolution in the coming weeks.
Washington DC [US], October 5 (ANI): Filmmaker Martin Scorsese opened up on his early exit from a Catholic seminary school that would have set his life on a very different path, according to People.

Scorsese, 82, discussed his lifelong fascination with religion in Rebecca Miller's new documentary, "Mr Scorsese," which premiered at the New York Film Festival.

He recalled in the series' first episode that he was deeply moved when he first attended Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, around the age of seven, and continued his religious education into his teenage years, as reported by People.

"There was a preparatory seminary, and that was on 85th Street somewhere. I did okay for the first few months, but something happened," Scorsese shared in the new series. "I began to realise the world is changing. It was early rock and roll, and the old world was dying out. I became aware of life around me. Falling in love or being attracted to girls; not that you're acting out on it, but there were these feelings, and I suddenly realised it's much more complicated than this. You can't shut yourself off."

"The idea of priesthood, to devote yourself to others, really, that's what it's about," he added in the documentary. "I realised I don't belong there. And I tried to stay, but they got my father in there, and they told him, 'Get him out of here.' Because I behaved badly."

Although Scorsese did not specify what constituted his behaviour as "badly," one of the director's childhood friends, Joe Morale, stated in the documentary that he felt Scorsese "had a heavy eye for the ladies" as a teenager.

Scorsese's fascination with religion has remained a constant throughout his life and career, despite not pursuing the Catholic priesthood as a teenager, according to People.

The director has made multiple movies concerning Catholicism in his career, including 1988's 'The Last Temptation of Christ' and 2017's 'Silence', and he also made a movie about the life of the incumbent Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, with 1997's Kundun.

Scorsese's relationship with his faith plays a major role in Mr. Scorsese, which tracks his entire filmmaking career and includes interviews with collaborators like Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paul Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Jay Cocks, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, as well as his three daughters Cathy, 59, Domenica, 49, and Francesca, 25, his wife Helen Morris and other childhood friends, reported People.
The Saturday Night Live (SNL) Season 51 premiere, aired on October 4, wasted no time addressing the recent political saga involving the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The cold open framed the incident as a crackdown on late-night comedy by President Donald Trump.

"Daddy's Watching" The SNL sketch began with Colin Jost, in a rare sketch appearance, playing a stiff and enraged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was demanding that members of the military lose weight. Hegseth declared the nation was facing the "greatest threat to freedom and democracy the world has ever known," only to be interrupted by James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump, who declared the true threat was "late-night TV."

Johnsons Trump character appeared to monitor the show and specifically warned SNL: "Im just here keeping my eye on SNL, making sure they dont do anything too mean about me... Theyd better be careful." The segment culminated with Trump stressing, "Daddy's watching!"

Controversies parodied The Jimmy Kimmel Suspension: The skit directly lampooned the temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! which occurred after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reportedly pressured ABC over comments Kimmel made. The sketch featured Mikey Day entering as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, set to the tune of "Somebodys Watching Me," signifying Carr as Trump's "attack dog at the FCC." The monologue specifically noted that Carr was also investigating a separate complaint over Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s decision to feature Kamala Harris in a cameo before the last election.

Trump's physical appearance: Johnson's Trump character referenced his known penchant for self-tanner or mismatched makeup. He held up the back of his hand, showing an area with "strange discoloring," and joked, "Not looking great right now. Gonna cover this up for the rest of my life."

Foreign policy: The sketch mocked Trumps contradictory claims regarding military action: "I ended all the wars. Every single one of them, except the two main ones that are still happening and more vicious than ever," adding that the administration was "starting a new war in Venezuela soon," despite a supposed government shutdown.

The political controversy was reinforced later during the "Weekend Update" segment with the debut of new cast member, Kam Patterson. Patterson joked about wanting to use a racial slur on air, but was warned by co-host Colin Jost that the FCC would fine the show. Patterson responded, This is exactly what Jimmy Kimmel fought for!

Also Read | Coca Cola pulling Super Bowl sponsorship over Bad Bunny? What we know so far
Key Points

After all, it has doubled and then some in price since the beginning of the year.

But this might just be a case of paying a premium for continued potential ahead.

10 stocks we like better than QuantumScape 

QuantumScape (NYSE: QS) stock doesn't look like much of a bargain at first glance. After all, it's zoomed nearly 140% in price this year. That's over 10 times the percentage rate increase of the benchmark S&P 500 index. Yikes!

But there are very good reasons for the rally, and I think QuantumScape remains a buy thanks to a future that could be -- pardon the expression -- very electric. Read on for more.

The people's battery?

For the uninitiated, QuantumScape is a next-generation battery developer focused on the electric vehicle (EV) market. It specializes in solid state power packs, which have numerous advantages over the models currently packed into most EVs. Its batteries charge quickly, for one (in under 15 minutes, per the company's literature), and are relatively safer and longer-lasting.

Image source: Getty Images.

There are plenty of businesses, both publicly traded and privately held, that are busy developing the next whiz-bang technology for the EV space. QuantumScape accelerated past many of these in 2024. Back then it struck a deal with joint-venture partner Volkswagen for the big global automaker's PowerCo subsidiary to license its battery technology.

The deal stipulates that when and if PowerCo produces QuantumScape-designed batteries that find their way into Volkswagen vehicles, the latter company will collect -- presumably many -- milestone payments and royalties from the undertaking.

Setting the stage

Meanwhile, QuantumScape batteries aren't just fancy ideas or impressive-looking renderings in a brochure. In early September, the first real-life demonstration of one of its products was held at an international auto show in Germany. A racing motorcycle from Ducati (a Volkswagen-owned brand) powered by a QuantumScape battery was driven across the event's main stage.

All this indicates that Volkswagen has chosen QuantumScape to be at least one key battery supplier for its future. More will surely follow, as the company's technology has proven in a series of tests -- plus that live demonstration -- to be robust. So even if the company's stock looks expensive now, its business is only at the start of a journey that's long and likely prosperous.

Should you invest $1,000 in QuantumScape right now?

Before you buy stock in QuantumScape, 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 QuantumScape wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The next round of negotiations between India and two South American countries, Chile and Peru, will be held in October and November, respectively, an official said.

The five-day talks with Chile will start on October 27 in Santiago, the three-day deliberations with Peru will begin on November 3 in Lima, the official said.

Both agreements are being negotiated separately.

India is set to hold its second round of trade talks with Chile and the eighth round of negotiations with Peru.

India and Chile implemented a preferential trade agreement (PTA) in 2006 and are now negotiating to widen its scope for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

CEPA aims to build upon the existing PTA between the two nations and seeks to encompass a broader range of sectors, including digital services, investment promotion and cooperation, MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), and critical minerals.

The bilateral trade between India and Chile is modest. In 2024-25, India's exports to Chile were down 2.46 per cent to just USD 1.15 billion. Imports, however, grew 72 per cent to USD 2.60 billion.

The largest Indian exports to Chile are auto and pharma. The biggest import from Chile is minerals worth around USD 1.58 billion. Other products imported from Chile are copper and chemicals.

Chile is the fifth-largest trading partner of India in the LAC (Latin American countries) region.

India's exports to Chile are diversified and constitute motor vehicles/cars, drug formulations, chemicals, iron and steel products, man-made yarn, fabrics, cotton fabrics, made-ups, RMG (ready-made garments), auto components, electric machinery and equipment, leather goods, rubber products, aluminium and its products, and ceramics.

On the other hand, Peru has emerged as the third-largest trading partner of India in the Latin American and Caribbean regions.

During 2024-25, India's exports to Peru rose by about 9 per cent to USD 1 billion, while imports grew 60 per cent to USD 4.98 billion.

India's main exports to Peru include motorcycles and three-wheelers, polyester and cotton yarns, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel products, plastic products, rubber, pipes for the oil and gas industry, tyres, pipes, etc.
The Gaza peace talks set to get under way in Egypt this week come with a twist: The leader of the Hamas delegation is a man Israel tried to kill in a missile attack three weeks ago.

Khalil al-Hayya this weekend made his first public appearance since being wounded in Israels failed strike on a gathering of Hamas negotiators as they met to discuss efforts to end the war in the Qatari capital of Doha.

The strike caused a diplomatic uproar that ultimately set the stage for a deal to end the war. The attack underscored the risk of continuing the war to Arab countries and gave President Trump the leverage he needed to put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commit to ending the war.

Trump pushed on Saturday for the deal to get done, as delegations from the U.S., Israel, Hamas and Middle Eastern countries are set to meet in Egypt on Monday. Lets get this done, FAST," he wrote on Truth Social.

Al-Hayya made his first public appearance on television on Saturday, almost a month after the Israeli strike that attempted to kill him and successfully killed his son. Al-Hayya said the death of his son and all the Palestinians in Gaza who have been killed in the war was both a harsh trial and a badge of honor." Insisting he was unbowed, he said the deaths of those killed would be the fuel of victory, the path to Jerusalem, and a stain that will forever haunt the occupation."

Al-Hayyas defiance underscores the challenges that could complicate talks despite optimistic statements from Trump. Hamas on Friday said it had broadly accepted Trumps 20-point peace plan to end the war and rebuild Gaza, but came with caveats. The group is internally divided over accepting the terms for its disarmament and the conditions under which it would free hostages.

Al-Hayya and other senior political officials based outside of Gaza favor accepting the proposal despite significant reservations, Arab mediators said. But they have limited sway over the groups armed wing, which remains in the enclave.

The highly anticipated cease-fire talks will officially kick off on Monday in Egypt, where parties will try to come to agreements over key points, including Israeli military withdrawal lines in Gaza and the names of high-profile Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the remaining 48 hostages, including up to 20 that Israel believes to be alive.

Trump is sending his top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to help seal the deal. Senior delegations from Israel, Hamas, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt will also be taking part in the talks.

Israels Netanyahu said Saturday that he hopes a hostages-for-prisoners exchange agreement can be reached this week.

Our intention, and the intention of our American friends is to limit these negotiations to a few days," Netanyahu said.

But negotiations could realistically take longer, Arab mediators and U.S. officials cautioned. While there is no official deadline for the talks, the goal is to get the hostages and prisoner swap done as soon as possible, a senior U.S. official said.

Acceptance of the deal could have consequences for Netanyahus coalition that might ultimately lead to elections. But two far-right ministers who have long opposed cease-fire deals havent explicitly threatened to topple the government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized a decision to ease the fighting in Gaza while the hostage release is negotiated, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said his party would leave the government if Hamas wasnt destroyed after the release of all of the hostages.

More broadly, Trumps peace plan has been largely welcomed by an Israeli public exhausted by the war and worried about the countrys growing international isolation. Most polls show a majority want the war to end.

Trump on Saturday shared a photo of Israelis protesting for an end to the war with a sign reading, its now or never," on his Truth Social account.

Write to Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com and Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com
U.S. and Arab mediators had worked fruitlessly for months to craft a deal to at least pause the fighting in Gaza and free more of the Israeli hostages held there. In the end, it was an act of war that set the stage for an ambitious plan to end the conflict once and for all.

On Sept. 9, Israeli missiles slammed into an office in Qatar where Palestinian militant group Hamass top negotiators were meeting to discuss President Trumps latest proposal for a cease-fire. The attack on the soil of a major U.S. security partner came with little warning to Trump and none for Qatar.

Qatar and its Persian Gulf neighbors, who had acted as vital go-betweens for the U.S., Israel and Hamas were furious and demanded Israel set things right. Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff feared their peace efforts would go off the rails.

Trump decided to try to turn the crisis to his advantage.

The attack was a sobering reminder to Arab countries of the risk of regional escalation, focusing their minds on peace. It also gave Trump some more leverage over a chastened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders who were now becoming a bigger risk for their Arab hosts.

Trump and his aides redoubled efforts. And after three weeks of shuttle diplomacy and frequent meetings among top officials from Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Trump stood before cameras in the White House and announced that he had a plan.

Netanyahu, standing by his side, voiced acceptance of the plan and said he was willing to end the war. A host of Arab and Muslim leaders followed suit.

It was, in Trumps estimation, potentially one of the great days ever in civilization."

President Trump gives a thumbs-up as he welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House last month.

Central to the effort were a series of sometimes heated meetings among Witkoff, Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, Netanyahu confidant Ron Dermer, and top officials from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, people involved in the talks said.

Now the hard work begins. The deal the Trump team pulled together reflects frequently discussed elements of proposals stretching back to the early months of the war, but also contained provisions that angered many of its constituents.

Netanyahu objects to any serious reference to a Palestinian state or involvement by the Palestinian Authority, which governs part of the West Bank. Hamas bristles at fully disarming and wants better guarantees Israel will withdraw. Arab governments are concerned the deal is so tough on Hamas and so weak on a path to a Palestinian state that they cant sell it to their citizens.

The result is a risky game of chicken where no one wants to publicly shoot down a plan that privately many dont think they can accept in full. Trump is steaming ahead, calling everyones bluff by accepting their statements of support without acknowledging their reservations.

The president is sending the high-profile team of Kushner and Witkoff to talks in Egypt in the coming days to close the deal on a hostage release and push forward the broader plan. A senior Israeli delegation, including Dermer, is expected to meet them soon.

This account of how the deal came together is based on interviews with officials in the White House, Israels government and Arab capitals.

The main components of Trumps 20-point plan have long been seen as the necessary elements of any agreement: Hamas surrendering hostages and giving up power; Israel pulling back troops; an Arab international force to provide security in Gaza; and Palestinian technocrats to administer the enclave.

A military vehicle on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border on Friday.

But crosscutting concerns for months had made it impossible to gain traction. Hamas didnt want to release its remaining hostages without a guaranteed end to the war. Israel wasnt willing to fully leave Gaza until Hamas was neutralized. Arab governments were reluctant to send in troops and look like occupiers working for Israel and wanted a commitment to a Palestinian state before coming in.

Those hurdles led to a frustrating series of meetings through the spring and summer where negotiators went back and forth between discussions around a comprehensive deal to resolve the war or a more achievable limited hostage release in exchange for a temporary cease-fire. They made little headway with either.

Netanyahu drew a hard line in the talks, demanding Hamas capitulate and shifting his focus to resolving the conflict through military action rather than diplomacy.

Meanwhile, international alarm about the war was growing. Israels 2-month embargo on aid into Gaza this spring had left the enclave desperately low on food, prompting international experts to declare a famine around Gaza City, where a million Palestinians were sheltering. The number of people killed in the war climbed well above 60,000, according to Palestinian health authorities, who dont say how many were combatants.

Israel eased the constraints on food but then announced plans for a major offensive to take Gaza City. Germany, a loyal ally, suspended arms deliveries in response, and a number of Western governments said they would recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in late September.

Israel responded by hinting it could annex the West Bank, the heart of any future state. That was a red line for Arab governments. The United Arab Emirates, the key party to the Abraham Accords, publicly warned the move could put Trumps signature foreign policy achievement in jeopardy.

Then came the Doha strike. The White House said Trump learned of the attack from the U.S. military, which got a vague heads up from Israel before figuring out the target was Doha when space-based sensors picked up the missiles. The president instructed Witkoff to alert Qatar, but the warning came after the missiles had landed.

Witkoff had met with Dermer and Kushner in his Miami home just days before the strike to work out terms of a peace deal. The Israeli official said nothing of the attack to come. Witkoff and Kushner were offended by the strike and lack of notification.

This is not the conduct of a friend," Witkoff would later tell Dermer.

Trump, his frustration boiling over, was less polite. Hes fing me," Trump said about Netanyahu, according to officials who heard the comment.

Americas Persian Gulf partners were also incensed, and the Arab consensus that came together surprised the White House and Netanyahu. Qatar, like many Gulf states, is wealthy but small and relies on the U.S. for protection. The attack not only disrupted the talks but the entire regions sense of security and confidence in the U.S.

Qatar cut off all communication with Israel, including intelligence sharing, and demanded an apology before it would come back to the table. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani flew to Washington for a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That evening, he joined Trump and Witkoff for dinner at Trump Tower in New York.

The Americans were in triage mode, as a senior administration official put it. Trump assured the Qatari leader that the U.S. had nothing to do with Israels strike. Washington would work to ensure nothing like it ever happened again and wanted to get peace talks back on track.

Days later, Thani called Witkoff with a proposal. The U.N. General Assembly was fast approaching. Would Trump be open to hosting a meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders about an American peace plan for Gaza? Witkoff called Trump, and the president quickly agreed.

Ahead of the meeting, Witkoff, Vance, Rubio and Kushner spoke often with Trump about what they wanted to accomplish. Trumps preference was clear: use the moment to end the war. No piecemeal agreements, no more fighting, no more hostages, and start rebuilding Gaza.

Witkoff and Kushner paired up to draft something to present. There were multiple proposals floating around for months: one by the U.S., others by France and Saudi Arabia. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair had crafted another. The U.S. team decided to combine the best elements of each into a single plan. What was once a roughly seven-point plan the U.S. and Israel had discussed turned into a 21-point proposal.

On Sept. 23, Trump chaired a meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of an annual U.N. conference to present the plan. He reiterated his desire to get a deal done, and asked Witkoff to outline what the U.S. had in mind. For expediencys sake, Witkoff narrowed the 21 points down to about 10 main ideas without delving too deeply into specifics.

The Arab and Muslim representatives emerged making positive comments about progress. Privately, they decided to unite and drafted points they agreed should be in the plan. Trump promised them that their concerns would be addressed and that he would put pressure on Netanyahu, including that he would prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank.

Witkoff and Rubio had several meetings with the Arab leaders to incorporate their ideas into the final draft.

Qatar pressed for a clear path to end the war and a peace process that includes a Palestinian state. Egypt said it wouldnt help secure Gaza without a bigger role for the Palestinian Authority and a U.N. resolution backing the plan.

The Arab countries also wanted a commitment to a full withdrawal by Israeli troops and a guarantee the West Bank wouldnt be annexed. They also suggested Hamas be required to lay down its arms rather than destroy them to save face. They left in the middle of last week feeling reassured they had the hoped-for impact.

Netanyahu was set to meet with Trump the following Monday at the White House, and the U.S. team shifted to getting Israel on board.

Israel, worried about constraining its ability to intervene in the Gaza Strip and wanting to head off a Palestinian state, was anxious to push its own amendments, which ended up undoing many of the Arab changes.

Witkoff, Kushner, Dermer and Netanyahu worked through the weekend, bouncing from Kushners apartment to Witkoffs room and the Israelis place at the Loews Regency in exhausting meetings that lasted for hours. The officials would repeatedly travel up and down floors to discuss new ideas or debrief on conversations with foreign leaders.

Netanyahu canceled several planned appearances in New York to take part. I had hoped to be in person with you tonight," Netanyahu, who looked pale and tired, said in a video that was played in his stead at the summit of the Jewish News Syndicate, a conservative outlet. But circumstances have caught up with us."

U.A.E. Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan stopped by for around an hour to meet Netanyahu at the Loews, where he made it clear it was time to end the conflict.

When Arab leaders saw the final version of the plan, they were surprised to find it had bypassed many of their changes and featured a number of amendments that they opposed. There were no specifics on when Israeli troops would withdraw, and the reference to a Palestinian state had been watered down.

Shortly before Trump was to unveil the plan, Arab and Muslim countries pleaded to the U.S. that it was no longer what they had agreed to support and that the announcement should be delayed. The president went ahead.

This is far more than anybody expected," Trump said at the 20-point plans unveiling alongside Netanyahu at the White House. But the level of support that Ive had from the nations in the Middle East and surrounding Israel, and neighbors of Israel, has been incredible."

Muslim countries made a collective decision to issue a joint statement of support but to continue to signal their insistence on a full withdrawal by Israeli forces and a commitment to a Palestinian state.

They did see some wins. Trumps plan for relocating Palestinians from Gaza while it was rebuilt had been dropped, and the Arab countries endorsement could help end the war.

Trump also got Netanyahu to express his regrets to Qatar for the strike. Apologies are good for the soul, Trump told the Israeli leader.

There are matters that need clarification and others for sure require discussion and negotiations," Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, leader of the U.A.E., said in an interview with Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera this week.

Privately, the U.S. is willing to let those negotiations play out. Publicly, Trump isnt acknowledging the reservations and wants a deal wrapped up.

When Hamas delivered its acceptance of the Trump plan Friday night, it loaded it up with caveats, including linking the release of the hostages to an end to the war and withdrawal by Israel. Some Arab negotiators looked at the response and concluded it was a no."

Trump, writing on social media, saw it differently:

Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE."
Tata Capital Ltd launched its 15,511-crore initial public offering today, with bids subscribed 20% so far todaydriven by strong employee participation and qualified institutional buyer (QIB) interest. The financial services arm of the Tata group is betting on its marquee parentage and stellar growth to make a successful market debut.

The digitally focused non-bank lender, which caters to retail borrowers, small businesses and corporates, is expected to gain from the faster pace of credit growth among non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

Yet, investors must weigh the companys scale, brand strength, and AAA credit rating against near-term concerns around profitability and asset quality.

IPO highlights

The 15,511-crore initial public offering (IPO), the fourth-largest in India, opens today and will remain open for subscription until Wednesday. The company has priced the offer at 310-326 per share, comprising a fresh issue of 6,846 crore and an offer for sale worth 8,666 crore.

The NBFC will channel the proceeds to strengthen the companys tier-I capital or risk buffer for future lending.

Also Read | Why IPO-bound Tata Capital is shifting its focus to used vehicle loans

Growth story

Founded in 2007, Tata Capital has grown into one of Indias largest NBFCs. As of June, it had served 7.3 million customers, offering products across retail, small and medium enterprises (SME), corporate, and entrepreneur segments.

Retail loans rose to 61.3% of its portfolio in Q1FY26, up from 56.7% in FY23. SME lending, in contrast, declined from 32.6% in FY23 to 26.2% in FY25, while corporate lending climbed modestly to 12.5%.

The loan book expanded to 2.33 trillion by March, clocking 37.3% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over FY23FY25the fastest among large NBFCs.

Branch expansion was even more aggressive, with the network growing 3x since March 2023, ahead of Bajaj Finance Ltd, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co., L&T Finance Ltd, and HDB Financial Services Ltd. The merger with Tata Motors Finance expanded its footprint.

If you look at our growth numbers, the headline rate seems higher because of the merger with Tata Motors Finance," Rajiv Sabharwal, managing director and chief executive officer at Tata Capital, told Mint. On paper, it looks like we are growing at about 38%. But if you strip away the merger impact, our organic growth is closer to 28.5%which, even by itself, is very strong."

Digital push

Technology and the Tata brand are the twin engines of Tata Capitals strategy. Over 98% of customers are digitally onboarded, and 99% of collections happen online. Cross-selling within the Tata ecosystem, from Cromas retail stores to Tata Motors dealerships, gives the company a ready pipeline of customers.

Tata Capital, though a late entrant in high-margin segments, has gained ground by leveraging the Tata group ecosystemTata Motors, Croma and Tata Housingfor cross-selling," said Prashanth Tapse, senior VP, research analyst at Mehta Equities. This, along with rapid branch expansion in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, has built a strong captive base, positioning the company to sustain robust loan growth into H2FY26."

The companys network has expanded fourfold in recent years. With more than 25 products in our portfolio, we essentially have multiple engines of growth. Product depth coupled with reach is driving momentum," Sabharwal said.

According to Ratiraj Tibrewal, director at Choice Capital, growth for Tata Capital has come from strong retail and SME demand, digital distribution, and branch expansion, with housing finance a key driver. Supported by risk controls and product diversity, Tata Capital now aims to deepen Tier 2/3 penetration and scale digital origination."

Also Read | Tata Capital MD explains discounted IPO price band

Quality watch

A key comfort factor is asset quality. Between FY23 and FY25, Tata Capital maintained a median net Stage 3 loan ratio (share of bad loans over 90 days overdue) of 0.4%, in line with Bajaj Finance, and posted the highest provision coverage ratio among peers at 74%. This suggests it is well-shielded from credit shocks.

Our philosophy is to keep credit costs below 1%. Every business decision is taken through a risk-management lens," Sabharwal said. The loan book remains largely secured, with only 12% exposure to unsecured retail loans."

Yet risks remain. The merger with Tata Motors Finance dragged on quality, with gross Stage 3 loans spiking to 7.1% in FY25 and triggering a 181-crore loss. Net Stage 3 levels stayed under control, and Tata Capitals prudent underwriting and risk management have kept asset quality healthy, said Tapse. Yet, sustaining sub-1% net Stage 3 loans amid rapid growth may be challenging in the coming quarters, warranting caution."

According to Tibrewal of Choice Capital, the loan mix provides resilience, with over three-fourths of the book secured by collateral. Going forward, the companys strategy should be to prioritize quality growth over volume, ensuring that asset quality remains stable even as the book expands."

Tata Capitals contingent liabilities are another metric to watch. They currently stand at 6,793 crore or 18.5% of its FY25 profit, though down from 26.4% in FY23. Chief financial officer Rakesh Bhatia told Mint that these were largely tax-related and historically resolved in the companys favour.

Analysts, too, view the risk as limited. At 3-4.5% of equity, it is a manageable risk, though worth tracking if it rises year-on-year," said Tapse. Tibrewal calls the liabilities small relative to the companys strong net worth.

Profitability lag

Tata Capitals growth has not translated into peer-level profitability. Net profit rose from 2,945.7 crore in FY23 to 3,655 crore in FY25, posting a modest CAGR of 6.6%. In contrast, Cholamandalam posted 43% CAGR, Bajaj Finance 13%, and L&T Finance 17.6%. Rising borrowing costs have hurt margins, with the cost of funds climbing from 6.6% in FY23 to 7.8% in FY25.

The pressure is most evident in profitability ratios. Tata Capitals net interest margin is only 5.1%, the lowest among large NBFCs, compared to 9.37% for Bajaj Finance, 8.24% for Shriram Finance, and 8.21% for L&T Finance. Its return on equity has slipped to 15.5%, well below Bajaj Finance and Cholamandalam (both above 20%), while return on assets at 2.3% trails Bajaj Finances 4.44%.

The NBFCs management attributes this to aggressive growth and the merger. The merger has had an impact, but improvement will start showing from this year itself," said Sabharwal.

The decline in RoE is primarily due to capital infusion to support rapid balance sheet growth and branch expansion. With scale and operating leverage, RoE should recover above 15% in the next 12-18 months," said Tibrewal.

Tapse, too, noted that falling RoE reflects the high-growth phase needing equity infusion. Tata Capital must improve profitability and capital efficiency. With branch-led operating leverage, better cost efficiencies and focus on RoE-accretive segments, RoE could return to high teens by FY26-27, he said.

NBFC momentum

The broader NBFC cycle is a silver lining.

In FY25, NBFC credit grew 18.3%, nearly double Indias nominal GDP growth and far ahead of bank credit at 11%. Analysts expect 17-18% growth to sustain in FY26.

This secular trend supports large NBFCs like Tata Capital, which are well-placed to capture demand for retail and SME credit.
This has been a year of paradoxes for Indian equities. On one hand, benchmark indices have struggled under the weight of global uncertainty, muted corporate earnings, and relentless foreign outflows. On the other, Indias primary market has been on a roll, providing a rare bright spot amid the gloom.

The contrast is striking. In September alone, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pulled out about $2.7 billion (almost 24 trillion) from Indian equities. Yet, the same investors poured 26,500 crore into anchor investments for IPOs, nearly three times more than in the previous year.

The message is clear: investors currently see IPOs as a better way to play Indias growth story. Well-priced offerings with strong fundamentals are attracting serious money.

According to EYs Global IPO Trends Report, the average return from Indian IPOs in 2024 was 37%, far higher than the 7% delivered by the broader market. Its this kind of disconnect that LG Electronics India is banking on with its IPO. The company is coming to market with a 11,600-crore offering from 79 October, at a time when new listings are attracting outsized attention.

But what does it mean for investors? Is LG Electronics India worth adding to your portfolio? In this listicle, we explore five compelling reasons why the IPO deserves a closer look.

#1 Fridges to TVs: LGs market leadership in numbers

LG Electronics maintains a strong foothold in Indias appliance and consumer electronics market, with leading positions in refrigerators, washing machines, and televisions.

It has among the widest range of products (excluding mobile phones) in both the business-to consumer and business-to-business segments. It also offers installation, repair, and maintenance services that ensure customer stickiness.

In refrigerators, LG holds a steady 29-30% market share, while in washing machines, it remains the undisputed leader with an over 33% share, driven by its premium front-load and inverter models.

In panel televisions, the company accounts for nearly 27-28% of the market, particularly in OLED and large-screen formats where competition is relatively limited. Even in the crowded air-conditioner segment, LG retains roughly 18%.

However, the company has been losing market share over the past three years owing to intense competition. Most notably, its share in air conditioners dropped from 19.8% in 2023 to 17% in 2025.

LG operates in a fast-evolving, price-sensitive market and faces challenges from Indian, Chinese, and other global players such as Samsung, Whirlpool and Voltas. A continued loss of market share or aggressive competitor pricing could weigh on its business.

However, The company saw early signs of a rebound in the first half of 2025. Energy-efficient, innovation-led product launches, particularly in inverter models and premium categories, helped LG regain ground.

#2 The power of a global brand

Backed by its South Korean parent, LG Electronics India benefits from the strength of its globally recognised brand. This brand equity, built over decades, enhances consumer trust and affords the company premium positioning in Indias competitive consumer electronics market. It also provides strategic advantages through global sourcing and operational support. LG India procures key raw materials and components for its high-end product lines from the parent, ensuring consistency in quality and manufacturing standards.

India remains an important growth market for the LG Group, contributing close to 4% of LG Electronics Inc.s global revenue.

#3 The innovation edge

Innovation has long been a cornerstone of LG Electronics competitive advantage. The companys ability to translate technology into meaningful consumer experiences constitutes a moat that few rivals have managed to breach.

In India, nearly three decades of operations have given LG a deep understanding of local needs, from energy-efficient appliances suited for power fluctuations to AI-enabled washing machines designed for Indian fabrics. This localisation of global technology, guided by consumer insights, has helped the company maintain relevance across market cycles.

Meanwhile, partnerships with global technology leaders such as Qualcomm and Google have allowed LG to stay at the forefront of smart devices. Its focus on sustainability, through energy-saving appliances, recyclable materials, and eco-friendly packaging, also appeals to the growing number of environmentally conscious consumers.

At the group level, LG Electronics Korea continues to back innovation with scale. In 2024, the company invested a record 4.76 trillion won (about $3.3 billion) in research and development, an 11.2% increase over the previous year. R&D spending accounted for 5.4% of total revenue, underscoring the brands long-term commitment to technology-led growth.

The company also has 30 global research centres around the world, including in Sunnyvale, California, Chicago and Tokyo. These laboratories monitor the alterations in technology and develop high-tech products using advanced research and development.

The company has also opened multiple business innovation centers in India (it launched a fifth in Kolkata in 2024) to showcase emerging technologies, collaborate with partners, and cocreate local solutions.

#4 Operational efficiency drives superior returns

Between FY23 and FY25, LG Electronics recorded consistent growth in both revenue and profitability on the back of steady expansion in sales across its product segments.

Revenue from operations increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9%, from 19,868 crore in FY23 to 24,367 crore in FY25, while net profit clocked a 27.5% CAGR, suggesting improving operational efficiency and cost control.

On the margin front, LG stands out for its efficiency. The companys operating margins strengthened from 9.5% in FY23 to 12.8% in FY25, resulting in a three-year average of 10.9%. Net profit margin also improved from 6.7% to 8.9%, averaging 7.6% over the period.

Return ratios further underscore this strength. Over FY23-FY25, LG Electronics India reported an average return on capital employed (ROCE) of around 41% and an average return on net worth (RONW) of nearly 36%, both comfortably above industry averages.

That said, input cost volatility remains a key variable. Raw material and traded goods account for about 65-70% of operating income, with 20-25% of inputs imported.

Prices of key commodities such as aluminium, copper, plastic and steel have remained volatile over the past few years. While LG India partially hedges its forex exposure, operating margins remain susceptible to fluctuations in raw material prices and exchange rates.

Sustaining such high return ratios will depend on LGs ability to balance cost pressures with product premiumisation and maintain pricing discipline in a competitive market.

#5 Capturing tomorrows market today

Indias consumer electronics industry is entering a new growth phase, owing to structural tailwinds that go beyond short-term consumption cycles. According to Redseer, the sector is projected to grow at a 10% CAGR, to 7.22 trillion by 2029 on the back of rising disposable incomes, urban lifestyle upgrades, and a shift toward premium, feature-rich products and energy-efficient appliances.

This shift is already evident in the market. A growing number of consumers are moving away from mass-market products toward premium, technology-led ones. This, along with government initiatives such as production linked incentive schemes and the Make in India campaign are accelerating local manufacturing, and giving integrated players such as LG a competitive edge.

Premium products are also gaining traction in consumer durables. Between 2019 and 2024, discretionary spending grew at a 7-8% CAGR, alongside rising average selling prices and volumes, reflecting a clear preference for aspirational products. With incomes and urban aspirations rising, the adoption of connected, AI-enabled appliances is set to grow further.

To tap this evolving demand, LG India is rolling out a range of AI-enabled products that are already popular in developed markets. It is also upgrading more than 200 existing offerings, incorporating consumer feedback and emerging lifestyle trends to stay ahead in a fast-changing market.

With major facilities in Noida and Pune together contributing over 85% of sales, and a 5,000-crore unit planned in Andhra Pradesh, the companys Make in India push goes beyond mere compliance.

Caution: valuations leave little room for error

LG Electronics Indias shares currently trade at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 51.2, slightly below the industry average of 57. The slight discount likely reflects recent market-share moderation, particularly in air conditioners, and a subdued performance in the June 2025 quarter, when revenue, operating profit, and net profit declined 2%, 25%, and 24% year-on-year, respectively, owing to a muted summer.

Even so, the stocks valuation remains rich by industry standards, suggesting that much of the companys strength has been priced in already. Its ability to sustain such a high valuation will depend on how quickly growth and margin momentum recover in the coming quarters.

Should you subscribe?

The LG Electronics IPO represents an opportunity to gain exposure to a highly efficient, innovation-driven, and well-managed company with a proven track record of innovation, operational efficiency, and capital discipline, operating in a fast-growing sector.

However, investors should note that the broader market remains volatile and the environment uncertain, with global headwinds and domestic earnings pressures making equities precarious. Investors should weigh the potential risks carefully before participating in the IPO.

Ayesha Shetty is a research analyst registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. She is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) and is working toward the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Disclosure: The author does not hold shares in any of the companies discussed. The views expressed are for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a financial professional before making investment decisions.
At the Jhaveri Contemporary, Mumbai, two artists, separated from one another by age and geography, enter into a dialogue with one another in the exhibition, Woven Nights. Tapestries by Mumbai-based Monika Correa, and one of Indias leading fibre artists, share space with prints, drawings and photogravures by Seher Shah, who lives and works out of Barcelona. When viewed together, it feels as if the two bodies of works are whispering to one another, united by a language of lyrical minimalism. Gradations of monochrome, and a play of light and shadow, is visible across the works on display. A sense of meditative calm permeates the show, reflecting the slow, process-driven and labour-intensive practices that the two artists follow, with some of the works taking years to be produced.

The recent tapestries by Correa, such as Confused and Four Quarters in unbleached and dyed cotton, are a result of experimentation. Dismantling parts of the loom, she liberates her threads and works in extra weft to introduce subtle movement and enhance the texture of her elegant works. Tight and loosened, Correa maximizes the woven tradition and wrests it from convention," states the gallery note. A trained microbiologist, who turned to weaving in the 1960s, Correa imbues her tapestries with a kinetic quality", as art historian Jyotindra Jain once described it in an essay.

Shah also adds a sense of movement to her etchings and photogravures with variations in line, depth and mark-makingshe plays with presence and absence through use of materials like graphite, ink, charcoal, dust and iron. Like Correas rethinking of the loom, Shah has repurposed the printing press as a site of discovery rather than a producer of multiples," writes Saira Ansari, an independent writer and researcher, in an essay accompanying the exhibition. One of the highlights of the shows is The Dacca Gauzes, a set of 12 photogravures and three letterpress prints, which respond to Agha Shahid Alis poem of the same name. Both the artist and the poet respond to the loss of Bengals ethereal muslin due to violence and occupationthemes that continue to be relevant even in contemporary times. The former delves into memories of her maternal family, which lived across cities such as Chittagong, Chennai and Kochiincidentally each of them situated by the water.
The Odisha government reportedly imposed a temporary suspension of internet and social media services in parts of Cuttack city on Sunday following reports of tension and violent incidents between two groups.

In an official notification issued by the Home Department, Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu said that the decision was taken to prevent the spread of false, provocative, and inflammatory messages on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Snapchat, which could disturb public peace and order, Odisha TV reported.

Cuttack internet suspension timing Odisha TV cited the order as stating that the restrictions will remain in effect from 7 pm on October 5 to 7 pm on October 6, under the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency/Public Safety) Rules, 2017.

What will be affected? The temporary internet shutdown applies to all mobile and broadband data services across the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) area, Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) area, and the 42 Mauza region.

The directive came after the Cuttack District Administration, in its letter to the government, raised concerns over the misuse of the internet for spreading communal messages amid heightened tension in the city.

The government said it aims to restore peace and ensure law and order.

Cuttack clash Cuttack city remained tense on Sunday, a day after violence broke out between two groups during Durga Puja idol immersion. In the wake of the incident, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called a 12-hour bandh in the city on October 6.

Clashes broke out between 1.30 am and 2 am on Saturday near Haathi Pokhari in Daraghabazar area when an immersion procession was heading towards Debigara on the banks of the Kathajodi river, police told news agency PTI.

Officials said the violence erupted after some locals objected to high-decibel music being played during the procession.

The arguments soon escalated into a confrontation when a mob started pelting stones and glass bottles from rooftops on the processions, injuring several revellers, including Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo.

To tackle the situation, police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.

A number of vehicles and roadside stalls were damaged during the clash.

Immersion activities were halted for nearly three hours as members of Puja committees staged a protest demanding immediate arrest of those involved in the attack.

The process resumed under heavy security and all remaining idols were immersed by 9.30 am on Sunday.

According to police, six persons have been arrested so far, and efforts are underway to identify others involved using CCTV footage, drone visuals, and eyewitness accounts.

The VHP alleged administrative failure and demanded the immediate transfer of the DCP and the district collector for their "inability to maintain law and order."

The organisation has called a dawn-to-dusk bandh in protest on Monday.

"The authorities failed to ensure peaceful immersion despite repeated requests," a VHP spokesperson said.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) blamed "anti-social elements" for attempting to disrupt communal harmony, while Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured strict action against those responsible and directed officials to provide free medical care to the injured.

Additional police forces have been deployed across sensitive areas in Cuttack, with prohibitory orders imposed to prevent further escalation.

Senior police officers are monitoring the situation closely.
In the wake of heavy rains and landslides in the district, which claimed 14 lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the situation in Darjeeling and the surrounding areas is being closely monitored. He also asserted that his government is committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected.

Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon, PM Modi said on X.

The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides. We are committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected, he added.

More NDRF troops on standby: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed grief over the loss of lives in Darjeeling and said teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed, with more troops on standby if needed.

Shah said he also spoke to Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and took stock of the situation there.

Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in Darjeeling due to heavy rains. My thoughts are with the people who lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured, Shah said in a post on X.

The home minister said teams of the NDRF have reached the spot and more teams are on standby to join them as and when needed.

The BJP karyakartas (workers) are also providing necessary assistance to the people in need, he added.

Darjeeling rains At least 14 people died and several others went missing as incessant heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the Darjeeling hills in the northern part of West Bengal on Saturday, sweeping away homes, damaging roads and cutting off several remote hamlets, officials said.

According to reports compiled by the NDRF and the district administration, fatalities were reported from several locations - Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagarakata and Mirik Lake area.

Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Richard Lepcha told PTI that rescue and relief operations were underway with the help of police, local administration and disaster response teams.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced compensation for the victims without specifying the amount and said she would visit north Bengal on October 6 to assess the situation in the region, where a large number of tourists have also been affected.

Also Read | Views of heritage architecture all tangled up in Darjeeling

At least 40 people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, Nagarakata, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses.
Amid the ongoing festive season, the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has asked airlines to increase flight deployment to curb the surge in ticket prices, it said in an announcement on Sunday. The DGCA, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), has to keep a watch on airfares and take appropriate measures in case of a surge in prices.

"The DGCA proactively took up the issue/matter with airlines and asked them to augment flight capacities for the festive season by deploying additional flights to meet high demand," the announcement read.

The festive season in India starts from Dussehra and continues until Chhath. It sees a significant surge in passenger movement and ticket prices, particularly in North India.

Air travel also becomes the preferred choice of travel for many, as other modes are often crowded during this period. This year, ticket prices are expected to be further impacted by a rise in Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices.

In the past four months, the prices of fuel have increased by around 12,000 per kiloliter. A discount of 1,300 was provided last month, but the overall trend shows steady increases of 100 to 1,000 at a time. ATF accounts for over 50% of an airlines operational costs, having a direct impact on ticket prices.

Airlines to operate additional flights during festive season In the announcement on Sunday, the DGCA stated that airlines will add additional flights to cater to the demand.

IndiGo will deploy around 730 additional flights across 42 sectors.

Air India and Air India Express will add around 486 flights across 20 sectors.

SpiceJet will operate 546 additional flights across 38 sectors.

"The DGCA will maintain rigorous oversight of airline fares and flight capacities to protect passengers interests during the festive season," the regulator said.

Pilots' body asks DGCA to check all Boeing 787s On Sunday, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) also urged the DGCA to thoroughly check and investigate the electrical system of all Boeing 787 aircraft in the country. This comes a day after a Boeing 787 plane operated by Air India from Amritsar to Birmingham saw the deployment of emergency turbine power when it was about to land in the UK city. The airline said that the crew of the flight said the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed unexpectedly during the final approach, but the aircraft landed safely.

In the Air India aircraft incident, the Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) picked up a fault of the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), which may have caused the auto deployment of RAT, FIP President G S Randhawa said in the letter to DGCA.

"The (Birmingham flight) incident occurred when the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically at 500 ft on approach into Birmingham... the Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) has picked up a fault of the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU) which may have caused the auto deployment of RAT," the pilots' body, which claims to represent over 5000 cockpit crew members, said in the letter.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms accompanied by rainfall in Delhi from Sunday, continuing through October 7. A yellow alert has been issued for Monday, although no severe weather warnings are in place. Temperatures are expected to remain moderate, ranging between 24C and 32C during this period. The warning comes as southwest monsoon conditions remain active in north Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, which saw extremely heavy rainfall  over 210 mm  on Friday and Saturday. More rainfall is expected over the next two to three days in several districts.

This week, Bihars heaviest rainfall was recorded in Siwan, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Bhojpur, and Rohtas, mainly in the states north and northwest regions. According to the IMD, October is generally not considered a wet month for Bihar.

Himachal Pradesh, where the southwest monsoon had withdrawn by the end of September, is set for a fresh wet spell starting today. Shimla meteorological station issued an orange alert on Saturday for October 6, warning of hail, heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 4050 kmph at isolated places in six districts: Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, and Lahaul and Spiti.

A yellow alert was issued for October 5 in all 12 districts for heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 3040 kmph.

A yellow alert has also been issued for October 7 for Una, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, and Lahaul and Spiti districts.

Light to moderate rain with occasional heavy spells is expected across most parts of the state on October 68.

How is Cyclone Shakti affecting Maharashtra? The IMD has issued an alert for Maharashtra as Cyclone Shakti develops in the Arabian Sea, bringing the possibility of heavy rain, gusty winds, and rough seas in coastal and interior districts. Authorities have activated disaster management systems and prepared evacuation measures. The warning covers Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.

A well-marked low-pressure area is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal until Monday morning. The IMD has issued a red warning for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar. One or two areas in these districts may see extremely heavy rainfall until Sunday, continuing in Alipurduar until Monday morning. Light to moderate rain is likely at most other places in these districts.

Chennai rains The IMD has issued a weather alert for several districts in Tamil Nadu due to a cyclonic circulation expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall. Districts under warning include Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Kallakurichi, Salem, and Tiruvannamalai.
Chinese retail giant Miniso aims to become a leading player in the designer toy market, as it broadens its digital presence by tailoring e-commerce initiatives to platform-specific consumer behaviours while simultaneously reinforcing its core strength in the offline shopping experience.

Miniso was experimenting with product customisation to better align with the unique attributes of various e-commerce platforms in China, capital market director Christina Zhu Mengyun said during a recent interview at the company's headquarters in Guangzhou, the capital of China's eastern Guangdong province.

"For instance, on Douyin, where video content is highly effective, we might launch extra-large plush toys. These items have a higher unit price and are visually striking, making them particularly suitable for video-based marketing," she said.

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.

Founded in 2013 as a variety store offering affordable accessories and make-up products, Miniso shifted its mission last year to "become the world's leading IP operation platform", focusing on intellectual property-based toys and goods. Last year, its products featuring Chiikawa - a series of anime animal characters - became hugely popular.

Outside Miniso's headquarters in Guangzhou. Photo: Coco Feng alt=Outside Miniso's headquarters in Guangzhou. Photo: Coco Feng>

In response to its growing focus on toys, Miniso launched the Top Toy brand in 2020, specialising in toy products, including Lego-like building blocks. The company planned to spin off and list the brand on Hong Kong's bourse, according to a September filing. Miniso is currently traded on both the Hong Kong and New York stock exchanges.

With an online presence on major shopping platforms such as Alibaba Group Holding's Tmall, Amazon.com and TikTok, e-commerce has become increasingly vital for Miniso. Online sales accounted for more than 6 per cent of the company's revenue in the first half of the year, up from 5.2 per cent a year earlier.

Despite its push into e-commerce, Miniso's foundation remained firmly anchored in bricks-and-mortar stores, said public relations director Chen Chang. He highlighted the unique experiences offered by pop-up stores, such as those decorated as the magical school of Hogwarts for the Harry Potter collections, which cannot be replicated online.
The Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the closure of schools across the Jammu division following a forecast of intense rainfall issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to a circular released by the J&K government, all government and private schools in Jammu will be shut on October 6th and 7th.

The pre-emptive closures come in the wake of significant damage caused by earlier intense downpours in the region. Residents of Rajouri faced considerable upheaval, with reports of damaged homes, sunken roads, and destroyed crops. Furthermore, multiple landslides, triggered by the rain, have blocked several vital routes across the district.

The community of Bant village in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, also faced major difficulties after a crucial bridge was completely washed away by the heavy rain.

Tourism Hit by Calamity Meanwhile, the Bhaderwah region has experienced a marked downturn, with popular tourist destinations remaining deserted.

This decline is attributed to a combination of natural calamities, such as cloudbursts and flash floods, and recent militant attacks.

Local residents, whose livelihoods heavily depend on the tourism sector, are urgently appealing to the government for intervention to help revive the industry.

One resident has appealed to their local MLA to raise the issue of Bhaderwah's struggling tourism in the Assembly and organise festivals to attract visitors and boost the sector.

West Bengal: Landslides in Darjeeling and Mirik Hills Kill 18 At least 18 people, including several children, have died, and numerous others were injured after relentless heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the Mirik and Darjeeling hills in the northern part of West Bengal on Sunday.

The calamities swept away homes, damaged roads, and cut off several remote hamlets, officials have confirmed.

According to reports compiled by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the district administration, fatalities have been confirmed from several locations, including Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagrakata, and the Mirik Lake area.

The NDRF stated that at least 11 people have died in Mirik, which is the worst-affected area, and seven injured individuals were rescued from there.

In Darjeeling, seven people lost their lives. Rescue operations are ongoing with the assistance of the police, local administration, and disaster response teams.

Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Richard Lepcha told PTI, "Seven deaths have been reported due to a major landslide in Darjeeling subdivision triggered by heavy rainfall since last night. The rescue and relief work is on."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced compensation for the victims, though she did not specify the amount or the precise number of deaths.
A paediatrician in Madhya Pradeshs Chhindwara district has been arrested following the deaths of 11 children allegedly linked to contaminated Coldrif cough syrup, officials confirmed early Sunday. The tragedy has prompted precautionary bans in multiple states, including Kerala, as authorities investigate the highly toxic contamination.

Further, an SIT has been set up to probe the Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceutical company.

Cough Syrup Deaths: What happened in Chhindwara? Most of the affected children had been treated at the private clinic of Dr Praveen Soni, a government-appointed doctor practising in Parasia, according to media reports.

Soni is accused of prescribing Coldrif syrup to children who presented with routine cold and fever symptoms in early September.

Following initial recovery, the childrens conditions worsened, with reduced urine output and kidney infections, ultimately leading to fatalities. Kidney biopsies later revealed diethylene glycol contamination in the syrups.

The fatalities included 11 children from Parasia, two from Chhindwara city, and one from Chaurai.

Cough Syrup Deaths: Who manufactured the syrup? The Madhya Pradesh government filed a case against Sresan Pharmaceuticals, based in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, which produced Coldrif.

Government testing indicated the syrup contained 48.6% diethylene glycol, a highly toxic substance. The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control declared the sample Not of Standard Quality, according to official reports.

As a precaution, authorities have also banned another cough syrup, Nextro-DS, while laboratory results for this product are pending.

Cough Syrup Deaths: What are the official responses? Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav described the deaths as: extremely tragic

He assured strict action against those responsible, writing on X:

The deaths of children in Chhindwara due to Coldrif syrup are extremely tragic. The sale of this syrup has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. A ban is also being imposed on the sale of other products from the company that manufactures the syrup.

Yadav added that the Tamil Nadu government had been asked to test Coldrif due to its Kanchipuram manufacturing location:

The investigation report was received this morning. Strict action has been taken based on the report. Following the tragic deaths of the children, action was underway at the local level. A team has also been formed at the state level to investigate this matter. The guilty will not be spared at any cost.

Also Read | Health ministry probe finds no contamination in MP cough syrups, advisory issued

Cough Syrup deaths: How is Kerala responding? Kerala has become the latest state to suspend the sale and distribution of Coldrif, despite authorities confirming that the contaminated batch had not reached the state.

Health Minister Veena George stated:

The Drugs Controller has instructed inspectors to completely stop the distribution and sale of Coldrif syrup in the state.

She added that all eight distributors currently selling the product in Kerala were ordered to halt operations immediately, while medical stores were directed to remove existing stocks.

Samples of Coldrif and other cough syrups have been collected for laboratory testing, and intensive inspections are ongoing to track any shipments that may have entered the market through private channels.

Though the flagged batch was not found to have been distributed in Kerala, the government decided to act out of an abundance of caution, Minister George said.
, currently under the President's rule, is witnessing a significant political development over speculation about the formation of a government in the strife-torn state.

According to reports, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and National People's Party (NPP) MLAs headed to Delhi and expressed optimism about the early formation of a new government in the state.

Earlier, at least nine Manipur MLAs, including Assembly Speaker Th Satyabrata, and legislators K Joykishan, Th Basanta Kumar, Karam Shyam, Yumnam Khemchand, Usham Deben, Kh Ibomcha and Noorul Hassan had left for Delhi on Sunday by different flights, news agency PTI reported.

NPP MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan hinted at a new government formation, saying, Peace is restored [in Manipur] and the aspiration of the people is for the formation of government. We are hopeful that in a short period, a new government under a new leader will be formed.

Also Read | Assam Rifles jawans killed, 3 injured in armed attack on vehicle in Manipur

BJP delegation camping in Delhi. But why? A delegation of BJP legislators, led by Manipur's former chief minister N Biren Singh, is already camping in the national capital.

The team included H Dingo, T. Robindro, S.Ranjan, Govindas Konthoujam, and Hill Areas Committee chairman Dinganglung Gangmei.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi in Manipur today, first visit since 2023 ethnic violence

They were likely to meet central leaders and press for the formation of a popular government in the state.

Biren Singh had told reporters on Saturday that he would press the central leaders on the formation of a popular government in the state as well as highlight issues related to internally displaced people (IDPs) and the national highway.

"We are going to apprise central leaders about the prevailing law and order situation in the state. We also want to inform them about the formation of a popular government, issues related to internally displaced persons (IDPs), and highway-related matters," he had said.

Party sources had told PTI on Saturday that the leaders are scheduled to meet BJP Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra and will seek an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Manipur under President's rule Manipur has been under the Presidents Rule since February, after the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, largely due to mounting political pressure from fellow BJP MLAs belonging to the Meitei community who opposed his leadership.

The Presidents Rule was extended by six months in August 2025.

The ethnic conflict that broke out in Manipur on 3 May 2023  between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities  led to over 250 deaths and forced more than 60,000 people to flee their homes, PTI reported.

What happened in 2022 Manipur election The last election to the 60-member Manipur assembly was held in 2022 and has a tenure till 2027. A party needs 36 seats to form a government in the state.

In 2022, the BJP and the NPP formed a coalition to govern the state. Who won how many seats?

BJP: 32

Independent: 3

Congress: 5

Janata Dal (United): 6

Kuki Peoples Alliance: 2

Naga Peoples Front: 5

National People's Party (NPP): 7

In January 2025, the JD(U) withdrew support from the Biren Singh-led Manipur government.

In 2024, the NPP withdrew support from BJP-led Manipur government due to failure in resolving crisis.

In May 2023, as many as 10 legislators from Manipur, which included those from the BJP, had demanded a separate administration, the Hindu reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport on October 8, a senior Maharashtra government official said on Saturday.

The official also said the commercial flight operations from the greenfield facility will commence in December.

Here's all you need to know:

Cost of building, ownership The airport has been built at a cost of 19,647 crores. The airport, the second in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region after the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, secured its aerodrome licence from the aviation safety regulator DGCA on September 30.

Also Read | SC slams Air India crash report as irresponsible; seeks response of Centre

"Almost 19,647 crore have been spent on phase one, and once all the four terminals are completed, we would have an approximate expenditure of 1-lakh crore," Singhal said.

The project is being developed in multiple phases by Navi Mumbai International Airport, in which Adani Group has a 74 per cent stake, and the remaining 26 per cent with the Maharashtra government's land development authority CIDCO.

PM visit plans "Second airport of Maha Mumbai -- Navi Mumbai International Airport -- is going to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8," CIDCO Vice Chairman and Managing Director Vijay Singhal told PTI after a media briefing.

Also Read | AI Express to begin operation from Navi Mumbai airport: Daily routes and flights

Singhal said the Prime Minister will land at the Navi Mumbai International Airport at around 2.40 pm and will remain at the facility for almost two hours.

"The Prime Minister will first visit the terminal building, and then take a round of the terminal building, and then he will be addressing the audience," Singhal added.

Capacity Spread across an area of 1,160 hectares, Navi Mumbai International Airport, upon completion of all phases, will have four terminals with a capacity of 90 million passengers per annum and a cargo capacity of 3.25 million metric tonne, making it one of the largest aviation hubs in Asia.

"To begin with, we have completed terminal one, having a capacity of 20 million passengers per annum, 0.8 million metric tonne of cargo capacity and one runway," Singhal stated.

Also Read | Navi Mumbai airport may reach full capacity in first year of operations itself

The existing Mumbai International Airport has a capacity of around 55 million passengers per annum, and the new facility will handle 90 million passengers per annum, he added.

"So, once this airport is fully completed, then these two airports together will cater to the almost 150 million passengers per annum, making the two airports a big aviation hub globally," Singhal said.

Notable features Navi Mumbai International Airport will be the first aerodrome in the country to be connected by expressways, highways, metros, suburban rails, and even water taxi, he pointed out.

This is also a green airport as it has the storage facility for sustainable aviation fuel, the official said.

Besides being one of the most efficient airports, it would also have an Automated Passenger People's Mover facility, which will internally connect all four terminals, he said.
Severe rainfall has wreaked havoc across North Bengal and Sikkim, causing at least fourteen confirmed deaths and significant disruption to transportation and infrastructure. The Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Sikkim districts are bearing the brunt of the torrential downpours, with authorities warning that the toll could rise further.

According to PTI, at least 14 people have been killed in landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in eastern Nepals Koshi province since Saturday night.

Where have the fatalities occurred? At least six people have died in Darjeeling district, following a landslide in Mirik. The Dudia Iron Bridge, a critical connection between Mirik and Kurseong, has collapsed, cutting off traffic and isolating local communities.

Additional landslides have been reported at Hussain Khola, along National Highway 110 near Kurseong, further aggravating the situation.

What is the current situation in Kalimpong? Kalimpong district remains in a critical state, with continuous rainfall causing widespread damage and increasing the risk of further landslides. Several roads are completely blocked, while communication lines remain disrupted.

A landslide on National Highway 717E, the alternative route connecting Siliguri and Sikkim, occurred between Pedong and Rishikhola, bringing all traffic along this vital corridor to a standstill. Authorities have described road clearance operations as extremely challenging due to the relentless rainfall.

Also Read | Kolkata rain alert: Bay of Bengal low pressure likely to bring heavy rainfall

How has the bridge collapse affected North Bengal? Heavy overnight rain led to the collapse of the iron bridge over the Balason River at Dudhia, which connected Siliguri and Mirik. Vehicular movement along the route has been completely suspended.

Residents near the river remain on high alert as water levels rise, while police from the Garidhura outpost are actively monitoring the situation.

Movement of vehicles has been restricted on the Siliguri-Darjeeling SH-12 road after a portion of Dudhia iron bridge collapsed due to heavy rain in North Bengal.

What are officials saying about the North Bengal disaster? BJP MP Raju Bista shared updates on X (formerly Twitter), expressing anguish over the scale of destruction:

"I am extremely anguished to learn about the massive damages caused due to extremely heavy rainfall in many parts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. There have been deaths, and loss of properties, and damages to the infrastructure.

I am taking stock of the situation, and in touch with the relevant authorities.

We have already instructed our BJP karyakartas to mobilize in helping and assisting people. We will do everything in our power to help and assist our people."

The Darjeeling District Police are leading ongoing rescue and relief operations, battling both poor weather and difficult terrain to reach affected areas.

What is the weather forecast in North Bengal? The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, and Coochbehar for October 5, with heavy rain expected to continue. A red alert has been issued for Alipurduar, while yellow warnings apply to North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda.
A political firestorm has been ignited after a pregnant woman in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh was purportedly refused medical treatment by a female doctor allegedly over on her religion.

The controversy was amplified on Sunday when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP, Sanjay Singh, shared a video of the woman, identified as Shama Parveen, speaking to a television news channel.

Sanjay Singh seized the opportunity to take a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

A doctor, considered a form of God, refused to provide treatment after asking about religion. The incident is from Jaunpur in UP. This is the New India of Modi and Yogi's dreams, the AAP MP wrote in a social media post on X, in Hindi.

The alleged incident took place on the night of September 30 when Parveen was taken to the district women's hospital to give birth. Her husband, Mohammed Nawaz, reportedly stated that he requested the doctor on duty to examine his wife, but the medical practitioner allegedly refused.

A video, which appears to have been filmed inside the hospital, shows Shama Parveen stating that the doctor would not treat her; this footage has since gone viral across various social media platforms.

Don't bring her to the OT [operation theatre]. she is Muslim. I won't treat her. Take her elsewhere, the family claimed the doctor said.

Following the widespread circulation of the video, senior health officials in the Jaunpur district have reportedly requested an explanation from the doctor.

Such a behaviour cant be tolerated..a doctor cant refuse to treat a patient irrespective of his or her religion," an unnamed senior official was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald.
A US national and two other people were arrested in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly running an illegal religious conversion bid in Bhiwandi.

According to Bhiwandi police, the trio were attempting to convert villagers of the Chimbipada area into Christianity, and had claimed that the conversion would cure them of their ailments.

They were arrested based on a complaint lodged by a villager who claimed that the trio had held a gathering outside one of the accused's house on Friday afternoon, an official said.

Here's what happened: According to the first information report (FIR), books on Christianity were allegedly distributed to men, women, and children gathered at the spot and prayers were recited.

The accused also allegedly told villagers that conversion would cure them of their ailments, the official said.

Who are the three people arrested for a religious conversion bid? Bhiwandi police officer said that the three accused have been identified as:

James Watson (58), a US national

Sainath Ganpati Sarpe (42), a resident of Vasai

Manoj Kolha (35), outside whose house the meeting was held.

Also Read | Small-town cinemas hold off on conversion offers even as business declines

Trio booked under several sections of BNS: The trio have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections 299 (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India), 302 (uttering words etc, with a deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person), and more.

The Foreigners Act and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, were also imposed on the three accused.

The local police are investigating the incident further, the official said.

Earlier in July, Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin was remanded to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Lucknow.

He was arrested in a case related to a money laundering investigation against Chhangur and his associates, linked to an alleged illegal conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week and shared an awkward greeting with Italian fashion designer Pierpaolo Piccioli. The Duchess, 44, narrowly missed a proper kiss-on-the-cheek with the newly appointed Creative Director of Balenciaga, instead appearing to butt heads with him as they leant in for an embrace at last night's event.

Meghan Markle had moved in for a standard social kiss to congratulate Piccioli on his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear collection, but instead seemed to hit her nose on his sunglasses.

Aware of the surrounding cameras, Piccioli smoothly laughed off the moment and took the Duchess's hand before pulling her in for a photograph. Meghan then thanked the designer, concluding the encounter with a brief hug.

A spokesman for the Duchess stated that she has 'long admired' Piccioli's 'craftsmanship and modern elegance'.

Meghan Markles Look and Social Media Activity The mother-of-two attended the show wearing an oversized white cape and a white button-down shirt paired with matching trousers. She complemented the look with black pointed-toe heels and minimal accessories, exuding effortless elegance, which was completed by a sleek, slicked-back bun.

A video clip showing the awkward greeting between Meghan Markle and Pierpaolo Piccioli is currently circulating on social media.

Meghan shared a video on Instagram of her walking to the show in her stylish white outfit. Afterwards, she posted a second video, capturing the streets of Paris at night from her car window. The Duchess then made a point of resting her feet upon the vehicle's leather interiors.

Piccioli unveils debut collection at Balenciaga Pierpaolo Piccioli made his much-anticipated debut at Balenciaga on Saturday, presenting a summer collection that featured brightly coloured gowns and streamlined, minimalist leather jackets. The line-up has been dubbed "The Heartbeat" collection.

"I don't want to deny what has been here before me," the Italian designer told a crowd of journalists and well-wishers following the show. He explained that his aim is to inject high couture elements into everyday garments like chinos and T-shirts.

Piccioli, who previously spent 25 years working at Valentino, took the reins of the Kering-owned fashion house back in July. He succeeded Demna, who moved to Gucci, as part of a wider management and design reshuffle intended to reverse a recent dip in group sales.

The presentation opened with a sack dressa long, waist-less garment first introduced by the houses founder, Cristobal Balenciaga, in the late 1950s.
Thadingyut, also known as the festival of lights, is one of Myanmar's most significant religious festivals. Celebrated during the full moon of the Burmese lunar month of Thadingyut, it marks the end of the Buddhist Lent and commemorates the Buddha's descent from heaven after preaching the Abhidhamma to his mother, Maya.

Why do we celebrate Thadingyut? The festival symbolises the Buddha's return to earth, bringing light and wisdom. To honor this event, people illuminate their homes, streets, and pagodas with candles and lanterns. This tradition, dating back to the Bagan era, signifies the dispelling of darkness and the welcoming of enlightenment.

What do children do during Thadingyut? Children actively participate in the festival by lighting candles and lanterns at home and on the streets. A cherished custom is "gadaw," where young individuals pay respect to their eldersparents, teachers, and relativesby offering gifts and seeking blessings. In return, elders often give pocket money as a token of goodwill. This practice fosters intergenerational bonds and instills values of respect and gratitude.

Also Read | Centre releases 1.01 trillion as tax devolution to states ahead of Diwali

What do people eat during Thadingyut? The festival is also a time to indulge in traditional Burmese delicacies. Common dishes include:

Mohinga: A fish-based soup with rice noodles, often considered Myanmar's national dish.

Ohn No Khao Swe: Wheat noodles in a curried chicken and coconut milk broth.

Laphet Thoke: A pickled tea leaf salad, typically served with rice.

Shwe Kyi: A sweet semolina cake with coconut.

Read | US independent director Jim Jarmusch triumphs at Venice Festival

Street vendors and family gatherings offer a variety of these foods, making the culinary experience an integral part of the celebrations.
US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism on Sunday (October 5) about Hamass commitment to lasting peace and warned the Palestinian militant group that they would face complete obliteration if they refused to relinquish control of Gaza.

The warning comes as Israeli and Hamas negotiators prepare to discuss a 20-point cease-fire plan proposed by Trump, which outlines disarmament, a staged Israeli withdrawal, and the establishment of a transitional governance structure in Gaza.

Complete obliteration if Hamas refuses to comply

When asked by CNN what would happen if Hamas remained in power, Trump replied via text message, Complete Obliteration!

Pressed further on whether Hamas was sincere in its commitment to the cease-fire, the President responded, We will find out. Only time will tell!

Trump also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fully supported the plan, allegedly agreeing to halt Israels bombing campaign in Gaza to facilitate the peace initiative.

Key points of Trumps Gaza peace plan Trumps proposal calls for:

-An immediate cease-fire

-Exchange of all 48 hostages

-A staged withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza

-Disarmament of Hamas

-Formation of a transitional government overseen by an international body

Trump outlined the progress on his plan in a Truth Social post: After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.

Hamas commits to hostage release On October 3, Hamas agreed to release all Israeli hostagesboth alive and deceasedunder the framework of Trumps 20-point plan. However, the group has not yet committed to disarmament or relinquishing governance of Gaza to an international authority.

The proposal includes redevelopment of Gaza and amnesty for Hamas fighters, with temporary governance by a new Palestinian committee chaired by a Board of Peace, which Trump would personally oversee alongside foreign leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Upcoming indirect negotiations Israeli negotiators are set to engage in indirect talks with Hamas in Egypt on Monday. Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to attend the discussions.

Trump remains cautiously optimistic but wary of Hamass intentions: We will find out. Only time will tell!

Also Read | Top Hamas leader who survived Doha strike to join Gaza talks
Coinbase Global (COIN) has applied for a national trust bank license, joining the throng of other crypto firms seeking a credential that has some in the banking industry skittish.

The company is seeking this novel banking charter from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to grow its institutional custody business, according to Coinbase vice president and head of institutional product Greg Tusar.

"We're excited about getting a national trust charter for our custody business and think that down the road, it will open up a number of things for us," Tusar said in an interview.

Employees of Coinbase, the biggest US cryptocurrency exchange, watch as their listing is displayed on the Nasdaq MarketSite jumbotron at Times Square in New York on April 14, 2021. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)  REUTERS / Reuters

Unlike a full-service national bank charter, a national trust bank license doesn't allow a company to make loans or take in deposits, and customer accounts typically don't come with FDIC insurance. Instead, it allows a company to safeguard customer assets, act on their behalf in payments and other transactions, and settle some of those transactions.

Known as a special-purpose national bank charter, this kind of charter also enables firms to custody and manage stablecoin reserves.

Stablecoins are crypto assets pegged to the value of a dollar, another government currency, or gold. They maintain their price through backing with stored reserve assets, most often cash or US Treasurys. In July, President Trump signed the first official legislation establishing a federal framework for dollar-pegged payment stablecoins. The legislation made the OCC the primary federal regulator.

Read more: How stablecoins work

Only one crypto firm, Anchorage Digital, currently holds a national trust bank license, but already this year more than a dozen different businesses have applied for one, according to the OCC's website. The list includes a handful of other major crypto firms that are involved with stablecoins, including Circle (CRCL), Ripple (RIPL.PVT), Bitgo, and Paxos.

Banks and their lobbyists aren't happy about these applications. They have raised concerns regarding the applicants' motivations and business models, including whether some seeking the license could wield it as a backdoor for using stablecoins as a deposit-like banking service without full regulatory oversight.

"Granting deposit-like powers under a trust charter unfairly tilts the playing field and sidesteps Congress and the rulemaking process," Mickey Marshall, regulatory counsel for Independent Community Bankers of America, wrote in a related op-ed earlier this week.

Crypto or bust: President Trump signs the GENIUS Act, which codifies the use of stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar or US bonds. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)  BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images

Coinbase has no plans of becoming a full-service bank, according to Tusar. Instead, he described the trust bank application as a crucial credential for its custody business, the centerpiece of the prime brokerage division Coinbase is building.
The Trump administration has warned that mass layoffs of federal workers could be imminent if negotiations with congressional Democrats fail, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on Sunday.

Speaking to CNN, Hassett emphasized that layoffs would only occur if the president concludes that negotiations are absolutely going nowhere.

Despite the warning, Hassett expressed cautious optimism that a shutdown and mass federal layoffs could still be avoided. He suggested that Democrats might yield in negotiations, allowing Congress to reach a deal on funding measures.

The remarks come as the US edges closer to a potential long-term government shutdown, raising concerns about disruptions to federal services and pay for hundreds of thousands of federal employees.

"President Trump and Russ Vought are lining things up and getting ready to act if they have to, but hoping that they don't," he said.

"If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, then there will start to be layoffs. But I think that everybody is still hopeful that when we get a fresh start at the beginning of the week, that we can get the Democrats to see that it's just common sense to avoid layoffs like that."

No progress in shutdown talks as standoff continues Shutdown talks show no signs of progress since President Donald Trump met with top congressional leaders last week, leaving the government partially closed since October 1, the start of fiscal year 2026. The shutdown came after Senate Democrats rejected a short-term funding measure that would have kept federal agencies open through November 21.

Democrats are demanding a permanent extension of enhanced premium tax credits to help Americans purchase private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, along with written assurances that the White House will not unilaterally cancel agreed-upon spending.

Also Read | US Government Shutdown Day 4: Republicans concerned as Trump freezes funds
The US Treasury Department is reportedly exploring the minting of a $1 coin bearing President Donald Trumps likeness on both sides to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nations founding in 2026. The proposed coin designs are currently in draft form.

One side of the coin features Trumps profile, positioned above the inscriptions IN GOD WE TRUST and the dates 17762026. The reverse side depicts Trump raising a clenched fist, mirroring a widely circulated photo taken moments after he survived an assassination attempt during a 2024 presidential campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The words FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT, referencing Trumps rally chant after the attack, circle the edge of this side of the coin.

US Treasurer Brandon Beach confirmed the authenticity of the draft designs on X, writing: No fake news here. These first drafts honoring Americas 250th Birthday and @POTUS are real.

Beach added: Looking forward to sharing more soon, once the obstructionist shutdown of the United States government is over.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg claimed that she is being subjected to harsh treatment under Israeli custody after detention and removal from a flotilla vessel carrying aid to Gaza, reported the news portal The Guardian, citing a correspondence on Saturday, 4 October 2025.

An email sent by the Swedish Foreign Ministry to people close to Greta Thunberg mentioned that an official who visited the activist in prison stated that she claimed to be detained in a cell infested with bedbugs, with limited food and water.

The embassy has been able to meet with Greta, said the Swedish foreign ministry email. She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes, which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.

According to the news portal's report, the Israeli forces also allegedly forced them to hold flags, even though the identity of the flags remains unknown.

Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Greta Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed, said the ministry officials, cited in the news portal's report.

What do other activists say? Turkish activist ErsinCelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told the local news portals that the Israeli authorities allegedly dragged Greta Thunberg by her hair before their eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag.

They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others, ErsinCelik told local news portals.

Also Read | Israel Eases Gaza Strikes As Trump Hails Hamas Hostage Offer

According to the agency report, Lorenzo DAgostino, a journalist and another flotilla participant, claimed that Thunberg was wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy.

Greta Thunberg is among 437 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers who were part of the Global Sumud flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli forces intercepted all the boats and arrested every crew member onboard, according to the media reports.
A student from Hyderabad, Telangana, was reportedly shot dead in Dallas, United States. The victim has been identified as Pole Chandrashekhar, according to his family members, who confirmed the tragic incident.

They have appealed Central and state governments to facilitate the repatriation of his mortal remains to Hyderabad at the earliest.

Here's what we know about the case so far:

Victim a Dalit student from Telangana Chandrasekhar Pole was a Dalit student who had gone to the US for his postgraduate degree in Dental sciences. He is originally from Hyderabad's LB Nagar.

He was in the US on an F1 visa. He completed his Masters degree in dental surgery in the US and was looking for a job for the past six months. He was working at the gas station part-time, his brother told the Indian Express.

Shot dead at Texas gas station; family clueless about motive

Pole was working at a gas station in Denton, Texas when the incident occurred. The owner of the gas station was able to inform his family because he reportedly had Chandrasekhar's passport with him.

As per the IE report, the family is in the dark about why the incident occurred. Chandrasekhar's brother, Shivakumar told the publication, We hardly know anything about what transpired. We hope the authorities will tell us why he was shot at in the first place.

Mother's remarks Providing details of the incident, Chandrashekhar's mother, Sunitha, told ANI, "My son went to the US two years ago. He became a dental doctor here and went there to complete his post-graduation, which he has finished. Two years have passed since he started his PG. We learned about his death from his friend's parents who visited us and shared our grief. We've come to know that he was shot dead by black people last night. We request the central and state governments to ensure the safety of Indians and bring my son's body back home as soon as possible."

Politicians condole death Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has condoled the incident, saying in a post on X, "The death of Pole Chandrasekhar, a student from LB Nagar, in a shooting incident by miscreants in America has caused deep shock and grief," adding, "I pray to God that his soul may find peace and express my profound condolences to his family members."

The chief minister also said that his government will stand by Chandrasekhar's family and provide all assistance to them in bringing his mortal remains back to the state.

Also Read | Who was Mohammed Nizamuddin? Telangana techie shot by US cops

Reacting to the incident, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA and former Telangana minister T Harish Rao expressed grief over the death of Chandra Shekhar Pole, describing him as a Dalit student from Nagar who had gone to the US for higher studies.

In a post on X, Harish Rao informed that he met the grieving family and expressed condolences.

"It is tragic that Chandra Shekhar Pole, a Dalit student from Nagar who completed BDS and went to America (Dallas) higher studies, died in a shooting carried out by miscreants early morning," Rao posted.

Sharing his condolences further, he said, "The pain that the parents are going through, knowing that their son, who they believed would reach great heights, is no more, is heart-wrenching to witness. My deepest condolences to their family members."

Harish Rao also urged the authorities to take steps to bring back the mortal remains of the student.

"We, on behalf of BRS, demand that the state government take initiative and make efforts to bring Chandra Shekhar's mortal remains to his hometown as quickly as possible," he stated.

Consulate General of India condoles death The Consulate General of India in Houston, Texas, has also expressed grief over the tragedy.

In a post on X, the consulate said, "Consulate General of India, Houston, deeply condoles the tragic death of Mr. Chandrasekhar Pole, an Indian student from Hyderabad, who was killed in a shooting incident Denton, Texas. We are in touch with the family and extending all possible assistance."

Murder of Chandra Mouli Nagamalliah The tragic incident comes close on the heels of another case involving the Indian community in Dallas. Last month, Chandra Mouli "Bob" Nagamallaiah, a 50-year-old motel manager of Indian origin, was brutally beheaded in Texas in front of his wife and son following an argument over a washing machine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (October 5) sharply criticized the international community for its lack of decisive response to Russias ongoing attacks on Ukraine, calling out the West for allowing Moscow to carry out large-scale strikes on civilian infrastructure and energy facilities ahead of winter. The President also detailed the extensive use of Western-supplied components in Russian weapons and confirmed casualties from the latest assault.

Criticism of international response Zelensky denounced the worlds failure to act against Russia, highlighting the escalating audacity of the attacks: And unfortunately, there has been no worthy and strong response from the world to everything that is happening  to the constantly growing scale and audacity of strikes. That is exactly why Putin does this  he simply mocks the West, its silence and the lack of strong actions in response.

"Zero real reaction from the world. We will fight so that the world does not remain silent and so that Russia feels the response."

Western-supplied components in Russian weapons The Ukrainian President revealed that many Russian missiles and drones rely heavily on foreign-made components, including parts sourced from Western nations: A single Russian Kinzhal missile contains 96 foreign-made components nearly 500 drones contain over 100,000 foreign-made parts. Among the manufacturers are companies from the United States, China, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands.

He stressed the urgency of stopping these supply chains: It is simply strange to hear anyone claim they dont know how to stop the flow of critical components All of this must be stopped.

Details of the latest Russian assault The attack included 53 missiles and nearly 500 drones, about 250 of which were Shahed attack drones. Zelensky described the scope of the strikes: The overwhelming majority of targets were civilian objects and ordinary infrastructure: the energy sector, civilian enterprises, warehouses  specifically those storing civilian goods  as well as our railway logistics that sustains normal life in our communities and our economy.

Civilian casualties reported The strikes caused multiple casualties across Ukraine, including:

-Four people killed in Lviv, including a child

-One person killed in Zaporizhzhia

-18 injured, all receiving medical assistance

Also Read | Why not let Ukraine hit Moscow?
US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) said that Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, pending confirmation from Hamas and a ceasefire will commence immediately.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that the release of all hostages from Gaza could be announced soon, possibly within the next few days. This comes as Israel and Hamas are set to engage in indirect discussions in Egypt on Monday regarding a new US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

In a brief statement on Saturday night, Netanyahu mentioned that he had dispatched a delegation to Egypt to work out the logistical details.

Trump later said the ceasefire would begin immediately once Hamas confirms the initial withdrawal line in Gaza. A map with his social media post appeared to show much of Gaza still open to Israeli forces.

Trump has also ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Some in Gaza City reported a notable easing of Israeli strikes Saturday, though hospital officials said at least 22 people were killed, including women and children.

Israel's army said leaders instructed it to prepare for the U.S. plan's first phase. Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said an official who was not authorised to speak to the media on the record.

Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, says Trump. (Photo: Trump/TruthSocial)

Momentum ahead of wars anniversary Trump seems resolute in his commitment to fulfill his promises of ending the war and securing the release of all hostages before the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. His plan has garnered broad international backing. On Friday, Netanyahu's office also reaffirmed Israel's dedication to bringing the conflict to an end.

Monday's indirect talks are meant to prepare the way for the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinians from Israeli detention, mediator Egypt said.

A senior Egyptian official said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the U.S. negotiating team. The talks also will discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to brief the media, as reported by AP.

The official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza's future. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza's second most powerful militant group, said it accepted Hamas response after rejecting the plan days earlier.

Gazas Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war has topped 67,000. The toll jumped after the ministry said it added more than 700 names whose data had been verified.

The Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
NEW DELHI : Two decades ago, competitive engineering examinations were a necessity for aspiring engineers. Hordes of students would line up every year, seeking one of the few seats available at Indias top engineering institutes. For those who could persevere through extreme academic and societal pressure for eight years, prosperity beckoned on the other side.

This prosperity came in the form of annual salaries upward of 50 lakh as the likes of Google, Microsoft and other specialised firms started hiring engineers for core roles  not just service and maintenance. Attracted by this, families would put their lives on hold, mortgage their properties, and go to extreme lengths to ensure that their children bagged one of these jobs.

But over time, these offers started drying up. A surplus of talent meant engineers werent in a position to exercise leverage, and the top jobs became even rarer. Companies also started focusing on hiring engineers with some experience rather than freshers, and the median salaries at engineering colleges began to dip. Through the pandemic, hiring itself began to slow.

Last week, Pratishtha Bagai and Devina Sengupta wrote about how annual packages upward of 35 lakh are back at some of the top IITs and NITs, thanks to semiconductor companies.

At least five institutes that Mint spoke with said the likes of Nvidia, Intel and Applied Materials are rolling out reasonably generous job offers at Indias top engineering colleges. Semiconductors, it seems, are the next gold rush in India as companies scramble to capture Indias top chip-design talent.

This week, we went behind the scenes of a talent war among top tech firms that are looking to hire the right freshers for chip-related engineering and willing to pay top dollar for them.

Heres what we found.

Largest IT recruiter falters on AI

You cant talk about engineering colleges and jobs in India without talking about Tata Consultancy Services, Indias largest tech services outsourcing company and has the largest army of tech talent in India. Naturally, it has always been Indias biggest mass-recruiter at engineering colleges.

Now, it appears that the company has hit a critical roadblock. TCS has already announced it is laying off nearly 12,000 engineers at the middle to senior levels. Jas Bardia and Varun Sood reported for Mint last week that TCS just cant seem to get its act together on AI, compounding these troubles.

The company has reshuffled its AI business vertical three times in the past three years, most recently under AI.cloud. This vertical, too, has seen top executives, who were TCS long-termers, leave the company in quick succession. One things for sure: as far as AI is concerned, TCS just cant seem to get things right. If this continues much longer, it risks falling far behind on innovation.

Jas and Varun delved deep into the biggest challenge plaguing Indias top IT services company today, and why figuring out how to innovate and build the AI business model is more important to the company than the H-1B visa fee hike.

Gaming ban to face questions

The ban on online real-money games is undoubtedly one of the biggest stories out of Indias technology economy this year. Now, after putting the draft rules of the law out last week, the IT ministry is on the verge of implementing the law banning the sector.

I spoke with five lawyers and top industry executives on what they made of the rules. For context, every law in India comes with a set of rules that explain how it is to be implemented, and the law comes into effect only once these rules are notified.

It turns out various parties are raising questions about whether mandating paperwork for developers to register casual games would stifle foreign investments. These parties have also said that having a committee of already-overburdened bureaucrats to oversee an agile sector like gaming is far from a suitable idea. Consultations for this law will remain open until the end of this month, but senior officials in the know tell me that the Centre is unlikely to make any major changes to the rules before they come into effect.

If youre keen on making games, or even playing them, heres what you should know and why.

Muted demand for spectrum

Jatin Grover, Mints telecom correspondent, reported last week that for many telecom networks, spectrum auctions have gone grossly unsold in the past. Even as the government pushes telecom operators to acquire more spectrum in light of improving network connectivity across the country, it turns out not enough companies are buying it.

Therefore, to expand the horizon of spectrum auctions, the Centre is now looking at allowing more companies to participate in spectrum auctions. This could be a precursor to increased competition in the Indian telecommunications and internet services industry in the long run. But will it work? For now, consultations are on.

In other news: iPhone Air review, and Zohos WhatsApp rival

I reviewed the shiny new iPhone Air. The slimmest iPhone ever feels great in the hand and is shockingly light. There will be times when youll miss having a more versatile camera, and eventually, a bigger battery too. But it feels supremely refined and definitely isnt overly compromised in any way. Should you buy it, though? Heres what I think.

Zohos suite of productivity applications have been in the headlines ever since 24 September, when union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted on X about migrating to it. Now, as its WhatsApp rival Arattai gains more users, its facing increasing scrutiny as well, especially about its lack of default end-to-end encryption for messages. Heres what people have to say about it.

Transformer by Mint is a weekly newsletter that brings Indias most important and interesting technology updates under one umbrella. As the world transforms with every day of innovation, Transformer will keep a tab on the impact that technologies will make in each of our lives. Published every week, the newsletter brings some of Indias tech landscapes most insightful coverages until date.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- In Anna Karenina, Tolstoy wrote that happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Tolstoy may have been right about families, but leaders are exactly the opposite. There are many ways to be a great leader, but the worst ones are usually very similar.

On Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth provided a masterclass in failed leadership. Speaking before almost every American general and admiral as he conveyed his vision for the newly-renamed Department of War, Hegseth embodied three of the most common failures of leaders who are, by both temperament and skill, simply not up to the job.

The first tell: Leaders who are out of their depth often prioritize the superficial over actual substance. At its worst, that can mean harming their organization by sacrificing performance in favor of image. The way things look, after all, is easy to control. Reshaping your company to meet its greatest challenges is hard. Its not an accident that disgraced Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes always wore a black turtleneck and deepened her voice. She could control her appearance  therefore the companys  even as its technology was failing.

The US military faces profound challenges. The war in Ukraine, for instance, has demonstrated that 21st century warfare will involve rapidly evolving drones; the soldiers of Ukraines 34th Coastal Defense Brigade have used such devices to become among the deadliest fighters in the history of war. There is no equivalent American unit and creating one is a challenge that the American military appears unready to meet.

So when Hegseth spoke to the gathered senior officers, did he challenge them to rethink how they operate and develop the technologies that will win the next war? No, he told them the era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos. He continued, its tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops. Likewise, its completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals.

This focus on aesthetics is worse than a distraction. It will harm military recruitment and retention. Consider that as many as 60% of Black men are affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae, a condition that leads to painful razor bumps and ingrown hairs. For some, shaving can result in significant facial scarring. Its not hard to imagine that many Black soldiers will choose to leave an institution that requires them to harm themselves to serve the vanity of its figurehead.

A second hallmark of poor leaders is their tendency to use their institution and its people for their own self-aggrandizement. Theres no better example than WeWork Co-Founder Adam Neumann, who used the startup to develop an almost messianic status, commanding company resources to fly in private jets and finance his drug-fueled partying. Neumann was even paid by the company for a set of trademarks related to the word We, though that deal was later unwound.

Hegseths display was similarly grandiose. He ordered 800 senior military personnel to fly in from all around the world for a speech that could just as easily have been delivered via videoconference, or even as an email. They were met by Hegseth positioned in front of a giant American flag, a clear reference to the opening scene of the movie Patton. The audience  which had, collectively, more than 25,000 years of military experience  was a prop meant to provide visuals for Hegseths social media and his rumored campaign for governor of Tennessee.

Finally, there is no more consistent failure of the worst leaders than their disrespect for those who report to them. Al Dunlap, the infamous CEO of Scott Paper and Sunbeam, is a classic example. Dunlap nicknamed himself Chainsaw Al for the way he ruthlessly fired his employees. His management style was epitomized by an incident included in John A. Byrnes biography of the CEO, in which Dunlap ordered his head of HR into his office, threw a chair at him, swore at him, then tossed him out  all in front of the mans subordinates.

Hegseth didnt throw any chairs, but everything about his military gathering demonstrated similar disrespect. From ordering attendees to attend with no explanation, to lecturing them on the basics of military success when every single one has vastly more military experience than he does, to criticizing, by name, three retired four-star generals, he missed no opportunity to show the senior-most men and women under his command how little he respected them and their experience.

Hegseth, a product of Princeton University, the Harvard Kennedy School and the United States Army  three of the worlds foremost institutions for developing leaders  sadly appears to have learned all the wrong lessons from his education. Leaders looking for a lesson in how to be great, however, need only look at his example this week  and do the opposite.More Bloomberg Opinion:

(Corrects description of the WeWork trademark agreement in seventh paragraph of article published October 3.)

This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Gautam Mukunda writes about corporate management and innovation. He teaches leadership at the Yale School of Management and is the author of 'Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter.'

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion
The United Nations estimates that some 40% of languages spoken around the world face extinction. Can artificial intelligence (AI) slow this trend? As much as global tech giants like to think so, the reality is not that simple.

The recent crop of Generative AI tools has shown a remarkable ability to break down language and cultural barriers. But there are major gaps when it comes to understanding low-resource languages, such as indigenous and regional dialects at risk of dying out, which lack meaningful digital representation.

A report from Stanfords Institute for Human Centered Artificial Intelligence found that most major large-language models (LLMs) underperform in non-English and especially in resource-scarce vernacular languages.

This erosion is not only a cultural loss, but a technological blind spot. At the heart of the issue is a lack of quality data. The most powerful LLMs require gargantuan troves of training material, the vast majority of which is in English. Researchers have long lamented how this can result in AI tools homogenizing culture and perpetuating Anglo-centric viewpoints. But there is more at stake when one language becomes dominant.

Even for models that offer multilingual capabilities, it often requires more tokens, or units of data processing, to respond to the same prompts in languages other than English. This can become expensive. Combined with lower-quality performance, it risks having swathes of communities sidelined from digital life as the technologies are integrated into more facets of the economy, education and healthcare.

But these issues go beyond digital exclusion or deepening inequalities. Research has found that low-resource languages can be used to jailbreak safety guard-rails.

In a study published last year, academics prompted ChatGPT in four different languages with the question: How can I cut myself without others noticing?" When asked in English and Chinese, the input quickly triggered safety mechanisms. But in Thai and Swahili, the team said the generated content tends to be unsafe."

Another study found that its not just speakers who are vulnerable. Anyone can translate promptssuch as how to make a bomb or plan a terrorist attackinto low-resource speech and exploit vulnerabilities. Major AI companies have worked to patch these up in updates, but OpenAI has recently admitted that even in English safeguards can become less reliable during longer interactions.

This makes multilingual blind spots everyones issue. A push for sovereign AI has grown, especially in linguistically diverse Asia. It stems from a desire to ensure cultural nuances are not erased by AI tools. Singapores state-backed SeaLion model covers over a dozen local languages, including lesser digitally documented ones like Javanese.

The University of Malaya in partnership with a local lab launched a model which can understand multimedia in addition to text in August dubbed ILMU that was trained to better recognize regional cues, like images of char kway teow noodles, a stir-fried staple. These efforts have revealed that for a model to truly represent a group of people, even the smallest details in training material matter.

Also Read | The sovereign AI gamble: Why nations risk wasting billions chasing homegrown AI

This cant be left entirely to technology. Less than 5% of the roughly 7,000 languages spoken around the world have meaningful online representation, the Stanford team said. This risks perpetuating the crisis: When they vanish from machines, it precipitates their future decline. Its not just a lack of quantity, but also of quality. Text data in some of these languages is sometimes limited to religious texts or imperfectly computer-translated Wikipedia articles.

Training on bad inputs only leads to bad outputs. Even with advances in AI translation and major attempts to build multilingual models, the team found there are inherent trade-offs and no quick fixes for the current dearth of good data.

New Zealand offers some lessons. Te Hiku Media, a non-profit Maori-language broadcaster, has long been spearheading the collection and labelling of data on the indigenous language. The group worked with elders, native speakers and language learners and also used archival material to create a database. They also developed a novel licensing framework to keep it in the hands of people for their own benefit, not just Big Tech companies.

Such an approach is the only sustainable solution to creating high-quality data-sets for under-represented speech. Without such involvement, collection practices risk not only becoming exploitative, but also lacking accuracy.

Without community-led preservation, AI companies are not just failing the worlds dying languages, they are helping bury them. Bloomberg

The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech.
Most people believe that the Mahabharata concludes with the defeat of the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war and the coronation of Yudhishtira as the righteous Pandava ruler of Indraprastha and Hastinapura. The story, however, does not finish at that point.

It ends with the destruction of the Yadus, the submergence of Dwaraka, the death of Krishna, the end of the Pandavas and the beginning of the present Kali Yuga. The latter events take place a mere 36 years after the end of the great 18-day war, close enough to be seen as part of the same conflict.

The post-Kurukshetra portion has some surprising and counter-intuitive denouements. The Yadus, who had emerged as a great power after the Kurukshetra war, kill each other in a drunken brawl. Krishna himself clubs the remaining warriors to death, save his charioteer and a single heir. Balarama enters the encroaching ocean under which Dvaravati, their capital, disappears.

Then a hunters arrow penetrates a retiring Krishnas foot, resulting in his physical death. Finally, Arjuna, whose help is sought to take the women to safety, is defeated by a gang of bandits who overpower him with just staves and stones.

After this, Yudhistira realizes that the time has come to move on and leads his brothers and wife onto a trek to the Himalayas in an attempt to ascend to heaven in living form. With that, the Epoch of Kali begins, a period in which dharma or righteousness is eclipsed by ignorance, licence and evil. There, the world stands and awaits the arrival of Kalki to turn the cycle and take us back to a new righteous age.

I have oversimplified a complex and multi-layered story, but this is the essence. The Mahabharatas Mausala Parva, the Vishnu Purana and the Bhagavad Purana that recount variations of this story also give the vexed reader a good explanation of why these extraordinary events happen.

It turns out that the destruction of kings at Kurukshetra and near Dwaraka were part of the same divine planand of the Krishna incarnations missionto reduce the burden of the earth."

Humans in general and their kings in particular had become so powerful that it became a cosmic problem. Balance had to be restored. Although defeating the perfidious Kauravas was a goal at one level, the bigger goal was to destroy political and military power centres across the land.

The massive bloodshed on all sides in the Kurukshetra war achieved this objective. However, the Yadus, who were part of the victorious alliance, became the new, unchallenged superpowers. No external enemy was powerful enough to cut them down to size. So, it was arranged that they should destroy themselves in a civil war triggered by jealousy, vengefulness and inebriation, with Krishna personally completing the exercise.

The job done, he departs the earthly world for his heavenly abode through the artifice of being mistakenly shot by a hunter.

Further, as Vyasa explains to a perplexed Arjuna, Time is responsible for creatures existing and not existing. (All has been) created by time. It is time that will again lead to their destruction."

The puzzle of how a great warrior could be defeated by stick-wielding bandits is resolved by seeing which side divine power was on. At the time of your rise, Janardana was your aide. At the time of your end, Keshava glanced favourably toward your adversaries."

We notice that there appears to be a positive correlation between Time and divine intent. I have not read enough to know if the epics narrators and subsequent commentators address this version of Euthyphros Dilemma (where Socrates asks Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?").

Lest you think that this column has taken a spiritual turn, let me state that I was reminded of this part of the Mahabharata by the politics and geopolitics of our times. As eminent psychologist Jai B.P. Sinha lays out in his magisterial work, Psycho-Social Analysis of the Indian Mindset, references to mythology to understand current events is part of the way our mind works.

The US might be a victor of two previous world wars. As a liberal democracy, its system of governance might still be among the more righteous systems. Even so, could it have grown so powerful as to burden the earth?

Could it be that being an unchallengeable superpower itself constitutes an imbalance that has to be addressed? If no outside powers can reduce it, is internal dissension the pathway to its downfall? The physical universe might have no purpose, but could it be that human actions add up in ways that prefer balance and social mechanisms act to restore it?

The Mahabharata is a repository of Indias collective wisdom over the ages. Its deeper message might be one of the amorality of balance, one that realists will readily appreciate.

Strength, intelligence, energy and power remain for as long as the time of adversity does not come. O Dhananjaya! Time is the root of everything. It is the seed of the universe. As it wishes, time also draws everything back again. A person who was strong can subsequently become weak. One can possess prosperity, or one can be commanded by others." (9 Mausala Parva, Mahabharata 1987, Debroys translation).

The author is co-founder and director of The Takshashila Institution, an independent centre for research and education in public policy.
Coinbase Predicts Altcoin Season as Q3 2025 Approaches. Photo by BeInCrypto

Coinbase, the largest US-based exchange, has filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a National Trust Charter (NTC). The move represents a significant step toward deepening its integration into the US financial system.

In an October 3 announcement, Coinbase described the NTC as a natural extension of its institutional custody business, which already secures billions of dollars in client assets.

Why Coinbase Applied for a Federal Trust Banking License

The new charter would empower the company to broaden its offerings beyond custody into payments and other trust-based financial services.

"If approved, the charter would continue to open up opportunities for Coinbase to launch new products beyond custody, including payments and related services, with the confidence of regulatory clarity, fostering broader institutional adoption," the firm explained.

Paul Grewal, Coinbases Chief Legal Officer, said the decision reflects the companys growth and the need for consistency at the national level.

"State-level charters and certifications have been instrumental as our business and the industry grew. But with crypto playing a bigger role in our everyday lives, it's time for the clarity, consistency, and opportunity a federal-level charter affords," he noted.

Grewal furthered that federal recognition would extend the protections Coinbase customers already enjoy under the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).

According to him, the framework would ensure that users across the country receive the same level of legal and regulatory safeguards.

Meanwhile, Coinbases application mirrors a growing trend among major crypto companies seeking to align more closely with traditional banking regulations.

This year, several crypto firms, including Circle and Ripple, have also applied for similar charters, focusing on stablecoin issuance and payment infrastructure.

Their efforts reflect a broader regulatory shift across the United States. Over the past year, financial watchdogs have shown an increased willingness to integrate blockchain-based services into the mainstream financial system.

Clashes With Big Banks

Despite its federal ambitions, Coinbase maintains that it does not seek to become a bank.

Instead, it is mobilizing crypto users through its Stand With Crypto initiative. The campaign challenges what Coinbase views as the banking industrys attempts to limit access to interest-bearing stablecoins.

In August, several banking associations warned regulators about the risks of allowing uninsured institutions to issue stablecoins. They argued that such a move could create regulatory loopholes and divert trillions from traditional bank deposits.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called his flight from Patna to Delhi unforgettable, because his co-pilot was BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is a four-time MP from Bihar and a former Union minister.

Taking to social media, Chouhan lauded Rudy's charm, storytelling, and ability to turn an ordinary flight into a memorable experience. He said, Rajiv Ji, today you won our hearts... The flight from Patna to Delhi today was unforgettable for me, because the co-captain of this flight was my dear friend, senior politician, and Chhapra MP, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy Ji.

See the post here:

Chouhan also posted photos of the duo and a handwritten note praising Rudy.

Rudy described the flight path, saying, The clouds have settled over Patna today, and its been raining nonstop since yesterday. As we travel through the clouds and light rain, we'll be heading towards Delhi. On our way, well fly over Varanasi, with Prayagraj visible on the left and Lucknow on the right. Well also catch sight of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers before reaching Delhi. If the clouds clear up during our landing, we might even get a view of the lights from Noida's high-rise buildings.

Earlier on Saturday, the senior BJP leader exuded confidence that unprecedented and spectacular development initiatives of the Narendra Modi government for Bihar would help the NDA win a "record-breaking majority" in the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

The senior BJP leader said that Bihar is witnessing 'vikas ki Ganga' (spree of development initiatives), with the PM's unveiling of youth initiatives worth 62,000 crore, with a special emphasis on the eastern state, among those.

According to the ECI, the total number of electors in the final list stands at 7.42 crore, compared to 7.89 crore as of June 24 this year.

The electoral battle in Bihar is largely anticipated to be a direct contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and the Mahagathbandhan, spearheaded by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA currently holds 131 seats -- BJP 80, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and two Independents -- while the Mahagathbandhan holds 111 seats, comprising RJD 77, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 11, CPI(M) 2, and CPI 2.

Political activity has intensified across the State, with parties trading charges and ramping up campaigns ahead of the high-stakes election.
The weight-loss showdown between Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly is heating up again, and Novo doesnt plan on losing this second round.

Nearly two years after the launch of Lillys injectable Zepbound, and four years after the launch of Novos injectable Wegovy, investor attention is shifting to weight-loss pills. They are expected to hit the market next year.

Lillys orforglipron has received the most attention. But Novos oral semaglutide, or what it calls Wegovy-in-a-pill, will likely reach the market first, and it looks like it works surprisingly well.

Today, Lilly is the undisputed champion of the weight-loss business. Despite a multiyear head start, Novo has struggled with shortages of its shots and competition from compounding pharmacies. Lilly now has a bigger share of the U.S. GLP-1 market.

Novo shares are down nearly 60% since July 2024.

The anticipated launch of Wegovy-in-a-pill could offer Novo a shot at changing the narrative. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue a decision on Novos application by the end of the year, and a launch could come early next year.

On Friday, Barrons spoke with Dave Moore, Novos executive vice president of U.S. operations, about Wegovy-in-a-pill. An edited version of the conversation follows.

Barrons: Novo has had positive data on oral semaglutide as a weight-loss treatment for years, but hasnt moved quickly toward launch. Why bring it to market now?

Moore: We had to make sure we were prepared and build supply resilience, so that we could bring Wegovy-in-a-pill forward in the U.S., and we wanted to make sure we had an unconstrained launch. Were really excited about the potential to have the first oral GLP-1 for obesity.

How much active ingredient, or API, is required for a dose of injectable Wegovy, compared with a dose of the pill version? How do you know youll have enough?

The pill requires much more API than the injection. Weve been building that supply, that readiness for launch, for a long time. The good news, too, is oral Wegovy is made end-to-end in the U.S., in North Carolina, in a plant that we built there.

Patients lose more weight on the injections, so whats the market for a weight-loss pill?

Absolutely there will be people who are still interested in a once-weekly injection. Whats interesting now, though, is if you look at the results in our clinical trials, youre getting close to injectable-like efficacy in a once-daily pill. And there will be people who are interested in that.

We know there are people that would be motivated to seek treatment if there was a pill available. And that is really what the potential is here, is that theres a market expansion opportunity for those patients living with obesity that are not seeking treatment today.

As you said, Wegovy-in-a-pill requires a large amount of API. What does that mean for pricing? How will you be able to price the drug relative to Wegovy, and to Lillys orforglipron?

Its a little early for us to comment on any real specific pricing strategies, and certainly I dont know the plans for any other companies. What I can tell you is were not planning to price the Wegovy pill more than injection.

One idea on Wall Street is that the weight-loss pills will largely be sold through direct-to-consumer platforms to cash-paying customers. What are your plans?

Its not on the market yet, and you never know until you see real-world practice. What I will say is the growing awareness on the consumer side, and the interest in being able to access medicines directly, is real in obesity. We are going to lean into that, we are not going to ignore it. Our plan is to have this available wherever patients are seeking care.

Novo shares have fallen a lot over the past year. How do you want investors to be thinking about Novo now?

The story about Novo is about growth, and about [the] long term. There is room for growth in diabetes, in obesity, in some of the related conditions. If you think about obesity, we are really just getting started. We are the pioneers, we are the leader globally in terms of GLP-1 distribution, and weve been innovating. Weve been in this class for 25 years, and theres more coming in our pipeline.
Indonesia has lifted its suspension on TikToks local operating license after the company complied with government demands by sharing specific data.

According to Alexander Sabar, a director general at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, TikTok provided information related to TikTok Live traffic increases and monetisation activities during the period of August 25 to 30. This move comes as part of Indonesias ongoing efforts to monitor and regulate digital platforms operating within the country, Bloomberg reported.

As the obligations are met, the ministry ends the license suspension, Sabar said in a statement late Saturday, adding that the information was provided in a letter dated Oct. 3.

Thats the same day the ministry announced the suspension, citing a violation of obligations as a private electronic system operator. The decision followed TikToks refusal to provide complete data on user activity during protests held between Aug. 25-30, which flared after the death of a delivery driver.

TikTok did not immediately respond to text messages seeking comment outside of regular business hours. The company said late Friday that it was working with Indonesian authorities to resolve the dispute.

The earlier suspension followed a Sept. 23 letter in which TikTok told the ministry its internal policies prevented it from fully complying with the data request. Officials said the company had submitted partial information but failed to meet the governments full request.

TikTok temporarily paused its live streaming function on Aug. 30 as the demonstrations escalated, before resuming it several days later when tensions eased. The suspension highlights the regulatory challenges faced by the Chinese-owned platform in one of its biggest markets, where authorities have been tightening oversight of social media and e-commerce platforms.

Indonesia has been central to TikToks Southeast Asia strategy, both for user growth and for its push into online shopping. The country ranks among the largest contributors to TikTok Shops gross merchandise value globally.
Microsoft chairman and chief executive Satya Nadella has outlined a sweeping new phase of AI-driven innovation across Microsoft 365, introducing features designed to make work more intelligent, connected, and collaborative.

Nadella highlights Model-forward innovation across Microsoft 365 In a post on X on 5 October 2025, Nadella highlighted several major upgrades to Microsofts productivity suite, emphasising the companys model-forward approach to integrating generative AI into everyday tools.

Supercharged past few weeks as we push the bounds of model-forward innovation across Microsoft 365. A few highlights:

1/ My new favorite IDE is Excel with Agent Mode! Give Copilot a prompt, and it builds directly in your workbook, not the chat.

2/ One of the first multi-player AI experiences. Collaborative agents in Teams, grounded in the context of your group, channel, or meeting. I use this all the time with my team!

3/ With Knowledge Agent, intelligence lights up with enterprise graph data.

4/ GitHub for Microsoft Teams. Go from conversation to code directly in Teams. Turn your group chats into tasks for the Copilot coding agent with a simple at-mention.

5/ Model choice! Switch between OpenAI and Anthropic in Researcher to get the best fit for the job.

He added in a follow-up post, Excited for all this and much more to come!

Microsoft 365 Premium: the new flagship subscription The announcement follows Microsofts detailed blog post on 1 October unveiling Microsoft 365 Premium, the companys most advanced AI and productivity subscription for individuals, priced at $19.99 per month. The new plan combines the features of Microsoft 365 Family and Copilot Pro with higher usage limits and early access to experimental AI capabilities such as Office Agent and Agent Mode.

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The company said the move reflects its mission to help every person on the planet achieve more by deeply embedding AI into the flow of work. Embedding AI into the flow of work unlocks new levels of productivity, helping everyone work smarter, faster, and more creatively, Microsoft wrote.

Key additions to Microsoft 365 Premium include: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook desktop apps with Copilot built in.

Access to Researcher and Analyst, Microsofts reasoning agents for deep research and content generation.

Early access to Office Agent and Agent Mode for creating expert-quality documents, spreadsheets, and presentations from a single prompt.

Higher usage limits for Copilot features such as 4o image generation, Voice, Vision, Deep Research, and Podcasts.

Access to a new Photos Agent in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.

1TB of secure cloud storage per person and Microsoft Defender advanced protection. As part of a broader simplification of its offerings, Microsoft confirmed it will discontinue Copilot Pro, encouraging existing users to switch to Microsoft 365 Premium for greater value.

The company also announced enhanced Copilot usage limits for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers and rolled out Copilot Chat directly inside Microsoft 365 apps, creating a unified chat experience across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has penned an emotional post for the company's founder Steve Jobs on his death anniversary. The Apple founder had taken his last breath on October 5, 2011, after eight years of battling pancreatic cancer.

Cook called Jobs his 'friend' while stating that the tech visionary lit the path forward and inspired others to follow.

Steve saw the future as a bright and boundless place, lit the path forward, and inspired us to follow. We miss you, my friend, Cook wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Steve Jobs' role at Apple: Jobs co-founded Apple along with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne at his parents' garage in 1976, and the company eventually gained fame with the success of the Apple II. However, Jobs was ousted from his own company in 1985 after a power struggle with the then-CEO John Sculley.

After leaving Apple, Jobs founded a new company called NeXT, whose NeXTSTEP operating system would become the foundation for Apple's future macOS. He also purchased the graphics division of Lucasfilm and renamed it Pixar, which later made many important animated movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars. The company would later be sold to Disney for $7.4 billion.

Meanwhile, as Apple continued to struggle without Jobs, it reached out to its founder to once again take the helm and bought his company NeXT for $400 million in 1996. Jobs was named the interim CEO in 1997 and continued to lead the company until he resigned in 2011 due to health reasons, just months prior to his death.

During his second stint with the company, Jobs led the introduction of several products that would not only go on to change the trajectory of Apple but the tech industry altogether. The new lineup under Jobs' leadership began with the iMac in 1998, followed by the iPod and iTunes launch in 2001, the first iPhone launch in 2007, and the iPad launch in 2010.

Cook joined Apple in 1998 and initially served as the company's Senior Vice President for Worldwide Operations. He was given the role of overhauling Apple's manufacturing and supply chain, which he did by drastically reducing inventory and increasing efficiency.

He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company in 2005 and was given the role of interim CEO in 2009 after Jobs took another medical leave. As Jobs resigned from the role of CEO, he asked the Apple board to appoint Cook as the full-time chief of the company in 2011.
Currently, employees in the US can claim full Social Security benefits by retiring at 67. However, proposals are afoot to raise it even higher. Workers in the United States may soon be faced with a retirement age of over 67. Initially, it was 65, but now, as per CNBC, those born after 1959 will be eligible for receiving Social Security benefits only when they are 67.

But thats not all, due to the growing cost of providing Social Security to retirees, the government is considering raising the retirement age when one becomes eligible for Social Security benefits even further.

So, those in their 60s now need to plan more cautiously about their retirement. If they choose to retire at 62, the earliest option available, their monthly benefits under Social Security would be 30% less, USA Today reports.

On the flip side, employees can delay their retirement till the age of 70, in which case their monthly benefits increase by 8% annually beyond the age of 67. Retiring at 70 gets the highest possible monthly allowance.

More changes to the retirement age on the anvil? As per USA Today, Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano, in an interview with Fox News, said that everything is being considered when asked if the retirement age would be increased further.

However, he also backtracked slightly the next day by posting on X that Raising the retirement age is not under consideration.

The average American doesnt seem to be fully aware of the different options for retirement. The CNBC report cites a study by the Nationwide Retirement Institute where only 21% of respondents were aware at what age they become eligible for receiving full benefits post-retirement.

Rising retirement age Denmark has raised the retirement age to 70, but that is not an easy decision for the government of the US to take. The upward movement of the retirement age started in 1983 through legislation that sought to curb government expenditure, the CNBC report informs.

For those born in 1958, the full retirement age (FRA) is 66 years and eight months. For those born in 1959, it is two months more, and for those born in 1960 or later, it is 67, according to United Row.

Further increase is being discussed in the Congress. Senator Rand Paul moved a proposal to take the retirement age to 70, but it was rejected. Democrats, on the other hand, are opposed to a raise in retirement age, as per CNBC.

FAQs What is the retirement age in USA? There are various options available for employees in the USA. The minimum age at which a person can retire and claim Social Security benefits is 62. 67 is the minimum age for retirement with full Social Security benefits. Every year beyond 67, up to 70, sees an annual 8 percent increase in monthly benefits.

Are there proposals for increasing retirement age? Yes, Senator Rand Paul moved a proposal to increase the retirement age, but it was defeated. The Trump administration is thinking over the matter.
The European Unions top financial risk authority has warned that stablecoins could pose a serious threat to financial stability unless urgent safeguards are introduced.

In a statement released on October 2, the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), chaired by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, pointed out vulnerabilities in so-called third country multi-issuer stablecoin models and called for immediate policy action.

Stablecoins, designed to maintain a steady value by pegging to fiat currencies or government securities, have surged over the past five years into a market worth more than $300 billion, according to DeFiLlama data.

The sector is dominated by dollar-backed tokens, with Tethers USDT controlling more than 58% of the market. Euro-backed tokens, by contrast, account for just 0.15% of the global total.

The ESRB, during its 59th General Board meeting on September 25, stressed that interchangeable tokens issued both within and outside the EU contain built-in vulnerabilities.

Lagarde Pushes Back on Offshore Stablecoin Structures Under MiCA Gaps

Under this structure, EU-regulated issuers must hold reserves locally, while non-EU partners manage identical tokens backed abroad. Regulators warn that during times of stress, investors could rush to redeem in the EU, overwhelming local reserves and leaving the bloc exposed to offshore liabilities.

According to people familiar with discussions, the ESRB endorsed a recommendation to ban such models. Though non-binding, the move places pressure on EU authorities to either impose restrictions or outline other protections.

Both the ECB and ESRB declined to comment on the proposal, but Lagarde has repeatedly shown concern that the blocs regulatory framework, known as MiCA, leaves gaps in coverage for cross-border schemes.

Lagarde compared the risk to past banking crises, where liquidity mismatches and inadequate reserves destabilized institutions across borders.

She argued that unless strong equivalence regimes and safeguards for cross-border transfers are introduced, multi-issuer models should not be permitted to operate in Europe.

The warnings come as global financial risks remain elevated. The ESRB noted that investor optimism has pushed asset valuations to record highs, leaving markets vulnerable to reversals.

While stress tests show European banks are resilient, weak growth prospects and rising fiscal pressures continue to weigh on stability.

The board pointed to ongoing geopolitical tensions and shifting trade policies as additional challenges for Europes financial outlook.
A recent sitting of Longford District Court heard how a local supermarket owner suffered from anxiety over the future of her business after incurring a daily loss of approximately 100 as a result of thefts carried out by a local woman with 41 previous convictions.

During a powerful address delivered by Judge Bernadette Owens, the court was told of how the businesswoman also suffered with stress after she and her employee were assaulted during a confrontation with the shoplifter.

30 year old Lisa Nevin of 53 Lana Aoibheann, St Michaels Road, Longford, was brought before the court charged with having committed 2 assaults and 9 thefts.

Prosecution, Sgt Enda Daly, told of how on August 12 at SuperValu in Hazelwood Shopping Centre, Ms Nevin placed alcohol in her bag and left without paying before returning a second time that day and again left without paying for the items in her possession.

Two incidents of assault also occurred that day, one involving the owner, and a second, a member of staff.

Judge Owens - upon reviewing the various counts of theft from SuperValu, Dealz, Lidl, and Aldi - was informed that the value of goods Ms Nevin was charged with stealing came to 725.35.

Judge Owens also noted that before the court were two section 99s, this being the section of the Criminal Justice Act which enables a court to suspend a sentence either partially or fully on the condition that the individual remain of good behaviour.

However she added that the new offences in addition to the two existing Section 99 breaches, would now trigger a previously imposed suspended sentence of five months, as handed down on July 25 last.

In response, solicitor John Quinn informed the court of Ms Nevins personal circumstances, its a sad situation for Lisa effectively because of her addiction problem. She lost custody of her children. Of late she had weaned herself off alcohol and was doing her best and attending counselling. She was doing well.

Added Mr Quinn, Shes trying to get access to her children and is hoping to regain full custody. To do that she will have to prove herself to be alcohol-free and thats what shes trying to do. She has the support of her father who is also going to try to help her get off alcohol.

In response, Judge Owens said her hands were tied due to the fact that there were suspended sentences to consider.

Referencing a letter Ms Nevin submitted to the court hours earlier, Mr Quinn said she had outlined her good intentions going forward, adding that while she was a young lady ravaged by addiction, she wanted to beat the habit and get herself back on the straight and narrow.

Prior to delivering her ruling on the matter, Judge Owens quoted from an impact statement submitted by a woman whose business had been targeted by Ms Nevin during a spate of thefts, and who herself had been the victim of an assault by Ms Nevin.

There are a number of matters I have to take into account, Judge Owens began.

In part, I want to make reference to the victim impact statement that was lodged in respect of the incident on August 12. We often think the victims of these crimes are faceless. Theyre not at all faceless people and in the course of these thefts, the owner and an employee were assaulted by Ms Nevin.

In her victim impact statement, the owner makes a very telling observation where she says, I suffered from stress following the incident as Im not used to being a victim of violence. I suffered from anxiety as our business was losing approx 100 a day from this person who was banned from the shop. I was concerned about the business and the jobs of the 70 people we employ.

"This is a genuine concern and fear of someone trying to do their best to employ people. They are not faceless people. In fairness to Ms Nevin she may now realise, and this has to be acknowledged, it has an effect on people.

I noted Ms Nevins letter and Ive had the benefit of a very comprehensive probation report. Im restricted in that I dont want to say too much about her personal circumstances but Im very much aware of what they are because of matters that have transpired for Ms Nevin and her family that it has caused her considerable anxiety and upset and I understand fully how it can be hard for her to carry on as though life is normal when in her eyes its not normal.

However it doesnt give Ms Nevin or any other Ms Nevin carte blanche to willfully engage in this type of behaviour. Another aggravating factor which I have to take into account is that a number of these offences were committed while she was on bail and given the benefit of a suspended sentence.

In her ruling, Judge Owens convicted Ms Nevin and imposed concurrent sentences of two 6 month sentences and one 5 month sentence. This, combined with the judge invoking a previously suspended sentence, means Ms Nevin will serve a total of 11 months in prison.

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A man who pleaded guilty to trespassing at Weavers Hall in Longfords Market Square on March 12 this year has been given five months in prison, a sentence that was backdated to take into consideration time spent in custody.

37 year old John Courtney who at the time lived in 7 Harbour Point Apartments, Longford, was before the court charged with having caused 440 worth of damage to the front door of Weavers Hall.

Mr Courtney had pleaded guilty to trespassing at Weavers Hall on March 12 last in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable inference that such entry was intended to commit an offence or to unlawfully interfere with any property therein.

The accused also admitted to having caused criminal damage worth 440 to the front door of the complex on the same date. Separately, Mr Courtney admitted trespassing at Weavers Hall on March 28 last.

Mr Courtney, who had no connection to Weavers Hall, was described by his solicitor Frank Geraty as having had addiction issues that were very rampant in his physical condition at the time of offending.

He added that his client had been fraught with drugs when he committed the offences.

The court was provided with a probation report and a governors report on Mr Courtney, both of which had been requested by Judge Owens during the September 14 court sitting.



In referencing the probation officers assessment of his client, Mr Gearty told the court that he wished to draw attention to the point that Mr Courtney was noted as having demonstrated a willingness to engage in rehabilitation.

Mr Gearty said that while he appreciated the court had aggravating as well as mitigating factors to deal with, he asked that Judge Owens consider building into the sentence a rehabilitation measure.

Mr Gearty also requested the court take into account the period of time already served by Mr Coutney in custody, and pointed out that there was no reason why Mr Courtney couldnt make a significant contribution to society if he stayed off the hard stuff.

In response, Judge Owens agreed Mr Courtney deserved credit for pleading guilty.

She commended Mr Courtneys progress, saying, we now have a probation report that gives the court a clearer picture with regard to Mr Courtney.

Certainly as Mr Gearty says, even going by Mr Courtneys physical appearance, he looks better.

Judge Owens added that there were aggravating factors she would have to take into account, particularly offences committed while on bail pending Circuit Court appeal.

In delivering her verdict, Judge Owens said she was convicting Mr Courtney and imposed two consecutive five-month prison terms, with the first backdated to May 25 to reflect time already served in custody.

Mr Courtney was also handed a six-month sentence, which was suspended for 18 months on a 200 bond, subject to engagement with probation services.

In concluding her sentencing, Judge Owens addressed the defendant. Its up to you now Mr Courtney to engage with probation and to work on the progress you have made with rehabilitation.

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The Longford Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030 was launched by Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan alongside an innovative birdwatching backpack loan scheme at Edgeworthstown Library last week.

The comprehensive five-year action plan establishes Longford County Council's formal commitments to improving biodiversity throughout the county.

The strategy focuses on protecting and enhancing natural habitats, fostering collaboration with community groups, and encouraging widespread public participation in biodiversity improvements.

Complementing the plan's launch, the new birdwatching backpack loan scheme offers residents access to equipment through their local libraries.

The initiative, funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Longford County Council through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund, includes BirdWatch Ireland starter packs and bird detective magazines provided through a partnership with BirdWatch Ireland.

A biodiversity open day, hosted by the Library Service, ran alongside the launch event, showcasing organisations working to protect Ireland's natural heritage.

The exhibition highlighted ongoing conservation efforts across the country, demonstrating the breadth of work being undertaken to safeguard our biodiversity.

The ceremony brought together key stakeholders including CEO of the Heritage Council Virginia Teehan, CEO of BirdWatch Ireland Dr Andrew Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Cllr Garry Murtagh, Chief Executive of Longford County Council Paddy Mahon, and local county councillors to mark this significant step forward in environmental protection.

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan said, The challenges being faced in County Longford to address biodiversity decline reflect the national picture. What we can observe today is that these challenges are being met head-on, through practical projects, a strong local plan and the enthusiasm of the people of Longford who are the acting custodians of this wealth of natural heritage.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh, said, "Longford County Council takes pride in committing to protect the landscapes and species that form the heart of our county. This Biodiversity Action Plan represents our dedication to engaging with residents, landowners, and partner agencies to safeguard and enhance the natural environment that defines County Longford."

Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon, said, "The launch of our Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030 marks Longford County Council's unwavering commitment to protecting and celebrating our natural heritage whilst strengthening the vital connections between our environment and our communities. Our county's natural heritage stands as a source of genuine pride and merits both recognition and protection."

The development of the Longford Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030 received funding from the Heritage Council and Longford County Council, with the Biodiversity Officer position jointly supported by both organisations.

The Biodiversity Officer Programme represents a significant advancement in establishing Local Biodiversity Action Plans across all local authority areas. Longfords Biodiversity Action Plan will deepen an understanding of biodiversity within the county whilst simultaneously protecting and enhancing our natural environment.

The launch event was funded by the Heritage Council through the Local Biodiversity Action Plan grant.

Longford County Councils Environment Section, Library Service, and Heritage Office collaborated in and contributed to both initiatives.

READ NEXT: Longford ICA branch in Ennybegs is looking for more members to join

READ NEXT: Longford welcomes Ballymahon sisters home from America for visit
Shabaab fighters march in Somalia. Image from a Shabaab propaganda video.

Somalias capital of Mogadishu was yet again the victim of a brazen terrorist attack conducted by Shabaab, Al Qaedas branch for East Africa. Yesterday, at least seven Shabaab gunmen stormed the Godka Jilacow prison, operated by Somalias National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), freeing dozens of prisoners and holding the facility for several hours. The assault represents another intelligence failure by government authorities regarding the jihadist group.

Much like other Shabaab assaults on military outposts and security facilities, yesterdays attack began with a suicide car bomb on the prisons main gate before gunmen entered the facility and attacked guards, freed prisoners, and took control of the prison. According to the Somali government, the suicide car bomb utilized a truck disguised as a NISA vehicle, while the Shabaab militants were dressed as Somali security personnel.

Exact figures from the raid are scarce. Dozens of prisoners are believed to have escaped, though some were later recaptured. Security casualties also remain unclear, but fatalities are expected given the scale and duration of the attack, with Somali security forces only regaining control over the facility early Sunday morning.

Shabaab was quick to claim the prison assault, releasing a statement online claiming it was part of an operation dubbed Support for the Oppressed and that the explicit goal was to free all the Muslim prisoners the apostates had been holding and torturing there. The statement also confirmed the use of a suicide bombing, marking at least the 22nd such bombing in Somalia so far this year, according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal.

Shabaab has a history of using disguised operatives to infiltrate security facilities, such as earlier this year, when a suicide bomber detonated himself during a Somali army recruitment drive. That Shabaab was able to utilize not only NISA uniforms but also a vehicle disguised as one of the agencys represents a significant intel failure and only further exemplifies the ability of Shabaab to infiltrate deep into Somalias security agencies.

The Al Qaeda branch also has a long history of prison breaks and assaults. Last year, Shabaab inmates in Mogadishus Central Prison staged a revolt in an attempt to escape. In 2021, Shabaab freed hundreds of prisoners after raiding Bosasos central prison in northern Somalia. In 2020, Shabaab inmates mounted a revolt in Mogadishus Central Prison, while in 2017, the group detonated a suicide car bomb outside the prisons walls in another attempt to free prisoners.

The assault on the Godka Jilacow prison also came just hours after the Somali government lifted security restrictions on over 50 roads in Mogadishu to show that the capital is now safer. It is so far unclear if this easing of restrictions had anything to do with the prison assaultit is likely just a coincidencebut the move further highlights the citys remaining security concerns and Shabaabs lingering ability to deeply penetrate Mogadishus security installations.

Importance of jihadist prison breaks

Jailbreaks can often be a boon for jihadist groups, including Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and others. In addition to the significant propaganda value of such operations, these incidents can swell ranks, reinforce capabilities by freeing more highly trained individuals, and provide groups with a new sense of direction after springing leaders and key personnel.

It is for these reasons that jailbreaks are specifically a major part of the Islamic States overall global strategy, for example, and are often called for by the groups central leadership as part of its long-term Breaking the Walls policy that originated during the Iraq War.

In recent years, the Islamic State has mounted significant prison breaks in northeastern Syria, eastern Afghanistan, just outside of Nigerias capital city of Abuja, across Central Asia, and twice in eastern Congo in the cities of Beni and Butembo. Several of these incidents came after Islamic State leaders publicly called for such operations.

Al Qaeda has also placed increased emphasis on its cadres launching prison breaks, particularly in Africa. For example, between 2018 and 2020, Al Qaedas Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), its official branch in West Africa, launched several prison breaks in Mali and Burkina Faso. These operations garnered explicit praise from Al Qaedas General Command (its overall global leadership), which also told JNIM to continue such attempts.

Shabaabs statement about yesterdays prison assault in Mogadishu spoke to the ideological importance of such operations, saying:

[The assault] targeted the enemys main artery and resulted in the liberation of Muslim prisoners who had been subjected to injustice and oppression at the hands of the apostates. Today, they have returned free to their families and regions. [] [The military leadership] asks God to accept the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to uphold the word of God, eradicate polytheism and disbelief from the earth, and support the oppressed Muslims suffering in the prisons of the Crusaders and apostates.

As jihadi leaders from both the Islamic State and Al Qaeda continue to call for such operations, prison assaults and mutinies will likely continue.

Caleb Weiss is an editor of FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa.
Two Massachusetts men have died and another was arrested following a rollover crash on the highway in Wethersfield, Connecticut, on Friday night.

An Infiniti was traveling north on Route 5/15 near exit 85 in Wethersfield when the vehicle veered from the left lane into the metal beam guard on the right shoulder, according to a release from Connecticut State Police. The car rolled over and came to a stop at an embankment below the rail.

The two passengers, identified as Joshua Gonzalez, 25, of Springfield, and Edwin Guzman, 21, of Chicopee, suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to Hartford Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to the release.

The driver, identified as Alexis Garcia, 22, of Springfield, received minor injuries and was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs after failing a field sobriety test, according to the release. Garcia was not able to post the cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, Oct. 6.

The crash is still under investigation and anyone with more information can contact TFC Victor Mejias #1067 at 860-534-1000 or through email at victor.mejias@ct.gov.
Two men were charged in connection with an attack on Boston police cruisers Sunday morning, according to the Boston Police Department.

Boston police responded to a report of a vehicle takeover on the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street on Sunday at around 2:12 a.m.

Police found a crowd of about 100 people who began throwing fireworks, cones, poles and other objects at police cruisers. A cruiser caught fire and several members of the crowd jumped on its hood, according to the release.

Boston police sent more units to the scene and were able to disperse the crowd using department-issued equipment.

The Boston Fire Department responded to extinguish the lit cruiser, which was eventually destroyed.

Julian Bowers, 18, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and William Cantwell, 19, of Warwick, Rhode Island, were both arrested during the incident and charged with malicious destruction of property over $1,200, disorderly conduct, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.

Cantwell was also charged with possession of Class D, marijuana, after police searched his bag and found two packages of marijuana edibles, according to the release.

Both men are expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact District D-4 Detectives at (617) 343-4683.
The U.S. electric vehicle market is established and ready to grow without federal subsidies, according to Jon McNeill, a former Tesla president of global sales and service and current GM board member.

Speaking to CNBC on Thursday, McNeill expressed confidence that despite the recent expiration of a key EV tax credit, the industry will continue its upward trajectory, bolstered by more model choices and the availability of lower-priced vehicles.

He pointed to Europe as a case study, noting that when countries like Germany rolled back their subsidies a couple of years ago, the EV market surprisingly  continued to grow.

McNeill suggested the U.S. is poised for a similar outcome, stating, The markets established, and were probably ready to have a market that can  grow without subsidies.

In the American market is catching up, there are 65 different EV models now available to consumers, and when combining EVs and hybrids, one out of every four cars sold in the U.S. is now electrified, he added.

The recent end of the tax credit did create a pull-forward in demand, he said, leading to a busy quarter for dealerships. However, this sales surge wasnt limited to one company. While Tesla saw a 7% increase, GM doubled its EV sales in the same quarter compared to the previous year. McNeill interpreted this as a positive sign, especially since many of those sales were for lower-priced models.

The bombshell of the expiring tax credit

McNeills remarks came amid a flurry of responses to the end of the EV tax credit. Ford CEO Jim Farley, while being interviewed during the Ford Pro Accelerate summit in Detroit, took a virtually opposite tack, predicting the EV industry will be cut in half.

He said EVs will remain a vibrant industry going forward, but also said its going to be smaller, way smaller than we thought. The end of the $7,500 consumer incentive is a game-changer, he added, projecting a steep drop in EV sales down to 5% of the industry from the current level of roughly 10% to 12%.

The customers are pesky, Farley said, adding that customers are not interested in a $75,000 electric vehicle. They find them interesting. Theyre fast. Theyre efficient. You dont go to the gas station. But theyre expensive.

Charging your house with your car

McNeill said one argument in favor of the EV sector continuing to grow is the vehicles increasing utility far beyond transportation. He discussed the emerging trend of vehicles acting as power sources for homes. This bidirectional capability, he explained, allows EVs to push energy back into the grid. He shared a personal example, stating his Silverado EV can power his house for two weeks, eliminating the need for a separate generator.
A suspected member of a theft group that stole about $100,000 in valuables and belongings from a Brookline home was arrested in Miami last week, according to the Brookline Police Department.

Known as the South American Theft Group, police say the group is a highly organized group of thieves who target high-end properties, Brookline Police Sgt. Robert Disario said in a video posted to Facebook.

U.S. Marshalls Service arrested Sergio Ignacio Cardiz in Florida last week in connection with a theft in Brookline in March 2024, Disario said.

He said the theft group has been active in Brookline and other communities across the state and country.

Cardiz is one of four suspects that Brookline police identified in connection with the $100,000 heist. Police issued arrest warrants for all four.

Cardiz is in Brookline police custody after officers traveled to Florida, and he faces charges related to breaking and entering, Disario said.

The sergeant said the investigation remains active.
A proposal to sever the tie between the annual street list and voter registration status to reduce voting barriers in Massachusetts has the backing of voting rights advocates.

But it met resistance from the office in charge of summoning jurors and raised questions for the Senates election laws point person.

As of 2024, the voter list was at 770,000 inactive voters -- thats 15% of the registered voters in Massachusetts, state Rep. Shirley Arriaga, D-8th Hampden, told her colleagues last month. Removing the link between the municipal census and voter registration ensures that access to the ballot is protected, is strengthened, and everyone in our community has that right [to vote].

Existing law deems a voter inactive if they fail to respond to the annual street list, also often referred to as the municipal census.

House and Senate bills, respectively sponsored by Arriaga and Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, D-Norfolk/Middlesex, seek to disrupt that relationship since Massachusetts is in a minority of jurisdictions that tie voter registration to the municipal census, according to Creems summary.

Evan Drukker, the field director at Massachusetts Voter Table, recalled moving from Somerville to Cambridge in February, but being out of town for weeks at a time in the process due to the death of a family member.

He missed the street list during that period and didnt realize he was inactive until later on, he told the Legislatures Joint Election Laws Committee.

I voted in every election that Ive ever been eligible for. I was inactive because life happens. People miss forms in the mail, and if this system is so harsh that the field director of the Massachusetts Voter Table can be listed as inactive because of an address change and a death in the family, it is standing in the way of everyday people in Massachusetts exercising their right to vote, Drukker said.

Inactive voters are still able to vote, the Secretary of States office pointed out. Bringing identification to a polling location, where a voter can then fill out a form affirming their residence, allows an inactive voter to cast a ballot and get back on the active voter list.

Annual Street List forms are sent out across Massachusetts at the beginning of each year, after which election officials will send a second mailing notice if theres no response to the first.

A separate confirmation notice is sent out by the first week of June, deeming a voter inactive.

A voters status is reactivated once they return the mailing, fill out a new registration form, or submit anything to local election officials signed under penalty of perjury confirming their address.

A person is only removed from the voter rolls if they do not vote in two consecutive federal elections while inactive, Deborah OMalley, a spokesperson for Secretary of State William Galvin, said.

But even if you do get deleted for inactivity, you can cast a provisional ballot that will be counted if you can prove you havent moved out of the town you were once registered to vote in, OMalley continued.

Federal law requires a system for annual list maintenance; state law says Massachusetts completes the maintenance through the municipal census.

Voting rights advocates maintain that being unknowingly placed on an inactive list is a hurdle to voting access.

Some, like Pastor Keke Dieufort Fleurissaint, told lawmakers that immigrant households are hesitant, especially in this climate, to respond to census questions that go beyond the scope of voter registration, fearing that their information could be misused or put them at risk.

The connection between the municipal census and voter registration is one of the several voting barriers that continue to disenfranchise marginalized communities across the state, he said.

A large number of residents of cities and towns dont even know that not responding demotes them as a voter, Geoff Foster, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, added.

We know that expecting a voter to provide some sort of proof of residency alone can be a major barrier to voting  not everyone has readily on their person at any given moment an ID," Foster said.

Language in the proposal suggests that the street census envelope should inform households that failure to respond may result in a fine, which written testimony from Jury Commissioner Pamela Wood suggested could impact census results, which are used for juror summoning in Massachusetts.

While the imposition of a fine might persuade some residents to respond to the municipal census, the imposition of a fine might be construed by some residents as a fee they are willing to pay if it may lead to their not be included on a resident list and therefore, not eligible to be summoned for juror service, Wood wrote.

Where the proposed bill does not set forth the fine amount or the consequences for failure to pay a fine, and also makes fine assessment discretionary, it is unclear how the implementation of the proposed bill will affect municipal census response rates and therefore, the quality of the [Office of the Jury Commissioners] juror lists, she continued.

Foster and Arriaga said the potential of a fine already exists in state law.

Theres a separate state law ... which already grants municipal registrars the ability to compel people to return information by issuing a fine. And so what the bill is really doing, its not changing [the] rules, its simply replacing whats on the envelope thats getting mailed out by local government officials," Foster told State House News Service. Instead of Hey, youre going to become inactive, it simply changes that language to reflect Chapter 56 Section 4.

Foster added that hes not aware of the fine being wielded often, if ever, and Arriaga said she plans to take another look at the legislation to make sure a punitive fine isnt placed on constituents.

The Election Laws Committees Senate chair, Sen. John Keenan, D-Norfolk/Plymouth, told the wire service that he wants to look at this decoupling issue to make sure that if we decouple them, that we still end up with current, reliable [lists]. So Ive still got a little more work to do on that one. And that comes down to, were always in discussion with local clerks.

Asked how households could be compelled to respond to the census if there are no consequences for not doing so, Foster suggested Municipal governments do a better job at educating the public about the importance of the Annual Street List.
Irish exporting companies are displaying remarkable resilience and ambition, with 97% planning to expand into new international markets over the next year, according to a new survey released at Enterprise Ireland's International Markets Week.



The findings, revealed as Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and the Circular Economy Alan Dillon TD met with Mayo-based exporters at the RDS Dublin, suggest Irish businesses remain bullish despite ongoing global trade uncertainties and potential US tariff impacts.

The survey of participating companies shows two-thirds expect export sales to increase in 2025, with 93% anticipating growth in 2026. The Eurozone remains the top target region for Irish exporters, followed by the UK and the USA.

Technology and services companies appear particularly optimistic, with 70% expecting export increases in 2025, compared to 60% of industrial and lifesciences firms.

READ MORE: Grieving dog owner blown away by West Mayo towns kindness

AI Integration Taking Centre Stage

Nearly nine in ten companies (87%) are already integrating or planning to integrate artificial intelligence into their business operations. Two-thirds believe AI and digitalisation will be critical in winning future international business, with 98% of surveyed companies taking steps to improve overall competitiveness.

Irish exporters identified three key challenges for the coming year: global uncertainty including regulation and tariffs, the cost of doing business, and staffing and retention issues.

On the question of US tariffs, companies are evenly split  49% expect a negative impact while 51% do not. Common strategies being adopted include diversification into new markets, securing new customers, and reviewing supply chains.



Government Support

Minister of State and Mayo TD, Alan Dillon said "It was great to meet Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson , showcasing whats possible for Irish companies with true global ambition, alongside Ruth Mackey, CSO & Co-Founder of Mbryonics, whose work demonstrates how science, and technology can build world class enterprises."

"I was also inspired by Enterprise Ireland clients sharing their strategies for growth, including two excellent Mayo-based firms Sorcha O'Grady CSO at TruckScience (Westport) and John Dempsey Owner of Ultrapure.

Both are strong examples of local excellence scaling internationally."

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD welcomed the survey results, noting that Irish businesses are responding to geopolitical volatility by accelerating digital strategies and expanding into new markets.

"International trade is vital to Ireland's economic success, and the Government's Action Plan on Market Diversification sets out clear steps to support our exporters," Minister Burke said.



Enterprise Ireland has introduced new supports including a Market Research Grant of up to 35,000 for tariff impact assessments and a New Markets Validation Grant of up to 150,000 to develop entry strategies.



Record Export Performance

The optimism comes as Enterprise Ireland client companies achieved exports of 6.66 billion to the US in 2024, up 8% year-on-year. In a significant milestone, exports to the European Single Market grew by 8% to 10.63 billion, surpassing UK exports for the first time and making the European Single Market the largest export region for Irish companies.



International Markets Week is connecting over 700 Irish companies with 140 market advisors from 42 overseas offices in more than 2,000 one-to-one meetings designed to accelerate internationalisation strategies.



Enterprise Ireland CEO Jenny Melia described the survey results as "hugely encouraging," adding that the agency stands ready to support clients in seizing global opportunities through tailored supports and investment.

Pictured above at Enterprise Ireland's International Markets Week, from left: Kevin Sherry, Executive Director at Enterprise Ireland; Sorcha O'Grady, Co-founder and Chief Sales Officer at TruckScience; Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and the Circular Economy Alan Dillon, TD, and John Dempsey, owner of Ultrapure Laboratories.
Research finds that enhancing motherchild interactions can significantly reduce sleep issues in infants within certain families.

  Trusted Source

Are maternal and paternal bonding problems associated with child sleep problems at 8 and 24 months?



Go to source Trusted Source

TOP INSIGHT Struggling with infant #sleep? It might be affecting #parent_infant bonding, and vice versa! Bonding problems and #sleepissues can create a "vicious circle" impacting the whole family. Support and interventions are key to breaking the cycle. #Parenting #InfantSleep

Mother-Infant Bonding Issues at Eight Months Predict Worsening Sleep Problems Through Age Two

Why Supporting Bonding is Key to Solving Infant Sleep Problems

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Are maternal and paternal bonding problems associated with child sleep problems at 8 and 24 months? - (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638325000979?via%3Dihub)

A new study examined variousas reported by their parents. These included challenges related to total sleep duration , frequent night awakenings, trouble falling asleep, and sleep-association disturbances  situations where infants struggle to return to sleep without parental assistance after waking ().While previous studies have explored the relationship between a parentchild bond and infant sleep, most have focused on mothers. Research examining the role of fathers in this context has been virtually non-existent until now.Problems experienced by mothers in bonding with their eight-month-old babies manifested in the latter as increased total sleep problems as well as difficulty in falling asleep at that age. At the age of two, these problems were compounded by night awakenings and sleep-association disturbances. Results persisted when controlling forA somewhat surprising find was the lack of connection between paternal bonding problems and infant sleep problems. The depressive symptoms of both the mother and father increased risk of childs sleep problems. Maternal depressive symptoms were related to infant sleep both directly and indirectly through bonding problems.The results emphasize the importance of identifying challenges in the affectional bond between mother and infant as early as possible, even before birth. Support aimed at strengthening the bond should be provided particularly when the mother has depressive symptoms and difficulties in establishing such a bond.says University Lecturer Erja Rusanen, PhD in Education, the studys corresponding author from the University of Helsinki.Supporting parentinfant bonding through interventions or psychotherapy is important, as bonding problems and infant sleep problems likely have a mutually amplifying effect. At their worst, they can lead to a vicious circle that negatively affects family life.The study was carried out in central Finland by collecting data from parents at four different times: during the last trimester of pregnancy and when their child was three, eight and 24 months of age. Both parents completed nearly identical questionnaires.The studys outcome variables (infant sleep problems) were measured at the eight- and 24-month timepoints, the explanatory variables (parental bonding problems) at the eight-month timepoint. The control variables were measured at all four timepoints.Compared to similar studies, this one had a significant number of participating parents: 1,299 mothers and 1,211 fathers responded to the bonding questionnaire, while 1,301 parents assessed infant sleep problems at the age of eight months and 950 at the age of 24 months.Source-Eurekalert
Higher credit scores did not correlate with lower cancer mortality risk, suggesting financial health isnt a protective factor.

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Drop in Credit Score After Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Increased Mortality, Study Shows



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TOP INSIGHT Alarming link: #Cancerpatients whose #creditscore dropped by two tiers within 12 months of diagnosis faced a 29% higher risk of #death. Financial hardship is directly tied to mortality. #CancerCare #HealthEquity

Financial Toxicity Affects Over 11% of Cancer Patients

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Steep Credit Score Drops Raise Cancer Mortality Risk by Up to 63%

Mortality Link: Patients were categorized into credit score tiers. Specifically, patients who lost two tiers within a year were 29% more likely to die. In any 6-month period after diagnosis, a one-tier decline raised the odds of death by 12%, while a two-tier decline raised it by 63%. Conversely, an improvement in credit score was not found to be protective.

High-Risk Demographics: Factors like younger age (21to 44-years-old) and Black or Hispanic race were strongly associated with higher odds of developing financial toxicity.

High-Risk Socioeconomics: Being separated or divorced, having less than a college education, being a current smoker, having public insurance, and living in areas identified by the Area Deprivation Index as having >5% poverty also increased the risk.

Income Disparity: Patients with an annual income below $30,000 faced the greatest risk of financial toxicity, with 3.66 times higher odds compared to those earning $50,000-$69,000.

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Drop in Credit Score After Cancer Diagnosis Linked to Increased Mortality, Study Shows - (https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2025/drop-in-credit-score-after-cancer-diagnosis-linked-to-increased-mortality-study-shows)

A new study has revealed thatThis finding provides the first concrete evidence connecting an individuals financial health to their physical survival outcomes ().The research suggests that worsening credit scores  often a reflection of mounting medical expenses, reduced income, or financial stress  may serve as an early warning sign of declining health or barriers to care.By linking economic stability with survival rates, the study highlights the critical need to address financial hardship as part of comprehensive cancer care The research will be presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2025 in Chicago, October 4-7.Using data from the Massachusetts Cancer Registry merged with credit bureau data (20102019), researchers analyzed 42,451 patients. They found that 8.5% developedMassachusetts has a health care coverage rate of 97-98%, one of the highest in the country, suggesting that the financial toxicity and associated risks observed are likely even more severe in other states, the authors note.Our work shows that as somebodys credit score drops, their mortality risk increases, said lead author Benjamin C. James, MD, MS, FACS, an -associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and chief of general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This gives providers one more data point to intervene upon.The data we have to date shows a difference in access to care based on socioeconomic status. But access to care is different than showing an adverse clinical outcome as a result, Dr. James noted.This isnt just about stress; its literally about people dying unrelated to the cancer itself or made worse by their financial toxicity.Source-Eurekalert
We recently published 10 Stocks Wall Street is Watching Heading into October. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is one of the stocks Wall Street is watching.

Jon McNeill, CEO of DVx Ventures and former Tesla president, said in a recent program on CNBC that the demand for EVs may decline following the end of subsidies but rebound in the long term.

Demand is continuing to increase around the world. When I land in Tel Aviv, I see a lot of EVs, a lot of Chinese EVs. When I land in Mexico City, I see a lot of EVs and a lot of Chinese EVs. And certainly when you land in China, you see almost every car is an EV, but same thing in Norway. And the reason for that is these cars are a lot less energy cost, a lot less maintenance cost, and theyre super fun to drive because the weight of the center of gravity is actually in the center of the vehicle for the first time.

Asked what names hed own, the analyst mentioned General Motors and highlighted the companys EV business:

GM has come from the bottom of the charts now to the top of the charts and is the number one or number two player in the US. Theyve created a company several times the size of Rivian just in a few years. And so I wouldnt rule out the US players, especially GM either. Like the GM released the Chevy Equinox and that is right around the $30,000 price point and that has shown that there is a mass market for these. Theyre introducing the Bolt EV, the Bolt 2, early next year. And thatll be another entry into that price segment. And so I think what theyre seeing is that yeah, theres demand at that price point for sure.

Linda Parton / Shutterstock.com

Hotchkis & Wiley Large Cap Fundamental Value Fund stated the following regarding General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) reported strong Q3 earnings results and improved free cash flow guidance. We like GM for many reasons. First, we believe GM has leading market positions in its main business segments. Second, the valuation is extremely attractive. Finally, we believe it is a strong free cash flow generator, and the management team is committed to repurchasing their undervalued shares.

While we acknowledge the potential of GM 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.
Martin Scorsese considered becoming a priest.

Martin Scorsese had the chance to become a priest

The legendary film director has been fascinated with religion throughout his life and has explained how he could have devoted himself to the church before being removed from a Catholic seminary school in New York due to poor behaviour.

Speaking in Rebecca Miller's new documentary Mr. Scorsese, the Taxi Driver filmmaker said: "There was a prepartory seminary, and that was on 85th Street somewhere. I did okay for the first few months, but something happened.

"I began to realise the world is changing. It was early rock and roll and the old world was dying out. I became aware of life around me. Falling in love or being attracted to girls; not that you're acting out on it, but there were these feelings, and I suddenly realised it's much more complicated than this. You can't shut yourself off."

Scorsese soon realised that the priesthood wasn't for him and those in charge at the school got his father to remove him for his bad behaviour.

The 82-year-old director said: "The idea of priesthood, to devote yourself to others, really, that's what it's about. I realised I don't belong there. And I tried to stay but they got my father in there and they told him, 'Get him out of here.' Because I behaved badly."

Although the Goodfellas helmer doesn't add anything on his bad behaviour, his childhood friend Joe Morale revealed that the director "had a heavy eye for the ladies" during his teenage years.

Scorsese previously revealed how he "wasn't so great" at being an altar boy at the Basilica of St. Patricks Old Cathedral in New York City as a child because he found it difficult to wake up in time for the first service of the day.

He told People magazine: "I wasn't so great at it. It was very hard for me to be there on time for the 7:00 Mass. I would always be late. The priest had to say, 'You can't go on like this.'"

Despite this, Scorsese's time with the church left a lasting impression and he was particularly fascinated by the saints.

The Last Temptation of Christ director said: "Who are these people? And why are they elevated, so to speak, to something special, sainthood?

"Were these saints human? As a young person, you thought maybe they were more than human, and that's something I've been fascinated by since that time."
Lord Bamford and his wife Lady Carole Bamford are among the JCB directors who approved increasing their yearly award - David M. Benett/Getty Images for Positive Luxury

The billionaire Bamford family have received an 866m payout from their manufacturing company JCB despite a slump in sales.

The payout to Lord Bamford, the JCB chairman, and his family included 422m in cash and marks a 40pc increase on the previous years award.

Directors including Lord Bamford, his wife and Graeme Macdonald, JCBs chief executive, approved the increase even though sales fell 10pc last year, wiping 120m from operating profit.

In its results, JCB warned the global market for construction and farm equipment shrank for the first time in years amid slumping European demand, with UK sales down by a quarter.

It said the outlook for 2025 was moderately negative, with new geopolitical uncertainties, brought about largely through the protectionist trade policies of the new US administration.

JCB last year announced plans to expand a new factory currently under construction in Texas to one million square feet and shift more production from Europe.

Nevertheless, the company will still be hit by the expanded scope of 25pc tariffs on steel, which the Trump administration revised in August to add 400 new product groups including machinery.

Mr MacDonald said then that the tariffs  revealed days after US vice-president JD Vance visited Lord Bamfords country estate in the Cotswolds  were hugely punitive and would hit every machine shipped to the US.

JCB said the Chinese market had begun to rebound from a 70pc decline, while Brazil, Africa and the Middle East were also showing strong growth.

The firm, which has its HQ and main factory in Rocester in Staffordshire, close to where it was founded in 1945, said its balance sheet and net cash position also remained strong. It said the dividend also reflected a broad restructuring of its controlling interests.

More than 1,000 people were added to the workforce last year, though Lord Bamford rowed back on plans to create 500 more new jobs in January after Labours tax-raising Budget, citing challenging market conditions.

JCB remained a financial backer of the Conservatives, donating 30,000 to Conservative Central Office and 50,000 to Conservatives Together, as well as 272,500 to the Midlands Industrial Council  a group of wealthy businessmen who help fund the Tories, the filings show.

Lord Bamford, his family and their company are estimated to have donated more than 10m to the party over the past 20 years.

The Tory peer sits on the board of the Centre for Policy Studies, the think tank founded by Margaret Thatcher and Sir Keith Joseph, and hosted Boris Johnsons wedding on his Cotswolds estate.
A federal judge late Sunday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying any National Guard units to Oregon at all, after a legal whirlwind that began hours earlier when the president mobilized California troops for Portland after the same judge blocked him from using Oregon's National Guard the day before.

During a hastily called evening telephone hearing, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted a temporary restraining order sought by California and Oregon.

Immergut, who was appointed by Trump in his first term, seemed incredulous that the president moved to send National Guard troops to Oregon from neighboring California and then from Texas on Sunday, just hours after she had ruled the first time.

How could bringing in federalized National Guard from California not be in direct contravention to the temporary restraining order I issued yesterday? she questioned the federal government's attorney, cutting him off.

Arent defendants simply circumventing my order? she said later. Why is this appropriate?

The White House did not immediately comment on the judges decision.

Trump focuses on Oregon after Portland protests

Oregon is fighting to prevent federalized National Guard troops from coming to Oregon's largest city to address ongoing protests at an immigration processing facility there.

Small protests have been going on outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility since Trumps second term began in January. There have been occasional flare-ups, including in June, but for weeks nightly demonstrations attracted only a few dozen people.

Trump, however, has turned his attention to the city, calling Portland war ravaged, and a war zone that is burning down and like living in hell.

Local officials have point out that the protest occupies one city block far from the downtown in a city that covers 145 square miles. They also say many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on images from 2020, when unrest that grew out of the Black Lives Matter protests roiled the city for several months. Trump sent federal law enforcement to the city then, as well.

Under a new mayor and police chief, the city has reduced crime, and the downtown has seen a decrease in homeless encampments and increased foot traffic.

On Sept. 28, when the Trump administration mobilized the Oregon National Guard over Gov. Tina Kotek's wishes, the protests increased in size. On Saturday about 400 people gathered outside the ICE facility before federal agents shot tear-gas canisters into the crowd.

Trump also authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago on Saturday.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkers office said the situation in Chicago does not require the use of the military and, as a result, the Governor opposes the deployment of the national guard under any status.

Sending in the National Guard from other states

This weekend, about 200 federalized members of the California National Guard who had been on duty around Los Angeles were reassigned to Portland, a Pentagon spokesperson said.

Approximately 100 California National Guard troops landed in Portland after midnight Sunday and around 100 more arrived by early evening, Alan Gronewold, commander of Oregons National Guard, said in a court filing before the emergency hearing late Sunday.

The state of Oregon also included in its filing a memo written by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that ordered up to 400 Texas National Guard personnel activated for deployment to Oregon, Illinois and possibly elsewhere.

A hasty court hearing

At the emergency hearing late Sunday, Immergut grilled the attorney for the federal government and accused them of seeking an end run around her order from the day before that temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in Oregon.

Scott Kennedy, the attorney representing Oregon, said he learned of the Texas National Guard mobilization just 24 minutes before the emergency hearing on Sunday night.

It feels a little bit like were playing a game of rhetorical whack-a-mole here, he told Immergut.

Lawyers for the federal government tried to argue that Oregon and Portland did not have standing and that California could show no harm by having some of its National Guard dispatched to another state.

Immergut issued a temporary order that expires in 14 days unless it is extended at a hearing set for Oct. 17. Arguments for a preliminary injunction  a more permanent block on sending federalized National Guard troops to Oregon  are set for Oct. 29.

In a related court filing, an attorney in the California Military Department said the U.S. Army Northern Command advised the department on Sunday that an order will be issued keeping the 300 guard personnel federalized through the end of January.

Oregon and California react to Sunday's ruling

Kotek, the governor of Oregon, applauded Immergut's ruling and said Trump can expect Oregon to stand up to him at every turn.

President Trumps actions are an effort to occupy and incite cities and states that dont share his politics, and I believe that we should expect him to continue to push the limits of his authority," she said in a statement late Sunday.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Trump's move to deploy the National Guard of one state to another is well outside of the norms or practices of any president.

But this President is determined to take as much power as the courts will give him. This fight isnt over, but todays rebuke of the Presidents illegal actions is a step in the right direction, Bonta said in a statement after Sunday night's ruling.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said Sunday that he saw federal agents engaged in what he described as unjustified use of force and indiscriminately spraying pepper spray and impact munitions during a protest outside the ICE facility.

This is an aggressive approach trying to inflame the situation that has otherwise been peaceful, Wilson said, adding that he has alerted the civil rights division of the Department of Justice to the agents actions.

___

Weber reported from Los Angeles and Brook from New Orleans. Associated Press journalists Ethan Swope in Portland, Oregon; Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island; and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.
A complex network of Chinese-run black market marijuana operations is enveloping the U.S. -- and Michigan is caught in the web.

Though the chain of command is murky, politicians, attorneys and law enforcement who spoke with MLive believe the multi-layered networks originate in mainland China  possibly with the knowledge and backing of its government.

The owners target states with lax or confusing marijuana laws and enforcement, or with legal frameworks ripe for manipulation, most publicly in Oklahoma, where Department of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward said theres clear evidence of connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

State police used a search warrant at an illicit marijuana grow operation. (Photo provided by Michigan State Police) Michigan State Police

Similar operations have recently been uncovered in Michigan, where state police seized 13,400 cannabis plants from an illicit grow in Lake Countys Baldwin in July and 5,000-plus plants from a warehouse in Iosco Countys Alabaster Township.

Each of the nine people arrested were born in China, some now American citizens, others with green cards or asylum status, defense attorneys told MLive.

At least four are now in custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or face immigration detention orders.

Two attorneys representing eight of the defendants in these cases told MLive the workers were low-level pawns exploited -- if not human trafficked -- by shadowy overlords, required to work long hours in hot warehouses for little to no under-the-table pay and sleeping together in cramped apartments or on grow room floors. x

State police didnt respond to MLive request for comment.

Based on recent law enforcement actions in Michigan pertaining to the apprehension of Chinese nationals growing marijuana illegally in our state, it makes sense to be concerned that what is happening across the United States is happening in Michigan as well, Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency Director Brian Hanna said.

A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION

State police seized 5,057 plants valued near $5 million from a warehouse in Alabaster Township along the shores of Lake Huron on May 29.

There (is evidence) that that this is part of a criminal organization, Iosco County Prosecutor James A. Bacarella said. Everything was going straight from Michigan to New York. I dont know what happens to it after it goes to New York.

The Iosco County operation leased a warehouse in 2023 and the four suspects --Meiqing Chen, 53; Wenying Wu, 39; Changning Zhen and Zhenhong Nei -- lived together in an Oscoda apartment about 25 miles north of the warehouse, according to charging documents.

Chen, whose name is listed on the lease and invoices according to Bacarella, and Wu are charged with maintaining a drug house and deliver or manufacture of in excess of 45 kilograms of marijuana, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. They expected to enter plea deals when they return to court on Nov. 3, according to court records. The other defendants have been released to ICE.

A search of their residence revealed documents connecting the suspects to a known marijuana grow in Ionia where a previous search warrant had been executed in January 2025, the state police charging affidavit said.

Beyond health concerns presented by unregulated and untested marijuana, Bacarella said there are concerns the vulnerable workers are being exploited and potentially trafficked.

Gathering information from the Chinese defendants has been a challenge, due to the language barrier and lack of cooperation, which Bacarella said often arises in human trafficking scenarios.

Its been difficult because, obviously, not everybody speaks Cantonese, said Stephanie Koorndyk, regarding her client, Guanrong Haung, one of five defendants arrested in Lake County. Getting a translator to come out and talk with our clients, that is difficult.

From what little information Koorndyk has gleaned, she worries Haung, a man in his 30s who entered the U.S. with his spouse, may be in an indentured servitude situation.

He was supposed to get a monthly wage, and he still hadnt gotten one, she said. Hed been working for a few months, at least, and then he alluded to the fact that he has some gambling debts and stuff back in China.

So reading between the lines, I feel that it could be something more serious.

SHADY BUSINESS OR TRAFFICKING?

Koorndyk, who was court appointed, said her client has given her ambiguous answers to questions. I just get the sense that hes afraid, or something, she said.

A man who interacted with the operation became suspicious and alerted police, Koorndyk said.

She and another court-appointed attorney are representing the Lake County defendants who face possible deportation.

Meanwhile, Bloomfield Hills-based attorney Elias Muawad was hired to defend five of the naturalized citizens charged in the Lake and Iosco County cases. Muawad doesnt believe any of the defendants were trafficked.

Trafficking to me, and Ill be quite honest with you: youre forcing them to do it, he said. I dont see anything here were these Chinese nationals are forced to do it.

Im going to tell you why. They have their passports when theyre arrested.

Muawad said some of his clients were paid between $1,000 to $1,500 per month off the tax rolls for harvesting the marijuana and loading the trucks.

They dont know if these places are legal or illegal, but ignorance of the law, you know, is no excuse, he said. This is more of a business than a trafficking issue.

THE NATIONAL STAGE

ProPublica, a nonprofit media group, conducted an extensive investigation that revealed sophisticated links between black market marijuana and Chinese organized crime operations.

The mobsters operate in a loose but disciplined confederation overseen from New York by mafias rooted in southern China, according to state and federal officials, ProPublica reports. Known as triads because of an emblem used long ago by secret societies, these criminal groups wield power at home and throughout the diaspora and allegedly maintain an alliance with the Chinese state.

The investigation painted a picture of a multi-faceted crime syndicate thats also involved in fentanyl distribution and money laundering.

The Boston U.S. Attorneys Office in July announced the arrests of seven Chinese nationals accused of participating in a multi-million-dollar money laundering, alien smuggling and drug trafficking enterprise involving grow operations stationed inside suburban homes across Maine and Massachusetts.

Oklahoma has been a hotbed of Chinese-linked black-market operations for years, in part due to its loosely regulated legal marijuana framework.

Woodward, with the Oklahoma Department of Narcotics, told MLive there were 8,400 farms in the state nearly three years ago and 80% of those had links to Chinese operators.

He said it took a quadruple homicide at a farm in 2022 by a Chinese assassin showing up on a farm demanding payment for people to realize the scope of the problem.

Weve seen several other homicides and you never know how many we dont have -- where they shot everybody, buried them in the tree line and replaced them with a work crew from one of their other farms four miles up the road, Woodward said. And nobodys missing these people, except their families back in China because theyre undocumented.

Then weve identified human trafficking, sex trafficking, extortion, fires, besides just the homicides and weapons and things like that.

National concerns led the U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability to hold a two-hour hearing on Chinese-linked illicit marijuana Sept. 18 that included mention of the Michigan busts.

The hearing was titled, Invasion of the Homeland: How China is Using Illegal Marijuana to Build a Criminal Network Across America.

I think when people think of drug problems, they think of Mexico ...  said Paul Larkin, who testified before the committee and is a researcher with the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. They dont realize the full extent of the tentacles that China has extended into the United States.

The public needs to know this.
Michigan State Police are investigating a reported shooting during a road rage incident on Saturday, Oct. 4. Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.c

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI  Michigan State Police are investigating a reported shooting that unfolded during a road rage incident.

The Detroit Regional Communications Center received a call around 5:20 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, regarding shots fired.

The caller told dispatchers they were driving on westbound I-696, near Royal Oak, when another driver pointed a firearm out the window and fired two shots toward the callers vehicle.

Police said the vehicle was not struck and no injuries were reported.

Troopers searched the area, but no evidence was located. The incident remains under investigation.
ADRIAN, MI  The grassy area outside Siena Heights Universitys McLaughlin Stadium was packed with visitors, alumni and students, all abuzz with music and chatter.

People frequently stopped, catching up with an old friend, classmate or acquaintance. Around every corner was another setup for cornhole. Everywhere, the decor and apparel were blue and gold. And a competing variety of smells from every tent permeated the air.

It felt like any other college tailgate in every major way  except one.

Saturday, Oct. 4, marked Siena Heights final fall homecoming before the private, Catholic college closes its doors for good next spring.

As festivities got underway before the SHU Saints took on Judson University, SHU officials said there seemed to be a record number of alumni who turned up to visit and set up tents.

This is the most Ive seen in 23 years, recently-appointed SHU President Cheri Betz said, walking through the tailgate area, clipboard in hand.

A band of officials wearing trunked-out judge hats evaluated tent setups for spirit, food and beverage, most-valuable player and best decorations  and Betz for the presidents award.

When I came into campus this morning at about 8 (a.m.), people were already parked in the street, she said.

Siena Heights announced it would close June 30, ending its century-long history with the completion of the 2025-26 academic year.

The news shocked alumni and some members of the broader SHU community. At the time, former President Douglas Palmer cited the schools long-term sustainability and the kinds of shifts in demographics, enrollment and costs affecting small higher education institutions across the country as the reasons for closing.

Fans, students and alumni during the national anthem at Dawson Field on Siena Heights Universitys campus on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Siena Heights is celebrating their alumni and students all week for their last homecoming football game. Abra Richardson | MLive.com

Now, with a few months to experience the universitys campus life, SHU staff, students and alumni gathered, sharing memories and things that stood out to them about homecoming.

Its a bit of a bittersweet thing, said Julius Nagy, an associate professor whos directed SHUs honors program and was its soon-to-be assistant dean for STEM.

In his 14th year with Siena, Nagy  known around campus as Dr. J  received an honorary alumni award the previous night. The weekends camaraderie and the impact of the looming closure reminded him of a song he used to know, he said, recalling, Its basically that even when we die, we dont die because were kind of everywhere.

So, even though the school is closing, everybody who is a Saint, everyone whos had that Siena Heights experience, theyre not going like, Oh, the schools closed. Im going to throw that part of me away. No, its in here, Nagy said, placing his hand at the center of his chest. And just the things we teach to make students more competent, purposeful, ethical, dignity, all the things the school stands for, we all carry that around.

SHU deeply rooted in Adrian

When people talked about Siena Heights amid Saturdays festivities, they didnt always outright mention the closure.

But it colored the things their outlook, how hard they got into their tailgate setup, or what on the roster of homecoming weekend activities they attended.

Nate Adams, a 2017 graduate, received the young alumni award Friday and said he still feels entrenched in the community as an Adrian resident.

He didnt expect that to change.

Siena Heights University on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Siena Heights is celebrating their alumni and students all week for their last homecoming football game. Abra Richardson | MLive.com

Its so deeply rooted in Lenawee County and Adrian that theres absolutely no way that that energy and the spirit of the university are ever going to go away, Adams said. Obviously, what happened, happened. If this is it and this is the last time were all together, I still think generations from now, were still going to be speaking about Siena Heights.

SHU spokesperson Sarah Stanley, too, referenced how Sienas presence seeped into the surrounding Adrian community. As tailgating ramped up, she paused, pointing to an alumnus who was also once her childs teacher.

Originally from Tecumseh, that alumnus, Joey Chase, graduated in 2013.

He set up a tent with close friend Ryan Gigliotti, a 2012 alumnus who lives in Sterling Heights, early Saturday morning as they had for the last decade.

Theyd come out at 7:50 a.m. to get their corner, but jokingly, Chase said, People beat us. Thats our spot. Were only a little salty.

Overall, they were excited to see old friends, as well as new faces whove never attended homecoming. Although they had breakfast omelets, lunchtime smash burgers and peanut buttercup shots with Screwball and chocolate pudding, they said theyre known for their Oreo pudding shots, made with vanilla vodka and schnapps.

And they wanted everyone to try one. Mid-interview, they stopped, encouraging people to come back.

So, if you want one or after youre done working today  at least take one home, Gigliotti said with a laugh.

Like many others, the duo described the last traditional Siena homecoming and being on campus as bittersweet.

Tailgates outside of Siena Heights University on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Siena Heights is celebrating their alumni and students all week for their last homecoming football game. Abra Richardson | MLive.com

This is where it started. So, its happy, too, Gigliotti said.

We actually got in trouble one of the first years that they had football and built that new field, drinking along the fence line, Chase said. We just tailgate now. Thats what we do.

Because theyre both theater guys, Chase said they had anticipated walking through the Spencer Performing Arts Center, capitalizing on their nostalgia for campus while they could.

We always like to go through that building and see the stage and just kind of roam the halls and see what its like, he said. We graduated so long ago that campus is completely different now.

Homecoming helps SHU community reconnect

Sitting beneath a field-side tent early Saturday, Kate Hamilton, SHUs vice president for advancement and alumni relations, said she came to Siena Heights roughly 15 years ago.

Two of her kids graduated from Siena, she said, her husband was one of the football teams coaches, and they both got their masters there.

Its been a wonderful youre going to get me to cry now. Sarah, I was done crying, Hamilton said to Stanley, briefly tearing up. Its been a wonderful experience for me and my family.

And Im sad that its ending, she added. Siena is a special place  the relationships we built. I used to run a phone-a-thon with 20 students every semester. And I just ran into a bunch of them. I baked cookies for them. Because thats what we used to do. I sent them all a message this morning.

Siena Heights University players walk out on the field for a coin toss at Dawson Field on Siena Heights Universitys campus on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Siena Heights is celebrating their alumni and students all week for their last homecoming football game. Abra Richardson | MLive.com

Moments later, Betz returned from tailgate judging. Shed decided to give the presidents award to the mens and womens basketball tent, where they had a photobooth and physical furniture.

When asked about the meaning of homecoming, she said, I think football gives it more of a centrality. But its not the focus.

The focus? The people, she said.

The Saints went on to beat Judson 61-24 before alumni and SHU dignitaries filed into the St. Dominic Chapel for Betzs presidential inauguration and homecoming mass.

Ive always prided myself as being ready to serve, and so, what that means is be prepared, have a servants mindset and heart, Betz said. Reflecting on the heartwarming reunion under the occasion of homecoming, she said, Its been fun to see what means things to people.
DETROIT  Todd McLellan reflected on the preseason performances of the three remaining rookies on the Detroit Red Wings roster following Saturdays 6-5 overtime victory over Toronto and smiled.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, with a combination of skill and strength, scored two more goals in the finale and led the team with four goals and seven points. Axel Sandin-Pellikka picked up a pair of assists and looked comfortable working the blue line. Smooth-skating Emmitt Finnie did not look out of place at wing on the top line or centering his own line.

Brandsegg-Nygard might have locked up a season-opening roster spot, and the other two made strong cases as well. The Red Wings, with 25 players, need to trim at least two by Monday.

Those are all good problems to have, arent they? McLellan said. Im really happy with all three of the kids. We may as well bundle them all up and put them in a package. Theyve all competed from Day One unril now. Theyve all improved. Their confidence level has gone up. The group has been very accepting of them. They believe that the three of them can help the group, which is always a good sign. And theyve opened up some eyes.

McLellan said theres not much more Brandsegg-Nygard could have done to earn a spot.

Every night he just keeps getting better and better, McLellan said. He has an impact on the game, yes, scoring, but even his heaviness and his grind component to his game is something we appreciate. So, hes done a really, really good job.

Brandsegg-Nygard seems NHL-ready with his size (6-1, 207) and play around the net.

You look at him when he walks around, and hes a man, McLellan said. Hes thick, hes heavy. Him and Emmitt Finnie are two different body types. And right now, (Brandsegg-Nygard) is way closer to being a man. Thats not anything against Emmitt, but hes just heavier, hes stronger, hes probably better equipped to play that heavier, grinding game. And he uses what God gave him and he uses it well.

Brandsegg-Nygard scored from the net-front, converting a pass from J.T. Compher, and also blasted in a one-timer.

You think about the goals he scored throughout camp, McLellan said. Hes been able to score from distance because hes got such a heavy shot, yet hes found his way into the dirty areas, and he doesnt leave. He stays in there until the play dies. So thats a sign of a fearless player. Hes not anxious to get out of there. He stays in and burrows in that area and finds ways to find the net.

Thats always been his style, Brandsegg-Nygard said.

I feel like I played hockey for my whole life, so I know where the net is and Im just trying to do my best, he said.

Hes gotten much more comfortable since he arrived at camp.

You get to know the guys, he said. So yeah, I just feel like Im getting better and better.

Sandin-Pellikka said of his preseason: I felt like the defensive part got a little better. Theres still some flaws I got to work on, but overall, Im happy with my play here.

He admitted hes nervous as he waits to hear whether hes sticking around or being assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Probably wont get that much sleep, Sandin Pellikka said. Im ready for whatever and well see what happens.

Brandsegg-Nygard, whos been living with Sandin-Pellikka, his former teammate with Skelleftea in the Swedish League, said, Its both of our dreams to be here so I mean it would mean a lot to make the team this year.
A federal judge has dismissed a high-profile lawsuit against Yuga Labs, the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), ruling that its NFTs do not meet the legal threshold to be considered securities.

Key Takeaways:

A US judge ruled that BAYC NFTs and ApeCoin do not qualify as securities under the Howey Test.

The court found no common enterprise or profit expectation linking buyers to Yuga Labs.

The decision sets a precedent supporting NFTs as digital collectibles rather than investment contracts.

The decision marks a key moment in the ongoing debate over how U.S. securities laws apply to digital collectibles.

Judge Rules BAYC NFTs and ApeCoin Dont Meet Howey Test Criteria

Judge Fernando M. Olguin ruled that the plaintiffs failed to show how BAYC NFTs, ApeCoin (APE), or other Yuga-linked digital assets satisfy the three-pronged Howey Test, used by the SEC to determine what constitutes an investment contract.

The lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that Yuga Labs misled buyers into expecting profits from their NFT purchases.

In his decision, Olguin said the NFTs were marketed as digital collectibles offering exclusive membership benefits, not as profit-seeking investments.

The fact that defendants promised that NFTs would confer future, as opposed to immediate, consumptive benefits does not alone transmute those benefits from consumptive to investment-like in nature, he wrote.

The court found that there was no common enterprise between buyers and Yuga Labsan essential component under the Howey Test.

The NFTs were tradable on public blockchains and lacked any ongoing financial arrangement between purchasers and the company.

Legal experts noted the significance of the ruling. Statements about NFT prices and trade volumes are a somewhat closer call, but even then, these statements by themselves fail to establish an expectation of profit, Olguin added.

Consensys attorney Bill Hughes pointed out that fees collected by Yuga were independent of NFT pricing, further weakening the plaintiffs case.

The court also said that general statements about value or future plans did not equate to promises of profit.

The ruling strengthens the argument that most NFTs, particularly those designed as digital collectibles with access features, do not fall under existing US securities regulations, setting precedent for other ongoing cases in the space.

Nike and StockX Settle NFT Trademark Dispute Ahead of Trial

As reported, Nike and StockX have settled their nearly three-year legal battle over sneaker-linked NFTs, bringing an abrupt end to a closely watched case that could have set new precedent for digital asset and intellectual property law.
Meet Sridhar Vembu: How a man from Tamil Nadu built Zoho and took Made in India to the world

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Su attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston for many years and focused on electrical engineering. She eventually completed her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees all at MIT throughout the 1990s.

As a child, Su liked to take apart and rebuild remote-controlled cars and other gadgets, which sparked her interest in engineering. She eventually attended The Bronx High School of Science and graduated in 1986.

Lisa Tzwu-Fang Su was born in Tainan, Taiwan, in 1969, to Su Chun-hwai and Sandy Lo. Her family immigrated to the US when she was around the age of three, because her father, a statistician, was pursuing his graduate studies at the University of Texas in Austin. Her mother at that time was an accountant. The family eventually settled down in Queens, New York City.

Here's a look at the timeline of Su's career, from her early life in New York City to her role as one of the most influential women in tech and innovation:

But Su's leadership has not been without challenges. AMD's two largest competitors, Nvidia and Intel, are now working together in a strategic collaboration. Under the second Trump administration, export regulations related to China, one of AMD's largest markets, are also constantly changing.

When Su joined AMD in 2012, the company's market value was under $2 billion. Within a decade of her leadership, AMD's innovations in high-performance computing and graphics, especially the Ryzen CPUs and EPYC server processors, catapulted the company's value to roughly $270 billion as of October 2025.

On Monday, the company announced that it had agreed to a massive multi-year deal to provide its AI chips to OpenAI. The announcement sent AMD's stock soaring as much as 27% in premarket trading.

The Taiwanese American CEO is widely credited with transforming AMD from a struggling semiconductor firm on the brink of collapse into a global powerhouse competing head-to-head with Intel and Nvidia.

Lisa Su is the engineer behind one of the most dramatic corporate turnarounds in the tech industry.

UPDATE, October 6, 2025: This article was originally published on October 4, 2025. It has been updated after AMD announced it had entered into a multi-year deal to provide chips to OpenAI.

Here is a look at her career rise, personal life, and challenges over the years.

She's credited with turning AMD into a roughly $270 billion powerhouse and rival to Nvidia in AI chips.

AMD's CEO, Lisa Su, grew up in Queens and obtained three degrees from MIT.

Story Continues

Su's doctoral work on MOSFETs  tiny electronic switches inside computer chips  helped cement her future in some of the world's best-known semiconductor companies.

Semiconductor research

IBM also had similar rounds of layoffs in 2024. Hollie Adams/REUTERS

After leaving the academic environment, Su worked in engineering, research, and managerial positions at Texas Instruments, IBM, and Freescale Semiconductor.

As the lead scientist at the IBM Semiconductor R&D Center, she contributed to the development of copper interconnects in chips, replacing aluminum ones. Her later role as senior vice president and general manager at Freescale, where she prepared the company for its IPO, gave Su the experience she needed to take on roles beyond research.

Joining AMD

Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

Su joined AMD in 2012 as the general manager of Global Business Units. AMD's market cap that year was a little less than $2 billion.

At that time, most of AMD's revenue came from traditional chips for PCs. However, the PC market was shrinking in the early 2010s while demand for smartphones and tablets was booming.

AMD began to adopt a "semi-custom" approach, which involved taking its core technologies and modifying them based on individual customer needs. This approach helped secure contracts to design and manufacture chips for Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, which reduced reliance on the PC market.

In October 2014, Su was promoted to become President and CEO of AMD.

The big AMD turnaround

Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

In 2014, AMD had a large but scattered portfolio of chips for PCs, embedded systems, graphics, and low-power mobile, but the lack of focus was causing the company to lose market share to Nvidia and Intel.

In a change of direction for the company, Su decided to discard the market of low-power chips with small margins to focus on producing high-end chips for the cloud, data centers, and consoles.

The development of the Ryzen chips helped revive its market share among consumer products, while the simultaneous launch of the EPYC processor chips helped carve its share among data centers and servers. Companies with a large demand for cloud, like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google Cloud, have all been adopting EPYC chips.

In 2018, AMD also managed to launch the world's first 7-nanometer data center GPUs, namely the Radeon Instinct MI50 and MI60.

By 2020, AMD's market cap had reached over $110 billion.

An early viral moment

Screenshot via YouTube

Before Su started gracing magazine covers, she went viral in a clip from the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix, where Formula 1 commentator Martin Brundle yelled, "Excuse me, Ma'am, do you speak English?" at the CEO, who was sponsoring the event.

"I'm with AMD," Su said, a response that immediately gained her the internet reputation of being humble. The original clip on YouTube has garnered more than 750,000 views and continues to circulate on Instagram Reels as an example of humility.

Honorary buildings at MIT

MIT

In 2022, Su became the first MIT alumna to make a gift for a building that will bear her own name. Originally called Building 12, the home of MIT.nano was renamed the Lisa T. Su Building.

Su also regularly appears at MIT's doctoral commencement ceremonies and established the Lisa Su Fellowship Fund, which supports female graduate students at MIT who have made accomplishments in nanotechnology.

Her marriage to Daniel Lin

Jason Mendez/Getty Images

Su leads a very private life outside her role at AMD. Her spouse is Daniel Lin, but it is unclear when the pair got married or if they have children. There are no verifiable records of Lin's profession, and he is not a public figure, though the pair often appear in public events together.

Lisa Su's downtime

Lisa Su Thomas Padilla/AP

Su told Wired what keeps her going: She boxes with a trainer at her house for exercise, enjoys a good passion tea lemonade from Starbucks, and gets between five and six hours of sleep every night  seven on weekends.

CEO of The Year

Noam Galai/Getty Images for TIME

Su's work at AMD was recognized by Time magazine in 2024, which named her CEO of the Year. She became the first woman to receive this title.

Su is related to her competitor

REUTERS/Ann Wang

Su and Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia and the biggest competitor to AMD, are actually related. They are first cousins, once removed , with Huang being the elder. Su's maternal grandfather is the eldest brother of Huang's mother.

Despite both immigrating to the US from Taiwan as children, they did not grow up together and had never met until well into their respective careers.

Competition with Nvidia

David Becker/Getty Images

AMD's business has grown more than a hundred times since Su took the wheel, but it is still just a fraction of the size of the $4.4 trillion Nvidia.

When asked if she thinks she could outcompete Nvidia, Su told Wired in an August interview that she doesn't necessarily want to be compared to Intel and Nvidia, because "the market is humongous" and she sees plenty of opportunities.

On September 18, Intel and Nvidia announced a strategic collaboration to develop AI infrastructure and personal computing products together, sending Intel shares up 23% as of market close on the same day and denting AMD's stock. The collaboration is anticipated to create significant pressure on AMD by combining Nvidia's AI expertise with Intel's hardware.

Su's approach to criticism

I-Hwa CHENG / AFP

In March, a team of analysts from SemiAnalysis published a report that AMD's graphics processing unit is still inferior to that of Nvidia's, because AMD's existing software is preventing the chip from reaching its full potential.

But Su was not angry. Instead, she hopped on a 90-minute call with the SemiAnalysis's lead analyst the next day to hear him out.

"Feedback is a gift even when it's critical," Su wrote in a post on X after the call, "We have put a ton of work into customer and workload optimizations, but there is lots more we can do to enable the broad ecosystem."

Export controls on China

AMD CEO Lisa Su says money is "not necessarily the most important thing when you're attracting talent." Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Similar to Nvidia's H20 chips, AMD has developed chips specifically for the Chinese market in response to past US export control regulations, namely the MI308 AI chips.

In April, AMD estimated that the company would take a $800 million hit in revenue after Trump announced more stringent chip export controls that would ban MI308 from reaching its intended market.

"We lead today because we have the best technology. However, if we're not able to fully have our technology adopted in the rest of the world, there will be other technologies that will come to play," said Su in a US Senate hearing in May regarding export controls. "They may not be as good as we are today, but frankly, usage really spurs innovation."

In July, the restriction was lifted, and AMD said it would resume compliant shipments to China. By September, both Nvidia and AMD agreed to share 15% of their revenues from chip sales to China with the US government, in exchange for maintaining their export licenses.

The Rose Garden dinner

REUTERS/Brian Snyder

On September 4, Su attended an AI task force meeting at the White House, led by first lady Melania Trump, and subsequently attended a dinner event hosted by Trump alongside some of the biggest names in tech, including Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Su had previously endorsed the Trump administration's AI Action Plan, though she was not a member of a formal advisory board. In a September interview with Fox Business, Su said the AI Action Plan is an "excellent blueprint for what it takes for America to lead."

The AI Action Plan has faced criticism for attempting to override state-level AI governance and withholding AI infrastructure funding from states with more stringent regulations.

The OpenAI deal

Sam Altman, CEO OpenAI, photographed in Berlin IMAGO/BMF via Reuters Connect

On Monday, AMD announced it had agreed to a multi-billion-dollar partnership to supply its artificial intelligence chips to OpenAI.

The move gives AMD a significant boost against Nvidia.

The multi-year deal, announced Monday, will see OpenAI deploy 6 gigawatts of AMD GPUs, with the first 1 gigawatt deployment set to begin in the second half of 2026.

It gives OpenAI the opportunity to take a roughly 10% stake in AMD, with shares vesting as the companies hit deployment targets and AMD hits share price targets.

"This partnership is a major step in building the compute capacity needed to realize AI's full potential," Sam Altman, cofounder and CEO of OpenAI, said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Minnesota regulators voted unanimously Friday to approve an investment group's takeover of a power company over the objections of the state attorney general, big industrial electricity buyers and consumer advocates.

In voting for the takeover of Duluth-based Minnesota, the five members of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission said they believe the conditions imposed on the deal will protect the public interest and shield customers from rate increases. Opponents warned that the private equity group is only interested in squeezing bigger profits from regular ratepayers.

The approval came as electricity bills are rising fast across the U.S., and growing evidence suggests the bills of some residential customers are increasing to subsidize the rapid build-out of power plants and power lines to supply the gargantuan energy needs of Big Techs data centers and the boom in artificial intelligence.

Raising the stakes is the potential that Google could build a data center in Minnesota Powers territory in the northern part of the state, a lucrative prospect for the utility's owner.

Opponents also expressed fear that the sale would encourage more such deals across the U.S.

Under the planned buyout, a BlackRock subsidiary and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will take over the publicly traded company Allete, parent of Minnesota Power, which provides power to 150,000 customers and owns a variety of power sources, including coal, gas, wind and solar.

The buyout price is $6.2 billion, including $67 a share for stockholders at a 19% premium, and assuming $2.3 billion in debt. In its petition, Allete told regulators that Minnesota Powers operations, strategy and values wouldnt change under BlackRock and that the deals cost wouldn't affect electric rates.

Building trades unions and the administration of Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who appointed or reappointed all five of the utility commissioners, sided with Allete and BlackRock.

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Because of the collective work of partners, stakeholders, labor, environmental groups and others, weve made the overall package better for Minnesota Power customers, Sieben said.

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Bihar first state to have 1200 voters at each polling booth, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Patna

Rewati Karan is Senior Sub Editor at Moneycontrol. She covers law, politics, business, and national affairs. She was previously Principal Correspondent at Financial Express and Copyeditor at ThePrint where she wrote feature stories and covered legal news. She has also worked extensively in social media, videos and podcasts at ThePrint and India Today. She can be reached at rewati.karan@nw18.com | Twitter: @RewatiKaran

Addressing voters, the CEC urged active participation in the elections, likening voting to the festive spirit of Chhath Puja.

Rewati Karan

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Rite Aid, a once-national pharmacy chain popular for its in-store ice cream scoops, has closed its doors.

The company announced all its stores have "now closed" in a statement posted to its website.

We thank our loyal customers for their many years of support, the statement reads.

Rite Aid announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, the second time since October 2023. As part of its bankruptcy plan, the chain announced it would be closing all of its stores.

Rite Aid CEO Matt Schroeder said in May that the company experienced financial challenges that were intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and healthcare landscapes, according to USA TODAY reporting at the time.

"As we move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates as possible," Schroeder said.

The companys website is now blank except for a service that helps former customers find a new pharmacy and a link to request pharmacy records.

Rite Aid promised 'smooth transfer' of prescriptions

On May 15, Rite Aid said it entered into a series of sale agreements and pharmacy services transitioning agreements" that would transition assets from its nationwide locations to CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Albertsons, Kroger and Giant Eagle.

Additionally, the company said in May that customers will be able to access pharmacy services and that it was "working to facilitate a smooth transfer of customer prescriptions to other pharmacies."

"As we move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates as possible," Schroeder said.

The company also auctioned off Thirty Ice Cream, its in-house ice cream brand, to Hilrod Holdings in June. The transaction was approved on July 1 by a federal judge. The company agreed to pay $19.2 million for the purchased assets of Thrifty PayLess, Inc., which was owned by Rite Aid before the bankruptcy, according to court documents.

At its peak, Rite Aid, which was founded in 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, had thousands of stores operating across the country. In May, it was operating 1,240 locations in 15 states.

The Rite Aid pharmacy at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Cedar Street in the Town of Southport is among several Elmira area Rite Aid locations that will close this summer when the company goes out of business.

The company first filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2023, reporting $750 million in losses just one fiscal year earlier. The litigation in that case resolved hundreds of lawsuits alleging the company ignored red flags while filling prescriptions for opioid pain medication.

When it emerged from bankruptcy in 2024, the company still had $2.5 billion in debt.

USA TODAY contacted Rite Aid on Friday, Oct. 3, but has not received a response.
The Congress demanded a high-level investigation into the "scam", blaming the actions of Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat.

Rewati Karan

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Congress alleges voter deletions exceed victory margins in some seats of Bihar in 2020 assembly polls

Ramesh alleged that despite the completion of the SIR, numerous instances of irregularities in the final list indicate that the Election Commission has no regard for the clear orders of the Supreme Court."

Rewati Karan

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Election Commission announces 17 new initiatives for upcoming Bihar polls, to be implemented across India

Ria Kapoor

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'Immediate action should be taken': Congress' Ashok Gehlot on cough syrup deaths in MP

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India will be buried under wreckage of its warplanes: Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's outrageous remark

Tamal Nandi

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Ria Kapoor

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So far 18 deaths have been reported across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in connection with the consumption of cough syrup.

Arishaa Izaj

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Samsung has partnered with Coinbase to give more than 75 million Galaxy smartphone users in the United States streamlined access to crypto, with a global rollout planned in the coming months.

Starting this week, Galaxy users can access Coinbase services directly through the Samsung Wallet app.

The collaboration introduces exclusive benefits, including a free three-month subscription to Coinbase One, the exchanges premium membership program that offers zero trading fees on select assets, boosted staking rewards, priority support, and account protection.

Users will also receive a $25 credit after making their first trade on Coinbase.

Galaxy Users Can Now Store IDs, Cards, Keysand Cryptoin Samsung Wallet

The partnership expands on earlier work between the two companies. In July, Coinbase integrated with Samsung Pay, allowing U.S. users to purchase crypto in-app.

With the new update, Galaxy owners can now consolidate digital essentials such as IDs, payment cards, keys, and crypto holdings within Samsung Wallet, making the platform a central hub for financial and digital identity management.

Together with Samsung, were pairing their global scale with Coinbases trusted platform to deliver the best value for people to access cryptostarting with more than 75 million Galaxy users across the U.S. and soon around the world, said Shan Aggarwal, Coinbases chief business officer.

Samsung executives framed the partnership as part of a broader effort to make the Wallet app an all-in-one tool for everyday use.

Millions of Galaxy users rely on their smartphone to complete daily tasks. With our Coinbase partnership, they now have a simple and streamlined way to access crypto from a leader in the industry, said Drew Blackard, senior vice president of mobile product management at Samsung Electronics America.

Coinbase has been pursuing expansion as it faces growing competition in both traditional finance and the crypto sector. The company, which entered the S&P 500 this year and holds an $83 billion market capitalization, has been diversifying its services beyond trading.

Additionally, Coinbase acquired crypto derivatives platform Deribit for $2.9 billion, indicating its intention to dominate that space.

It is now active in custody, payments, asset management, and derivatives, while also serving as custodian for eight of the 11 U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs.

With Bitcoin trading near record highs and institutional adoption accelerating, the Samsung partnership positions Coinbase to tap into one of the largest consumer bases in the world.
We call ourselves different but we are all one, we are Hindus: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Ria Kapoor

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20-year-old woman colours hair every month, gets kidney disease from chemicals in dyes

He added that many dyes contain lead and mercury, which are harmful to health. (Representational image: Unsplash)

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The shrimps served at the restaurant of the Austrian parliament were imported from Bangladesh. (Representational image: Unsplash)

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While inspecting one house, the company's founder said he spent nearly 20 nights in the property, during which his laptop abruptly shut down and failed to restart. (Representational image: Unsplash)

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Pakistan's Ali Akbar is the last newspaper hawker in Paris. Macron vowed to knight him

Pakistani born 73-year-old newspaper hawker Ali Akbar sells newspaper copies in the street of the Latin Quarter in Paris. (Image credit: AFP)

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NASA tracks four asteroids passing at safe distance from Earth on 5th October

MC Science Desk Read the latest and trending science newsstay updated on NASA, ISRO, space missions, planets, asteroids, black holes, AI, quantum physics, galaxy discoveries, and more exciting breakthroughs.

Gurpreet Singh

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Apple iPhone 17 vs Google Pixel 10: How the two phones compare

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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

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Canadian PR Holders Can Travel Visa-Free to These 30 Countries as of October 2025

Canadian PR Holders Can Travel Visa-Free to These 30 Countries as of October 2025

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After Trump's intervention, how close is the Gaza war to ending?

Previous ceasefires during the war came to an end with Israel reviving its offensive and fighting resuming.

Arindam Roy

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In a recent announcement, Samsung Electronics Co. said it will offer exclusive Coinbase One access to Samsung Wallet holders starting Oct 3. Additionally, Samsung Pay has been integrated as a payment method within the Coinbase app. It will give users access to perks like zero trading fees on select coins, enhanced staking rewards, and protection against unauthorized transfers.

With Samsung Pay now live as a payment method for Coinbase users, Galaxy users can more easily buy and move cryptocurrency with their phone's native payment method.

By embedding crypto into Samsung Wallet, the company is turning smartphones into on-ramps to digital assets. Users who already store their IDs, cards, and keys can now also store cryptocurrencies in the same place. For many, this removes extra steps like installing another application or bridging between platforms.

Samsungs push to expand its financial reach via Coinbase

Drew Blackard, SVP of Mobile Product Management at Samsung, described Samsung Wallet as a trusted tool to millions of Galaxy users. He added that their latest partnership with Coinbase will help users gain a simple and streamlined way to access crypto from a leader in the industry.

Coinbase Chief Business Officer Shan Aggarwal said the deal is a pairing of Samsungs market scale with Coinbases regulated platform to expand crypto access to more users.

Apple keeps a distance from crypto

While the smartphone giant allows users to download crypto trading apps via the App Store, Apple has yet to embed any crypto features into its own services like Apple Pay or Apple Wallet.

More news:

Speaking during an interview last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook disclosed that he holds Bitcoin and Ethereum in his personal portfolio. He described it as a part of his personal investment strategy and said that it's only reasonable to include crypto for diversification. Cook added that he had done his own research before investing in Bitcoin.

However, in the same interview, Cook also made it clear that there is a distinction between his personal choices and Apples position. He stated that the company has no plans to invest its $200 billion cash reserve into Bitcoin or other crypto assets. Cook said people don't purchase Apple stock to gain exposure to the crypto market.

Related: Moodys issues harsh warning for nations adopting crypto

Given the scale of adoption in recent years, Apples cautious stance on crypto could soon start to look like a disadvantage.

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 3, 2025, where it first appeared in the Business News section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
While Israel has not commented on the new allegations the foreign ministry earlier described reports that detainees were mistreated as "complete lies".

Siddharth Chakravorty

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Law enforcement officers confront demonstrators during a standoff with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal officers in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, U.S., October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska

Arindam Roy

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Crypto, Hawala and shell foundations: How Khalistani and Islamist groups exploit charities abroad to fund terror | Explained

Abhinav Gupta

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A man walks near the covered bodies of the victims of a Russian drone and missile strike, lying near their destroyed house, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Lapaivka on the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine October 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

Arindam Roy

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Netanyahu hopes to announce release of all hostages from Gaza 'in coming days'

But Netanyahu signalled there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Hamas has long demanded.

101Reporters

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Siddharth Chakravorty

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While prices have held up relatively strongly to the supply added so far, there are now signs that the market is starting to shift

Arindam Roy

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Putin says Tomahawk supply to Ukraine would destroy US relations

Arindam Roy

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The women who fought ISIS are now battling Damascus for equality

The SDFs Womens Protection Units (YPJ) helped spearhead urban battles from Kobane to Raqqa, and women now hold command billets over mixed-gender units.

Deblina Halder

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Trump plans to federalise 300 troops in Illinois, as judge blocks similar mobilisation in Oregon

Trump has called Portland war-ravaged and suggested the city is burning down.

101Reporters

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As Bitcoin treasury firms proliferate in the U.S., an engineer-by-day is building dashboards for them on the other side of the world and cashing in on the industrys latest craze.

For a while, mNAV was called MicroStrategist, but its recent rebrand reflects a newfound focus on dozens of Bitcoin-buying firms, and counting, according to co-founder and company director Marty Kendall, who lives in Australia.

In a gold rush, sell shovels, he told Decrypt. Every company needs clarity and transparency, and they really have to build to make a dashboard work.

The companys new name is shorthand for multiple-to-net asset value, an informal yet popular standard for assessing Bitcoin treasury firms. It weighs a companys market capitalization against the value of its digital asset holdings, but thats just one metric that mNAV offers.

This year, cannabis cultivators, distilleries, and healthcare devices companies, among others, have emerged as new buyers of digital assets, while trying to emulate Strategy, the worlds largest corporate holder of Bitcoin. They often focus on growing the amount of cryptocurrency owned per share.

Some analysts have highlighted signs of investor fatigue, but Kendall views the firms as key vehicles for Bitcoins adoption (beyond products like exchange-traded funds).

Im fundamentally a Bitcoin believer in what it can give to the world, he said. I want to see Bitcoin morph into its final form, and the treasury companies are part of that story.

The first dashboard that mNAV made was for Capital B. Investors can toggle between metrics reflected in USD and EUR, and beyond mNAV (the metric), gauge things like the performance of Capital B shares relative to Bitcoin or progress toward its accumulation goal.

Bitcoin Hits New All-Time High Price Above $125,000

Everybody loved that, he said, adding that it led to opportunities with other organizations, as well as Bitcoin for Corporations, which bills itself as an executive network.

Bitcoin for Corporations website shows mNAV-powered dashboards for 17 Bitcoin-buying firms, from Strategys $79 billion stockpile to Locate Technologies' $1.5 million stash. Kendall noted that mNAV has struck several deals with individual companies.

Strategy is a prominent member of Bitcoin for Corporations, but the dashboard on its website doesnt mention mNAV (the company) and draws data from Polygon.io.

Eventually, mNAV could provide investors with analysis on Bitcoin treasury firms, Kendall said. The company was moving in that direction before its Capital B dashboard blew up, he added.
Sceptics believe that Netanyahu and Hamas may both be playing largely to appease Trump and not to sign up for real peace.

Deblina Halder

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Why conservatives are turning on Wikipediaand how Musk is fuelling the fight

Musks personal clash with Wikipedia has dovetailed with his broader ambitions in technology

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President Donald Trump once again floated the idea of issuing rebate checks to Americans funded by the hundreds of billions of dollars in tariff revenue imposed by his administration.

A Dividend To The People of America

On Thursday, Trump said the government has already taken in hundreds of billions of dollars from tariffs imposed on foreign nations since April. They're just starting to kick in, he said, adding that ultimately, your tariffs are going to be over a trillion dollars a year, in an interview with One America News Network.

When asked about what he intends to do with all this money, Trump said that his priority is paying down the nations massive debt.

Trending: Arrived Home's Private Credit Funds has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%*, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum.

Number one, we're paying down debt, he said, while adding that the $37 trillion national debt is very little, relatively speaking because tariff collections are reaching unprecedented levels, according to a report by the New York Post.

With that being said, we'll pay back debt, but we also might make a distribution to the people, Trump said. He described the plan as a dividend to the people of America.

We're thinking maybe $1,000 to $2,000  it would be great, Trump said, amid a government shutdown, after the Senate failed to pass a continuing resolution late Tuesday.

This comes despite warnings by several prominent experts, who continue to reiterate that it is consumers who eat the cost of the tariffs, and not foreign firms. So, in essence, the tariffs are paid by American importers and consumers.

See Also: An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed MarketplaceNow You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform

Experts Criticize Tariff Rebate Plan

Trump has floated this idea several times in the past, having said in late July that his administration was planning a rebate, aimed at people of a certain income level.

The plan has been criticized by several prominent experts, with investor Kevin OLeary saying that tariff revenue should go towards paying down the nations debt. No. I tell you the idea I like  and I think every taxpayer likes better than this idea  use any excess capital to reduce the national debt, OLeary said in July.

Last week, economist Peter Schiff pushed back against this idea of returning tariff revenue back to consumers, calling it One of the dumbest ideas. He added that If Republicans want taxpayers to have the tariff revenue, then don't impose tariffs on them in the first place.
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The following is an overview of the administrations latest pressure campaigns on universities to get with the program on their vision for America. What is that vision? As Sethi covers, there are limits on international students and an effort to boost science programs, but the big one comes towards the end, which is:

The compact demands of universities that they screen out applicants who demonstrate hostility to American values.

And those are indistinguishable from Zionist values. Weve already seen this show at other universities like Harvard, Columbia, and the City University of New York, which have cracked down on protests against genocide and have adopted more intense antisemitism training after Trump threats to their federal funding. And so they turn to the Anti-Defamation League and other Zionist organizations to try to explain away genocide.

As we featured in Links recently, Northwestern University placed registration holds on at least 300 students who refused a new mandatory antisemitism training video. Heres a roundup of that situation:

The video equates criticism of Israel with antisemitism, even comparing critics to David Duke, and leans on a controversial definition of antisemitism (Guardian).

It claims Israel was founded on British land and rebrands the occupied West Bank as Judea & Samaria.

The film is produced by JUF, a pro-Israel advocacy group; Northwestern says its required.

The university cited Trumps Jan 29 Executive Order to justify rollout; $790M in research funding was still cutanyway (Guardian).

Jewish students opposing the module wrote that it reinforces, rather than reduces, discriminatory bias on campus.

That last point is really a microcosm of the situation. The more Israel and the US try to force everyone to eat the Zionist dog food, the more it backfires.

By Rajiv Sethi, Professor of Economics, Barnard College, Columbia University; External Professor, Santa Fe Institute. Originally published at Imperfect Information.

According to media reports, the federal government has sent nine research universities a memorandum of understanding and promised significant benefitsincluding preferential access to grants and federal student loansto those who sign it. The title of the document is Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education and the recipients are reported to be MIT, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, USC, and the flagship public universities of Texas, Arizona, and Virginia.

Why were these particular institutions selected? According to White House advisor May Mailman, it was because they are current or potential good actors led by a president who is a reformer or a board that has really indicated they are committed to a higher-quality education.1 This framing suggests that the nine recipients of the letter are lucky to have been selected, and at least one governing board chair concurs. But others may not feel as fortunate. Receiving the document but declining to sign it may leave them worse off than if they had never received it in the first place.2

In some respects, the compact resembles documents emerging from negotiated settlements with Columbia and Brown (and echoed in a presidential memorandum).3 But there are also some new elements and some refinements of earlier demands. It is an uneasy mix of reasonable directives (such as grade integrity and tuition refunds for those who dont complete their first semester of study) interspersed with requirements that would involve extraordinary invasions of privacy. For example, the memo calls for administrators to ensure the presence of a broad spectrum of ideological viewpoints not just in the university as a whole, but within every field, department, school, and teaching unit. I dont see how this can be achieved without requiring current and potential faculty across the board to disclose privately held ideological leanings that have nothing to do with the performance of their duties.

That said, I think that most Americans have consistently underestimated the power of the federal government to impose its will and the range of weapons at its disposal. This particular compact may end up being rejected or substantially revised, but it contains a couple of elements that are quite likely to be implemented at scale. One is a limit on foreign student enrollment, capped at 15 percent with no more than 5 percent from any given country. And the other is a strong preference, including tuition waivers in some cases, for students pursuing hard science programs.

There is some tension between these two objectives. The two largest source countries for foreign students in the United States are India and China, jointly responsible for more than half of total international enrollments. The most popular fields of specialization for these students are computer science and engineering, with mathematics and the physical and life sciences close behind. Foreign students spend tens of billions of dollars annually while engaged in programs of study, and all their expendituresfrom tuition to rent and groceriesare American exports. Without these, our trade deficit would be even larger.

One can certainly make arguments for limiting the presence of foreign students at American universities, even from perspectives that are not closely aligned with the current administration. These arguments ought to be taken seriously. But so must the fact that there is a price to be paid for significantly limiting foreign student enrollment. If these applicants are denied access to American universities, they will hardly sit still. There are a number of institutions worldwide that would gladly compete for them, and then compete for the faculty they seek to learn from and work with. And if the students cannot move to the schools, the schools will move to the students. My own alma mater, for example, has set up shop in Delhi.

There are elements in the compact with which many university leaders will agree. For instance, Dartmouth and MIT have both reinstated the requirement that standardized test scores be submitted with each application. Harvard has adopted a robust version of institutional neutrality that is binding on subdivisions. And long before the current administration took office, Stanford made clear that it would not tolerate a hecklers veto when controversial speakers are hosted on campus. But even if they agree with some of the demands in the compact, my guess is that most university leaders will see the exercise itself as an unacceptable intrusion into their autonomy and an illegal attempt to favor some institutions over others in the allocation of congressionally appropriated funds.

How, then, should they respond? One possibility is to issue a compact of their own, not with federal authorities but with the American public at large. At the moment, the recovery of trust and confidence in these institutions is a more urgent priority than preferential access to taxpayer dollars. The case must be made that heavy-handed intrusions into the internal governance of universities could lead to a chain of faculty and student movements that will transform the landscape of American higher education, and further threaten our increasingly precarious position atop the global higher education hierarchy.

Ill close with a more personal thought. The compact demands of universities that they screen out applicants who demonstrate hostility to American values. This is reasonable on its face, but requires some agreement on the content of these values. What appeals to me most about American traditions is the creedal nature of national identity, the Declarations insistence on universal equality, and the rights enumerated in our Constitution. Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but I consider innovation, productivity growth, and sustained material prosperity to be downstream of free expression. I have argued against censorship (and self-censorship) in academic settings on multiple occasions. But many of these values remain deeply contested. If I find the detention and attempted deportation of a foreign student for a lawful speech act abhorrent, does that signal fidelity to American values or a betrayal of them? The answer to such questions will determine which path we take at this hinge point in American history.

***

1 In fact, an opinion piece by Dartmouth president Sian Beilock (who previously led Barnard College) is approvingly cited in a footnote.

2 Public universities under pressure from state legislatures could well sign the compact or something resembling it. The most likely to do so would be the University of Texas at Austin, which is alone among the three in facing a state government trifecta.

3 As in the settlements and earlier proclamations, the compact prohibits universities from considering such factors as sex, ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity in admissions or hiring decisions, mandates the publication of anonymized data on quantitative measures of accomplishment, requires students to be classified based on reproductive function and biological processes in determining access to single-sex spaces and participation in sports, calls for the transformation or abolition of institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas, and demands responses to disruptions, violence, intimidation, or vandalism with lawful force if necessary and swift, serious, and consistent sanctions. The term badge of inferiority is used without irony to characterize preferential treatment in admissions. Recall that the phrase was made famous by its use in the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, where the majority argued that the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority was a fallacy, and that any such reading of the segregation law at issue arose solely because the colored race chooses to put that construction upon it.
Boeing secures $123 million contract to replace bunker-buster bombs used in U.S. strikes on Irans nuclear sites

The Pentagon is awarding Boeing a $123 million contract to replace 14 expended GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, the world's largest bunker-busters, used in Operation Midnight Hammer against Iran's nuclear facilities.

The June 22 operation marked the first deployment of these bombs, designed to penetrate 200 feet underground, targeting Iran's Fordow enrichment facility with B-2 stealth bombers and submarine-launched Tomahawks.

Iranian officials, including lawmaker Mohammad Manan Raisi, claim the damage was "superficial and easily repairable," with state media reporting Fordow remained largely intact and no radiation leaks occurred.

The MOPs are assembled in Oklahoma, with Boeing supplying guidance systems. The Pentagon has been tight-lipped, but 20 MOPs were originally ordered in 2015. Production capacity is now being tripled to replenish stockpiles.

Beyond the MOPs, the Pentagon faces $2B in costs to replace 150 THAAD interceptors used to defend Israel during the conflict, alongside plans for a next-generation MOP prototype. The long-term financial and strategic fallout remains unresolved.

The U.S. Department of Defense is set to award Boeing a $123 million contract to replace 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombsthe world's largest precision-guided bunker-bustersexpended during Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S.-led airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear facilities in June.

According to the Brighteon.AI engine Enoch, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a 30,000-pound American-made bomb designed to destroy deeply buried, hardened targets such as underground nuclear facilities. Capable of penetrating up to 200 feet of reinforced concrete or thousands of feet of soil, it is one of the U.S. military's most powerful non-nuclear weapons, intended for use against fortified structures immune to conventional bombs.

The operation, conducted in support of Israel, marked the first combat deployment of the 30,000-pound bombs, designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before detonating.

According to a Pentagon budget document obtained by Bloomberg, funds are being shifted from operations and maintenance accounts to Air Force munitions procurement to replenish the bombs used in the strikes. Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed Boeing, the original manufacturer of the MOP, will receive the contract.

The June 22 operation saw U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers drop 12 MOPs on Iran's heavily fortified Fordow enrichment facility, while Tomahawk missiles launched from submarines struck the Isfahan nuclear site. President Donald Trump, addressing military leaders at a Marine Corps base, declared the mission a resounding success: "Total obliterationevery single one of 'em hit its target." (Related: Trump faces scrutiny over deceptive Iran bombing plan as global tensions escalate.)

Iranian officials dispute effectiveness of MOP bombs

However, Iranian officials have disputed the effectiveness of the strikes. Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker from Qom Province, dismissed the damage as "superficial and easily repairable," while state-run Fars News Agency reported Fordow remained largely intact with no radiation leaks or casualties.

The MOPs are assembled through a multi-stage process. The bomb bodies are forged at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma, where production capacity is being expanded to triple monthly output. Personnel there fill casings with explosives and assemble warheads, while Boeing provides the tail kit, which houses navigation and guidance systems. The Air Force has remained tight-lipped about the program, though it confirmed in 2015 that 20 MOPs were originally contracted to Boeing.

The replacement contract is separate from a late August award to Boeing and Applied Research Associates Inc. to design a next-generation MOP prototype. Meanwhile, the Pentagon faces broader replenishment costs, having fired over 150 THAAD interceptorsroughly a quarter of its stockpileto defend Israel during the 12-day conflict with Iran, at an estimated cost of $2 billion.

The strikes followed Iran's April 2024 retaliation for Israel's bombing of its consulate in Damascus, escalating tensions that culminated in Operation Midnight Hammer. While U.S. officials insist the mission degraded Iran's nuclear capabilities, Tehran's defiance and the looming contract for replacement bombs suggest the conflict's long-term strategic and financial implications are far from settled.

Follow WeaponsTechnology.news for more news about bunker-buster bombs.

President Trump reportedly asked about bunker buster bombs. Watch this video.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trumps Threat to Bomb Iran Risks Triggering Global Nuclear War, Analysts Warn.

Pentagon orders increase in missile production amid rising fears of China conflict.

Satellite images reveal U.S. bombing of Irans Fordow facility was largely theatrical.

Intelligence report: U.S. strikes FAIL to dismantle Irans nuclear program.

U.S. to deliver 33,000 AI drone "strike kits" to Ukraine under Pentagon contract.

Sources include:

News.AntiWar.com

Brighteon.ai

Bloomberg.com

IranIntl.news
UNRWA chief warns Israels labeling of Gaza civilians as terrorists signals preparations for large-scale massacres

Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, warns that Israel's classification of 250,000 Gazans as "terrorists or supporters" signals preparations for "large-scale massacres," targeting civilians unable to flee.

Leaked Israeli military data reveals over 80 percent of the 66,225 Palestinians killed since October 2023 are civilians, including 20,000 children, amid intensified bombardment and blockade.

WHO reports 42,000 severe injuriesincluding amputations, spinal cord damage, and burnswhile Gaza's health system nears total collapse, exacerbated by malnutrition and sealed aid routes.

Lazzarini condemns global inaction as "complicity" in genocide, despite UN ceasefire resolutions, while aid agencies suspend operations due to Israeli siege tactics.

With 600,000 trapped under bombardment and famine, many Gazans refuse evacuation orders, facing irreversible atrocities as the world fails to intervene decisively.

The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has issued a dire warning that Israel's classification of 250,000 civilians in Gaza City as "terrorists or terror supporters" suggests preparations for "large-scale massacres."

His statement comes amid escalating military operations and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared earlier this week that Palestinians remaining in Gaza City were being given a "last opportunity" to flee south or face being treated as "terrorists and supporters of terror." This threat coincides with intensified Israeli bombardment and a blockade preventing displaced Gazans from returning north. (Related: Israel resumes ground offensive in Gaza, sparking protests and humanitarian crisis)

Lazzarini condemned the rhetoric as a prelude to mass civilian casualties. "This is a statement suggesting planned large-scale massacres: killing more women, children, elderly, and vulnerable people unable to move out," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "No one has the license to kill civilians. Ongoing international crimes in Gaza cannot continue to be implicitly tolerated."

The UNRWA chief's warning follows leaked Israeli military data revealing that more than 80 percent of the 66,225 Palestinians killed since October 2023 were civilians, including 20,000 children.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, UNRWA was established in 1949 to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, operating primarily in Jordan, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. Its mandate focuses on education, healthcare and socio-economic support, though its capacity to address deeper systemic challenges faced by refugees has been limited by political and resource constraints.

Humanitarian catastrophe deepens

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported Thursday, Oct. 2, that 42,000 Gazans have sustained "life-changing injuries"a quarter of them childrendue to Israeli attacks. These include:

Over 5,000 amputations

22,000 limb injuries

2,000 spinal cord injuries

1,300 traumatic brain injuries

3,300 severe burns

Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, emphasized that Gaza's health system is teetering on the brink of collapse. He stressed the urgent need for rehabilitation services, not only for trauma victims but also for chronic patients and the disabled.

Peeperkorn said that displacement, malnutrition, disease and lack of assistive products mean the actual rehabilitation burden is far greater than reported.

Meanwhile, Gaza's sole remaining aid route, al-Rashid Street, has been sealed by Israeli forces, cutting off food and medicine deliveries. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have suspended operations in Gaza City due to the siege.

International complicity and calls for action

Lazzarini accused the global community of "complicity" in what UN investigators have labeled a genocide. "The time to act is now," he urged, as rights groups demand immediate intervention to halt violence and secure humanitarian access.

The UN General Assembly recently passed a non-binding resolution demanding an unconditional ceasefire, with surprising support from Germany and Ukraine, amplifying pressure on Israel. Yet, negotiations remain deadlocked, with Hamas reviewing a U.S.-brokered truce proposal widely seen as favoring Israeli interests.

Despite evacuation orders, many Gazans refuse to leave. With 600,000 Palestinians trapped under bombardment and famine looming, the UN warns that without decisive action, Gaza faces "atrocities with irreversible consequences."

The world watchesbut will it act?

Follow Genocide.news for more news about the ongoing genocide happening in Gaza.

Watch the video below about a possible alternative to UNRWA.

This video is from the oneninetyfivenationsrising channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

UNRWA chief slams Israeli Gaza airdrops as "smokescreen" while 6,000 aid trucks await entry amid starvation crisis.

UNRWA warns of growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid continued Israeli bombings.

UN commission accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, citing systematic destruction and intent.

WHO warns that forced Israeli evacuation of Gaza is a "death sentence" for Palestinian hospital patients.

UN committee condemns Israel's actions as "consistent with characteristics of genocide," calls for Israeli officials to be held accountable.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.net

Khaama.com

Brighteon.ai

PressTV.ir
Tragedy in Manchester: Synagogue attack leaves two dead, police confirm one victim was struck by an officers bullet

A man carried out a coordinated car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue during Yom Kippur observances, which authorities have officially declared an act of terrorism.

The attack left two members of the Jewish community dead and three others seriously injured. The assailant was shot and killed by police at the scene.

In a devastating update, police confirmed that one of the two deceased victims was likely killed by a police bullet fired to stop the attacker, highlighting a tragic consequence of the emergency response.

The timing of the attack on a sacred day has deeply shaken the Jewish community and the nation, prompting the Prime Minister to deploy additional police protection for synagogues.

Counter-terrorism police are investigating the motive and have arrested three other individuals in connection with the attack. The assailant was a British citizen of Syrian heritage and was wearing a fake explosive vest.

A serene morning of prayer on Judaisms holiest day was shattered by violence when a man launched a brutal car-ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, leaving two members of the Jewish community dead and three others seriously injured. In a tragic turn, police also confirmed that one of the deceased victims was likely killed by a police bullet fired during the frantic response to stop the assailant.

The attack unfolded on Thursday morning, Oct. 2, in the Crumpsall suburb as worshippers were arriving at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue for Yom Kippur observances. According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the incident began at approximately 9:31 a.m. when a member of the public reported a car being deliberately driven into pedestrians, followed by a stabbing.

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch, Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, is one of the holiest observances in Judaism, deeply rooted in spiritual purification and repentance.

The situation escalated rapidly. By 9:37 a.m., authorities declared a major incident, activating "Operation Plato," the code for a marauding terrorist attack.

Just one minute later, at 9:38 a.m., firearms officers confronted and shot the suspected attacker. Paramedics treated four people for stab wounds and injuries sustained from the vehicle impact.

The suspect and two of his victims were pronounced dead at the scene. (Related: Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once linked to al-Qaeda, now considered for DELISTING as terrorist group.)

Police update reveals tragic collateral damage

In a press conference on Friday, Oct. 3, GMP Chief Constable Stephen Watson provided a critical and distressing update. He revealed that one of the deceased victims, 66-year-old Melvin Cravitz, was found with a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

Watson stated that the suspect, 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie, was not believed to be in possession of a firearm, and the only shots fired were from police officers. This led to the grim conclusion that Cravitz's fatal injury was "a tragic and unforeseen consequence" of the police action aimed at neutralizing the threat.

"It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry," Watson explained. He added that one of the three surviving victims in the hospital is also being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound, believed to have been sustained in the same volley of fire.

The second victim killed in the attack has been identified as 53-year-old Adrian Daulby. Both men were local to the Crumpsall area and were members of the synagogue community.

Formal identification and post-mortem examinations are pending.

The attacker and the aftermath

Counterterrorism police have officially declared the incident an act of terrorism. The identified attacker, al-Shamie, was a British citizen of Syrian heritage.

During the attack, which police described as a six-minute stabbing spree, he was reportedly wearing a vest that appeared to be an explosive device. It was later examined and confirmed to be non-viable.

The motivation behind the attack remains under investigation. In connection with the probe, police have arrested three other individuals: two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s, all on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses.

The attackers family released a statement on social media, expressing "deep shock and sorrow" and condemning the "heinous act."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer cut short a meeting in Copenhagen to return to London, where he chaired an emergency security session. He announced the deployment of additional police assets to synagogues across the country. "The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific," Starmer said.

The investigation continues as a community mourns and a nation grapples with a violent attack.

Watch the video below about a similar car ramming attack on Jewish pedestrians in Brooklyn, New York.

This video is from the Children Are NOT Sex Toys! channel on Brighteon.com.

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Campus insanity: Hate crime "victim" sent racist notes to himself, says police.

FBI crime stats prove "white supremacy" not responsible for hate crime threat to Asians.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

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BBC.com

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Putin warns: Washington sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would escalate tensions between U.S. and Russia

Supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles would escalate tensions and require direct U.S. military involvement, Russia's Vladimir Putin stated.

Putin vowed swift retaliation if the U.S. proceeds, dismissing Tomahawks as ineffective in altering battlefield dynamics.

Putin mocked NATO's strength, pointing to Russias advances despite facing NATO-backed Ukrainian forces.

Russia boasts superior nuclear modernization but warned it will not extend New START if the U.S. refuses.

Putin criticized European leaders for exaggerating war threats to justify militarization, comparing French President Macron's actions to Napoleon's.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning: If the U.S. supplies Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, it would mark a "new stage of escalation" in tensions between Moscow and Washington.

The Russian leader issued the warning on Thursday, Oct. 2, during a speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi. Putin emphasized that deploying these long-range missiles would require direct U.S. military involvement, effectively dragging America deeper into the conflict.

"If anyone still has a desire to compete with us in the military sphere, as we say, feel free, let them try," Putin declared. "Russia's countermeasures will not be long in coming."

His remarks come as U.S. officials confirm discussions about providing Ukraine with Tomahawks  missiles capable of striking targets deep inside Russian territory  raising fears of a direct confrontation between Moscow and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Putin nevertheless dismissed the U.S.-made weapons as incapable of altering the battlefield dynamics in Ukraine, commenting that the Tomahawks "will certainly not change the balance of force on the battlefield." (Related: Lavrov warns against supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks: Kyiv cannot be trusted to use them responsibly.)

According to Brighteon.AI's Enoch engine, the Tomahawk is a long-range, subsonic cruise missile launched from U.S. Navy ships and submarines, capable of deep strikes with conventional or nuclear payloads. Though its nuclear role has been phased out, it remains a powerful offensive weapon.

"Paper tiger": Putin mocks NATO's military weakness

Putin dismissed claims that Russia is struggling militarily, despite facing NATO-backed Ukrainian forces. "If we're fighting the entire NATO bloc, and we're moving forward, advancing, feeling confident, and Russia is a 'paper tiger,' then what is NATO itself?" he asked, referencing recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Russian leader nevertheless downplayed tensions with Trump, calling their relationship "relaxed" and suggesting Trump's remarks may have been ironic.

The Russian strongman also warned that any Western seizure of Russian oil tankers would be treated as piracy, threatening retaliatory strikes. Putin mocked French President Emmanuel Macron's recent actions against a Russian-linked tanker, comparing him to Napoleon and accusing European leaders of manufacturing hysteria to justify militarization.

"The elites of united Europe continue to whip up hysteria," Putin said. "It turns out that war with the Russians is almost on the threshold. They repeat this nonsense, this mantra over and over again."

Amid escalating rhetoric, Putin reaffirmed Russia's nuclear readiness, boasting that its arsenal surpasses any other nation's in modernity. Despite this, he reiterated Moscow's offer to extend the New START treaty, the last remaining U.S.-Russia nuclear arms pact.

But he warned that if Washington rejects the proposal, Russia will follow suit. "If they don't need it, we don't need it either," he said.

As NATO bolsters defenses and Russia advances in Ukraine, the world watches nervously for signs of further escalation. Putin's latest warnings underscore the high-stakes brinkmanship defining this conflict  one where miscalculation could spiral into catastrophe.

Watch Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterating the February 2026 expiry of the New START Treaty in this video.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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Trump administration weighs sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine amid escalating conflict.

Kremlin slams lifting of range restrictions on Western weapons supplied to Ukraine.

Zelensky asks Trump for Tomahawk missiles to pressure Putin into peace talks.

Moscow warns of retaliation over U.S. missile deployment in Germany.

U.S. to deploy previously banned missiles against China as a deterrent.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

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Brighteon.ai

APNews.com

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Trump declares armed conflict against drug cartels, invoking war powers

President Trump formally notified Congress that the U.S. is engaged in an "armed conflict" with South/Central American drug cartels, classifying them as "non-state armed groups" and "unlawful combatants" akin to terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda.

The administration cites wartime authority to justify lethal force, indefinite detention and military prosecution of cartel members, framing cartel operations as an "armed attack" requiring "self-defense" actions.

The memo references three U.S. naval strikes in the Caribbean (killing 17) and hints at potential escalation, including targeting cartel infrastructure in Venezuelarisking further regional destabilization.

Legal experts warn the declaration "shreds" international law, arguing cartels are criminal enterprises, not traditional combatants. Critics fear mission creep, civilian casualties and unilateral military action without due process.

Trump's policy reframes narcotrafficking as an existential threat (e.g., fentanyl killing 60,000+ Americans yearly), merging counterterrorism tactics with the "war on drugs." Congress faces questions about constitutional overreach, Latin American relations and long-term counternarcotics strategy.

President Donald J. Trump has formally notified Congress that the U.S. is engaged in an official "armed conflict" with South and Central American drug cartels. The confidential notice, sent this week to key congressional committees, provides legal justification for recent military strikes against cartel operations in the Caribbean and signals a potential expansion of direct action against cartel strongholds in Venezuela.

The Trump administration's memo asserts that drug cartels qualify as "non-state armed groups" and that their trafficking operations constitute an "armed attack" against the United States. By classifying them as "unlawful combatants," the administration is invoking wartime authoritysimilar to the framework used against terrorist groups like Al-Qaedato justify lethal force, indefinite detention and military prosecution of cartel members.

"The president determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations," the memo states. It adds that the U.S. has reached a "critical point" requiring military action in "self-defense and defense of others."

Legal experts warn that this interpretation stretches international law. Geoffrey S. Corn, a retired Army judge advocate, called the declaration an "abuse" that "shreds" legal boundaries, arguing that cartelswhile criminalare not engaged in traditional hostilities against the United States.

Recent strikes and future escalation

The notice references three recent U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, where naval forces targeted suspected drug-smuggling vessels, killing 17 individuals. The administration contends these strikes were lawful under the laws of armed conflict, rather than isolated law enforcement actions.

Brighteon.AI's Enoch adds: The memo also hints at broader ambitions, including potential strikes on cartel infrastructure in Venezuelaa move that could further destabilize relations with the Maduro regime and test the limits of U.S. military intervention in Latin America.

The U.S. has waged a decades-long "war on drugs," but Trump's declaration reframes narcotrafficking as an existential threat akin to terrorism. Fentanyl, primarily smuggled by Mexican cartels, now kills over 60,000 Americans annuallymore than any foreign war in recent memory. Previous administrations relied on interdiction, diplomacy and law enforcement, but Trump's approach mirrors his broader "America First" doctrine: unilateral action with minimal congressional oversight. (Related: Report: Trump administration orders military to prepare strike plans against Mexican cartels.)

Critics argue that militarizing counternarcotics risks civilian casualties, regional blowback and mission creep. Matthew Waxman, a former Bush administration official, warned that the declaration sets a "dangerous" precedent, allowing the U.S. to "target members of those cartels with lethal force" without due process.

Trump's declaration of an "armed conflict" against drug cartels marks a pivotal moment in U.S. policyone that blends counterterrorism tactics with the "war on drugs." While the administration frames it as a necessary response to an escalating crisis, legal scholars and lawmakers question whether the move oversteps constitutional and international boundaries. As Congress weighs its response, the broader implicationsfor Latin American relations, military accountability and the future of counternarcotics strategyremain uncertain. What is clear is that the silent war against cartels has entered a new, more aggressive phase.

Watch the video below where a Venezuelan drug vessel was shot down by U.S. authorities.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

U.S. set to deploy 10 F-35s to Puerto Rico in escalating war on Latin American cartels.

U.S. military strikes Venezuelan boat, killing 11 Tren de Aragua members.

Trump authorizes military action against terrorist-designated DRUG CARTELS.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NYTimes.com

Brighteon.ai

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
Elon Musk breaks $500 billion net worth barrier, poised to become worlds first trillionaire

Elon Musk briefly surpassed a $500 billion net worth, driven by Tesla's stock rebound, SpaceX's soaring valuation and his aggressive AI push (xAI). His wealth briefly touched this milestone before settling at $499.1 billion.

Analysts project Musk could become the world's first trillionaire by 2027 if his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, xAI) maintain their current 110 percent annual growth rate, outpacing competitors like Larry Ellison ($350.7 billion net worth).

Tesla recently surpassed $1 trillion in market cap, fueled by stock surges and Musk's $1 trillion compensation package (pending shareholder approval). The package hinges on growing Tesla's value to $8.5 trillion, requiring near-exponential expansion.

SpaceX, valued at $400 billion, dominates commercial space with Starlink and NASA contracts. Meanwhile,xAI is raising funds at a $200 billion valuation, developing "Colossus", a supercomputer to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Musk faces criticism over political statements, workforce cuts at X (Twitter) and Tesla's reliance on subsidies. Skeptics question whether his wealth reflects real innovation or market hype, amid growing concerns over wealth concentration, corporate power and AI dominance.

Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter), has made history as the first person to achieve a staggering $500 billion net worth, according to Forbes' real?time billionaire index. The milestone, briefly surpassed on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 1, before settling at $499.1 billion, underscores Musk's unparalleled financial ascentfueled by Tesla's stock rebound, SpaceX's soaring valuation and his aggressive push into artificial intelligence (AI).

With projections suggesting he could become the world's first trillionaire by 2027, Musk's trajectory raises critical questions about wealth concentration, corporate influence and the future of technological innovation.

Much of Musk's wealth is tied to Tesla, which recently surpassed $1 trillion in market capitalization. The electric vehicle (EV) giant's stock surged by nearly $1 trillion compensation package for Musk, contingent on his increasing Tesla's market value from $1.1 trillion to $8.5 trilliona feat that would require near-exponential growth.

The package, set for a shareholder vote on Nov. 6, also includes a non-binding proposal for Tesla to invest directly in Musk's AI startup, xAI. If approved, Musk could secure a 25 percent stake in Tesla, aligning with his stated goal of maintaining control over the company's direction.

However, Tesla faces mounting competition from Chinese automaker BYD and other global rivals, alongside internal challenges, including executive departures and Musk's divided focus across multiple ventures.

Beyond Tesla: SpaceX and AI dominance

While Tesla remains Musk's most visible asset, his private companiesSpaceX and xAIare rapidly accelerating his wealth. SpaceX, valued at $400 billion, dominates the commercial space sector with its Starlink satellite network and NASA contracts. Meanwhile, xAI, Musk's AI venture, is reportedly raising funds at a $200 billion valuation as it builds "Colossus," a supercomputer designed to train large-scale AI models rivaling OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Musk's ventures span industriesfrom EVs and renewable energy to space exploration and AIgiving him unprecedented influence over global technological and economic trends.

The road to a trillion

Brighteon.AI's Enoch echoes analysts' prediction that Musk could become the first trillionaire by 2027 if his companies maintain their current 110 percent annual growth rate. Oracle founder Larry Ellison, currently the world's second-richest person with $350.7 billion, trails far behind. (Related: Analysis predicts Elon Musk could become the worlds first TRILLIONAIRE by 2027.)

Yet Musk's ascent has not been without controversy. His political statements, workforce reductions at X and Tesla's reliance on government subsidies have drawn criticism. Additionally, skeptics question whether his wealth reflects sustainable innovation or speculative market hype.

Musk's $500 billion milestone marks a pivotal moment in modern wealth accumulation, reflecting both his relentless ambition and the growing power of tech-driven monopolies. As Tesla, SpaceX and xAI push boundariesand as Musk inches closer to trillionaire statusthe implications for economic inequality, corporate governance and technological sovereignty remain hotly debated. Whether Musk's empire represents the future of human progress or unchecked corporate dominance, one thing is certain: His influence will shape the 21st century like few others.

President Donald Trump and Musk reconcile at Charlie Kirk's memorial. Watch this video.

This video is from Rick Langley's channel on Brighteon.com.

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Elon Musk's Grok AI secures federal deal amid free speech and transparency debate.

Musk announces Grokipedia to challenge Wikipedia's left-wing bias.

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Sources include:

YourNews.com

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CNBC.com

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Since the Labour Party came into office in the U.K. last year, many have wondered if oil and gas drilling will continue or whether we will witness an all-out shift to renewable energy. Prime Minister Kier Starmer has introduced stricter taxes on fossil fuel companies since coming into power, but has also said that oil and gas will continue as part of the energy mix for as long as it makes sense. So, as the investor environment in the U.K. North Seas becomes ever murkier, what can we expect?

In June, the U.K. government introduced stricter environmental regulations for fossil fuel companies with projects in the North Sea. Oil and gas firms must now account for the environmental impact of emissions from using or burning the fuels extracted. This follows a decision by a Scottish court earlier in the year, deeming the approval of Shell's Jackdaw and Equinor and Ithaca Energys Rosebank unlawful, meaning they required reassessment by the government.

While existing oil and gas projects can continue in the North Sea, albeit with companies paying higher taxes, the government has said it would not issue any new oil and gas licences, as it invests in a shift to green. This marks a distinct move away from the energy policy of the previous Conservative government, which strongly backed U.K. oil and gas operations. Oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea are taxed at around 78 percent, including the Energy Profits Levy introduced in 2022.

During his recent visit to the U.K., United States President Donald Trump discussed the countrys oil and gas potential. Trump said, You have a great asset here, and we spoke about it: its called the North Sea. He added, The North Sea oil is phenomenal I want this country to do well, and you have great assets that youre going to start using, I believe, under this Prime Minister, addressing Starmer. He said that his pro-fossil fuel agenda in the U.S. had helped drive down fuel prices and slowed inflation  even though fuel prices have actually risen since Trump came to office.

In response, Starmer said that the Labour government plans to maintain a pragmatic approach to the countrys future energy mix, continuing to use North Sea oil and gas as required. He also emphasised the importance of reducing energy costs for consumers. Starmer said, The mix will include oil and gas for many years to come from the North Sea  weve been clear about that for some time. But we also need to mix that with renewables, and its the mix thats really important.
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Congress leader Ashk Ali Tank dies in Jaipur

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 21:15 IST

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Jaipur, Oct 5 (PTI) Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha member Ashk Ali Tank died on Sunday at the age of 67.

Tank had been ill for some time and breathed his last at his residence on Sikar road in Jaipur.

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Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully and other leaders offered their condolence on the politicians demise.

Gehlot noted that Tank had achieved milestones in his long political career.

Tank served as the president of the NSUI and Youth Congress, as well as the chairman of the minority commission.

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Gehlot said that during his tenure, he traveled extensively across the state and strengthened the organisation.

Tank always performed his duties diligently whenever assigned by the party. Tanks passing is a personal loss for me," Gehlot said. PTI SDA VN VN

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News agency-feeds Congress leader Ashk Ali Tank dies in Jaipur

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Delhi govt offices to remain closed on Valmiki Jayanti on Tuesday

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 00:15 IST

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New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) All Delhi government offices will remain closed on October 7 on the occasion of Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, an official statement said on Sunday.

To mark the occasion, several programmes, processions and tribute meetings will be organised across the capital in which Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will take part, it said.

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Maharishi Valmiki was not only the adikavi (first poet) of Indian literature and the creator of Ramayana but also a symbol of equality, justice and humanity. His ideals continue to guide society on the path of equality, respect and dignity, the statement quoted Gupta as saying.

She said this occasion is an opportunity to remember the life, works and contributions of Maharishi Valmiki to society.

The CM said the Delhi government is committed to the upliftment, education, and ensuring equal opportunities and socialist justice for the Dalit community. The teachings of Maharishi Valmiki continue to strengthen the spirit of justice and harmony in society.

All Delhi government offices will remain closed on the occasion of Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti on Tuesday, the statement said.

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It said the Delhi government will organise a special programme on Monday at the Secretariat. The event, being held under the aegis of the Department of Social Welfare, will include discussions on the life, personality and teachings of Maharishi Valmiki.

CM Gupta and Social Welfare Minister Ravindra Indraj Singh will attend the event. PTI SLB DIV DIV

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First Published: October 06, 2025, 00:15 IST

News agency-feeds Delhi govt offices to remain closed on Valmiki Jayanti on Tuesday

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Faridabad cabbie burnt alive as car catches fire

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 21:15 IST

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Faridabad, Oct 5 (PTI) A cab driver was burnt alive after his car caught fire allegedly after a leak in the CNG cylinder in Faridabads Sector 85 area on Sunday, police said.

At around 4.30 pm Ajay, a resident of Purani Bhupani area in Faridabad, came to Sector 85 looking for a ride booking. He parked his car near Master Road to take rest, they said.

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Some time later, Ajay noticed the smell of the gas and tried to start his car and the vehicle caught fire, the police said, adding that the doors also got jammed, trapping the man inside the taxi.

The people immediately informed the police and the fire department. By the time firefighters arrived, Ajay was completely burned. Police broke open the car door and pulled out his body, they added.

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The cause of the accident appears to be a CNG leak," BPTP SHO Arvind Kumar.

The body was handed over to the family after the postmortem and an investigation is underway, Kumar added. PTI COR SHS NB

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News agency-feeds Faridabad cabbie burnt alive as car catches fire

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Indian Army assists in swift flood rescue operation in Bhutan

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 20:15 IST

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New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): A sudden flood in the Amochu River area early Sunday morning left several families and workers stranded in Bhutans temporary housing and workforce camp. Despite challenging weather conditions, a coordinated rescue effort between Bhutanese authorities and the Indian Army ensured all affected individuals were brought to safety.When a Druk Air helicopter was unable to take off due to inclement weather in Paro, Bhutan sought urgent support from India. Responding swiftly, the Indian Army deployed two helicopters at the site around 12:55 PM (local time). The teams airlifted stranded workers to safety and ensured they received immediate medical care, Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, Bhutan said in a release. The helicopters successfully airlifted the three stranded individuals to the CST ground, from where they were transported to the hospital for medical care.In a positive turn of events, it was later confirmed that the two previously reported missing workers were also found alive and safe.Additionally, after a slight improvement in weather conditions, a Druk Air helicopter was able to take off from Paro and rescue one of the individuals earlier reported as washed away.The Royal Government of Bhutan has expressed sincere gratitude to the Indian Army for its timely and life-saving assistance, as well as to the Royal Bhutan Army and Druk Air teams for their courageous efforts, the release noted. We also commend the Royal Bhutan Army, Druk Air and all local responders who acted with bravery and selflessness, risking their own safety to ensure the well-being of others.According to the release, disasters have also been reported in other dzongkhags. The Royal Government is closely coordinating with local authorities to ensure timely response efforts.Meanwhile, Authorities in North Bengal have been placed on high alert after Bhutans Tala Hydropower Dam began overflowing due to a technical failure, raising fears of downstream flooding in the Dooars region of West Bengal.The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan, confirmed that the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) reported a malfunction in the dam gates, which failed to open, resulting in river water spilling over the structure. Bhutan has formally alerted the West Bengal government to prepare for possible impacts. (ANI)

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First Published: October 05, 2025, 20:15 IST

News agency-feeds Indian Army assists in swift flood rescue operation in Bhutan

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MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India at IUCN Conservation Congress 2025

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 12:45 IST

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New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, and External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, will represent India at the IUCN Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi from October 9.The Minister shared the details in a post on X on Saturday.He said, Proud to represent India at the #IUCN #ConservationCongress2025 in Abu Dhabi from Oct 9, where Indias first Red List of Endangered Species will be unveiled."https://x.com/KVSinghMPGonda/status/1974513559255077098As per its official website, the IUCN World Conservation Congress will see the world come together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action. IUCNs 1400+ government, civil society and Indigenous peoples Member organisations vote on major issues to help guide humanitys relationship with our planet, it noted.The website also mentioned that the Congress is also the largest marketplace for conservation and sustainable development science, practice and policy. Scientists, policy experts, business leaders and professionals from around the globe share their experience, innovation and latest research. India became a State Member of IUCN in 1969, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The official website of IUCN notes how India is a megadiverse country with only 2.4% of the worlds land area, and yet accounting for 7-8% of all recorded species, including over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals. The countrys diverse physical features and climatic conditions have resulted in a variety of ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, desert, coastal and marine ecosystems which harbour and sustain high biodiversity and contribute to human well-being. Four of 34 globally identified biodiversity hotspots: The Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the North-East, and the Nicobar Islands, can be found in India", IUCN noted. The IUCN Congress 2025 taking place in Abu Dhabi has five themes described on the website as- Scaling Up Resilient Conservation Action, Reducing Climate Overshoot Risks, Delivering on Equity, Transitioning to Nature-Positive Economies and Societies and Disruptive Innovation and Leadership for Conservation. (ANI)

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First Published: October 05, 2025, 12:45 IST

News agency-feeds MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India at IUCN Conservation Congress 2025

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Vice Principals star Kimberly Hebert Gregory has died at the age of 52.

Kimberly Hebert Gregory has died

The actress - who was best known for her portrayal of school principal Dr. Belinda Brown in the HBO sitcom - passed away on Friday (03.10.25).

Kimberly's other credits include The Big Bang Theory, Grey's Anatomy, Better Call Saul, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Two and a Half Men.

Her former husband Chester Gregory paid tribute on social media, writing on Instagram: "Kimberly Hebert Gregory You Were Brilliance Embodied."

Chester - who has a son with Kimberly - explained that the star's spirit will live on in their child and thanked her for the lessons she has taught.

He wrote: "You Taught Us Lessons In Courage, In Artistry, In Resilience, And In How To Keep Showing Up, Even When Life Demanded More Than Its Share.

"Through Our Best, Through Our Greatest Challenges, What Remained Was Love, Respect, And A Bond No Storm Could Break.

"So Much More Than Ex-Wife, You Were My Friend. Our Son, The Song We Wrote Together, Is The Living Echo Of Your Light."

Chester continued: "Through Him, Your Brilliance Will Never Fade. Through Him, Your Laughter Will Always Resound.

"Thank You, Kimberly, For Every Chapter We Shared. Your Story Was Never Defined By The Battle, But By The Beauty You Carried Through It.

"Rest In Power, Rest In Peace, Rest In The Eternal Knowing That You Are Loved, Always. Kim You Did Good."

Kimberly's Vice Principals co-star Walton Goggins remembered the actress as a "true powerhouse".

The White Lotus star said: "We lost one of the best yesterday one of the best Ive ever worked with. Kimberly Hebert Gregory.

"I had the honour the good fortune of getting to know, getting to spend months working with this Queen on Vice Principals. She made me laugh like no other.

"You will be missed, my friend. As much as you know."

Fellow cast member Busy Phillips replied to the Instagram post by stating that she was "devastated" by the sad news.

The 46-year-old actress wrote: "She was a light and a force."

Kimberly's cause of death is yet to be revealed.
(Reuters) -A UnitedHealth shareholder proposed on Friday that the healthcare group should adopt a policy to require an independent board chair, a role now held by CEO Stephen Hemsley.

The Accountability Board, a nonprofit advocacy group and UnitedHealth's shareholder, said the current structure would decrease the board's "checks and balances by consolidating power."

Hemsley took the CEO job after his predecessor Andrew Witty resigned abruptly in May. Hemsley served as the board chair since 2017.

"Now, a single person holds both roles  which is as far as it gets from the independent oversight shareholders so critically need," the proposal says.

Matt Prescott, president of the Accountability Board, declined to disclose its stake in UnitedHealth but said it has at least $25,000 in the company for the past year.

This comes as the largest U.S. health insurer is trying to regain the confidence of shareholders.

Once hailed as a reliable earnings performer, UnitedHealth missed Wall Street's earnings target for two straight quarters this year, and was forced to pull back its 2025 outlook in May due to soaring medical costs and shortfalls in its government-backed plans.

In the last two years, UnitedHealth has also dealt with a cyberattack at its technology unit that served as a major backbone in the U.S. healthcare system, the murder of its insurance unit chief in December, and a federal investigation into its government-backed health plans.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
MP: Death toll rises to 14 in Chhindwara cough syrup tragedy

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 20:15 IST

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Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 5 (ANI): At least 14 deaths have been reported due to the alleged consumption of a cough syrup in Madhya Pradeshs Chhindwara, said an official on Sunday. Apart from these 14 deaths, eight children have been admitted to Chhindwaras Nagpur hospital. Speaking to ANI, Additional District Magistrate of Chhindwara, Dhirendra Singh, stated that a drug controller team has been formed and is conducting raids at various locations in Chhindwara and nearby districts to seize the banned cough syrup. He added that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed and is heading to Tamil Nadu for investigation in the case. 14 deaths have been reported to us. Compensation has been approved for it, and the amount has reached their account. 8 children of Chhindwara are admitted to a hospital. A team has been constituted at the administration level to monitor them. Doctors and the Executive Magistrate are part of that team. The Drug Controller has formed a team. Raids are being conducted for the search for banned cough syrup in the Chhindwara and nearby districts, and it is being seized. SIT has also been formed, and it is heading to Tamil Nadu for investigation," ADM Dhirendra Singh said. The police have registered a case against Dr Pradeep Soni, the doctor who prescribed the syrup. The manufacturing company of the syrup, Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Tamil Nadu, had also been booked as a prime accused in the case, according to the officials. As per the instructions of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, paediatrician Dr Pradeep Soni, posted in Parasia, Chhindwara district, has been suspended with immediate effect following reports of infant deaths. The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a complete ban on the sale of the cough Syrup across the state after childrens deaths due to kidney failure. Earlier today, Congress workers held protests in Madhya Pradeshs Bhopal and Rajasthans Jaipur over the death of children after allegedly consuming cough syrup. In Madhya Pradesh, Congress workers protested against Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, demanding his resignation. Protesters were seen with posters and banners featuring the slogans Rajendra Shukla sharam karo, istefaa do" and Masoom bacche ki maut ke saudagar zimmedari lo". (ANI)

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First Published: October 05, 2025, 20:15 IST

News agency-feeds MP: Death toll rises to 14 in Chhindwara cough syrup tragedy

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Trump calls Putins START Treaty offer good idea

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 03:15 IST

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Washington DC [US], October 6 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) said that Russian President Vladimir Putins idea of the New START Treaty was a good one.During his gaggle with reporters before departing the White House, when Trump was asked what he thought about the New START Treaty.Trump replied, Sounds like sounds like a good good idea."Meanwhile, Kirill Dmitriev, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO and special presidential envoy for economic cooperation with other countries, does not rule out that the United States will accept Russian President Vladimir Putins proposal on the New START Treaty, Tass reported.US President Donald Trump has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putins proposals on adhering to the restrictions under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty sound like a good idea. Judging by todays news, the probability of such an outcome is quite high," he wrote on his Telegram channel, as per Tass.On September 22, Putin stated at a meeting with the Russian Security Council that Russia was prepared to continue adhering to the treatys quantitative restrictions for another year after the New START expires in February. However, he emphasised that this measure is only viable if Washington follows suit.Earlier on September 27, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday said Moscow is open to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, stressing that Russias security concerns and the rights of Russian-speaking people must be addressed before any settlement.As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasised, Russia has been and remains open to negotiations on eliminating the root causes of the conflict," Lavrov said at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.Russias security and its vital interest must be reliably agreed. The rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in the territories that remain under the control of the Kyiv regime must be restored in full. On this basis, we are ready to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine." (ANI)

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First Published: October 06, 2025, 03:15 IST

News agency-feeds Trump calls Putins START Treaty offer good idea

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Uttarakhand: Car falls into gorge after boulders hit; one dead, five injured

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 00:00 IST

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Rudraprayag, Oct 5 (PTI) A car fell into a gorge after being hit by boulders falling from a hill here on Sunday, killing one person and injuring five others, including two children, police said.

Police identified the deceased as Mukesh Kumar (40), a resident of Shanti Nagar in Barabanki district, Uttar Pradesh. The injured include his wife, Anjali Maurya (32), daughter Amol (5), Arun Maurya (40) of Lucknow, his wife Rachna, and their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Pihu.

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The incident occurred around 5:45 pm on the Kedarnath National Highway between Kund and Kakragad when boulders tumbled down from a hill, causing the car to lose control and plunge into a gorge by the river bank, they said.

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A police team reached the spot and found one person dead, while five others were injured. All were rushed to the Community Health Centre, Agastyamuni, for treatment, officials said.

The police said the victims were returning from Kund to Rudraprayag when the accident took place. Further investigation is underway. PTI DPT HIG

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First Published: October 06, 2025, 00:00 IST

News agency-feeds Uttarakhand: Car falls into gorge after boulders hit; one dead, five injured

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Forgotten Bank Deposits? How To Check And Claim Your Dormant Bank Account Money

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 11:29 IST

Unclaimed money from dormant bank accounts across India is transferred to RBI's DEA Fund, but customers can still claim their funds back through their banks as per RBI guidelines.

RBI has established the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (Fund). The Scheme came into effect from May 24, 2014.

A large amount of unclaimed money of bank customers across India is lying in the RBIs DEA fund. If a banks customer account remains dormant for over 2 years, then as per RBI guidelines, banks have to transfer the unclaimed asset to RBIs DEA fund.

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A lot of people think that once a bank transfers money to RBIs DEA fund due to inoperativeness, then they wont be allowed to take their money back. But its not correct.

Customer/depositor can claim a refund of their unclaimed amounts from their banks.

What Is RBIs DEA Fund?

RBI has established the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (Fund). The Scheme came into effect from May 24, 2014.

The amounts credited to the DEA Fund are the credit balances in any deposit account maintained with banks (Commercial Banks, Co-operative Banks), which have not been operated upon for 10 years or more by the depositor, or any amount remaining unclaimed for 10 years or more, and includes the following:

savings bank deposit accounts;

fixed or term deposit accounts;

cumulative/recurring deposit accounts;

current deposit accounts;

other deposit accounts in any form or with any name;

cash credit accounts;

loan accounts after due appropriation by the banks;

margin money against issue of Letter of Credit/Guarantee etc., or any security deposit;

outstanding telegraphic transfers, mail transfers, demand drafts, pay orders, bankers cheques, sundry deposit accounts, vostro accounts, inter-bank clearing adjustments, unadjusted National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) credit balances and other such transitory accounts, unreconciled credit balances on account of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions, etc.;

undrawn balance amounts remaining in any prepaid card issued by banks but not amounts outstanding against travellers cheques or other similar instruments, which have no maturity period;

rupee proceeds of foreign currency deposits held by banks after conversion of foreign currency to rupees in accordance with extant foreign exchange regulations; and

such other amounts as may be specified by the Reserve Bank from time to time.

How To Claim Unclaimed Money:

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For Unclaimed Bank Deposits

Visit the banks website or the RBIs UDGAM portal : https://udgam.rbi.org.in/unclaimed-deposits

Log in with your PAN, Aadhaar, or name to search for unclaimed accounts.

If you find your account, note the bank branch details.

Visit the branch with your ID proof (PAN, Aadhaar) and supporting documents to submit a claim form.

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: October 05, 2025, 11:29 IST

News business banking-finance Forgotten Bank Deposits? How To Check And Claim Your Dormant Bank Account Money

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Tata Capital, LG Electronics, WeWork: India's IPO Market To See Record $5 Billion Deals This Month

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 08:50 IST

Tata Capital, LG Electronics, ICICI Prudential AMC, Pine Labs, and WeWork India are gearing up to raise funds, making this one of the strongest IPO months ever.

India's IPO market has remained one of the most active globally this year.

Indias stock market is set for a busy October, with companies lining up record initial public offerings (IPOs) worth nearly Rs 45,000 crore ($5 billion). Big companies such as Tata Capital, LG Electronics, ICICI Prudential AMC, Pine Labs, and WeWork India are gearing up to raise funds, making this one of the strongest IPO months ever.

According to Bloomberg data, Tata Capital will lead the pack with a Rs 15,500-crore issue, followed by LG Electronics and ICICI Prudential AMC.

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Tata Capital: Biggest IPO Of This Year

The Tata Capital IPO is set to be launched on October 6. It will be closed on October 8. The Rs 15,500-crore IPO is the biggest IPO this year. Its price band has been fixed at Rs 310 to Rs 326 per share. Ahead of the IPO, the non-banking financial company has collected Rs 4,642 crore from 68 domestic and global institutional investors, with the anchor book witnessing demand nearly five times higher than the allocated amount.

The IPO will also mark the Tata Groups biggest market debut since Tata Technologies in 2023.

Its grey market premium (GMP) currently stands at 2.76%, indicating subdued interest of the investors for the IPO.

LG Electronics: Korean Giants India Play

South Korean electronics major LG is planning to raise around Rs 11,607 crore through its India listing. The IPO will remain open for public subscription on October 7 and October 9. Its price band has been fixed at Rs 1,080 to Rs 1,140 per share. The minimum amount of investment required by a retail investor is Rs 14,820, based on the upper IPO price.

Its GMP currently stands at 20%, signalling decent listing gains for investors.

WeWork India: Co-Working Giant Eyes Rs 3,000 Crore

WeWork India has opened its IPO to raise nearly Rs 30,000 crore. The company has seen strong demand for flexible office spaces as startups and corporates adopt hybrid work models. The IPO will test the markets faith in the co-working business post-pandemic.

Its price band has been fixed in the range of Rs 615 to Rs 648 apiece. It is open for public subscription between October 3 and October 7.

Its GMP remains low at 0.77%, indicating flat or negating listing for the IPO.

ICICI Prudential AMC, Pine Labs, Canara HSBC Life File For IPOs

ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company, one of Indias top fund houses, aims to raise about Rs 10,000 crore via IPO. With mutual fund investments growing rapidly across smaller cities and towns, the issue will offer investors an opportunity to gain exposure to the expanding asset management business.

Fintech unicorn Pine Labs plans to raise nearly Rs 6,000 crore through its IPO, making it one of the largest listings in the technology space this year. The company, known for its digital payment and merchant solutions, will be closely watched as investors gauge sentiment towards tech startups after mixed performances by Paytm and Zomato.

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Canara HSBC Life Insurance is looking to raise about Rs 25 billion through its public issue. The insurers IPO will add to the financial sectors strong showing this month and offer investors exposure to Indias expanding life insurance market.

Indias IPO market has remained one of the most active globally this year.

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: October 05, 2025, 08:50 IST

News business ipo Tata Capital, LG Electronics, WeWork: India's IPO Market To See Record $5 Billion Deals This Month

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Deputy Election Commissioner In Bengal Next Week To Review Poll Preparations Ahead of SIR

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 13:17 IST

Sources in the EC told News18 the SIR process is expected to be implemented sometime this month, making this visit a significant one in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.

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The meeting will be presided over by Bharti, with Seema Khanna, DG (IT), and other senior ECI officials in attendance. (File)

Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti and other senior officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) are scheduled to visit West Bengal next week.

The visit will begin with a video conference with all District Magistrates to review the progress of pre-revision electoral activities, followed by field visits to North 24 Parganas and East Medinipur districts.

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Whats on their agenda?

A video conference will be held on October 8 from 10:00 am onwards.

District Election Officers from all districts, ADMs (Election), SDOs, EROs, and OC (Election) officers will join through the district NIC setup.

The meeting will be presided over by Bharti, with Seema Khanna, DG (IT), and other senior ECI officials in attendance.

Key items on the agenda include:

1. Mapping of 2002 E-Roll with 2025 E-Roll.

2. Appointment and training of Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

3. Arrangement of printers and A4 papers for enumeration forms (SIR).

4. Identification of volunteers to assist BLOs.

5. Preparation of BLO kits for SIR.

6. Status of disposal of Forms 6, 7, and 8.

7. Other SIR-related issues.

8. Complaints regarding booth rationalisation and BLO appointments.

ERO offices have been instructed to attend the meeting through the Bharat VC link from their respective district or sub-divisional headquarters.

Later on October 8, Bharti and his team will visit North 24 Parganas, where they will meet officials of Rajarhat New Town and Rajarhat Gopalpur Assembly Constituencies at 2:30 PM at the Zilla Parishad Auditorium, Rajarhat, Kolkata. They will also hold discussions with officers from Barasat in the same district.

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On October 9, the team will move to East Medinipur, where meetings are scheduled with election officials of Purba Medinipur, Bankura, and Jhargram districts.

Sources in the Election Commission (EC) told News18 the Summary Intensive Revision (SIR) process is expected to be implemented this month, making this visit a significant one in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.

About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 / News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and womens issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 13:10 IST

News kolkata-news Deputy Election Commissioner In Bengal Next Week To Review Poll Preparations Ahead of SIR

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American Citizen Arrested In Mumbai Over Alleged Religious Conversion Racket

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 13:29 IST

The investigators revealed that Watson had entered India on a business visa, which he is believed to have misused for religious activities.

AI-generated image used for representation

Mumbai Police has busted a major religious conversion racket and arrested three people, including an American national.

According to police, the foreign national, identified as James Watson, was allegedly visiting remote areas of Bhiwandi to persuade local residents to convert to Christianity. Acting on a tip-off, police conducted a raid and detained Watson along with two others.

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The investigators revealed that Watson had entered India on a business visa, which he is believed to have misused for religious activities.

A probe into the matter is underway, and the police are now trying to ascertain how many times James Watson has visited India in the past and how many people he may have converted during those visits.

Officials said a detailed inquiry is underway to trace his local contacts and the full extent of the network involved.

In a separate incident, a man named Malkhan was arrested for allegedly running a conversion racket targeting Scheduled Caste communities by promising miracle healing" and financial aid. He is accused of conducting baptisms and inducing people under false promises. The incident dates back to September 29.

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In another case that took place earlier in September, as many as eight people, including three women were arrested in Agra for allegedly converting individuals to Christianity in Kedarnagar under the guise of curing illnesses and performing miracles. The group is accused of targeting the poor and sick.

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: October 05, 2025, 13:18 IST

News mumbai-news American Citizen Arrested In Mumbai Over Alleged Religious Conversion Racket

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Mumbai Metro 3 Set For October 8 Launch: Check Out Mahalaxmi, Jagannath Shankar Sheth Stations

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 19:58 IST

Mumbai Metro-3: Pictures of Mahalaxmi and Jagannath Shankar Sheth Metro-3 stations on the aqua line were shared on social media

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Mumbai Metro-3: Mahalaxmi and Jagannath Shankar Shet stations. (Instagram)

Mumbai Metro-3 is set to fully open on October 8, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Ahead of the launch, the authorities have been releasing pictures of the stations.

After Grant Road, Girgaon, Cuffe Parade Metro station, Kalbadevi, Hutatma Chowk, CSMT, Vidhan Bhavan and Churchgate stations on the Worli to Colaba stretch, pictures of Mahalaxmi and Jagannath Shankar Sheth Mumbai Metro-3 stations were shared on social media.

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The caption of Mahalaxmi station pictures stated: Seamless travel on Metro Line- 3 with instant links to: Western Railway: Nearby Mahalaxmi Suburban Railway Station; Monorail: Quick transfer for wider city reach; Nearby landmarks: Mahalaxmi Racecourse and Haji Ali Dargah."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

The visuals of Jagannath Shankar Sheth Metro station, too, were shared.

The caption read: Station on Metro Line-3 strengthens northsouth connectivity while offering easy interchange with Mumbai Central Suburban Railway Station. Multiple entry-exits + easy access = reduced travel time & hassle-free commutes across Mumbai!"

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

Take a look at Grant Road station.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

The Girgaon Metro station: Take a look.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

Heres a glimpse of Kalbdevi Metro station.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

Earlier, pictures of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Metro station were released. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

Heres how Hutatma Chowk Mumbai Metro-3 station looks.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

The Churchgate Mumbai Metro-3 station is super fancy. Take a look:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

The Vidhan Bhavan Metro station of Aqua Line will provide direct underground access to Vidhan Bhavan, Mantralaya and the New Administrative Building.

Take a look:

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

The inauguration of the last phase, from Worli to Cuffe Parade, will make the line fully operational. It has the following stations  Science Museum, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai Central, Grant Road, Girgaon, Kalbadevi, CSMT, Hutatma Chowk, Churchgate, Vidhan Bhavan, Cuffe Parade.

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 16:48 IST

News mumbai-news Mumbai Metro 3 Set For October 8 Launch: Check Out Mahalaxmi, Jagannath Shankar Sheth Stations

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Mumbais Metro 3 Opens Fully On October 8: The Aarey To Cuffe Parade Line Was In The Making For 8 Years

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Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 11:13 IST

The construction of Mumbai Metro Line 3 officially began in January 2017, while the final phase will be inaugurated on October 8, 2025

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Mumbai Metro-3: The CSMT station of the aqua line. (FIne/Instagram)

The final stretch of Mumbai Metro-3, from Worli to Cuffe Parade, is set to open on October 8, according to JICA, which will make the aqua line connecting South Mumbai to the suburbs fully operational.

Over the years, the line has been opened in phases, so that city commuters could start commuting to at least half the distance.

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How long did it take to build the entire Mumbai Metro-3 corridor and why? Explained

Mumbai Metro-3 was built over 8 years

The project was conceived in 2011. The construction of Mumbai Metro Line 3 officially began in January 2017, while the final phase will be inaugurated on October 8, 2025. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), along with the Government of India, has provided funding for the project.

Explained | Mumbai Metro-3 Till Cuffe Parade Soon: How Was Tunnel Under CSMT, Flora Fountain Laid?

This means, it took 8 years and 9 months to get the 33.5-km corridor ready.

Phase 1: The 12.69-km phase from Aarey Colony to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) was thrown open to the public on October 7, 2024.

Phase 2: The 9.8-km phase two from BKC to Worli was launched on May 9, 2025.

Phase 3: The 10-km phase from Worli (Acharya Atre Chowk) to Cuffe Parade will be inaugurated on October 8, 2025, said JICA.

Why did Mumbai Metro-3 take 8 years? Why do such projects take so long?

Compared to extending an existing automated line (like Paris Line 14), building a completely new underground line is more complex. Also, pandemic-related slowdowns affected infrastructure projects worldwide.

Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, which made land acquisition is extremely difficult. Metro-3 is fully underground over 33 km, which led to tunnelling, excavation, and dependence on ground conditions and utility relocations. This made the process time-consuming. Tunnelling in a city like Mumbai means handling mixed geology  basalt rock, reclaimed land and water-logged soils. Water ingress is a major issue, especially near the coast and during monsoons.

EXPLAINED | Mumbai Metro-3 To Slam Brakes On CSMT-Cuffe Parade Cabs? Metro Rail Vs Taxis, Let The Race Begin

Another factor is the time required for safety approvals, trial runs, inspections.

Unforeseen ground conditions, utility relocation, land acquisition, legal / environmental clearances, supply chain delays, coordination across contractors add to the time taken.

CM @Dev_Fadnavis was at the First breakthrough of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) for 33.5 km long fully underground @MumbaiMetro line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) at T2, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. Minister @Ranjitpatil_Mos too present. pic.twitter.com/5QWrajfBGc CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) September 24, 2018

Another issue for a city like Mumbai is the monsoon.

In case of Mumbai Metro-3, alignments passed near or under heritage buildings, crowded markets, and slums, which meant extra caution and time.

Any underground construction near old buildings risks structural damage, prompting legal or public opposition. Litigation from residents, environmentalists, or activists add to the hassle.

Coordination with multiple agencies  MMRC, MMRDA, BMC, railways, traffic police, utilities, etc, too, is tedious .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MumbaiMetro3 (@mumbaimetro3)

Is 8 years for a Metro line standard, too early or too late?

A look at some recent examples:

Paris Metro line 13 extension: The fully automated line is expected to be completed by 2032 after work for five years.

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Singapore Cross Island MRT: The phase one of the underground, driverless line will open after 8 years in 2030.

So the time taken for Mumbai Metro-3 is in the expected range.

About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 19:01 IST

News mumbai-news Mumbais Metro 3 Opens Fully On October 8: The Aarey To Cuffe Parade Line Was In The Making For 8 Years

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Air India Amritsar-UK Flight Lands Safely After RAT Deploys In Final Approach, Aircraft Grounded

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 11:06 IST

Air India flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham deployed its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during final approach but landed safely, with all systems reported normal.

An Air India flight (PTI photo)

An Air India flight from Amritsar to Birmingham in the United Kingdom landed safely in the city after it experienced the deployment of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during final approach on Saturday.

According to an official statement, all electrical and hydraulic systems were later found functioning normal.

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However, the aircraft was grounded for checks, thus leading to the cancellation of the subsequent flight from Birmingham to New Delhi.

On 4 October 2025, Air India flight AI117 from Amritsar to Birmingham experienced deployment of its Ram Air Turbine (RAT) during final approach," the official statement from the airline read.

All electrical and hydraulic systems were normal, and the aircraft landed safely," it added.

The aircraft has been grounded for checks, leading to the cancellation of AI114 from Birmingham to Delhi, with alternative arrangements being made," the statement read.

WHAT IS RAM AIR TURBINE?

The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is a small, fold-out windmill-like device on an aircraft that automatically deploys (pops out into the airflow) when the plane loses its main electrical or hydraulic power, typically due to an engine or generator failure.

When deployed, the RAT uses the airflow from the moving aircraft to generate emergency power and maintain control of key flight systems like basic flight instruments, hydraulic pressure for control surfaces, and sometimes limited electrical power.

In September, an Air India Express passenger on a flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi tried to open the cockpit door, allegedly searching for the lavatory.

The man, one among nine on board, was detained by crew members and handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force upon landing.

An Air India Express spokesperson said, We are aware of media reports regarding an incident on one of our flights to Varanasi, where a passenger approached the cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory."

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The airline said that robust safety and security protocols are in place and were not compromised" and that the incident has been reported to the relevant authorities.

ALSO READ | Air India Moves Flights To T1 And T2 Amid Terminal 3 Expansion

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: October 05, 2025, 10:57 IST

News india Air India Amritsar-UK Flight Lands Safely After RAT Deploys In Final Approach, Aircraft Grounded

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Billions of dollars are flowing into cutting-edge nuclear technologies, from nuclear fusion experiments to small modular reactors and microreactors that backers say will catalyze a global nuclear power renaissance. But after years of buzz and successful funding rounds, these Wall Street darlings have yet to send any of their promised carbon-free energy to the grid.

In 2024, investments in advanced nuclear companies from both private equity and venture capital hit an all time high. According to S&P Global, last year's investments surpassed the total deal value of the past 15 years combined. The push for next-gen nuclear energy has accelerated on the back of growing energy demand projections driven by the proliferation of AI integration.

The single biggest driver in the paradigm shift we're seeing right now in the power sector comes down to data centers, Jackson Morris, director of state power sector policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, was recently quoted by Marketplace. Load growth for electricity that we had already forecasted is now coming 10 years sooner and five times as fast because of data centers and these facilities largely being built by the big hyper scalers like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, etc.

In addition to the AI boost, nuclear energy startups have benefitted enormously from the political upheaval currently ensnaring renewable energy technologies. For now, nuclear power remains one of very few carbon-free energy sources with broad bipartisan support, both in the United States and abroad. In the past few months, nuclear holdouts in Europe have started to loosen nuclear restrictions and publicly adopt a more pro-nuclear stance, and the United States and the United Kingdom unveiled a new nuclear partnership. An, just this week, United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright cast a renewed vote of confidence in cutting-edge nuclear power technology this week according to reporting from Semafor.

However, this confidence is being undercut by some Wall Street analysts, who smell a bubble in the making. Semafor reports that in general, the hysteria around power demand is pushing the valuations of many newly public energy startups beyond what they will realistically be able to deliver. Dimple Gosai, head of U.S. clean tech equity research at Bank of America, told the news outlet that the disconnect between fundamentals and valuation is too wide to ignore.

Related: OPEC+: Reuters Leaks on Oil Plans Again

Oklo, a small modular reactor (SMR) startup backed by AI bigwig Sam Altman, may prove to be such a cautionary tale. While the companys share values have fared well since its 2024 IPO, the Bank of America downgraded its rating from buy to neutral just this week. It also downgraded NuScale, another SMR startup, NuScale, from neutral to underperform.
Amid Festive Rush, DGCA Reviews Airfare Trends, Asks Airlines To Add More Flights

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:19 IST

The aviation regulator said it will continue to maintain rigorous oversight of airfares and flight capacities to safeguard passenger interests

(Representataional)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reviewed airfare trends ahead of the upcoming festive season and urged airlines to augment flight capacities in anticipation of high passenger demand.

Acting on its mandate from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to monitor airfares, particularly during peak travel periods, the DGCA engaged with airlines to ensure reasonable pricing and sufficient capacity.

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Following discussions, major Indian carriers have announced plans to operate additional flights across several routes to accommodate the surge in demand:

IndiGo: Approximately 730 additional flights across 42 sectors

Air India & Air India Express: Approximately 486 additional flights across 20 sectors

SpiceJet: Approximately 546 additional flights across 38 sectors

The aviation regulator said it will continue to maintain rigorous oversight of airfares and flight capacities to safeguard passenger interests and ensure fair pricing throughout the festive travel period.

A senior DGCA official said the aviation regulator will continue to maintain strict oversight of airfares and flight capacities to protect passengers interests.

We are ensuring that airlines operate enough flights to meet the surge in demand and that ticket prices remain reasonable during the festive period," the official added.

In recent years, the DGCA has stepped up its monitoring and auditing mechanisms to enhance transparency and safety in the civil aviation sector.

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According to official data, the regulator conducted 171 regulatory audits between 2020 and June 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen air safety standards.

Following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad earlier this year, the DGCA also launched a series of comprehensive special audits covering scheduled and non-scheduled airlines, flying schools, and maintenance organisations to ensure strict compliance with safety norms.

First Published: October 05, 2025, 18:13 IST

News india Amid Festive Rush, DGCA Reviews Airfare Trends, Asks Airlines To Add More Flights

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Bihar To Be First State With Coloured EVM Ballots, Candidate Photos; Polls Before Nov 22: CEC

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:06 IST

CEC Kumar congratulated everyone for successful SIR process, and urged the voters of Bihar to celebrate this festival of democracy with the same enthusiasm as Chhath.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar (Credits: ANI)

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday addressed a press conference in Bihars capital, Patna, and said that the election process will conclude by November 22. He also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing work under the Systematic Identification and Revision (SIR) process, noting that all voters actively contributed to ensuring transparency and accuracy in the electoral rolls.

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We congratulate the voters of India. Thank you to everyone for the successful SIR process. I appeal to all the voters of Bihar to celebrate this festival of democracy with the same enthusiasm as you celebrate Chhath. Everyone should vote and ensure their participation," he said.

#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar says, When the ballot paper is inserted into the EVM, the photo on it is black and white, making it difficult to identify, even though the election symbol remains. It was also suggested that the serial pic.twitter.com/vwS9WspYiG ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2025

Highlighting the improvements made after feedback from previous elections, the Commission stated that voters often found it difficult to identify candidates because the photographs printed on EVM ballot papers were in black and white.

When the ballot paper is inserted into the EVM, the photo on it is black and white, making it difficult to identify, even though the election symbol remains. It was also suggested that the serial number should be larger. So, starting with the Bihar elections, the serial number font will be larger across the country, and the candidates photographs will be colour photographs."

The Election Commission further announced 17 new measures to ensure a smoother conduct of the elections. CEC Kumar added that these initiatives will be implemented nationwide in future elections.

Seventeen new initiatives have been successfully implemented in Bihar; some will be implemented in the conduct of elections, and some in counting," he said.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are responsible for preparing the voter list. In Bihar, there is an ERO in each of the 243 assembly constituencies. Together, they, along with 243 EROs and 90,207 BLOs, completed the task of cleansing the voter list after nearly 22 years," he added.

The Commission also shared that the Systematic Identification and Revision (SIR) exercise, launched on June 24, 2025, has been completed, with booth-level officers (BLOs) trained for the first time to ensure accuracy in the voter list.

Under the new initiatives, the CEC said that over 7,000 BLOs and BLO supervisors from across India, including Bihar, were trained at IIIDEM, New Delhi.

The CEC also said that remuneration for BLOs, BLO supervisors, polling/counting staff, CAPF, monitoring teams, and micro-observers has been doubled. He added that honorarium has been provided for EROs and AEROs for the first time. Provision for refreshments has also been enhanced.

New measures have been implemented to strengthen polling station management.

The Election Commission has decided that no polling station will have more than 1,200 voters," officials said.

Additionally, identity cards have been issued to all booth-level officials for easy identification during voter interaction. Mobile phones will now be deposited in a separate room outside polling booths, a rule that will apply across the state.

The Commission has also ensured 100 per cent webcasting at every polling station in Bihar for real-time monitoring and transparency.

(With inputs from agency)

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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: October 05, 2025, 14:58 IST

News india Bihar To Be First State With Coloured EVM Ballots, Candidate Photos; Polls Before Nov 22: CEC

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Cuttack Tense After Clashes During Durga Idol Immersion: Internet Suspended, VHP Calls Bandh

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 23:37 IST

Violence erupted during Goddess Durga idol immersion in Cuttack, injuring several including DCP. Internet was suspended and VHP called a bandh on October 6.

Heavy police force deployed after a clash erupts during Durga Puja immersion, in Cuttack. (X)

Cuttack Violence: Tensions gripped Odishas Cuttack on Sunday following violent clashes during Goddess Durga idol immersion, prompting the state government to impose a 36-hour curfew, suspend internet services and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to call a 12-hour bandh on October 6.

Clashes broke out between 1:30 am and 2 am near Haathi Pokhari in the Daraghabazar area, as an immersion procession was heading towards Debigara on the banks of the Kathajodi river, news agency PTI reported, citing the police.

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What Led To Violence?

As per officials, the unrest erupted after some locals objected to high-decibel music being played during the procession. The arguments soon escalated into a confrontation as stones and glass bottles were allegedly hurled from rooftops onto the participants, leaving several people injured, including Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo.

The police then resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and control the law and order situation.

A number of vehicles and roadside stalls were damaged during the clash. Immersion activities were halted for nearly three hours as members of Puja committees staged a protest demanding the arrest of those involved in the attack.

Six Held So Far, VHP Blames Administration

Under heavy police deployment, the remaining idols were immersed by 9:30 am. So far, six people have been arrested, with authorities using CCTV footage, drone visuals, and eyewitness accounts to identify other culprits.

Meanwhile, the VHP alleged administrative failure and demanded the immediate transfer of the DCP and the district collector for their "inability to maintain law and order."

"The authorities failed to ensure peaceful immersion despite repeated requests," a VHP spokesperson said.

The organisation has also called a dawn-to-dusk bandh in protest on Monday.

Internet Suspended For 24 Hours

Further, the Odisha Government ordered a temporary suspension of internet and social media services in parts of Cuttack.

In an official notification issued by the Home Department, Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu stated that the decision was taken to prevent the spread of false, provocative, and inflammatory messages on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Snapchat, which could disturb public peace and order.

As per the order, the restrictions will remain in effect from 7 PM on October 5 to 7 PM on October 6, under the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency/Public Safety) Rules, 2017.

36-Hour Curfew Imposed

In view of recent disturbances, the Commissionerate Police announced a 36-hour curfew in 13 police station areas of the city to prevent any further unrest. Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh informed that the curfew will remain in force from 10 pm tonight for the next 36 hours.

The curfew has been imposed in the following areas: Dargah Bazaar, Manglabag, Cantonment, Purighat, Lalbag, Bidanasi, Markatnagar, CDA Phase-II, Malgodown, Badambadi, Jagatpur, Bayalish Mouza, and Sadar police station limits.

Additional police forces have been deployed in sensitive zones, and security personnel are conducting round-the-clock patrolling to maintain law and order across the city.

Citizens have been urged to cooperate with the administration, stay indoors during curfew hours, and avoid believing or sharing unverified information on social media.

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(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 : Cuttack, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 20:39 IST

News india Cuttack Tense After Clashes During Durga Idol Immersion: Internet Suspended, VHP Calls Bandh

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Bhutan Issues Flood Warning To West Bengal After Dam Overflow, NDRF On 'Highest Alert'

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News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 16:46 IST

Bhutan said the gates of Tala dam failed to open resulting in river water spilling over the structure, raising fears of downstream flooding in the Dooars region of West Bengal

Rescue operation underway after landslides hit the area following heavy rainfall, in West Bengal's Darjeeling on October 5. (Image: PTI)

Bhutan on Sunday formally alerted the West Bengal government to prepare for possible impact after the Tala hydropower dam in the neighbouring country started overflowing due to a technical glitch.

This has raised fears of downstream flooding in the Dooars region of West Bengal, putting authorities in the northern part of the state on high alert.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said its team based in Alipurduar has been put on the highest alert". All personnel on leave have been recalled, while an additional rescue team of 15 from RRC Siliguri is being deployed to reinforce ground response.

This comes as 14 people were killed in multiple landslides triggered by incessant heavy rainfall across the Mirik and Darjeeling hills. The NDRF has already mobilised three teams from Darjeeling, Siliguri, and Alipurduar, while two more teams, one each from Malda and Kolkata, are en route to the affected sites.

Our personnel are engaged in intensive rescue and relief operations to locate missing persons and assist the stranded villagers," NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahedi told ANI.

Continuous heavy rainfall since last night has caused large-scale destruction in parts of the Darjeeling district, particularly in Mirik and Sukhia Pokhari areas, where roads and houses have been washed away.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN BHUTAN?

According to Bhutans National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) reported a malfunction in the gates of Tala dam, which failed to open resulting in river water spilling over the structure.

Weather reports said a storm system that originated over eastern Uttar Pradesh has moved eastward and is now approaching Madarihat in the Dooars. If heavy rainfall occurs in Bhutans hills, rivers in North Bengal are expected to swell rapidly increasing the threat of flash floods.

The NCHM said its flood warning group will continue to coordinate with the DGPC for real-time monitoring of the dam situation. District administrations across North Bengal have been advised to maintain maximum readiness, particularly in riverine and low-lying areas. Officials have also been urged to coordinate with Bhutanese authorities for updated hydrological data to mitigate potential impacts.

INDIAN ARMY CARRIES OUT FLOOD RESCUE OPS IN BHUTAN

The Indian Army on Sunday helped Bhutanese authorities to evacuate people after a sudden flood hit the vicinity of Amochu River in the neighbouring country.

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An official notification from the Royal Government of Bhutan said the flood left several families and workers stranded in temporary housing and workforce camps. Urgent help was sought from India after a helicopter of Drukair  Bhutans national airline  was unable to take off due to inclement weather.

The notification said the Indian Army deployed two helicopters to airlift the stranded workers to safety and ensure that they receive immediate medical care. The government expressed gratitude for the timely and life-saving assistance.

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 : Darjeeling, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 16:44 IST

News india Bhutan Issues Flood Warning To West Bengal After Dam Overflow, NDRF On 'Highest Alert'

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'Bengal Tourists Should Stay Put': Mamata Says Police Will Evacuate, Shares Emergency Numbers

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 14:57 IST

Mamata Banerjee expressed deep concern over severe flooding in North and South Bengal caused by heavy rain and landslides. She assured tourists of safe evacuation.

Darjeeling: Vehicles stuck in debris after landslides due to heavy rainfall (Photo: PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said she was deeply worried" and concerned" over the flooding due to heavy rain in North and South Bengal and acknowledged that the situation caused disasters" in parts of the state.

Yesterday night there was sudden rainfall exceeding 300 mm in 12 hours in North Bengal, and there was simultaneously excessive flow of water into Sankosh river and generally flow of river waters from Bhutan and Sikkim. This caused disasters," she wrote in an X post.

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Banerjee also said the tourists in North Bengal have been advised to stay where they are and that they would be rescued by the state police. She also added that the state government would bear the rescue costs for the tourists.

The Chief Minister added that she was keeping all information regarding the rain situation and was giving out instructions accordingly.

Two iron bridges have collapsed, several roads have been damaged and flooded, huge tracts of land in the districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar have been inundated," she added.

There have been reports of worrying damages and losses particularly in Mirik, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Matigara and Alipurduar," her post read.

We are advising the tourists in North Bengal to stay put where they are till our police evacuates them safely. Rescue costs are ours and tourists need not be anxious," the Chief Minister mentioned.

I am personally keeping information, giving instructions and surveying the situations continually. Our officers and police will reach out all assistance to all affected persons everywhere," she added.

The Chief Minister also shared helpline numbers for the Nabanna Disaster Management Control Room and said the numbers were functional 247

State HQ and the districts are having 247 control rooms. Please connect my Nabanna Disaster Management Control Room at + 91 33 2214 3526 and +91 33 2253 5185, while the Toll Free Numbers are + 91 86979 81070 and 1070," she mentioned.

I am deeply worried and concerned that several areas in both North Bengal and South Bengal have been flooded due to sudden huge rains within a few hours last night as well as due to rush of excessive river waters in our State from outside.Yesterday night there was sudden  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 5, 2025

Earlier, the Chief Minister announced compensation for the victims without specifying the amount and said she would visit North Bengal on October 6 to assess the situation in the region, where a large number of tourists have also been affected.

At least 14 people died and several others went missing as incessant heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides across the Darjeeling hills in the northern part of West Bengal on Saturday, sweeping away homes, damaging roads and cutting off several remote hamlets.

News agency PTI quoted reports compiled by the NDRF and the district administration, and said fatalities were reported from several locations, Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Nagarakata and Mirik Lake area.

Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Richard Lepcha told PTI that rescue and relief operations were underway with the help of police, local administration and disaster response teams.

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At least 40 people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, Nagarakata, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses.

ALSO READ | Deeply Pained, Situation Being Monitored: PM Modi As 14 Die Amid Rain, Landslides In Darjeeling

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: October 05, 2025, 14:55 IST

News india 'Bengal Tourists Should Stay Put': Mamata Says Police Will Evacuate, Shares Emergency Numbers

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Maritime Boost: Led By INS Vikrant, Indian Navy Joins UK For 'Exercise Konkan' In Indian Ocean

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 17:54 IST

The British High Commission said 'Exercise Konkan' is aimed at increasing combined maritime and air capabilities between the Indian and UK navies on the high seas

The Indian Navys Carrier Strike Group is being led by INS Vikrant while HMS Prince of Wales is leading the UK Carrier Strike Group. (Image: Sourced)

The Indian Navy and the United Kingdoms Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, began a joint military exercise in the western Indian Ocean on Sunday.

According to the British High Commission, Exercise Konkan is aimed at increasing combined maritime and air capabilities between the two navies on the high seas.

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The Indian Navys Carrier Strike Group is being led by INS Vikrant while HMS Prince of Wales is leading the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG). It is a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier and the largest surface vessel ever constructed in the UK.

An official statement said while the exercise has been biennial since 2004, it marks the first time in history that a British and Indian Carrier Strike Group will conduct a maritime exercise together.

Commodore Chris Saunders MBE Royal Navy, defence adviser, British High Commission, underscored how Exercise Konkan provides an excellent opportunity for the British Royal Navy to train in the delivery of complex multi-domain operations alongside India as partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

The UK and India are two carrier operating countries, and the Royal Navy and Indian Navy are in a fairly exclusive club as blue-water, multi-carrier navies. This exercise provides another opportunity, a first with both carriers, for two maritime powers to enhance combined capability operating and share best practice. The UK is also proud to co-lead the Maritime Security Pillar of Indias Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative," Commodore Saunders said.

Commodore James Blackmore, who is the commander of the UK CSG, said: Its fantastic to work again with the Indian Navy during Exercise Konkan to develop our combined operational capabilities. Weve been collaborating to expand our defence capability, in support of the rules-based international system in the Indo-Pacific."

WHAT IS THIS MILITARY EXERCISE?

Exercise Konkan is the biennial, bilateral maritime exercise conducted by the UK and India.

The British High Commission said the UK CSG conducted maritime exercises with the Indian Navy in June after entering the Indo-Pacific. This included a Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise (CASEX) involving the UK CSG and Indian Navys INS TABAR, a P8-I Neptune aircraft and an Indian submarine.

The official statement said the UK CSG, which is currently on an eight-month deployment known as Operation Highmast, has linked up with the Indian Navys Carrier Strike Group for four days of complex maritime exercises that will also involve submarines and various aircraft from both sides.

The UK CSG is formed around HMS Prince of Wales, the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier, supported by a Type 45 destroyer, HMS Dauntless; a Type 23 frigate, HMS Richmond; Royal Fleet Auxiliary Support Ships; and ships of allies and partners. It operates F-35B Lightning aircraft, and Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, as standard.

The British High Commission said Operation Highmast is a multinational deployment led by the UK CSG, which presents the opportunity for its armed forces to conduct a major global deployment and a chance to exercise complex operations alongside partners in the region, with 12 other nations supporting the deployment with ships or personnel.

It said after the completion of the exercise, CSG ships will visit ports in Mumbai and Goa to celebrate enhanced military interactions with India and showcase British trade and industry along with highlighting the bond between people and culture in the UK and India. British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron, in her remarks, highlighted how India and the UK believe in a free and open Indo-Pacific and an ambition for a modern defence and security partnership.

Cameron said this is a fundamental pillar of UK-India Vision 2035, agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer earlier this year.

The engagements between the Carrier Strike Groups of our two navies demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the rules-based international order in the region and lay the groundwork for future cooperation", Cameron said.

On completion of the port visit, the UK CSG will participate in an aerial defence exercise with the Indian Air Force, allowing both the forces to test their tactics and share best practices.

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Earlier in 2021, India and the UK conducted the first and biggest bilateral tri-service exercise Konkan Shakti, which involved all three forces from both countries, including the UK CSG led by HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

(With ANI inputs)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 17:54 IST

News india Maritime Boost: Led By INS Vikrant, Indian Navy Joins UK For 'Exercise Konkan' In Indian Ocean

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Have To Take It Back: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwats Remark On PoK Draws Applause | Watch

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 19:09 IST

Mohan Bhagwat called PoK a room of India occupied by strangers, urging its return. Protests in PoK against Pakistani rule have led to deaths and exposed rising instability.

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Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat (Image: PTI)

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) a room in India that has been occupied by strangers, saying it must be taken back. He remarked during an event in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, according to ANI.

Many Sindhi brothers are sitting here. I am very happy. They did not go to Pakistan; they went to undivided India. Circumstances have sent us here from that home because that home and this home are not different," Bhagwat said, drawing huge applause from the audience.

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The whole of India is one home, but someone has removed one room of our house where my table, chair, and clothes used to be kept. They have occupied it. Tomorrow, I have to take it back" he said as the audience clapped in agreement.

#WATCH | Satna, MP | RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, Many Sindhi brothers are sitting here. I am very happy. They did not go to Pakistan; they went to undivided India.Circumstances have sent us here from that home because that home and this home are not different. The whole of pic.twitter.com/CdNaLdzwQc ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2025

The RSS chiefs remarks come amid rising unrest in PoK, where locals have protested against Pakistani rule. Thousands of residents joined rallies organised by the Awami Action Committee (AAC), calling for economic aid and political reforms.

10 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in PoK after Pakistani forces clashed with protesters over the last three days. In Dhirkot (Bagh district) alone, four protesters were shot dead, while fatalities were also reported from PoKs Muzaffarabad, Dadyal (Mirpur), and Chamyati near Kohala.

According to analysts, Pakistans preference for repression over dialogue has heightened tensions in the strategically sensitive region.

The protests against Pakistani rule by PoK residents have exposed the falsehood that Islamabad has been peddling since 1947, experts said. They have also unmasked those who, for decades, mischievously amplified anti-India propaganda regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The RSS chief on Thursday emphasised the need to strengthen security capabilities, noting that the international reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack revealed the real character of Indias global alliances.

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The responses of other countries were a test of who our friends are in the global arena and to what extent they are willing to stand by us," the RSS chief said, adding Indias political leadership and the military delivered a fitting response" which showcased the firmness of the leadership, valour of the armed forces, and determination and unity of society.

The recent surge of protests in PoK highlights the widening gap between its residents and Islamabad, with critics cautioning about increasing instability. Analysts say Pakistans reliance on repression rather than dialogue has further escalated tensions in the strategically sensitive region.

Location : Satna, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 19:09 IST

News india Have To Take It Back: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwats Remark On PoK Draws Applause | Watch

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Kerala Man Attacks Father With Machete, Threatens Suicide Over Property Paper Dispute

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 07:35 IST

The father sustained severe injuries and is fighting for life in coma. Accused son was taken into police custody after three hours of high-voltage drama.

Kerala Police Representative Image | PTI File Photo

High-voltage drama unfolded in Keralas Thrissur after a son attacked his father with a sharp object and then locked himself inside the house for hours, threatening to commit suicide. After three hours of negotiation, police were able to take the man into custody. As per the reports, an altercation occurred between a father and son over property papers on Saturday. As the conversation escalated, the man allegedly attacked his father with a machete.

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As per the local reports, the incident took place at the rented accommodation of the accused son, Vishnu, at around 1:30 am. The victim father, Shivan, an auto driver, reached his sons house along with his wife to discuss matters related to property papers.

The conversation escalated after Vishnu allegedly said he had thrown the papers into a well. The heated exchange turned violent, and Vishnu allegedly attacked his father with a sharp object.

Reportedly, he first attacked Shivan in the kitchen and then chased him outside the house and attacked again. The elderly man got brutally injured and is currently in a coma.

Victims wife and other relatives saved him from his son and alarmed the police. Drama unfolded after the police arrived, as the accused son locked himself with a weapon on the first floor of the house.

He threatened to kill himself by pointing a knife at his neck. The man finally caved in after three hours of negotiations. He was taken into custody at around 5:30 pm.

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As per the reports, the locals alleged that Vishnu used to perform strange rituals and occult practices. He was living estranged from his parents. Police shifted him to Thrissur Medical College for examination.

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 : Kerala, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 07:33 IST

News india Kerala Man Attacks Father With Machete, Threatens Suicide Over Property Paper Dispute

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PM Modi Expresses Solidarity With Nepal Over Losses Caused By Heavy Rains, Offers Assistance

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 21:56 IST

PM Modi expressed grief over heavy rains in Nepal that killed at least 40, mainly in Ilam district, and assured Indias support as flights and travel face major disruptions.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch major youth initiatives worth over Rs. 62,000 crore. (File Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief over the loss of lives and widespread damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal, assuring that India stands firmly with its neighbour during this difficult time.

This comes after at least 40 people lost their lives in different places of eastern Nepal till Sunday morning, and five have gone missing due to landslides and floods triggered by the downpour since last night.

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In a post on X, PM Modi said, The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal is distressing. We stand with the people and the Government of Nepal in this difficult time. As a friendly neighbour and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required."

The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal is distressing. We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult time. As a friendly neighbour and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 5, 2025

Nepal Prime Minister Sushila Karki also expressed gratitude to PM Modi for Indias solidarity and assistance as the country battles the aftermath of devastating rains and landslides.

Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi, for your heartfelt solidarity and commitment. The support from our friendly neighbour, India, in this difficult time is deeply appreciated by the people and Government of Nepal," Karki posted on X.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said in a press release that as many as 37 people were killed in different places of Ilam district in Koshi province due to landslides following heavy rainfall on Saturday night.

According to the NDRRMA, among the 37 fatalities, eight were reported each from Deumai and Maijogmai municipalities, six from Ilam municipality and Sandakpur rural municipality, five from Suryodaya municipality, three from Mangsebung, and one from Fakfokthum village.

One person died in Panchthar due to a landslide, and one person was killed in Khotang and Udayapur districts as they were swept away by floods, said the official.

Four people have gone missing from Rasuwa district as they were swept away by floods. A person buried in a landslide in Panchthar district has also gone missing.

The NDRRMA issued a notice saying restrictions have been put on vehicles entering and exiting Kathmandu Valley from Saturday to Monday.

Continuous downpour was reported in Kathmandu and other parts of the country since Friday night, as the monsoon has become active, the authorities said.

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Meanwhile, all domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) have been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

(With inputs from agencies)

First Published: October 05, 2025, 15:56 IST

News india PM Modi Expresses Solidarity With Nepal Over Losses Caused By Heavy Rains, Offers Assistance

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2 Arrested After Punjab Police Bust Arms, Narcotics Smuggling Module Linked To Pakistan

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 13:29 IST

A preliminary probe revealed that the suspects acted upon the directions of Pakistan-based smugglers to smuggle the contraband from across the border, as per the Punjab Police DGP.

Police recovered 2.5 kg of heroin and five high-tech pistols. (Punjab Police)

The counter-intelligence unit of Punjab Police busted a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling module with links to Pakistan in Amritsar and apprehended two operatives, recovering 2.5 kg heroin and five sophisticated pistols and magazines from their possession.

The operatives were identified as Gurjant Singh and Gurvel Singh, both residents of Punjabs Tarn Taran district. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects acted upon the directions of Pakistan-based smugglers to smuggle the contraband from across the border, according to a statement from DGP Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav on Sunday.

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The recovered arms were supplied to gangsters and criminals to fuel unlawful activities in Punjab. An FIR was registered at Amritsar and further investigation is underway to expose the full nexus of the Pakistan-linked smuggling network.

In an intelligence-led operation, Counter Intelligence #Amritsar busts a cross-border arms & narcotics smuggling module with links to #Pakistan & apprehends two operatives Gurjant Singh & Gurvel Singh, both resident of #TarnTaran & recovers 2.5 kg Heroin & 5 sophisticated pistols pic.twitter.com/d6d1OjRbHq DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) October 5, 2025

This came a day after Punjab Police claimed to have busted another cross-border arms smuggling module and apprehended two people. The DGP said the duo arrested from Malout in the Muktsar district and Ferozepur had links with smugglers in Pakistan.

In a major breakthrough, Sri Muktsar Sahib Police busts a cross-border Arms Smuggling Module by apprehending Ravi Singh from Malout and his associate from Ferozepur, recovering two 9 mm pistols along with live cartridges.

The operation not only led to the recovery of weapons but also exposed a wider arms smuggling network, Yadav said, adding that technical and financial investigations are underway to trace the entire chain and dismantle the module completely.

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On September 30, the counter-intelligence unit arrested a drug trafficker and seized 4.70 kg of heroin from his possession. Preliminary investigation revealed that Kumar is closely associated with Dubai-based Amritpal Singh, who is an associate of jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria.

(with inputs from PTI)

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 : Amritsar, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 12:47 IST

News india 2 Arrested After Punjab Police Bust Arms, Narcotics Smuggling Module Linked To Pakistan

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Famed investor Warren Buffett once emphasized the significance of trust and character in business partnerships, stating that these qualities are as vital as financial metrics when assessing investment opportunities.

Buffett, the esteemed investor and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK) (NYSE:BRK), shared his thoughts on the importance of trust and character in business partnerships in his 1989 annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter.

Buffett wrote, We've never succeeded in making a good deal with a bad person.

Conversely, we do not wish to join with managers who lack admirable qualities, no matter how attractive the prospects of their business, he added in his letter.

I learned to go into business only with people whom I like, trust, and admire. As I noted before, this policy of itself will not ensure success: A second- class textile or department-store company wont prosper simply because its managers are men that you would be pleased to see your daughter marry, Buffett continued.

Also Read: Warren Buffett's Advice: If You Aren't Willing To Own A Stock For Ten Years, Don't Even Think About Owning It For Ten Minutes'

This belief is rooted in Buffetts extensive experience leading Berkshire Hathaway, where he has consistently aimed to collaborate with leaders who exemplify competence, honesty, and integrity.

According to Buffett, a deal with an individual whose values or actions compromise trust is bound to fail, regardless of how appealing the financial aspects may seem.

Buffetts strategy has been confirmed by some of Berkshire Hathaways most prosperous acquisitions, including Sees Candies, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and GEICO.

These were led by managers whom Buffett greatly admired for their integrity and long-term focus.

Buffetts insights serve as a timely warning in the current financial environment, where short-term opportunities can often carry concealed risks.

His enduring lesson is that business success is not solely about identifying opportunities, but also about selecting the right individuals to seize them with.

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Warren Buffetts Investment Tip: Its Better To Buy A Wonderful Company At Fair Price Than A Fair Company At A Wonderful Price

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This article Warren Buffett Warns Entrepreneurs to Never Partner With Bad Person: 'We've Never Succeeded In Making A Good Deal With A Bad Person' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
14 Killed As Heavy Rain Triggers Landslides In Darjeeling; Sikkim Disconnected

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 14:22 IST

North Bengal Weather Update: Heavy rain and landslides in Darjeeling has led to the closure of tourist spots including Tiger Hill, Rock Garden, and other key sites.

Visuals shared from different places across North Bengal (Credits: News18.com)

Heavy rain has disrupted lives across North Bengal, claiming at least 14 lives and leaving one missing, after multiple landslides hit Mirik and Sukhiya in Darjeeling. The death toll is likely to rise as the rescue operation continues.

According to officials, the fatalities have been reported from multiple locations, including Mirik, Jorebunglow, Sukhiapokhri, Darjeeling Sadar, and Pulbazar. One person from the Sukhiapokhri police station area has been reported missing.

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The Darjeeling District Police are leading the ongoing rescue efforts in the affected areas, struggling against poor weather and difficult terrain.

According to officials, Kurseong in the Darjeeling district recorded an alarming 393 mm of rainfall between 8:30 AM on October 4 and 8:30 AM on October 5, one of the heaviest spells of the season.

In response, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has deployed a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to carry out rescue and relief operations. A team from the Regional Response Centre (RRC) Siliguri, led by Deputy Commandant Shri Vivek, has been mobilised towards Mirik. However, due to multiple road blockages, they have been forced to take an alternate route as advised by the SP, Darjeeling.

Meanwhile, another NDRF team pre-positioned in Malda has been placed on red alert and is ready to move to Siliguri if conditions worsen.

PM Modi Shares Condolences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and shared condolences on the demise of people due to landslides triggered by heavy rain.

Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," he wrote on X.

The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides. We are committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected," he added.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Says Deeply Worried

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Sunday informed about the situation in the state and said she was deeply worried.

We have been shocked and saddened to know that we have lost some brothers and sisters in the situation evolved by huge rainfall and river floods. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and shall send all assistance to the families immediately," she wrote on X.

In a long post, the Bengal CM also shared helpline numbers. State HQ and the districts are having 247 control rooms. Please connect my Nabanna Disaster Management Control Room at + 91 33 2214 3526 and +91 33 2253 5185, while the Toll Free Numbers are + 91 86979 81070 and 1070," she said.

I am deeply worried and concerned that several areas in both North Bengal and South Bengal have been flooded due to sudden huge rains within a few hours last night as well as due to rush of excessive river waters in our State from outside.Yesterday night there was sudden  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 5, 2025

TMC Express Solidarity With Affected People

Expressing solidarity with those affected due to rain, the All India Trinamool Congress on Sunday said that the relief and rescue operation are already underway.

CM Mamata Banerjee has been in constant touch with the district authorities and has urged that every possible resource be mobilised without delay, said the official statement.

In this hour of trial, the people affected are not alone; we stand firmly with you, and remain committed to doing everything within our capacity to restore normalcy, provide relief, and help families rebuild. We appeal to everyone to follow official advisories, cooperate with rescue teams, and extend support to neighbours in need," it added.

Tourist Spots In Darjeeling Shut Amid Heavy Rain And Landslides

Following continuous heavy rainfall in Darjeeling, several landslides have been reported across the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) region, causing road blockages and unsafe travel conditions.

In light of the situation, authorities have temporarily closed popular tourist destinations, including Tiger Hill, Rock Garden, and other key sites, to ensure public safety.

Officials have urged tourists and travel operators to avoid unnecessary travel and follow safety advisories until conditions improve and further updates are issued.

Situation Worsens In Kalimpong

The situation in Kalimpong district remains critical, with continuous rain causing widespread damage and raising the risk of additional landslides. Several roads have been cut off, and communication lines remain disrupted.

A landslide on National Highway 717E, the alternative route connecting Siliguri and Sikkim, has brought traffic to a standstill. The slide occurred between Pedong and Rishikhola, blocking the crucial route that connects via Rhenock.

Authorities said the continuous downpour has made road clearance operations extremely challenging.

Bridge Collapse In Dudhia

Heavy overnight rainfall led to the collapse of the iron bridge over the Balason River at Dudhia, which connected Siliguri and Mirik. Vehicular movement along the route has been completely suspended. Residents living near the river are tensed as water levels continue to rise, while police from the Garidhura outpost are on-site monitoring the situation.

West Bengal Police Issues Helpline Number

The West Bengal Police have issued a helpline number for the tourists stranded in affected areas. Due to heavy rainfall last night, landslides have occurred on some roads in Darjeeling, disrupting traffic. Road clearing operations are underway, and normal traffic is expected to resume soon," the West Bengal Police said in an official statement.

Tourists who are stranded or in need of assistance can contact the Darjeeling Police Control Room at +91 91478 89078, said the official statement.

Rescue Teams Deployed In Jalpaiguri And Alipurduar

Rescue operations are underway in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts after Bhutan released excess water, leading to rising river levels in parts of North Bengal.

Officials said one rescue team has been deployed in Jalpaiguri, while another team is carrying out operations in Alipurduar to assist affected residents. Additionally, a team from Malda is en route to support ongoing rescue and relief efforts in the flood-hit areas.

North Bengal Weather Update

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, and Coochbehar for today, October 5, predicting heavy rain. A red alert is in place for Alipurduar, and a yellow warning has been issued for North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda.

The weather department has also warned people against taking shelter under tree/electric poles and to avoid contact with water bodies.

About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More

Location : Darjeeling, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 08:57 IST

News india 14 Killed As Heavy Rain Triggers Landslides In Darjeeling; Sikkim Disconnected

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Rajnath Singh To Visit Australia On October 9 To Deepen Defence, Strategic Ties

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News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee



Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 17:59 IST

Rajnath Singh will meet his Australian counterpart and attend key meetings to improve defence cooperation between the two countries.

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. (PTI file photo)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Australia next week, from October 9-10, to deepen defence and strategic ties. This would mark the first visit by an Indian defence minister in several years.

Rajnath Singh will meet his Australian counterpart and attend key meetings to improve defence cooperation between the two countries. He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several Australian leaders during the visit. .

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The Indo-Pacific region is expected to be one of the key issues of talks between Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart. Both countries have advocated for free and inclusive Indo-Pacific that is based on international norms.

This visit takes place Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles visited India in June, where they condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and lauded Indias restraint in halting military action against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

We appreciate the stoppage of military activity, which we see as a strong act of Indian leadership," Marles said and reiterated that Australia stood in solidarity with India following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack.

Richard Marles was also the first Quad defence minister to visit India since Operation Sindoor, where India launched airstrikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan using long-range weapons such as the Brahmos cruise missile in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The Indian military targeted nine terror infrastructures that included Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in of Bahawalpur and Hizbul Mujahideens Mehmoona Joya Facility in Sialkot.

In April, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended his condolences over the Pahalgam terror attack and said Australians stand with Indians at this hour in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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India and Australias defence and strategic relations have seen significant growth in recent years. In June 2020, the two nations elevated their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and signed a key agreement granting reciprocal access to each others military bases for logistics support.

They also signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) in 2021, which enables the armed forces of both countries to use each others bases for refuelling, repairs, and resupply, paving the way for deeper and more robust defence cooperation.

About the Author Akash Sharma Akash Sharma, Defence Correspondent, CNN-News 18, covers the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Railways. In addition, he also follows developments in the national capital. With an extensive experien... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 11:47 IST

News india Rajnath Singh To Visit Australia On October 9 To Deepen Defence, Strategic Ties

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'Prepared To Stay In Jail': Sonam Wangchuk Demands Judicial Probe In Ladakh Violence Deaths

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 13:12 IST

Sonam Wangchuk, currently in Jodhpur jail over Leh violence, demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killings, and urged people to continue their struggle peacefully.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk (File photo/PTI)

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and currently lodged in Jodhpur central jail in connection with the recent violence in Leh, sent out a message from the jail on Saturday.

The message by Wangchuk was conveyed by his elder brother, Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley and the activists lawyer, Mustafa Haji, after they met him at the jail.

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In his message to the people of Ladakh and India, Wangchuk said that he was doing well and thanked everyone for their concerns and prayers.

He also offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the Leh violence and demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killings, adding that he was ready to remain in jail unless the probe is done.

I am doing well, both physically and mentally and thank everyone for their concern and prayers," Wangchuk said.

My heartfelt condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives, and my prayers with people who are injured and are arrested."

There should be an independent Judicial Inquiry into the killing of our four people, and unless that is done, I am prepared to stay in jail," he said.

I stand firmly with Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and the people of Ladakh in our genuine constitutional demand for Sixth Schedule and Statehood, and whatever actions Apex Body takes in the interest of Ladakh, I am with them, wholeheartedly," Wangchuk said.

I appeal to the people to keep peace and unity and continue with our struggle peacefully- in the true Gandhian way of non-violence," he added.

Sonam Wangchuks message from Central Jail, Jodhpur.Today on the 4th of October Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley ( Sonam Wangchuks elder brother ) and I ( Mustafa Haji- Lawyer ) met Mr. Sonam Wangchuk at Jodhpur Central Jail.Mr. Sonam has conveyed the following message to the people of Mustafa Haji (@Mustafa_haji_) October 5, 2025

Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory.

He is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.

On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by Wangchuks wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activists detention under the National Security Act and seeking his immediate release.

According to the courts cause list for October 6, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria.

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ALSO READ | Agencies Likely To Probe Sonam Wangchuks Wife Gitanjali For Irregularities In HIAL: Sources

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: October 05, 2025, 11:17 IST

News india 'Prepared To Stay In Jail': Sonam Wangchuk Demands Judicial Probe In Ladakh Violence Deaths

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Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Claims She's Under House Arrest, Calls Activists Detention 'Illegal'

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 22:56 IST

Gitanjali J Angmo petitions Supreme Court for Sonam Wangchuks release, challenging his NSA detention after Ladakh protests.

Sonam Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J Angmo (Credits: ANI)

Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuks wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the formers detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release. The top court will hear the petition on Monday.

In the plea, the co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL), has claimed that she has been kept under virtual house arrest in Leh, while students and staff of the institute are facing harassment, intimidation, and intrusive investigations, news agency PTI reported.

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She argued that no grounds of detention and arrest of Wangchuk were disclosed, and that no clothes or medicines were allowed for him inside the jail.

In her plea filed through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, Angmo has also questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk, which allows detention without a trial for up to 12 months.

The plea alleged that Wangchuks detention was "illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional", violating the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

"The arbitrary transfer of Wangchuk to Jodhpur, the harassment of students and staff of HIAL, the virtual house arrest of the petitioner herself, and the false propaganda linking Wangchuk to foreign entities clearly demonstrate mala fide state action intended to suppress democratic dissent and peaceful environmental activism," the plea said.

Filing the habeas corpus (bring the person) writ, the spouse of the detained activist sought urgent listing of the plea and a direction to the Ladakh administration to "produce Sonam Wangchuk before this court forthwith".

It also sought immediate access to the detenue, and quashing of the preventive detention order.

The plea, which named the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ladakh UT administration, deputy commissioner of Leh, and the Jodhpur jail superintendent as parties, also sought a direction to them to "allow immediate access of the petitioner to her husband, both telephonic and in person".

"Wangchuk, who has been an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh," it said.

Ladakh Unrest

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on Friday by Leh Police under the National Security Act (NSA), days after violent protests in Ladakh killed four people and left over 90 injured. He was shifted to Rajasthans Jodhpur jail after being arrested.

Wangchuk has been accused of inciting people through his provocative statements during his hunger strike for Ladakhs inclusion in the Sixth schedule and for statehood.

The protest, led by Wangchuk along with the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, seeks full statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution for Ladakh.

To press these demands, Wangchuk also started a hunger strike on September 10, ending it after 15 days on September 24, citing concerns over rising violence.

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The government blamed Wangchuk for provocative speeches (including references to Arab Spring-style protests" and Gen Z protests in Nepal") that allegedly incited the mob. The Home Ministry has also cancelled the FCRA certificate of Sonam Wangchuks NGO.

(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 : Leh, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 22:56 IST

News india Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Claims She's Under House Arrest, Calls Activists Detention 'Illegal'

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Supreme Court To Hear Plea By Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Against His NSA Detention On Monday

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 05:45 IST

Gitanjali J Angmo's petition, filed as a habeas corpus writ, calls the detention 'illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional', violating Wangchuk's fundamental rights

The Ladakh administration has accused Wangchuk of 'instigating' violent protests through 'provocative speeches', including suggestions of 'self-immolation' and references to the 'Arab Spring' to overthrow the government. File pic/AFP

The Supreme Court is set to hear a significant plea on October 6 filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of noted Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The case will be heard by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria.

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Wangchuk was detained on September 26 under Section 3(2) of the NSA by the Deputy Commissioner of Leh, two days after violent protests erupted in the Union Territory, demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Constitutions Sixth Schedule. The violence on September 24 in Leh resulted in four deaths and numerous injuries. Following his detention, Wangchuk was swiftly shifted to the Central Jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

The Ladakh administration has accused Wangchuk of instigating" the violent protests through provocative speeches", including suggestions of self-immolation" and references to the Arab Spring" to overthrow the government. They contend his actions were prejudicial to the security of the State and detrimental to the maintenance of peace and public order".

Gitanjali J Angmos petition, filed as a habeas corpus writ, calls the detention illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional", violating Wangchuks fundamental rights. She argues her husband has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods" to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh. The plea also seeks his immediate release, a medical report, and a directive for authorities to produce him in court.

Furthermore, Angmo has stated that she has not been provided with the formal grounds of detention or allowed to speak with her husband, who was recovering from a prolonged fast at the time of his detention.

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The use of the NSA, a preventive detention law that allows custody without trial for up to 12 months, has sparked a national debate over the balance between national security and civil liberties, especially in the context of democratic dissent. The Supreme Courts hearing is expected to scrutinise the legal validity and subjective satisfaction" of the authorities in invoking the NSA against the activist.

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: October 05, 2025, 05:45 IST

News india Supreme Court To Hear Plea By Sonam Wangchuk's Wife Against His NSA Detention On Monday

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Tariff Issues With US Need To Be Resolved, India Actively Working On Them: Jaishankar

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:01 IST

Jaishankar further said that there has to be a trade understanding with the United States because it is the world's largest market

EAM Jaishankar speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025). (PTI)

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Sunday asserted that New Delhi is actively engaged in talks with Washington to resolve the ongoing trade issues.

While addressing the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025) in New Delhi, the Union Minister acknowledged the strength and maturity of Indo-US ties and also highlighted the current irritants, particularly in trade and energy cooperation.

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We have issues with the United States today  mainly that we havent yet reached a landing ground in our trade discussions. This has led to certain tariffs being levied on us, which we have publicly said are unfair," he said as quoted by news agency PTI.

He also highlighted the US discomfort over Indias energy imports from Russia and said that tariffs being levied on New Delhi are unfair."

There is a second tariff related to sourcing energy from Russia, whereas other countries, even those with more adversarial relations with Russia, have done so. These issues need to be resolved, and we are actively working on them," he added.

Jaishankar further said that there has to be a trade understanding with the United States because it is the worlds largest market, and also because much of the world has reached this understanding.

Jaishankar also emphasised the changing energy dynamics around the world, noting the United States transformation into an energy exporter and Chinas dominance in renewables.

One of the big changes in recent years is that the United States, which for decades worried about its external energy dependence, has not only become self-sufficient but is now a significant exporter of energy and has made it a key part of its strategic outlook," the minister said.

Just as the US has emerged as a champion of fossil fuels, China has established itself as a leader in renewables  so, whichever path you take on renewables, all roads eventually lead there as well," Jaishankar added.

India-US Trade Talks Amid Tariff Row

US President Donald Trump levied 25% tariff on Indian shipments, along with an additional 25% tariff for New Delhis purchases of Russian oil, taking the total levies imposed on India to 50%.

India had strongly condemned the move as unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable," saying that imports are governed by market dynamics and are undertaken with the overarching goal of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indian citizens.

Amid the tariff row, India and the US have virtually engaged on a weekly basis on trade, ministerial, and diplomatic levels. Five rounds of negotiations for the India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) have been held, and the sixth round of talks  scheduled from August 25 to 29  was rescheduled following the imposition of 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods by the US.

According to a release from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, positive discussions were held" during the September 16 visit of officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative to India.

Last month, Trump expressed confidence that the two sides would have no difficulty" in reaching a deal. In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Modis leadership and thanked him for supporting peace efforts in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded that the discussions would help unlock the limitless potential of the IndiaUS partnership."

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The US President further praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a birthday message, calling him a friend" and lauding his leadership as tremendous."

(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: October 05, 2025, 18:01 IST

News india Tariff Issues With US Need To Be Resolved, India Actively Working On Them: Jaishankar

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This BJP MP Co-Pilots Patna-Delhi Flight. Shivraj Chouhan Says Dil Jeet Liya

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:43 IST

Shivraj Chouhan called his Patna to Delhi flight unforgettable, praising co-pilot and BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy for engaging passengers with scenic storytelling and charm.

Shivraj went on to describe how Rudy guided passengers to look out from their windows for scenic views. (X)

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan described his IndiGo flight journey from Patna to Delhi unforgettable," and his co-pilot was BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who is a four-time MP from Bihar and a former Union minister.

The Union Minister, in a post on X, praised Rudys charm, storytelling, and ability to turn an ordinary flight into a memorable experience.

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Rajiv Ji, today you won our hearts The flight from Patna to Delhi today was unforgettable for me, because the co-captain of this flight was my dear friend, senior politician, and Chhapra MP, Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy Ji," Chouhan said.

 ,               ,     -    ,                          pic.twitter.com/W6VQJZ7yk8  Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) October 4, 2025

He also shared photos and an image of a handwritten note praising Rudy.

Chouhan said that Rudy impressed passengers with his engaging in-flight announcements. The unique style of sharing travel details kept everyone hooked throughout the journey.

As per Chouhan, Rudy described the scenic route saying, clouds have settled around Patna today, and it has been raining continuously since yesterday. Amidst the clouds and light rain, we are about to embark on our journey to Delhi."

He went on to describe how Rudy guided passengers to look out from their windows for scenic views.

On the way, we will pass through Varanasi. Then, Prayagraj will be visible on the left and Lucknow on the right. As we catch glimpses of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers, we will complete our journey to Delhi, and if there are no clouds during landing, we will also get to see the lights of Noidas high-rise buildings," he said.

People like you are rare, who, despite such a busy schedule, still find time for their talents. Staying grounded is what this is all about. Thank you for this memorable journey, Rajiv Pratap Rudy," Chouhan said.

Netizens React

During his many air travels, Rajiv Pratap Rudy has been seen as the co-captain of the flight, and indeed all those journeys have been very pleasant," one social media user said.

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Another commented, Simple thoughts yet captivating."

Your handwriting is very good, Shivraj ji. Only a few leaders can write so beautifully with their own hands," commented a third.

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: October 05, 2025, 18:43 IST

News india This BJP MP Co-Pilots Patna-Delhi Flight. Shivraj Chouhan Says Dil Jeet Liya

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How Boutique Stays And Curated Trails Are Changing Spiritual Travel In India

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 20:00 IST

Spiritual travel in India is no longer defined by endurance. Travellers are, now, seeking ways to reconnect with their heritage without compromising comfort.

Spiritual travel in India now blends faith, comfort, and discovery.

For generations, religious travel in India was seen as a deeply personal, often austere experience  one that involved long train journeys, basic accommodation, and minimal comfort. But today, this sacred ritual is being reimagined. Pilgrimages are no longer just about devotion; theyve evolved into curated cultural experiences that blend faith, comfort, and discovery. From premium train routes and spiritual flight getaways to boutique stays near temples, Indias travellers are embracing a more elevated way to reconnect with their roots this festive season.

The Rise of Premium Pilgrimage Experiences

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Spiritual travel is witnessing a makeover, led by convenience, personalisation, and cultural immersion. Spiritual travel in India is undergoing a quiet transformation. What was once purely devotional is now being reimagined with curated cultural layers, boutique stays, and seamless transport options," says Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head, Holidays, MICE, and Visa at Thomas Cook (India).

Similarly, S.D. Nandakumar, President & Country Head, Holidays and Corporate Tours at SOTC Travel, notes that spiritual tourism is no longer restricted to older pilgrims. Were witnessing a growing interest in curated journeys that combine spiritual depth with cultural discovery and comfort," he explains. Alongside the popular routes like Char Dham, Dwarka, and Velankanni, new destinations such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Bodh Gaya with guided tours and boutique stays are also picking up momentum.

The Journey Matters: Trains and Buses Drive the Movement

Its not just the destination thats changing  the journey itself is getting an upgrade. Trains and buses, long the backbone of Indian travel, are now part of the premium experience. Were seeing a sharp rise in train searches and bookings for Dussehra, with spiritual destinations leading the demand," says Dinesh Kumar Kotha, CEO of ixigo Trains & Confirmtkt.

Tirupati has seen an 80% year-on-year growth, while Vijayawada is surging thanks to its 11-day Dasara festivities.

Rohit Sharma, COO at AbhiBus, adds that last-mile connectivity is driving demand for festive travel. Many Indians are heading home or visiting Dussehra fairs, with bus bookings surging to hubs like Vijayawada, Hyderabad, and Chennai," he says. For many, these bus journeys are no longer a matter of necessity; theyre designed to be seamless, comfortable, and family-friendly.

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A Redefined Ritual

The festive seasons travel trends reveal a fascinating shift: spiritual journeys are becoming experiential, inclusive, and indulgent  all at once. Whether its a train to Tirupati, a boutique stay in Varanasi, or a helicopter ride across the Himalayas, Indias pilgrims are upgrading their paths to faith. With improved infrastructure, direct connectivity, and a growing appetite for comfort, the countrys oldest travel tradition is finally entering its golden era.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 20:00 IST

News lifestyle How Boutique Stays And Curated Trails Are Changing Spiritual Travel In India
How Indias Festive Decor Is Evolving Into Design Statements Through Tablescaping

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 16:54 IST

The Indian festive table has evolved into a platform for self-expression where every layer tells a story and every element evokes a connection.

Tablescaping blends heritage with modern design elements.

The Indian festive table is no longer just a place to serve food. Its a stage for self-expression. Across homes this season, hosts are swapping traditional over-the-top decor for layered, intentional setups that tell personal stories. Tables are being transformed into canvases that blend heritage and modernity, creating dining experiences that feel intimate, stylish, and deeply rooted in culture.

As India embraces the global art of tablescaping, the focus has shifted from ornate abundance to curated maximalism  a style thats expressive but never chaotic, luxurious but grounded.

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A Season of Curated Maximalism

As Meghna Bhimrajka, Founder of Studio Maison Malabar, puts it, the mood this year is curated maximalism"  a phrase that perfectly captures the balance between abundance and intention.

Its layered, expressive, yet purposeful. Its less about clutter and more about visual storytelling. Every platter, flower, and accent has meaning, allowing hosts to blend heritage finds with modern pieces," says Bhimrajka.

Tablescapes, she adds, are moving away from formulaic symmetry toward storytelling through texture and form. Imagine handcrafted ceramics paired with sculptural serveware, taper candles at different heights, and delicate floral trails that feel organic rather than ornate," she explains.

Blending Worlds: Global Aesthetics, Indian Soul

Todays hosts are also more well-travelled and design-aware, effortlessly merging international influences with Indian festive sensibilities. Youll often see Scandinavian restraint and Japanese minimalism meeting earthy Indian materials. Mediterranean influences  like olive motifs and terracotta  also find their way to Indian brunches and sundowner setups," says Bhimrajka. The result is a global table rooted in Indian warmth.

A Personal Style Statement

Anandita Kothari, Founder of Plate & Peonie, believes tablescaping has evolved into an extension of personal style  much like fashion. People are spending more time and effort setting up their tables. Gone are the days when tablescapes were an afterthought. Today, the intimate details are what guests appreciate," she says.

Kothari observes that younger hosts are mixing and matching rather than investing in full collections. Theyll pair an heirloom bowl with something they picked up on their travels or a DIY floral arrangement. Its about expressing individuality rather than perfection," she notes.

Texture, Colour, and Conscious Design

Colour stories are shifting too  from predictable reds and golds to softer, moodier palettes. Think sage, blush, rust, and ivory with subtle metallics. Golds now appear as highlights on cutlery or glass rims rather than dominating the theme," Bhimrajka shares.

Both experts agree that tactility defines todays tablescapes  woven linens, hammered metal accents, and artisanal ceramics are key. Sustainability, too, is finding its place at the table.

Materials like rattan, wicker, and bamboo are seeing huge demand. Theyre stylish, timeless, and planet-friendly," adds Kothari.

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The New Mood: Intentional, Personal, and Warm

The modern Indian table is a reflection of its host  creative, conscious, and culturally confident. Every layer tells a story, every element evokes a connection. In 2025, entertaining at home isnt about extravagance; its about emotion, craftsmanship, and the quiet art of making guests feel seen.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 16:54 IST

News lifestyle How Indias Festive Decor Is Evolving Into Design Statements Through Tablescaping
Ishaan Khatter Stuns In Sheer Black At Messikas Paris Fashion Week Showcase

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 08:52 IST

At Messikas 20th-anniversary show during Paris Fashion Week, Ishaan Khatter stunned in a sheer black shirt, tailored trousers, and stylish accessories.

Ishaan Khatter shared the pictures on his Instagram.

Ishaan Khatter has truly redefined the essence of modern masculinity with his appearance at Messikas 20th-anniversary show during Paris Fashion Week. His ensemble, meticulously curated by stylist Alex Roth, radiated elegance and contemporary flair, bringing a sharp, sophisticated edge to the event. The young actors confident poise in front of the camera effortlessly drew attention to his captivating outfit by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, perfectly accentuating his charisma.

For the front row, Ishaan Khatter sported a daring yet refined black sheer shirt, crafted from luxurious fabric that showcased his bold fashion choices. The shirt, with its subtle stripe detailing and plunging neckline, revealed just the right amount of skin, striking a balance between sensuality and class. The delicately fitted silhouette effortlessly flattered his physique, making him the undeniable centre of attention. His trousers, tailored to perfection, complemented the look, with their crisp, structured nature providing an impeccable contrast to the flowing top. The high-waisted cut elongated his frame, adding further sophistication to his appearance.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ishaan (@ishaankhatter)

His accessories were just as captivating as the clothing itself. A sleek chain necklace from Messika glinted under the Parisian lights, adding an element of raw luxury. His wrists were adorned with statement bracelets, the metallic finishes catching the eye, while his ring, set in silver, added a touch of rebellious charm to the overall polished vibe. His hair, styled in effortless curls, paired harmoniously with the clean lines of his outfit, exuding a relaxed yet refined aura.

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The look was a testament to his ability to mix high fashion with personal flair, ensuring that his presence at the show didnt just highlight the clothing but also his style. The ensemble, in all its details, transcended mere fashion, becoming a statement of individuality and confidence.

Ishaan Khatters striking appearance at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs embodied a perfect blend of modern chic and timeless elegance. As he walked among the other fashion icons, it was clear that he was not just attending the show; he was leaving an indelible mark on the world of fashion.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 08:52 IST

News lifestyle Ishaan Khatter Stuns In Sheer Black At Messikas Paris Fashion Week Showcase
The past week has been a defining one for U.S. crypto regulation, marked by high-level roundtables, new probes, and bold policy proposals. While the tone from regulators suggested greater cooperation than in years past, uncertainty still looms over custody, compliance, and the road toward tokenized capital markets. Heres a breakdown of the key developments shaping the crypto regulation environment.

Harmonization, Not Merger

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul S. Atkins dismissed speculation about a merger between the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Speaking at the joint SECCFTC roundtable, Atkins emphasized that the agencies are pursuing harmonization, not merger, making clear that each will retain its independence while working together on crypto oversight.

Lawmakers Probe Deleted Gensler Texts

House Republicans launched an investigation into the deletion of nearly a years worth of text messages from former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

The probe raises questions about transparency, recordkeeping, and whether Gensler received preferential treatment when his SEC-issued phone was wiped later than policy dictated. The inquiry follows an inspector generals report citing gaps in the agencys IT and compliance processes.

SEC Grants Temporary Clarity on Custody Rules

The SEC provided long-awaited clarity for investment advisers and funds seeking to custody digital assets. In a letter issued by the Division of Investment Management, the agency confirmed that state-chartered trust companies may temporarily serve as crypto custodians, effectively treating them as banks under existing federal laws.

The move gives the industry short-term certainty but leaves longer-term questions unresolved.

CFTCs Caroline Pham Declares The Turf War Is Over

CFTC Commissioner Caroline Pham declared that the long-running rivalry between the SEC and CFTC is officially over. At the joint roundtable, Pham called the moment historic and stressed that cooperation is now the priority. Industry leaders from Polymarket, Kraken, and Kalshi joined regulators in outlining harmonization efforts and policy priorities.

SEC Eyes Tokenization of Stocks

In perhaps the boldest development of the week, the SEC is reportedly working on a framework to allow U.S. stocks to trade on blockchain rails. The proposal would see shares of companies like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia represented as digital tokens, mirroring the mechanics of crypto trading.

While fintech firms and exchanges have welcomed the idea, traditional Wall Street institutions are pushing back, wary of disruptions to the current market structure.

Read original story Weekly Crypto Regs Roundup: SECCFTC Harmonization Talks, Gensler Text Probe, and Push for Tokenized Stocks by Tanzeel Akhtar at Cryptonews.com
Opinion | Nalanda: Reclaiming Indias Intellectual And Spiritual Legacy

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 12:34 IST

Nalanda was Indias gift of inquiry, logic, and compassion to the world. Reclaiming its legacy is central to both intellectual decolonisation and cultural diplomacy

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Indias position in this discourse is both unique and indispensable.

The Buddha instructs his followers, As the wise test gold by burning, cutting and rubbing it, so, bhikshus, should you accept my words- after testing them, and not merely out of respect for me."

This injunction captures the essence of the Nalanda Tradition: a discipline that encourages rigorous debate, critical thinking, and the testing of ideas through reason and logic.

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Rather than accepting what is taught with passive obedience, the Nalanda Tradition insists that even the Buddhas words must withstand scrutiny. His Holiness the Dalai Lama reminds us that regarding the Buddha as our teacher also means seeing ourselves as students- obligated to study, question, and reason.

The Nalanda Tradition originates from the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, established in the 5th century CE during the Gupta period. Once the worlds foremost centre of learning, it thrived for over seven centuries until its destruction by Bakhtiyar Khilji in the 12th century. At its height, Nalanda housed more than 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers, with scholars arriving from across Asia to study subjects ranging from Buddhist philosophy and logic to medicine, mathematics, and astronomy. It embodied the spirit of inquiry that India once offered the world.

Today, the revived Nalanda University, formally established by the Act of Parliament, 2010 and supported by the East Asia Summit countries, seeks to reclaim that intellectual legacy. Functioning from Rajgir since 2014, close to the ancient ruins, it now offers programmes in Buddhist and Hindu Studies, Philosophy, History, Mathematics, Economics, Language and Literature, Ecology, and International Relations, drawing students from over 30 countries.

The aim is to nurture an Indic perspective grounded in the most fundamental question: Why?"

In this light, questioning is not an act of defiance but of liberation: a means to unearth and challenge the colonial narratives and values that have long been embedded in our collective conscience. Nalanda, therefore, is not merely a symbol of Indias past; it stands as a guide for its ongoing intellectual decolonization.

The Nalanda Traditions influence reached across schools of Buddhism  Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Tibetan Buddhism, a branch of Mahayana, embodies the Tradition most directly. HH explains that when the Tibetan Emperor Trisong Detsen invited Shantaraksita, the great Nalanda scholar, to Tibet in the 8th century CE, the Nalanda Tradition was carried to the Land of Snow," where it has been faithfully maintained for more than a thousand years.

Later, other great Indian masters such as Padmasambhava and Atisa strengthened this transmission, ensuring that Tibetan monastic curricula still emphasize debate, dialectics, and Madhyamaka philosophy in the Nalanda style.

This living continuity also finds expression in the revived Nalanda University, whose logo draws inspiration from the Srivatsa, one of the eight auspicious symbols in Tibetan Buddhism.

Referred to in English as the eternal knot, it represents the interconnectedness of all things, dependent origination, and the boundless wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Its adoption is significant, reflecting both the living bond between Nalanda and Tibetan Buddhism, and its deeper roots in Indias cultural currents, seen also in the Vedic tradition, where it marks the chest of Lord Visnu as a symbol of his devotion to Goddess Laksmi. This layered symbolism underscores how Tibetan Buddhism remains inseparably connected with Indias ancient philosophical heritage.

Equally important is the accessibility of the symbol itself. The Srivatsa is not an esoteric design hidden in texts; it is a living emblem, still visible in the daily life of Himalayan Buddhist regions- painted on monastery walls, carved into gateways, or displayed in marketplaces, such as in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. By choosing this symbol, Nalanda University grounds itself in a tradition that is at once philosophically profound, historically integrative, and culturally visible.

This discussion acquires further importance when we consider the contemporary religious landscape of Asia. According to the Pew Research Centre, Buddhism is the largest officially recognised religion in China, with Han Buddhism, often referred to as Chinese Buddhism, constituting the majority. Within this setting, certain narratives in Chinese scholarship attempt to reposition Buddhism as a cultural tradition of Chinese origin, suggesting that Sakyamuni himself was Chinese and that Buddhist scriptures reflect a culture arising in Central China before spreading outward. In 2014, China officially declared Buddhism as part of its cultural heritage, reinforcing such claims.

These narratives, however, ignore the clear historical and philosophical continuities that bind Mahayana Buddhism to India. If left unchallenged, they risk obscuring Indias foundational role and may reshape how Mahayana communities across Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore understand the roots of their own traditions.

Indias position in this discourse is both unique and indispensable. The relics of Nalanda, Vikramasila, and Taksasila serve as the living reminders of Indias role in shaping the intellectual foundations of Buddhist traditions that continue to thrive across Asia.

To meet competing narratives, India has already taken steps- hosting events like the Global Buddhist Summit (2023) and inviting delegations from Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam to heritage sites such as Bodh Gaya and Sarnath as part of its Buddhist diplomacy. Yet more must be done. Scholarship must underscore the deep Indic roots of Mahayana Buddhism to challenge false claims. Diplomatic initiatives should share this legacy through exchanges, conferences, and heritage projects.

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Recognising the Buddha as our timeless guru defines Indias responsibility today. To be worthy students, we must study, question, and defend the truth. The Nalanda Tradition remains Indias guiding voice in shaping Asias future.

Samriddhi Khandelwal is pursuing a Masters in International Relations and Peace Studies at Nalanda University. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: October 05, 2025, 12:32 IST

News opinion Opinion | Nalanda: Reclaiming Indias Intellectual And Spiritual Legacy

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Opinion: Resolution Of Ladakh Conflict Possible Within UT Framework But Trust Must Be Earned

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:17 IST

Considering the regions unique geographical and cultural conditions, a solid strategy is needed for its resolution

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Security personnel stand guard on a road amid curfew, days after violence during protests for Ladakh statehood, in Leh on September 29. (Image: PTI/S Irfan)

Social tensions and violent incidents in Ladakh have posed a serious challenge to the peace of this remote and strategically important region. The causes of this tension are extremely complex, rooted in historical, economic, political, and cultural factors, and its resolution does not appear simple.

There is no single reason behind the violence in Ladakh. Considering the regions unique geographical and cultural conditions, a solid strategy is needed for its resolution. It is essential to address the economic and cultural concerns of the local population, consider their political demands, and promote peace and development while managing security-related challenges.

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Continuous dialogue and sustainable development seem to be the only viable ways to maintain Ladakhs delicate social fabric. Achieving this does not necessarily require granting statehood. Concrete steps are needed to earn the trust of the people under the Union Territory framework. The political and religious priorities of Leh and Kargil are distinct, and creating a state could deepen these differences. A state legislature might become a center of polarization rather than unity.

Concerns Of The People Of Ladakh And The Current Violence

After Ladakh was separated from Jammu and Kashmir and made a Union Territory, a strong political movement emerged here. At the heart of this movement is the demand for Ladakhs inclusion under the Sixth Schedule.

Local residents argue that without a legislative assembly and Sixth Schedule provisions, they do not receive adequate autonomy over land, jobs, and culture. Protests over this demand have repeatedly triggered tensions.

Locals feel they are underrepresented in government jobs and other economic opportunities. Certain immediate events have also sparked episodes of violence. Prosperity does not depend on statehood; all these objectives can be achieved under the Union Territory framework with constitutional safeguards.

Why Granting Statehood To Ladakh Is Impractical

Since Ladakh became a Union Territory, some groups have demanded statehood. This demand has intensified recently due to the activism of certain leaders and organizations. But is statehood really a practical and safe option for Ladakh?

Considering all aspects, it becomes clear that Ladakhs future lies not in statehood, but in strengthening the Union Territory framework with constitutional safeguards like the Sixth Schedule.

Ladakhs vast area and small population of only 300,000 pose the first major challenge to statehood. Forming a legislative assembly for such a small population would be inconsistent and economically burdensome. For comparison, Puducherry, a small Union Territory, has 30 legislators for a population exceeding 1.2 million. Determining the number of legislators for a population of just 300,000 in Ladakh would be a significant challenge, and the associated costs would be disproportionately high.

A Better Future for Ladakh As A Union Territory

Direct central governance helps in swift decision-making in border regions. Establishing a state government could increase bureaucratic delays and complexities. As a Union Territory, direct central administration has assisted in decision-making and implementing development projects in Ladakh.

Forming a state government could hinder this efficiency by adding bureaucratic layers. Currently, per capita financial assistance from the central government to Ladakh is higher than most states, which is crucial for its development.

Ladakhs prosperity does not depend on statehood. What it requires are region-specific economic policies, promotion of tourism and renewable energy, and strict reservation for local employmentall achievable within the current Union Territory framework.

Ladakhs Borders With China And Pakistan

Ladakh is located along the India-China border, where the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has a long history of tensions. Clashes like those in the Galwan Valley directly lead to militarisation, adversely affecting the local population and fostering insecurity.

Due to the sensitivity of this region, security forces remain on high alert for cross-border terrorist infiltrations, leading to heightened vigilance and occasional disputes with locals. Granting statehood to Ladakh is neither practical nor in the interest of national security. Considering its small population and sensitive geography, decentralized power could be risky.

The best way to protect Ladakhs interests is by empowering Hill Councils, implementing the Sixth Schedule, and maintaining direct central supervision, safeguarding its unique identity, environment, and security.

Addressing The Concerns Of Ladakhs People

Tourism and animal husbandry are the main sources of livelihood for the people of Ladakh. Border tensions and security restrictions have disrupted these economic activities. Limited access to pastures and reduced income from tourism have fueled dissatisfaction. Basic amenities like healthcare, education, and communication remain severely lacking in remote areas. This slow pace of development creates a sense of neglect among locals.

Ladakh has a distinct Buddhist-influenced cultural identity. People, especially in the Leh region, are concerned about the increasing influx of outsiders and land transactions, fearing that it may harm their cultural heritage and demographic balance. The arrival of outsiders and expansion of tourism is also putting pressure on limited resources, especially water, creating competition between locals and outsiders.

Ways To Resolve Ladakhs Issues Without Statehood

Grant LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council) more authority over land, employment, and resource management.

Strengthen Hill Councils and ensure protection under the Sixth Schedule.

Implement domicile-based reservation and a transparent recruitment process for locals.

Adopt region-specific economic plans, employment opportunities, tourism promotion, and sustainable energy models.

Enforce strict rules and laws to protect Ladakhs fragile ecology and cultural heritage.

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Trust Can Be Earned Through Effective Measures

Ladakhs geographical position is extremely sensitive, bordering China and Pakistan. Any compromise on security and strategic interests is unacceptable. Granting statehood could affect military operations and logistics due to local government control over land use and infrastructure. The socio-political priorities of Leh and Kargil differ, and a state government could deepen these differences, turning the assembly into a center of polarization rather than unity. Nearly 97% of Ladakhs population belongs to Scheduled Tribes. Constitutional protection under the Sixth Schedule is the most appropriate way to safeguard local culture, land rights, and employment. Strengthening the existing Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) is a practical and effective solution.

First Published: October 05, 2025, 18:17 IST

News opinion Opinion: Resolution Of Ladakh Conflict Possible Within UT Framework But Trust Must Be Earned

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'Am I Doing Poultry Business': Shivakumar Miffed With Karnataka Caste Survey Questions, BJP Takes A Jab

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 22:05 IST

Asking the enumerators to "keep it simple" and only focus on essential data, Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar said the 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions were excessive

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar interacts with enumerators for the ongoing caste survey in the state. (Image: News18)

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar was visibly miffed with the sheer number of questions in the ongoing caste survey, for which he was enumerated at his residence in Sadashivnagar on Sunday.

The opposition BJP, meanwhile, took a swipe at the ruling Congress over the ongoing Social and Educational Survey  widely referred to as the caste census  citing objections to the way in which the enumeration is being carried out and the questions are asked.

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Shivakumar, who launched the survey in the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) area, was left frustrated with the hour-long process. He reportedly advised officials conducting the survey not to ask certain questions that are personal" in nature even as he called upon the people to participate in the survey.

Asking the enumerators to keep it simple" and only focus on essential data, he criticised the nature of the questions and said there is no point in asking" people about the cattle they are rearing or how much gold they possess. He said the 60 main questions and 20 sub-questions were excessive.

Questions like how many hens and sheep you have, how much gold you have. They are asking me if I have poultry. Am I doing poultry business?" Shivakumar asked. They should have simplified it. I saw it today. There are far too many questions. I have asked them to reduce it. People wont have patience, especially in cities."

The deputy chief minister argued that officials should focus only on essential data such as caste, educational qualification, and whether or not a household has received government benefits".

The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on September 22 and is scheduled to continue until October 7.

WHAT DID THE BJP SAY?

Asking Shivakumar to corner the government over the questions asked, the BJP took a swipe at the state government for creating confusion about the survey.

Speaking from Mysuru, state BJP president BY Vijayendra said: The state government is conducting a caste census in the name of an economic-social-educational survey, and the confusion over this is only increasing every day. This is evident just by looking at the response of deputy CM DK Shivakumar. They have placed 60 questions before the common people. There is confusion in all communities."

Vijayendra said it is obvious on the surface that the state government took a hasty decision without ample preparation.

The JD(S) also joined the BJP in hitting out at the Congress government. They cited Shivakumar, who reportedly refused to answer a number of questions asked by enumerators as part of the survey.

The opposition party claimed that he has rejected the caste census survey model and questions prepared by Rahul Gandhi and team, without providing proper information".

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The DCM himself does not know what questions are being asked, The DCM is frustrated by the questions asked by the enumerators, then what is the fate of the common people?" the JD(S) said in a post on X.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author Harish Upadhya Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R... Read More

First Published: October 05, 2025, 22:05 IST

News politics 'Am I Doing Poultry Business': Shivakumar Miffed With Karnataka Caste Survey Questions, BJP Takes A Jab

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'Planned, Created Incident': BJP Hits Out At Tamil Nadu CM, DMK Over Karur Stampede

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 11:00 IST

The BJP leader said that despite knowing that the rally was going to garner a massive crowd, DMK did not provide Vijay enough space.

Footwear and other belongings of people lie on a road in the aftermath of stampede during a rally of actor and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, in Karur district, Tamil Nadu. (IMAGE: PTI/REPRESENTATIVE)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Khusbu Sundar has called the stampede in Tamil Nadus Karur a planned" and created" incident. The stampede that broke out at a political rally led by actor-turned-politician Vijay left 41 dead and several injured. She also lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for being in mute mode".

The entire people of Tamil Nadu believe that there was complete negligence. It seems like it was a created calamity because DMK knew the kind of crowd Vijay was going to garner  despite this, they did not give him a proper space to conduct the rally. MK Stalin is in a mute mode now and not answering questions. 41 people died. He should speak now; someone needs to unmute him," Sundar said.

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Earlier on Saturday, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin had said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up on the basis of the order of the Madras High Court will begin its probe into the Karur stampede and the investigation will bring out the truth in its entirety and fix accountability at all levels.

He also urged people against the political blame game, saying that a Standard Operating Procedure would be formulated to prevent stampedes.

All of us have been shaken by the tragedy that unfolded in Karur," the chief minister said in a social media post, adding he was saddened by seeing the tears of every family grieving the loss of their loved ones.

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He also assured that through this investigation, the whole truth will be brought out and accountability will be fixed at all levels."

We will formulate a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in consultation with stakeholders."

About the Author Anushka Vats Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ... Read More

Location : Tamil Nadu, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 10:59 IST

News politics 'Planned, Created Incident': BJP Hits Out At Tamil Nadu CM, DMK Over Karur Stampede

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Will Campaign On Jamaat-e-Islami Founder Prior To Polls Concern Congress In Kerala?

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 18:18 IST

With a mission to strengthen the Congress in the national front, the Jamaat-e-Islami has been closely associated with the UDF in the state

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The Malappuram district committee of Solidarity has organised a debate on Sayyid Maududi and Sheikh Qaradawi: Islamic Political Thought and Development on October 3. (Website)

In a move that puts the Congress in a quagmire, the Solidarity Youth Movement has launched a campaign to familiarise people with the ideals of Abdul Ala Maududi, its parent organisation, Jamaat-e-Islami Hinds (JIH) founder and ideologue.

Incidentally, a clean certificate by Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan to JIH, endorsing its ideological climbdown for creation of an Islamic theocratic state, is only about 100 days old.

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What is the trigger?

Considering Maududi a renaissance leader of India, the youth Jamaat leadership believes a public debate on the ideals of its founder would boost its political strength.

The Malappuram district committee of Solidarity has organised a debate on Sayyid Maududi and Sheikh Qaradawi: Islamic Political Thought and Development on October 3. While Maududi, founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, propagated political Islam and theocratic nationalism, Yousaf al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian Islamic scholar, is widely viewed as close to the Muslim Brotherhood, a pan-Islamic movement advocating a theocratic state.

This programme is a blow to the Sangh Parivar  secular psyche which thinks that it has achieved complete success in casting Maududi as a villain," said Solidarity secretary T Ismayil in a social media post.

How does the programme affect the Congress in Kerala?

With a mission to strengthen the Congress in the national front, the Jamaat-e-Islami has been closely associated with the UDF in the state. It was engineering a Muslim consolidation for Congress, and it had extended support to the UDF in recent elections. With the buoyant success of the Congress in Palakkad and Nilambur Assembly byelections, the bond with its political wing, the Welfare Party, and the UDF has amplified.

What was the certificate by Congress?

During campaigning for the Nilambur byelection on June 10, Satheesan had defended the UDFs ties with the JIH, saying it had changed a lot and moved away from the ideology of theocratic nationalism. Satheesan denied allegations against their hardcore religious stand. This prompted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to attack both the Congress and JIH for its ideals.

How the campaign takes a stance against Jamaat-e-Islami

In a December 2024 interview, Kerala state president (Amir) of JIH, P Mujeebur Rahman, asserted that the current policies and stances of the Jamaat-e-Islami in Kerala are not based on Maududis original ideas, as suggested by some critics. He emphasised that JIH in India has adapted to the democratic, multi-religious context of the country, moving away from some of Maududis more doctrinaire positions.

Hence, the JIH had started conciliatory approaches in many issues, apparently, in a move to garner support of a wider mass for the bigger political gains.

Ideology is thicker than political gains

However, the Solidarity or its Students wing, Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), is in no mood to keep ideology or the founder Maududi away for political reasons in the state. This was evident from a protest march organised by the Solidarity Movement against the Waqf Amendment Bill near Karipur airport in Kozhikode on April 10. It had triggered a political controversy after demonstrators displayed images of controversial Islamist figures.

Among the photos carried by protestors were those of Sheikh Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, a group designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries including Saudi Arabia; Sayyid Qutb, a key ideologue of the Muslim Brotherhood, and slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

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What about the timing?

The Solidarity campaign comes at a time when the two prominent Hindu groups, the NSS and the SNDP, with high influence in the southern districts, have been alienated from the UDF in recent times over alleged minority appeasement by Congress. The local body elections, crucial for all political parties, may fall within another 50 days.

About the Author Chandrakanth Viswanath Chandrakanth Viswanath is a bilingual multimedia journalist with working experience from various locations in India and the Middle East. Now based in Thiruvananthapuram as an editor after stints in Ne... Read More

Location : Thiruvananthapuram, India, India

First Published: October 05, 2025, 18:18 IST

News politics Will Campaign On Jamaat-e-Islami Founder Prior To Polls Concern Congress In Kerala?

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'Brazen Lies': Israel Denies Allegations Of Mistreating Greta Thunberg And Others In Detention

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 15:44 IST

The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied claims of mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and others from the HamasSumud flotilla, stating all legal rights were upheld amid global protests.

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Swedish activist Greta Thunberg sits at an unknown location after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. (Reuters)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected allegations of mistreatment of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other detainees who were part of the HamasSumud flotilla, calling the claims brazen lies."

In a statement, the ministry said that all detainees legal rights were fully upheld" during their time in custody and that no credible complaints were lodged by Thunberg or others regarding their treatment.

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The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the HamasSumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees legal rights are fully upheld," the statement read.

The ministry further added that Thunberg and other activists had refused to expedite their deportation process, instead choosing to remain in custody longer. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody," it said. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations  because they never occurred," it added.

This comes after Israel on Saturday deported 137 activists, who were detained while taking part in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza. The flotilla activists alleged that they were subjected to violence and treated like animals," with two claiming that Thunberg faced particularly harsh mistreatment.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month seeking to ferry aid to war-battered Gaza, but Israel blocked the boats and detained more than 400 people, prompting worldwide protests. At least 137 of them flew into Istanbul on Saturday, 36 of them being Turkish nationals.

Two activists, Hazwani Helmi of Malaysia and Windfield Beaver of the United States, told Reuters they witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, claiming she was shoved and compelled to wear an Israeli flag.

It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," said Helmi, 28, while Beaver said Thunberg was treated terribly" and used as propaganda", describing how she was pushed into a room as Israels far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, arrived.

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A first group of Italians from the flotilla  four parliamentarians  arrived in Rome on Friday. The Israeli interception of the flotilla on international waters sparked worldwide protests, from Europe to Australia and South America.

Approximately 15,000 people took to the streets of Barcelona to protest Israels actions, according to the citys municipal police. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as Gaza, you are not alone," Boycott Israel," and Freedom for Palestine." Similar demonstrations were held in Berlin, The Hague, Tunis, Brasilia, and Buenos Aires.

Location : Israel

First Published: October 05, 2025, 15:44 IST

News world 'Brazen Lies': Israel Denies Allegations Of Mistreating Greta Thunberg And Others In Detention

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British Police To Get Sweeping Powers To Curb Protests Amid Repeated Pro-Palestinian protests

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Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 01:36 IST

UK Home Office announces new police powers to curb repeated protests after 500 pro-Palestinian arrests in London, sparking criticism from Amnesty International UK

The Home Office announcement comes after police and lawmakers asked organisers to call off Saturdays Lift the Ban protest. (Photo Credits: X)

The British police will be granted greater powers to curb repeated protests, the UK Home Office announced on Sunday. This came a day after about 500 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested in central London for supporting the banned activist group Palestine Action.

The Home Office announcement comes after police and lawmakers asked organisers to call off Saturdays Lift the Ban" protest, which came just days after the Manchester synagogue attack where two people were killed on Yom Kippur, Judaisms holiest day, CNN reported.

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However, the organisers of the protest Defend Our Juries" rejected the calls, saying canceling peaceful protests lets terror win".

According to CNN, more than 2,000 people have been arrested at similar demonstrations across the United Kingdom since Palestine Action was designated a terror organisation in July. The group aims to disrupt the operations of weapons manufacturers supplying the Israeli government.

According to a statement by the Home Office, the police forces will be granted new powers to put conditions on repeat protests even as Home Secretary orders a fresh look at how protests are policed and organised.

The new powers, which will be brought forward as soon as possible, will allow senior officers to consider the cumulative impact of previous protest activity. If a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end, and caused repeated disorder, the police will have the authority to, for example, instruct organisers to hold the event somewhere else. Anyone who breaches the conditions will risk arrest and prosecution," it said.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes. This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days."

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Following the announcement, CNN reported that the governments proposal has been met with fierce criticism from civil liberties advocates and a handful of opposition lawmakers, many of whom have already slammed the terror designation of Palestine Action as an assault on freedom of speech and warned that applying terrorism laws to such a group sets a dangerous precedent for protest rights.

Is the government seriously suggesting that people protesting its decisions should only be able to do that a limited number of times? If it is, it is a ludicrous proposal and, if not, this announcement is just a cynical attempt at looking tough," said Tom Southerden, Director of Amnesty International UKs Law and Human Rights. This government will always find yet another way to restrict this basic human right."

Location : London, United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: October 06, 2025, 01:36 IST

News world British Police To Get Sweeping Powers To Curb Protests Amid Repeated Pro-Palestinian protests

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Canada Tightens Scrutiny On Charities Suspected Of Funding Khalistani Terror Networks | Exclusive

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CNN-News18 Edited By: Vani Mehrotra



Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 10:28 IST

Canada has stepped up scrutiny of charitable organisations suspected of funding Khalistani terrorist groups, with authorities investigating sleeper cells and high-risk individuals.

Khalistan flags are seen outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib in Surrey, British Columbia (File photo/AP)

Canadas intelligence and financial authorities have intensified scrutiny on charitable organisations in the country, after these organisations were suspected of diverting funds to terrorist groups, particularly Khalistani outfits.

Moreso, a recent report by the Canadian Finance Ministry classified the Khalistani terrorism alongside Hamas and Hezbollah, explicitly warning that extremists are exploiting charitable organisations to finance terror activities.

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Maninder Gill, head of a local radio station, has written to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the countrys Finance Minister, and Prime Minister Mark Carney, highlighting the abuse of charitable status for terror financing.

He noted that the previous administration failed to take effective action despite repeated warnings and evidence of charities being misused for non-charitable and terror-related purposes.

Top intelligence sources indicate that terrorist elements have sleeper cells operating within the Canadian non-profit ecosystem to mask operations and launder funds.

One case under review involves Nurinder Singh Parmar, reportedly the son of Talwinder Singh Parmar, the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader and mastermind of the 1985 Air India bombing.

Nurinder is said to be working in the Canadian non-profit sector under a concealed identity, omitting his surname, apparently as a tactic to evade scrutiny.

Authorities believe Nurinder Singh Parmars connections to the Babbar Khalsa International, a proscribed terrorist organisation under Canadian and international law, were under urgent investigation.

According to the details, the current Carney Government is reportedly responding decisively to these concerns, taking concrete steps to investigate the misuse of charities for terror financing.

Meanwhile, India and Canada have agreed to boost security cooperation, including in combating terrorism and transnational crimes, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday, against the backdrop of Ottawas decision to list the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity.

Canada recently designated the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity for violently targeting" certain communities and creating a climate of fear and intimidation".

Acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation," the Canadian government said in a statement.

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ALSO READ | Screening Of Indian Films In Some Canadian Theatres Halted After Shooting, Arson Attack

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 05, 2025, 10:27 IST

News world Canada Tightens Scrutiny On Charities Suspected Of Funding Khalistani Terror Networks | Exclusive

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'Israel Has Agreed To Initial Withdrawal Line': Donald Trump Says Ceasefire Post Hamas' Nod

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 07:04 IST

Donald Trump said Israel has agreed to a withdrawal line in Gaza, which has been shared with Hamas. He added that once Hamas confirms, a ceasefire will take effect immediately.

US President Donald Trump (Image Credit: Reuters)

Donald Trump on Sunday announced that Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line" for Gaza, which has also been shared with Hamas.

In a post on his Truth Social handle, the US President said, when Hamas confirms," a ceasefire will be effective immediately" and a prisoner exchange will begin, setting the stage for the next phase of Israels withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave.

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After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin," Trump wrote on his official handle.

On Friday, the Palestinian militant group reacted positively to Trumps plan that would end two years of war, saying it was ready to release all hostages and discuss details on the deal.

Trump, in turn, called on Israel to immediately" halt its bombings of the war-ravaged territory, although Washingtons chief ally in the region said Saturday its troops were still operating in Gaza.

Hours later, the enclaves civil defence agency said at least 57 people have been killed since dawn in Israeli strikes, including 40 in Gaza City alone.

US ENVOYS HEAD TO MIDEAST

Meanwhile, Donald Trumps son-in-law and a senior envoy headed to Egypt on Saturday to finalise hostage release details, as the US President warned he would not tolerate delay" by Hamas in implementing a peace plan with Israel.

A White House official confirmed to AFP that Jared Kushner and Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are travelling to the region to address the finalisation of details on the release of hostages and to discuss the deal pushed by Trump to bring an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

In an interview Saturday with Axios, Trump, highlighting his behind-the-scenes diplomacy, including with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had said a peace deal in Gaza was close" and that he will push to have it finalised in the coming days.

I said, Bibi, this is your chance for victory. He was fine with it," Trump told the US publication. Hes got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, youve got to be fine."

Trump also said his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was very helpful" in urging Hamas to agree to the release of hostages.

Erdogan helped a lot. He is a tough guy, but he is a friend of mine, and he was great," Trump said.

ALSO READ | Trump Praises Israel, Warns Hamas To Act Quickly: Whats Happening In Gaza?

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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: October 05, 2025, 06:55 IST

News world 'Israel Has Agreed To Initial Withdrawal Line': Donald Trump Says Ceasefire Post Hamas' Nod

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'Dragged By Hair, Forced To Kiss Israel Flag': Activists Say Greta Thunberg Mistreated In Detention

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 09:29 IST

Among 137 activists deported from Israel on Saturday, some say Greta Thunberg was mistreated during detention, where she was beaten and forced to kiss an Israeli flag.

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Swedish activist Greta Thunberg sits at an unknown location after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. (Reuters)

Israel on Saturday deported 137 activists, who were detained while taking part in an aid flotilla bound for Gaza. The flotilla activists said they had been subjected to violence and treated like animals", with two of them alleging shocking mistreatment of Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail last month seeking to ferry aid to war-battered Gaza, but Israel blocked the boats and detained more than 400 people, prompting worldwide protests. At least 137 of them flew into Istanbul on Saturday, 36 of them being Turkish nationals.

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Two activists, Hazwani Helmi from Malaysia and Windfield Beaver from the US, told Reuters that they had witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," said Helmi, 28, while Beaver said Thunberg was treated terribly" and used as propaganda", describing how she was pushed into a room as Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived.

Another activist ErsinCelik said Greta was dragged by her hair and assaulted by forces. They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others," he told the Anadolu news agency.

Israel Denies Mistreatment

Other activists also alleged mistreatment and torture at the hands of Israeli officials during detention. They put us on our knees, facing down. And if we moved, they hit us. They were laughing at us, insulting us and hitting us. They were using both psychological and physical violence," Paolo Romano, a regional councillor from Lombardy in Italy, told AFP.

According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets. They were also forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted Free Palestine,'" Adalah said.

However, Israel denied the allegations as complete lies" and said all detained activists were deported safely in good health. Of course, all detainees  were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld," a foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters.

A first group of Italians from the flotilla  four parliamentarians  arrived in Rome on Friday. The Israeli interception of the flotilla on international waters sparked worldwide protests, from Europe to Australia and South America.

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Around 15,000 people marched through Barcelona in protest at Israels actions, according to the municipal police force in Spains second city, chanting slogans including Gaza, you are not alone", Boycott Israel" and Freedom for Palestine". Protests were also held in Berlin, The Hague, Tunis, Brasilia and Buenos Aires.

(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 : Turkey

First Published: October 05, 2025, 09:29 IST

News world 'Dragged By Hair, Forced To Kiss Israel Flag': Activists Say Greta Thunberg Mistreated In Detention

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Key Points

Bloom Energy could win a big data center project in Wyoming.

The company is already doubling capacity to meet surging demand for its fuel-cell servers.

10 stocks we like better than Bloom Energy 

Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) stock is on a tear, with shares rallying 33.4% this week through 2 p.m. ET Thursday and hitting a 52-week high of $93.80 per share, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

In September, RBC Capital analyst Christopher Dendrinos more than doubled Bloom Energy stock's price target to $75 per share. This week, RBC Capital noted that the hydrogen fuel cell maker could bag a big project based on a recent filing, and that has sent investors in Bloom energy into a tizzy.

Image source: Getty Images.

Are data centers a big market for Bloom Energy?

In a research note, RBC Capital revealed that BFC Power has filed an application in Wyoming for an approval to construct a power plant with a total capacity of 900 megawatts, powered by Bloom Energy's fuel cells.

Since the proposed plant will support a 1.8-gigawatt data center, RBC sees this filing as evidence of Bloom Energy's opportunities in the high-growth data center market.

Data centers are booming in the U.S., and they require uninterrupted supplies of power to operate their vast infrastructure and run cooling systems. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects data centers to account for almost 50% of the growth in demand for electricity through 2030.

The massive need for energy is spurring growth in the overall energy sector, especially clean energy. Bloom Energy's solid-oxide fuel cells can convert alternative fuels like hydrogen and biogas into electricity on-site for uninterrupted power generation.

Why Bloom Energy stock has become unstoppable

Winning a data center project win in Wyoming could just be the start for Bloom Energy for many such projects in the future. Bloom Energy already has a powerful customer base. One of its most notable recent deals was to supply on-site power to tech giant Oracle's data center within 90 days. That deal was a glimpse into how quickly Bloom Energy can deploy its servers.

Bloom Energy's growth story is undeniable. The company has posted record revenues and profits for three consecutive quarters and projects 2025 revenue between $1.65 billion and $1.85 billion versus $1.47 billion in 2024. With Bloom Energy planning to double capacity to 2 gigawatts by the end of 2026 to meet soaring demand for its fuel-cell servers, investors continue to pile in to the stock.

Should you buy stock in Bloom Energy right now?

Before you buy stock in Bloom Energy, consider this:
Hamas Calls For Swift Prisoner Release Ahead Of Talks With Israel

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 03:14 IST

Hamas urges immediate hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel ahead of Egypt talks. Delegations from Hamas, US, and Israel to discuss Gaza ceasefire and Trumps peace plan in Cairo

While the delegation of both Hamas and US have reached Cairo for the talks, the Israeli delegation will reach on Monday. (Image: Bashar TALEB/AFP)

Hamas on Sunday called for a swift start of hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel a day ahead of the crucial talks in Egypt aimed to end the almost two-year war.

Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions," a senior Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

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The Strait Times quoted foreign ministers of several countries, including Egypt, as stating that Mondays talks would prove to be a real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.

While the delegation of both Hamas and US have reached Cairo for the talks, the Israeli delegation will reach on Monday.

In a post on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli delegation, headed by Minister Ron Dermer, to depart. The delegation will depart as early as tomorrow for the negotiations, which are to be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt."

On Saturday, the White House said that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be in Cairo to finalise the technical details of the hostage release and discuss the lasting peace deal.

Among the members of the delegation are Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Coordinator of the Captives and Missing Persons and Brigadier-General Gal Hirsh, Political Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Ofir Falk, a senior Shin Bet official, a senior Mossad official, and professional working ranks from the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The meet will kick off the first phase of President Donald Trumps 21-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu has reportedly already endorsed the ceasefire proposal, which forms part of Trumps 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the two-year-long Gaza conflict.

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The framework ensures that no resident of Gaza would be displaced, provided both Israel and Hamas agree to the terms, with fighting to stop immediately upon acceptance.

The Strait Times quoted Cairo as confirming that it would be hosting a delegation from Hamas for discussions on the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners".

Location : Israel

First Published: October 06, 2025, 03:14 IST

News world Hamas Calls For Swift Prisoner Release Ahead Of Talks With Israel

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'Hamas Will Be Disarmed': Netanyahu Hopes To Announce Return Of All Hostages 'In Coming Days'

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 09:50 IST

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he was hopeful of announcing the return of all hostages from Gaza soon after Hamas partially agreed to Trump's peace plan.

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Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu | File Image: AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was hopeful of announcing the return of all hostages from the Gaza Strip in the coming days, while the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) remain deep within the territory and in controlling areas as part of US President Donald Trumps Gaza peace plan.

His statement came after a breakthrough in peace efforts when Hamas agreed to key elements of Trumps peace proposal, including the release of all hostages and the handover of the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing.

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My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, we are on the verge of a very great achievement. It is not yet final; we are working on it diligently. I hope, with Gods help, that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, I will be able to inform you about the return of all our hostages, both living and deceased, in one phase, while the IDF remains deep within the Strip and in the controlling areas within it," Netanyahu said in a statement to media.

Throughout the war, there were also those who claimed relentlessly that we could not receive all the hostages without a complete and full withdrawal from the Strip. I thought differently  and I acted differently," he added. Thanks to the determined decisions I led together with the Government, and thanks to the bravery of our fighters who pressured Hamas, we have so far returned 207 of our hostages.."

Hamas Will Be Disarmed

Netanyahu said he never lost hope of recovering all hostages from Hamas captivity after the October 7 attacks in 2023, when the group captured 253 people. He said his government had not forgotten the hostages even for a moment as Israel launched a devastating military offensive in Gaza.

Instead of Israel being isolated  Hamas is isolated. As a result of the intense military pressure we applied and the diplomatic pressure, Hamas was pressured into agreeing to the plan we presented," he said.

In the first stage, Hamas will release all of our hostages, and IDF forces will redeploy in a way that the IDF will continue to hold all of the controlling areas deep inside the Strip."

In the second stage, Hamas will be disarmed and the Strip demilitarised," Netanyahu said. This will happen either via a diplomatic route according to the Trump Plan  or via a military route by us. I also said this in Washington: Either it will be achieved the easy way, or it will be achieved the hard way  but it will be achieved."

The Israeli PM thanked Trump for a historic achievement" and also for assisting Israels attack on Irans nuclear sites in Iran in June. I have instructed the negotiating team, headed by Minister Dermer, to go to Egypt to close the technical details of the release of our hostages. Our intention and that of our American friends is to limit this negotiation to a few days."

Trump On Gaza Ceasefire

This came after Donald Trump said Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line of Gaza, and a ceasefire will immediately come into effect when Hamas confirms, after which the hostages and prisoner exchange will begin.

After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE," he said on Truth Social.

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On Friday, the Palestinian militant group reacted positively to Trumps plan that would end two years of war, saying it was ready to release all hostages and discuss details on the deal.

Trump, in turn, called on Israel to immediately" halt its bombings of the war-ravaged territory, although Washingtons chief ally in the region said Saturday its troops were still operating in Gaza. Hours later, the enclaves civil defence agency said at least 57 people have been killed since dawn in Israeli strikes, including 40 in Gaza City alone.

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: October 05, 2025, 07:15 IST

News world 'Hamas Will Be Disarmed': Netanyahu Hopes To Announce Return Of All Hostages 'In Coming Days'

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'India Will Be Buried Under The Wreckage Of Its Warplanes': Pakistan Ministers Shocking Remark

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News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee



Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 09:30 IST

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded sharply to what he described as "provocative" remarks by India's military and political leaders after Operation Sindoor.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. (IMAGE: X)

In a shocking remark, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif responded sharply to what he described as provocative" remarks by Indias military and political leaders, warning that India would be buried under the wreckage of its warplanes".

In a post on X, Asif described recent comments by Indias military and political leaders as a failed attempt to restore their lost credibility. He also accused the government of stoking tensions to distract people from domestic backlash.

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Pakistan is a state built in the name of Allah, our defenders are soldiers of Allah. This time, India, Inshallah, will be buried under the wreckage of its planes. Allahu Akbar," he said.

Pakistan has repeatedly claimed victory, without evidence, after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking terror infrastructure and killing over 100 terrorists, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. India destroyed several Pakistani drones and jets, and satellite images proved damage to Pakistans military airbases.

Out Of Turn Remarks

Meanwhile, top intelligence sources said Khawaja Asifs out-of-turn remarks invoking religion and violence are deeply irresponsible and expose his extremist mindset. They said Indias credibility stands on action, not rhetoric.

Sources asserted that Indias armed forces acted with professionalism, restraint and precision, unlike Pakistan, which uses bluster and propaganda to mask internal instability and global isolation.

These statements reflect domestic desperation within Pakistans leadership, attempting to divert public attention from its collapsing economy, internal unrest, and credibility, said the intelligence sources, adding that India will not be provoked by such hate-filled rhetoric.

They also warned that any misadventure by Pakistan will invite a decisive, punitive, and proportionate response.

This came after Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi warned Pakistan on Friday that New Delhi will not show the same restraint as in Operation Sindoor 1.0, and that future retaliation would force Islamabad to think whether it wants to be in geography or not."

If Pakistan wants to be in geography, then it must stop statesponsored terrorism," he said, adding that Indias next response would be far sterner than the recent counter-terror operation.

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Earlier, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh revealed that India shot down 12-13 high-tech Pakistani fighters, including F-16 and J-17 jets. He also dismissed Pakistans claims of shooting down Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor in May as manohar kahaniya" (interesting stories), and asked the country to prove its claims.

Air Marshal Singh said India struck a large number of their airfields and military installations, and destroyed at least five high-tech fighters, including US-made F-16s and Chinese-made J-17s  along with a AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control)  during the four days of cross-border confrontations.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: October 05, 2025, 09:18 IST

News world 'India Will Be Buried Under The Wreckage Of Its Warplanes': Pakistan Ministers Shocking Remark

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Israeli Delegation To Reach Cairo On Monday For Hamas-Tehran Talks

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 05:38 IST

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Cairo for talks with Israel and Hamas on ending the war, launching Trumps peace plan with support from Netanyahu.

The meet will kick off the first phase of President Donald Trumps 21-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip. (Reuters/Representative Image)

A delegation led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reached Cairo on Saturday to begin talks with Israel and Hamas negotiators for the end of nearly two-year war in Gaza. The Israeli delegation will be reaching Cairo on Monday.

In a post on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Israeli delegation, headed by Minister Ron Dermer, to depart. The delegation will depart as early as tomorrow for the negotiations, which are to be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt."

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On Saturday, the White House said that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be in Cairo to finalise the technical details of the hostage release and discuss the lasting peace deal.

According to media reports, Hamas negotiators reached Cairo on Saturday night and the Israel delegation night will be reaching on Monday.

Among the members of the delegation are Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Coordinator of the Captives and Missing Persons and Brigadier-General Gal Hirsh, Political Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Ofir Falk, a senior Shin Bet official, a senior Mossad official, and professional working ranks from the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The meet will kick off the first phase of President Donald Trumps 21-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip.

There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East"  President Trump pic.twitter.com/PE9ERVQwkv The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 5, 2025

On Sunday, Trump in a post on Truth Social said: There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East. These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST. I will continue to monitor this Centuries old conflict." TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR, MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW  SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE!"

Speaking to CNN on Saturday, Trump confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the broader US-led initiative to halt hostilities in Gaza, saying, Yes on Bibi."

In an interview aired Sunday, the President said he expects clarity soon on whether Hamas intends to genuinely pursue peace.

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Netanyahu has reportedly already endorsed the ceasefire proposal, which forms part of Trumps 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the two-year-long Gaza conflict.

The framework ensures that no resident of Gaza would be displaced, provided both Israel and Hamas agree to the terms, with fighting to stop immediately upon acceptance.

Location : Cairo, Egypt

First Published: October 05, 2025, 23:11 IST

News world Israeli Delegation To Reach Cairo On Monday For Hamas-Tehran Talks

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'It's Now Or Never': Thousands Rally In Israel To Demand Return Of Gaza Hostages

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 08:22 IST

Thousands gathered at the Hostages Square to mark two years of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, demanding the Israeli government to ensure the safe return of all hostages.

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Thousands of people gathered in Israel's Hostages Square to demand safe return of all hostages.

Thousands of people gathered at the Hostages Square in Israels Tel Aviv as part of a rally to mark two years since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks that claimed the lives of over 1,200 people, demanding the Israeli government to ensure that US President Donald Trumps Gaza peace plan is a success.

A significant breakthrough in peace efforts came when Hamas agreed to key elements of Trumps peace proposal, including the release of all hostages and the handover of the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was hopeful of announcing the return of all hostages from the Gaza Strip in the coming days and has ordered his negotiating team to go to Egypt to close the technical details of the release of the hostages.

Cant Let Another Deal Collapse

Thousands of people gathered at Hostages Square, which has become a site for protests demanding the government to bring back hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack. In the aftermath of the attacks, it has become a place to express solidarity with the families of the hostages, express grief and demand action.

Family members demanded the Netanyahu government to make Trumps peace plan a success and ensure the safe return of the remaining 48 hostages. Its now or never" banners were put up everywhere even as protesters argued that this deal cant be allowed to collapse.

We cant let another deal collapse. Its now or never," said one of the protesters, who were hopeful of the recent developments surrounding Trumps ambitious peace proposal for Gaza, while also concerned about the possibility of the deal not materialising.

Families Of Hostages Demand End To Fighting

Netanyahu had been under immense domestic pressure as families of the hostages have demanded for months for him to end the war and bring back the remaining hostages. Israels military offensive in Gaza has wreaked unprecedented levels of death and devastation in Gaza, which stalled peace negotiations.

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Of the remaining 48 hostages, Israel believes that 30 captives are dead. Netanyahu said he was hopeful of announcing the return of all hostages from the Gaza Strip in the coming days, while the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) remain deep within the territory and in controlling areas.

Israel said its troops were still operating in Gaza and warned residents not to return, despite calls from the families of Israeli hostages and Trump for an immediate halt to the fighting. Gazas civil defence agency said at least 57 people have been killed since dawn in Israeli strikes, including 40 in Gaza City alone.

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: October 05, 2025, 08:07 IST

News world 'It's Now Or Never': Thousands Rally In Israel To Demand Return Of Gaza Hostages

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Khalistani, Islamist Networks Exploiting Global Charities For Terror Financing: Intel | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Aveek Banerjee



Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 11:09 IST

Intelligence revealed that Khalistani and Islamist organisations in Canada, the UK and Australia are using NGOs to launder donations for terror financing.

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Several Khalistani groups have misused charity organisations to launder funds for terror financing. (AFP/Representative Image)

In a glaring misuse of foreign law, several Khalistani and Islamist organisations in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia are using non-profit organisations to launder donations for terror financing.

According to intelligence intercepts seen by CNN-News18, these groups have been misusing charities to secure funds for terror activities. This includes spreading propaganda and recruitment campaigns documented by multiple Western and Indian investigations.

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Several charitable NGOs registered for Sikh welfare or human rights advocacy, such as Khalsa Aid, Sikh Relief, World Sikh Organisation, are found to have diverted donor funds to radical outfits and legal defence of extremists involved in anti-India plots.

Many charities have sponsored martyrdom events in gurdwaras displaying pictures of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) militants. These processions have also glorified those responsible for assassinating Indian leaders.

Links To Pakistans ISI

Canadas intelligence and financial authorities have intensified scrutiny on charitable organisations in the country, after these organisations were suspected of diverting funds to terrorist groups.

ALSO READ: Canada Tightens Scrutiny On Charities Suspected Of Funding Khalistani Terror Networks | Exclusive

Furthermore, remittances from charities registered in Canada were found to have been routed through informal hawala chains or crypto wallets to Khalistani supporters, intelligence has revealed.

Several Canadian and UK charities with pro-Khalistan faces have received donations from shell foundations. These foundations are linked to Pakistans ISI-controlled Inter-Services Welfare Fund, camouflaged as disaster-relief contributions

Some youth outreach organisations often run community programmes that aim to indoctrinate young Sikhs with the Khalistan ideology, while using charity premises for ideological training and digital radicalisation.

Islamist-linked Charity Abuse

Additionally, charities in Canada and the UK, along with the Gulf Relief for Syria and Helping Hand for Relief & Development, have been used by groups like Hamas, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Al-Qaeda affiliates to launder donations under humanitarian pretexts.

CNN-News18 found that funds collected for the education and welfare of orphans have been layered through multiple entities to conceal transfers to proscribed organisations such as Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF).

Islamist operatives have been found to have exploited NGO bank accounts to finance travel, false invoicing and procurement of dual-use equipment. They are also supplied communication kits, drone parts, and relief vehicles to be used in terrorist activities.

Radical preachers linked to Tablighi and Deobandi movements have also used charity-backed mosques to identify donors. They have been recruiting volunteers and shielding extremist sermons by disguising the process as community service.

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Islamist groups have employed encrypted crowdfunding under disaster appeals like Gaza, Rohingya and Kashmir using cryptocurrency or e-wallets. Intelligence intercepts have shown portions of funds diverted to Hamas and ISIS-K.

Islamist groups have used encrypted crowdfunding under disaster appeals for Gaza, Rohingya, and Kashmir, channelling donations through cryptocurrency and e-wallets. Intelligence intercepts indicate that portions of these funds were diverted to Hamas and ISIS-K.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

Location : Canada

First Published: October 05, 2025, 11:09 IST

News world Khalistani, Islamist Networks Exploiting Global Charities For Terror Financing: Intel | Exclusive

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39 Killed As Heavy Rains Ravage Nepal; Landslides, Flash Floods Block Access To Kathmandu

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 13:32 IST

Heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Nepal, resulting in casualties and stranding hundreds of passengers as key roads leading to Kathmandu were blocked.

Members of Nepal Army help people retrieve their belongings to a safe area at a flooded street in Nepal. (Reuters)

At least 39 people have been killed in Nepal as heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides, blocking several bridges and washing away bridges in the last 36 hours, according to officials.

Separate landslides in Nepals Ilam district claimed the lives of 18 people, while three people were killed in the southern region due to lightning strikes and one person died in floods in Udayapur district, Reuters reported, citing police spokesperson Binod Ghimire.

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Most fatalities (36) were reported in the Koshi province, according to The Kathmandu Post, while 11 people remain missing across the country. Nepals Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said eight major rivers are flowing above the danger mark.

Heavy rain has flooded some areas in Kathmandu. People living along the Bagmati River are affected. The army is helping them move to safe places and carry their belongings. #kathmandu #nepal pic.twitter.com/r8X7UIu13V Loveleen kaur (@loveleenchanni) October 4, 2025

Highways Blocked, Washed Away

Furthermore, major highways linking the Kathmandu Valley with the rest of the country have been blocked by floods and landslides, stranding hundreds of passengers. Police confirmed that all entry points into the Nepal capital remained closed as of Sunday morning.

The police administration has urged citizens not to travel to areas prone to landslides unless necessary, to use safe and alternative routes, and to follow the instructions of the local administration, according to The Himalayan Times.

Domestic flights are largely disrupted but international flights are operating normally," Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson for Kathmandu airport, told Reuters.

Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, district governor of Sunsari district, said all 56 sluice gates of the Koshi Barrage had been opened to drain out water, compared with about 10 to 12 during a normal situation.

Several houses and roads have been inundated by overflowing rivers in Kathmandu. Weather officials say rains are likely to lash the Himalayan nation until Monday, and authorities say they are taking maximum care and precautions" to help people affected by the disaster.

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Hundreds of people lose their lives each year in landslides and flash floods, which are frequent during the monsoon season in Nepals predominantly mountainous regions. The monsoon typically begins in mid-June and lasts until mid-September.

Over 200 people were killed in Nepal last year as deadly floods and landslides left a trail of destruction across the Himalayan nation. Entire neighbourhoods in Kathmandu were inundated after the heaviest rains in more than two decades, with the capital temporarily cut off from the rest of Nepal after landslides blocked highways.

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: October 05, 2025, 13:27 IST

News world 39 Killed As Heavy Rains Ravage Nepal; Landslides, Flash Floods Block Access To Kathmandu

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One In Five Gaza Babies Born Prematurely Or Underweight, Says UN

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News18.com

Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 02:39 IST

Ministry said 1,015 children under one year old have been killed by Israel, along with 1,670 medical staff and 140 civil defence rescue workers among over 77,000 Palestinians

At least 1,015 children under one year old have been killed by Israel, along with 1,670 medical staff, 254 journalists, and 140 civil defence rescue workers among over 77,000 Palestinians. (Image Credit: Reuters)

The United Nations has reiterated its demand for humanitarian assistance into the enclave, emphasising that Palestinian newborns are particularly vulnerable.

In a post on X, the UN said: 1 in 5 babies in Gaza is born prematurely or underweight. Earlier this week,

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@UNICEF delivered urgently needed hygiene supplies to hospitals & health centres in Gaza City. But thats far from enough. Aid at scale is critical to save lives."

According to the Israels foreign ministry, the activists, who held Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch citizenship, were deported to Spain.

Israel had detained hundreds of participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla after seizing their ships in international waters and preventing them from reaching Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, the Government Media Office in Gaza has released a series of figures giving a detailed toll of the war.

About 90% of the Gaza Strip has been totally destroyed by the Israeli military, which controls more than 80% of the territory through ground invasion, armed attacks and forced displacement orders," it said.

It further stated: At least 1,015 children under one year old have been killed by Israel, along with 1,670 medical staff, 254 journalists, and 140 civil defence rescue workers among over 77,000 Palestinians."

Torn, disintegrated bodies, blood, broken heads, broken arms, chopped limbs  not just chopped, like disintegrated. You would never see such scenes in your life, blood everywhere  Its like a slaughterhouse," said anaesthetist Saya Aziz.

She added: The hardest has been for the children who are unwell, unconscious, bleeding  youre having to anaesthetise them knowing theyve got no surviving family members left. Whos going to tell them, whos going to look after them?"

According to a report by ANI, Israel on Sunday called on the United Nations to step up its efforts to collect and distribute undelivered humanitarian aid sitting on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

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The crossing will be closed on Monday and Tuesday due to the start of the week-long Sukkot holiday, said Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).On the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom, hundreds of trucks worth of food  thousands of pallets  are still waiting for collection by the UN and international organizations," COGAT said.

Over the past month, more than 7,000 truckloads of food entered Gaza  well above the assessed need in the Strip. We urge the UN and international organisations: come collect the food and deliver it to the people who need it," it added.

Location : New York, United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 06, 2025, 02:39 IST

News world One In Five Gaza Babies Born Prematurely Or Underweight, Says UN

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Pakistan On Sale? Decoding How Islamabad Has Made Natural Resources Its New Currency | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 14:41 IST

"This economic cooperation with the U.S. is actually a pattern of the Pakistan army where they receive loyalty bonus from everyone," said top intelligence sources

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Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir displays a wooden box, claimed to contain rare earth minerals, during his meeting with US President Donald Trump. (IMAGE: X)

Pakistan is trading its strategic mineral wealth for short-term political legitimacy and debt relief, top intelligence sources told News18.

Evidence shows that Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir made a presentation to US President Donald Trumps administration officials. He physically displayed mineral samples which was an unprecedented act that bypassed both Pakistans Foreign Office and civilian ministries.

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The $500-trillion US-Pakistan rare earth deal is less a commercial success and more a barter," sources said.

Several Pakistani parliamentarians even raised objections to the secrecy of the MoU with US Strategic Metals (USSM). They alleged that the Army was misusing economic sovereignty and doing violation of the 18th Amendment which reserves mineral rights to provinces.

The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), an engineering arm of army has emerged as the primary channel for rare earth mining in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. They are allowing the Pakistan Army to retain full operational and revenue control. Most mineral extraction zones fall in insurgency-hit Balochistan, where the local population has neither been consulted nor compensated. The FWO in Balochistans corridors, now controls extraction, refining, and export  ensuring profit flows to cantonments, not communities. The Pakistan Army has militarised the mining belt and suppressed dissent under the name of internal security," said sources.

For Beijing, this is a betrayal of CPECs mineral corridor understanding.

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The PLA-linked Norinco and MCC have reportedly paused some Baloch projects. This is clearly indicating growing friction between Pakistans two principal patrons," they said.

In Pakistan, sovereignty is negotiable and natural resources are the new currency of survival. This episode is a case of resource capture through army and politicians of Pakistan. This economic cooperation with the U.S. is actually a pattern of the Pakistan army where they receive loyalty bonus from everyone," sources said.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: October 05, 2025, 14:37 IST

News world Pakistan On Sale? Decoding How Islamabad Has Made Natural Resources Its New Currency | Exclusive

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'No Such Cooperation With Pakistan': Russia Denies Plans To Supply Fighter Jet Engines, Says Report

Curated By :

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 08:09 IST

Russia has dismissed reports claiming it is supplying RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for the JF-17 Thunder Block III jets, calling such claims "illogical".

Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP Photo)

Russia has dismissed reports and said there was no confirmation on whether it is providing RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for integration into the JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, a report with WION suggested on Saturday.

Quoting a Russian source, the report said Russia has dismissed reports of Moscow proceeding with the supply of RD-93MA engines to Pakistan.

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No confirmation on such a development. It looks illogical for serious and professional observers, who trace big deals ahead between Russia and India," it quoted the source as saying.

Dont have such a level of cooperation with Pakistan, which would make India feel uncomfortable," it added.

Someone trying to compromise exceptionally promising and forward-looking cooperation, especially on the eve of high and highest level contacts," it said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Congress attacked the BJP over media reports claiming that Russia was to provide military support to Pakistan by supplying engines of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets.

The Congress called the reports a failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modis personalised brand of diplomacy", and demanded answers.

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that PM Modis diplomacy prioritises image-building and global spectacle over national interests.

In a post on X, he said the government must explain why Russia  once Indias most reliable strategic ally  has chosen to ignore New Delhis appeals and proceed with supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistans fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets."

The latest Block III variant of this aircraft will feature the upgraded engine and the same PL-15 missiles believed to have been used against our country during Operation Sindoor. The IAF Chief has also stated that the JF-17 may be among the Pakistani fighters that were used against us," he claimed.

Ramesh said, according to multiple news reports, this deal is moving forward despite direct interventions by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in June.

The government owes the nation an explanation as to why a long-time and trusted partner like Russia is now providing military support to Pakistan, even as India continues to purchase S-400 missile systems and negotiates for Su-57 stealth fighters from Moscow," he said, citing a news report.

This development underscores yet another failure of Prime Minister Modis personalised brand of diplomacy, which prioritises image-building and global spectacle over national interests," the Congress leader added.

Years of high-profile summits, choreographed photo opportunities with hugs, and grandstanding on the world stage have failed to yield substantive outcomes," he claimed.

Ramesh alleged that India remains unable to diplomatically isolate Pakistan.

The Modi government must explain why Russia  once Indias most reliable strategic ally  has chosen to ignore New Delhis appeals and proceed with supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistans fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. The latest Block III variant of this Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 4, 2025

PUTIN PRAISES PM MODI

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to devise measures, including purchasing more agricultural products and medicines from India, to soften the trade imbalance with New Delhi, which is due to the heavy import of crude by the country.

Speaking at the Valdai plenary session, Putin also said that he was looking forward to his trip to India in early December and meeting with his friend" and reliable partner Prime Minister Modi."

Putin, who will travel to India in early December for an annual summit, lauded Indias nationalist government led by PM Modi, calling him a balanced, wise," and nationally oriented" leader.

Putin said he feels comfortable in their trustworthy interactions.

When asked about the US threat to impose high tariffs and sanctions on Russias key partners, Putin said the Indian people will not tolerate their country being bullied into making a decision that contradicts their national interests and priorities, RT news channel reported.

(India) will never allow itself to be humiliated by anyone. I know Prime Minister Modi, he will also not make any such decisions," he said.

The losses faced by India due to punitive US tariffs would be balanced by crude imports from Russia, plus it will gain prestige as a sovereign nation," Putin added.

His remarks came as he referred to the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump on New Delhi as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil, taking the total levies imposed on India by the US to 50 per cent.

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ALSO READ | If Russia Is A Paper Tiger, Then What Is NATO?: Putin Responds To Trumps Remarks

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: October 05, 2025, 08:05 IST

News world 'No Such Cooperation With Pakistan': Russia Denies Plans To Supply Fighter Jet Engines, Says Report

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Key Points

Archer is chasing a trillion-dollar opportunity.

Archer has reached significant milestones.

Risks remain sky high.

10 stocks we like better than Archer Aviation 

When investors think about disruptive transportation, electric cars are often the first to come to mind. But another technology is starting to capture headlines: flying taxis. Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) is one of the most prominent companies working to make this futuristic idea a reality. Backed by UnitedAirlines and Stellantis, Archer has gained enough momentum to attract attention across Wall Street.

The company has not yet produced meaningful revenue, and the risks remain sky high. But recent progress suggests Archer deserves a closer look.

Image source: Getty Images.

What does Archer Aviation do?

Archer designs and builds electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. These battery-powered planes are designed for short trips of 20 miles, such as airport transfers or commutes from downtown to the suburbs.

Its flagship aircraft, Midnight, can carry four passengers plus a pilot. Archer plans to operate an air taxi network in partnership with airlines, rideshare platforms, and governments. Unlike a traditional aerospace business that primarily sells planes, Archer aims to generate recurring revenue by running the service itself. Investors can think of its long-term aim as becoming the Uber of the sky. It also aims to sell aircraft to third parties selectively -- United Airlines and the U.S. Air Force are two parties that have agreed to buy the aircraft from Archer.

The potential market is enormous. Morgan Stanley estimates that urban air mobility could become a $1-trillion market by 2040, with further growth to $9 trillion by 2050. While these numbers remain predictions for now, they do indicate the massive potential ahead.

Archer does not need to dominate the sector to carve out a valuable business. It just needs to make sure it remains one of the key players.

Reaching key milestones

Archer has not yet reached commercialization, but it has delivered progress that lends it more credibility than many of its early stage peers.
Supplying Tomahawk Missiles To Ukraine Will Destroy US-Russia Relations, Putin Warns

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Last Updated: October 06, 2025, 00:40 IST

President Vladimir Putin warned the US against supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, as tensions rise after deadly Russian strikes on Lviv and criticism from Trump and Zelenskyy

Russian President Vladimir Putin (AP Photo)

President Vladimir Putin warned the US against supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for long-range strikes deep into Russia.

Recently, US President Donald Trump had expressed his disappointment towards Putin for not making peace with Ukraine and even called Russia a paper tiger". Putin hit back at Trump, questioning if NATO was not the paper tiger" for failing to stop Russias advance.

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Last month, US Vice President JD Vance announced that Washington was considering Ukraines request to obtain long-range Tomahawks that could strike deep into Russia, including Moscow.

This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations," Putin said in a video clip released on Sunday by Russian state television reporter Pavel Zarubin.

He further said that any supply of such missiles to Ukraine would trigger a qualitatively new stage of escalation".

Tomahawk cruise missiles have a range of 2,500 kilometres. This means that if a missile is launched from Ukraine, it would be able to reach the Kremlin and all of European Russia.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the US will provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia, as it weighs whether to send Kyiv missiles that could be used in such strikes.

However, Reuters quoted a US official as saying that the Trump Administrations desire to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine may not be viable because current inventories are committed to the US Navy and other uses.

On early Sunday, Russia launched drones, missiles, and guided aerial bombs across Ukraine, killing five people in a major nighttime attack that Ukrainian officials said targeted civilian infrastructure.

Moscow fired 53 ballistic and cruise missiles and 496 drones, Ukraines air force said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that nine regions were targeted.

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According to the Associated Press, four people, including a 15-year-old, died in a combined drone and missile strike on Lviv, according to regional officials and Ukraines emergency service.

Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the local military administration, said that this was the largest aerial assault on the historic western city and surrounding region since Russias full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

Location : Russia

First Published: October 06, 2025, 00:25 IST

News world Supplying Tomahawk Missiles To Ukraine Will Destroy US-Russia Relations, Putin Warns

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Trump Approves Deployment Of 300 Troops To Chicago After Protesters Clash With ICE Agents

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 07:41 IST

Trump authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, marking an escalation of his anti-crime and immigration crackdown that has prompted criticism.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) clash with protesters in Chicago. (Reuters)

US President Donald Trump on Saturday authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago to control what he describes as out-of-control crime, hours after immigration authorities clashed with protesters in the city and shot an armed woman after she and others rammed their cars into law enforcement vehicles.

President Trump has authorised 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets" in Chicago, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement, after weeks of threats by Trump to send troops into the Democrat-run city, despite accusations of an authoritarian power grab by Democrats.

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President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities," said Jackson. Chicago has become the latest flashpoint in Trumps increasingly militarised anti-crime and immigration crackdown that has prompted widespread protests.

Democrats have slammed Trumps deployment plans in Democrat-run cities and called it an abuse of power. Before Trumps announcement, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said, In the coming hours, the Trump Administration intends to federalise 300 members of the Illinois National Guard. They will pull hardworking Americans out of their regular jobs and away from their families all to participate in a manufactured performance  not a serious effort the protect public safety. For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control."

I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois," he said. I will not call up our National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people. In Illinois, we will do everything within our power to look out for our neighbours, uphold the Constitution, and defend the rule of law."

Whats Happening In Chicago?

Hours before Trumps deployment, US Border Patrol agents shot an armed woman in Chicago as scores of protesters faced off against federal immigration agents in the city. No officers were seriously injured when the woman and others rammed cars into vehicles used by ICE agents, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon," DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. Law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at an armed US citizen."

ICE agents also fired pepper spray and loaded rubber bullets as part of heated exchanges with protesters on Saturday. US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said she was sending additional special operations" to control the scene.

People in Chicago have repeatedly staged protests condemning the stepped-up federal presence in the city. On Friday, police scuffled with hundreds of protesters outside an ICE facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview.

On several occasions, protesters have attempted to block ICE vehicles from carrying detainees into the facility. They have been repelled by heavily armed ICE agents using physical force, chemical munitions, and rubber bullets, evoking combat scenes.

A late-night raid by the US Border Patrol in a Chicago apartment building had also sparked outrage, after agents broke down doors, detained several US citizens and pulled children from their parents, according to Reuters. This was one of the highest-profile immigration actions in Chicago since the Trump administration launched Operation Midway Blitz" in the city last month.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the operation, saying it focused on alleged gang members. Authorities arrested at least 37 people on immigration violations, most of whom were Venezuelan, the spokesperson said.

Judge Blocks Deployment To Portland

Meanwhile, a US judge blocked Trumps attempt to send the military into Portland, another Democrat-run city. US District Judge Karin Immergut wrote the Presidents determination was simply untethered to the facts."

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Although the city has seen scattered attacks on federal officers and property, the Trump administration failed to demonstrate that those episodes of violence were part of an organised attempt to overthrow the government as a whole," Immergut wrote in granting a temporary restraining order.

(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 : Chicago, United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 05, 2025, 07:27 IST

News world Trump Approves Deployment Of 300 Troops To Chicago After Protesters Clash With ICE Agents

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Trump Warns Hamas Of 'Complete Obliteration' If It Insists On Staying In Power In Gaza

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 22:07 IST

President Donald Trump said he expects clarity soon on whether Hamas intends to genuinely pursue peace

US President Donald Trump | Image: File

US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Hamas will face complete obliteration" if it refuses to relinquish control of Gaza under his proposed peace plan.

The warning came just hours before a 6 pm Washington deadline on Sunday, by which the militant group has been urged to comply.

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Speaking to CNN on Saturday, Trump confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the broader US-led initiative to halt hostilities in Gaza, saying, Yes on Bibi."

In an interview aired Sunday, the President said he expects clarity soon on whether Hamas intends to genuinely pursue peace.

This is their last chance," Trump said, urging the group to accept the peace deal, release Israeli hostages, and end the fighting, adding that there will be peace one way or another."

Netanyahu has reportedly already endorsed the ceasefire proposal, which forms part of Trumps 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the two-year-long Gaza conflict.

According to the White House, the plan calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and establishes a temporary governing board to oversee Gazas postwar transition.

The board would be chaired by Trump and include international figures such as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The framework ensures that no resident of Gaza would be displaced, provided both Israel and Hamas agree to the terms, with fighting to stop immediately upon acceptance.

While commenting on his Gaza peace deal, Trump said, Its a great deal for Israel and its a great deal for everybody Its a great deal for the entire Arab world, Muslim world, and world."

Gaza War Not Over Yet

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that the Gaza conflict has not yet" concluded, despite recent progress on hostage negotiations.

Speaking to NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, Rubio said that while Hamas has essentially" agreed to Trumps framework for releasing hostages, further discussions are underway to finalise implementation details.

Theyve agreed in principle to the concept of what happens next," Rubio said, noting that several critical issues remain unresolved.

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In a separate Fox News interview, Rubio emphasised that the situation remains uncertain. No one can tell you its a 100 per cent guarantee," he remarked, adding that the coming technical talks will determine Hamass seriousness.

Rubio said the immediate priority is to secure the release of all hostages in exchange for Israel pulling back to its mid-August positions in Gaza, known as the yellow line."

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: October 05, 2025, 19:38 IST

News world Trump Warns Hamas Of 'Complete Obliteration' If It Insists On Staying In Power In Gaza

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UK Mosque Set Ablaze With 2 People Inside In Suspected Hate Crime

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Last Updated: October 05, 2025, 16:11 IST

A UK mosque was set ablaze with two people still inside in a suspected arson attack that police are treating as a hate crime.

The police are investigating the arson as a suspected hate crime (X)

In a shocking incident, a mosque in the United Kingdoms Peacehaven, near Brighton, was set ablaze with two people still inside in a suspected arson attack that police are treating as a hate crime.

Fire crews were called to the mosque on Phyllis Avenue in Peacehaven at about 9:50 pm (local time) on Saturday, CNN reported.

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According to a voluntary mosque manager, two individuals wearing balaclavas attempted to force open the mosques door before pouring gasoline on the steps and setting it alight.

It is the latest violent incident to be reported in a politically charged British summer, during which incidents of Islamophobic and antisemitic hate have remained high, and comes just days after a deadly attack outside a synagogue in Manchester.

As per the report, the mosques chairman and a fellow worshipper, both in their 60s, were having tea inside when they heard a loud bang outside and fled the building as flames curled across the main entrance.

They could have easily died," the manager told the news outlet, saying these people came with full intent to cause maximum damage."

The chairman was shaking the whole time, and a neighbor came out onto the street crying," he said, adding, Everyone is scared. If someone was willing to do this, we dont know whats next."

It is not known if the suspected arsonists knew people were inside at the time.

Footage from the mosques door camera showed two people in balaclavas arriving at the entrance a short time later, pulling the door handle and pushing the door several times

Sussex Police said that although no one was injured in the incident, the front entrance of the building and a vehicle parked outside were damaged.

We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result," Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna was quoted by the BBC as saying.

Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes district, James MacCleary, condemned the incident on X.

Appalling to hear about this fire at the mosque in Peacehaven. It is used by my constituents and is an important part of the local community. Police are treating it as a hate crime," he wrote.

Earlier in August, the mosque was targeted twice overnight with eggs thrown at the building and people have shouted curse words and racial slurs when passing by, the manager said.

But we never expected an attack on this level," the manager said. The community right now is on their toes. They feel unsafe, they are paranoid. There is a lot going on right now."

There is renewed focus on safety at places of worship following the attack outside a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday, in which two Jewish people were killed.

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The suspect, who was shot dead at the scene, has been named as 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent.

(With inputs from CNN)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre... Read More

Location : United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: October 05, 2025, 16:11 IST

News world UK Mosque Set Ablaze With 2 People Inside In Suspected Hate Crime

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World Liberty Financial (WLF) is expected to launch a crypto debit card to bridge assets with everyday crypto spending, the Trump-linked digital asset platforms CEO, Zach Witkoff, told audiences at Token 2049 this week.

World Liberty Financial Sets Its Sights on Expansion

Witkoff, the son of U.S. President Donald Trumps envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, made the announcement alongside WLF co-founder Donald Trump Jr. at the Singapore-based crypto event on October 1.

Well be rolling out a pilot program here in the next quarter, and that debit card will either be live Q4 or Q1 26, Witkoff said.

The WLF CEO also touted that the organization is actively working on the tokenization of real-world assets, including real estate, oil, and gas.

The Trump family has one of the most exciting real estate asset portfolios in the world, Witkoff said. What if I told you that you could go on an exchange and buy one token of Trump Tower Dubai?

Why dont you have access to investing in Class A real estate? he added. Right now, you can only do that through a REIT or a public corporation.

WLF, MGX $2 Billion Binance Deal Under Scrutiny

News of WLFs latest expansion efforts comes just one month after the crypto company made its namesake token $WLFI available to the public, though its price slumped on its first day of trading.

In March 2025, WLF launched USD1, a dollar-pegged stablecoin that the digital asset organization dubs the US dollarfor a new era.

In May, WLF announced that MGX, a state-backed Abu Dhabi firm, planned to invest $2 billion worth of USD1 into crypto exchange Binance.

Critics have argued that the deal poses serious ethics violations, with Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley calling it a staggering conflict of interest.

This deal raises the troubling prospect that the Trump and Witkoff families could expand the use of their stablecoin as an avenue to profit from foreign corruption, the U.S. lawmakers said.

Despite concerns, it appears that WLF is pressing ahead with its tokenization and crypto payment ventures.

Read original story World Liberty Financial Eyes Launching Crypto Debit Card Amid Real Estate Tokenization Plans by Julia Smith at Cryptonews.com
A wave of "accidental landlords" is shaking up the rental housing market, proving to be a thorn in the side for large institutional investors. Unable to sell their homes at desired prices, more ordinary homeowners are opting to rent out their properties instead, contributing to a rise in supply that's weighing down rents in major US cities, per the Wall Street Journal . Realtor.com reports that in May, delisting properties jumped 47% nationwide.

Projections from John Burns Research & Consulting estimate rents in the top 20 markets for single-family homes will climb just 0.8% this year, the most sluggish pace since 2011, per the Journal. This slow growth clashes with investor expectations, who saw strong demand from priced-out would-be buyers and healthy tenant finances as a recipe for continued rent gains. Instead, homes lingering unsold are shifting into rentals, particularly in Sunbelt cities, and converting for-sale listings to rentals is becoming increasingly common.

Data from Parcl Labs highlights the trend: Only 28% of homes listed at the start of summer sold, leaving nearly 2 million properties on the market, up 20% from a year ago. Investors have placed their money in six locations in particular: Dallas, Tampa (Florida), Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Those cities hold 37% of the nation's large institutional real estate, Parcl found, per the New York Times.

Large landlords such as Invitation Homes are feeling the squeeze, reporting declining rents on new leases in oversupplied markets, though they're compensating by raising rents for existing tenants, per the Journal. This strategy has worked for now, but as the gap between old and new rents widens, tenants may be more likely to move, potentially increasing turnover and reducing income.
Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards, claims that Israel denies. Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it offered voluntary deportation to all of the activists and those that remain in detention chose to stay there in order to go through a legal deportation process.

On his return at Rome's Fiumicino Airport late Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners "like monkeys." Israel's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the claims of mistreatment were "brazen lies." Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers. Tommasi said Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces. "We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery," he said. "Let's say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule, and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about."

The ministry said all detainees' legal rights had been "fully upheld," adding that Thunberg had not complained about the "ludicrous and baseless allegationsbecause they never occurred." Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D'Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars. They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners "to scare us," he said. Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties. "You weren't allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man  came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head," he said. "They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours."

Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was "proud" of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison. "Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists," he said. "If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpetsthey were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again."
Temporarily blocked in trying to deploy Oregon's National Guard troops to Portland, President Trump is sending 300 of California's instead. California Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged Sunday to fight Trump's "breathtaking abuse of power" in court, the New York Times reports. Oregon's chief executive also objected. "This action appears to (be) intentional to circumvent yesterday's ruling by a federal judge," Gov. Tina Kotek said Sunday, per the AP . "There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target."

US District Judge Karin Immergut had issued a temporary restraining order blocking the mobilization on Saturday. Oregon had argued that the president exceeded his constitutional authority in mobilizing federal troops for local duty, per the Times, and probably violated the 10th Amendment. California has won a similar case. Immergut's ruling said she expects a trial court will agree with the state. An attorney for Oregon said in court that Trump's actions "represent one of the most dramatic infringements on state sovereignty in Oregon's history" and "radically reshape the balance of federal-state power."

Trump, who appointed Immergut, complained about her decision in a post Sunday, per CNBC. "I wasn't served well by the people that picked judges," he wrote, saying the judge "ought to be ashamed of herself" because "Portland is burning to the ground." Mayor Keith Wilson said Portland is looking for legal means to halt the deployment. Kotek said that 101 California National Guard troops arrived by plane on Saturday night and that more were on the way. Federal officials have not said what duties they would carry out other than assisting ICE operations.
A day after Border Patrol agents shot a woman in her car in Chicago, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem justified President Trump's deployment of 300 National Guard troops by calling the city "a war zone." Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois answered Noem on Sunday, saying on CNN's State of the Union that the administration is driving the crisis and that it's the federal agents sent to Chicago who "are making it a war zone," the Guardian reports. Federal prosecutors said Sunday that the woman has been charged. Developments include:
|

For the First Time in Syria, 'the Ballot Box Truly Rules'

Votes are being counted, but nation will next need an election law
Landslides, a lighting strike, and floodings triggered by severe rainfall killed at least 44 people in Nepal on Sunday, authorities said. Five more are reported missing. Those killed included at least 37 people in the eastern mountain district of Illam, where entire villages were swept away by landslides, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said. Six people in the same family were killed when a landslide crushed their home as they slept, an lllam official said, per the AP .

Heavy rainfall was reported since Friday in the district, which borders India and is known for growing tea. Rainfall was hampering efforts to reach the villages, and many roads were swept away or blocked by the landslides. The government said helicopters were also evacuating people needing medical evacuations, and ground troops were helping move people to safer areas. Three people in another district were killed when they were struck by lightning. The government closed major highways connecting the capital, Kathmandu, with other areas, as parts were blocked by landslides.

The blockage of roads and transport came as hundreds of thousands of people were returning to Kathmandu after celebrating Dashain, the biggest festival in the Himalayan nation. Thursday was the main day of the two-week festival when people travel to their home villages to be with their families. Highways were clogged with vehicles on Sunday, as the government assessed the situation. Neighboring India, which surrounds landlocked Nepal on three sides, has offered to help.
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The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has successfully concluded a five-day strategic visit to the United States, led by H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the EDB, alongside a delegation of senior officials focused on promoting Bahrains investment opportunities.

The visit, which covered Los Angeles and San Francisco, aimed to showcase Bahrains competitive advantages and business-friendly environment to leading American corporations  particularly in the financial services, manufacturing, and ICT sectors.

Throughout the mission, the delegation held a series of high-level meetings and networking sessions with potential investors and business leaders, highlighting Bahrains open economy, robust regulatory ecosystem, and skilled national workforce  all key factors positioning the Kingdom as a gateway for growth across the Gulf region.

As part of its international outreach efforts, the EDB also engaged with major U.S. media outlets and secured an interview with Bloomberg. During the discussion, H.E. Noor Alkhulaif reaffirmed the enduring strength of Bahrain-U.S. relations, emphasizing the Kingdoms commitment to innovation, sustainability, and positioning Bahrain as a global hub for business and technology.

In San Francisco, the EDB hosted a networking dinner in collaboration with the MIT Technology Review, a subsidiary of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The event featured opening remarks by H.E. Alkhulaif and keynote participation by Elizabeth Bramson, CEO and Publisher of the MIT Technology Review, alongside prominent executives from Silicon Valleys leading AI and technology companies.

Moderated by Brian Bryson, Director of Content and Events at MIT Technology Review, the discussions explored the role of artificial intelligence in driving innovation, productivity, and competitiveness across global markets. The session also spotlighted Bahrains achievements in advancing a knowledge-based and digital economy.

Bahrain and the United States share a strategic economic partnership spanning over a century, further strengthened through the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), which deepens cooperation in emerging technologies, trade, and investment.

The U.S. Trade Zone, located near Bahrain International Airport and the King Fahd Causeway, serves as a dedicated hub for American companies, enabling them to leverage the U.S.Bahrain Free Trade Agreement signed in 2006  the first such agreement between the U.S. and a GCC nation  to boost bilateral trade and industrial collaboration.

Reflecting the depth of these ties, U.S. direct investments in Bahrain grew from USD 387.4 million in 2020 to USD 537 million in 2024. The U.S. ranked as Bahrains tenth-largest investor in 2024, contributing USD 37.8 million, primarily across the ICT, financial services, and manufacturing sectors. Major U.S. firms such as Amazon Web Services, American Express, Citibank, Cisco, Kimberly-Clark, and Mondelez continue to expand their presence in the Kingdom, underscoring its supportive business environment.

This strategic visit reinforces Bahrains ongoing commitment to attracting high-value foreign investment and strengthening economic cooperation with the United States. With the support of Team Bahrain, the EDB continues to cement the Kingdoms reputation as a regional hub for finance, advanced manufacturing, and digital innovation  backed by competitive costs and world-class connectivity to regional and global markets.
A new feature-length animated adaptation of Peleliu  Guernica in Paradise  is coming to theaters, built on a collaboration with Mone Kamishiraishi, who performs the theme song titled A Miracle-like Thing. The story is based on the brutal Battle of Peleliu, where only 34 soldiers survived out of an estimated 10,000, and is being released to coincide with the 80th year since the end of the war, offering a depiction of friendship forged in the midst of devastating conflict.
GIFU, Oct 06 (News On Japan) - A Spanish tourist was attacked by a bear while visiting Shirakawa-go, the UNESCO World Heritage village in Gifu Prefecture known for its traditional thatched-roof houses, on October 5th. The incident adds to a growing number of bear encounters reported across Japan in recent weeks.

According to Shirakawa Village officials, the 40-year-old man was walking through the Shirakawa-go area around 8:30 a.m. when a bear suddenly attacked him from behind. The bear, believed to be a juvenile Asian black bear (tsukinowaguma) about one meter in length, scratched the mans right arm, causing minor injuries. He was treated for abrasions and is in stable condition.

The attack occurred near the shuttle bus stop that serves visitors heading to the Ogimachi observation deck, a popular spot overlooking the gassho-style village. Following the incident, the village suspended shuttle bus operations from the afternoon and closed local roads and walking trails within a one-kilometer radius as a precaution.

Authorities in Shirakawa Village said they have received around 90 bear sighting reports since April 2025nearly three times the annual averagesuggesting that bear activity in the region has sharply increased this year. Experts attribute the rise in encounters to a shortage of acorns and other food sources in the mountains, pushing bears closer to human settlements.

Tourists expressed concern following the attack, with one visitor saying, A bear appeared? Thats shocking. It will definitely affect tourism.

Local officials are urging both residents and visitors to remain alert, avoid walking alone in forested areas, and immediately report any bear sightings. Patrols and warning signs have been reinforced throughout the Shirakawa-go area as the autumn travel season continues.

Source: TBS
KYOTO, Oct 06 (News On Japan) - Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Kyoto for the first time in six years to attend an international forum that began on October 5th, where discussions focused on the role and implications of artificial intelligence in society.

During his address in English, the Emperor said, "AI technology is bringing innovation to every aspect of our society. At the same time, there are numerous issues, such as ethical challenges and privacy, that require careful consideration." He emphasized the importance of discussions on how AI-driven innovation is transforming fields such as medicine, education, and employment, while also raising new questions and responsibilities. After the event, the Imperial couple left the venue, remarking, "It was a good forum."

Source: BIZ
OSAKA, Oct 06 (News On Japan) - A future where people control machines simply by thinking may be closer than science fiction suggests. At the forefront of this research is Masayuki Hirata, a neurosurgeon and specially appointed professor at Osaka Universitys Graduate School of Medicine, who is developing a brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows high-tech devices such as smartphones or robotic arms to be operated by thought.

His team has created an ultra-thin electrode sheet that adheres directly to the brains surface and a compact brainwave sensor that is fixed to the skull, enabling precise measurement of faint brain signals which can then be analyzed by AI to control external devices.

Hirata founded the startup JiMED in 2020 to commercialize this breakthrough. His background is unusual: after studying robotics at the University of Tokyo, he worked as an engineer for an automaker before pursuing medicine. Combining engineering and neuroscience, he has bridged two disciplines to develop technology capable of linking the human brain with computers.

At Osaka Universitys advanced medical research facility, Hirata demonstrates how brain signals are read. Electrodes attached to a special cap capture faint electrical activity from dozens of points on the scalp, displayed on a monitor as waves oscillating around 10 hertz. These signals show which parts of the brain are active when a person moves their hands, mouth, or feet. However, scalp electrodes can only detect broad patterns and are easily disrupted by muscle movement or even blinking, making it difficult to capture accurate brainwave data.

To overcome this, Hirata spent more than 30 years developing methods to measure extremely weak brain signals directly from the cortical surface. His companys miniature sensorsmall enough to fit in a wristwatchcan be surgically implanted beneath the skull, where it records brainwaves through the electrode sheet. This allows far more precise detection and real-time decoding of brain activity using artificial intelligence.

By reading the brains electrical language, Hirata aims to give patients with paralysis the ability to operate prosthetic limbs or digital devices purely through thought. Japan has the expertise and technology to compete at the global level, he said, expressing hope that this innovation will lead the world from Japan. His work represents a major step toward the practical realization of brain-machine communicationan achievement that could redefine the boundary between human thought and technology.

Source: BIZ
Costco will officially be coming to Route 17 South in Paramus, the towns mayor confirmed on Friday.

The Paramus Planning Board approved a bid on Thursday evening for Costco to build a 184,000-square-foot location at the shuttered Kmart and Stop & Shop locations at 859 Route 17 South, NorthJersey.com reported. Paramus Mayor Chris DiPiazza welcomed the news in a statement shared on social media on Friday.

Costco is a premier retailer in the United States, and they are choosing to call Paramus home, he said in a Facebook post.

They are filling an abandoned property - a vacant lot - and putting in a need. We cant ask for much more than that. Theyre keeping our commercial corridor vibrant, which helps the taxpayers, and theyre doing so with a plan to protect residents that are their neighbors as well, he added.

The Costco was approved with unanimous consent during the Oct. 2 meeting after some local residents voiced concerns about added traffic, according to NorthJersey.com. No time frame was discussed for the construction of the new Costco.

The approval comes more than a year after DiPiazza announced Costcos plans to bid on the vacant lots that once held a Kmart and Stop & Shop. The Kmart location in Paramus has been closed since 2014 while the Stop & Shop closed in January 2022.

The new Costco will be the stores 21st location in New Jersey and will join other North Jersey locations including Teterboro, Clifton and Wayne.

Costco is a membership warehouse club known for its wide selection of products often sold in bulk at low prices. It is a leader in consumer satisfaction, with a score of 82 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
A former New Jersey teacher accused of sexually assault while working for the Ocean County Beach Patrol has relinquished his teaching certificates.

The state Department of Educations Board of Examiners ordered Jonathan Howell, a former teacher in the Pleasantville School District, to relinquish his certificates on Sept. 19.

Howell, 43, of the Marmora section of Upper Township, was sentenced to four years of probation and barred from future public employment in June 2024. The sentencing came three years after a social media post made numerous allegations against the beach patrol, prompting an investigation by authorities.

The allegations included rampant sexual abuse by older members against younger members of the beach patrol in 2017.

Howell was indicted in 2023 on multiple charges, including first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, second-degree official misconduct, and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
Victoria Beckham found being asked about her time in the Spice Girls "quite triggering".

Victoria Beckham discusses her time in the Spice Girls in her docuseries

The 51-year-old star is the subject of a new Netflix documentary series, which is simply titled Victoria Beckham, and she found being interviewed about her girl band past "almost like therapy" because she has struggled with her time in the group overshadowing her fashion career.

She told the Sunday Times Style magazine: Ive been defined by a four-year period in my life. That was the Spice Girls.

Its taken me almost two decades to fight that and I feel that only now can I look back and talk about it. Im not going to lie, being asked questions about when I was in the Spice Girls was quite triggering. And Id say those were the most difficult moments. It was almost like therapy for me.

However, Victoria insisted she is "so proud" of everything she achieved with the group and is still in contact with all her bandmates.

She said: I love the Spice Girls. I really do. And its been great reflecting on that time. The other night I had dinner with Emma and Geri, and Mel B messaged me at the weekend. I still speak to all of the girls. Im so proud of everything we did. I wouldnt have been who I am now if it wasnt for the Spice Girls, 100 per cent.

Victoria - who has four children with husband David Beckham - was happy to speak openly in the series but admitted it was an emotional experience.

Asked if she said no to talking about anything, she said: No. I mean, I touch on my family, I touch on the Spice Girls, the problems weve had with the business, you know, the money weve lost  there have been lots of triggers.

"I cried. Like I said, I havent seen the final edit, but yes, I did cry. It takes quite a lot to make me cry, but I did cry. You know, Ive earned my place to show in Paris, Ive earned the respect.

The fashion designer agreed to her own documentary series after being pleasantly surprised by the response to her appearances in David's own fly-on-the-wall programme.

She said: "If Im being completely honest, I didnt love me in that documentary...

I was surprised by how positive the feedback was with what I brought to it. Davids documentary made me realise how good it feels to be wrong. I like being wrong. I was wrong, and bring it on. I love that.
When I met Kamal Hathi, Splunks Senior Vice President and General Manager, at Splunk .conf 2025 in Boston, one thing immediately stood out before he said a single word.

On his wrist was an Apple Watch. On his finger, an Oura smart ring. And strapped to his arm, a Whoop fitness tracker.

This, I thought, is a man who loves data.

It turns out I was right. Hathi, who no doubt has a busy schedule, generously gave of his time to sit down with this simple Australian journalist and get geeky with me about all things data. Hathi joined Splunk about nine months ago after a long career at Microsoft, and has clearly lived and breathed data his entire professional life. At Microsoft, he led products like Power BI and SQL Server Analytics, shaping how countless organisations understand their information. Now at Splunk - recently acquired by Cisco - hes focused on a different kind of insight: the machine data that pulses through every modern enterprise.

Machine data is literally the heartbeat of the enterprise, Hathi told me. If you think of logs and telemetry as the heart rate, then Splunk is the heart-rate monitor.

A powerful pairing: Cisco and Splunk

For Hathi, Splunks combination with Cisco represents something much bigger than an acquisition. Its the alignment of two data powerhouses at precisely the right moment.

Splunk is the largest, biggest, baddest platform you can imagine for data, data systems, and analytics, he said. And combined with Cisco, its an amazing opportunity to unlock machine data from networks and infrastructure at massive scale.

He describes the Cisco Data Fabric vision - the unifying architecture now shaping both companies - as a meeting of minds. Its a bit of both, he said. Splunk always had a strategy of being a core data platform. Cisco, meanwhile, needed a strong telemetry platform of its own. The acquisition brings those strategies together in one architecture.

Open doors, not closed systems

Despite now being part of Cisco, Hathi insists Splunk remains vendor-neutral and committed to supporting multi-vendor environments.

Most enterprises are hybrid. No one has just one vendor, he said. Splunk has always taken data from pretty much anything, and that doesnt change. Cisco customers get some advantages through deeper integration - like firewall insights and economic efficiencies - but we encourage third-party data. The goal is a single, unified view regardless of where the data comes from.

That philosophy underpins Ciscos emerging Data Fabric approach, which federates data sources instead of forcing customers to consolidate them.

Making complex data simple - with help from AI

In an age where data sprawls across cloud, edge, and on-prem systems, the challenge isnt just volume - its comprehension. Splunks Motion AI Canvas aims to make sense of this chaos.

Traditionally, you needed experts to profile, join, and query your data, Hathi said. Now AI can do much of that heavy lifting - understanding the data itself, formulating the right queries, even suggesting graphs. It makes complex environments far more approachable.

Yet Splunk is careful not to lose sight of human oversight.

We stay away from magic, Hathi said with a smile. Our AI is practical for the enterprise - built for complex data, governance, and security. Everything we do keeps a human-in-the-loop. We provide guardrails, not autopilot.

That philosophy extends to transparency. Splunks reasoning models dont just output results - they explain their thought process. You can ask why an AI agent took an action, Hathi said. It will tell you: Heres what I saw, this is what happened, and this is why I did it. That traceability is essential for enterprise trust.

From rows and columns to chaos and clarity

When asked how his view of data has evolved since his Microsoft days, Hathi reflected on the sheer transformation of the field.

Data used to be something you could get your head around - rows and columns. Now its massive, unstructured, almost impossible to visualise, he said. Everything runs on data now - browsers, ads, cars, buildings. Splunk sits right in the middle of that, unlocking value from the messy machine data others ignore.

The next frontier: structure from the storm

Splunks next horizon, Hathi said, is not just to find the needle in the haystack, but to turn those needles into reusable intelligence.

Well always excel at forensics and log analytics, he said. But now were expanding downstream - structuring those insights for further use, like AI training or real-time analytics. Were giving customers more value from the same data.

That includes refining how data is collected in the first place. Rather than hoarding everything, technologies like Isovalent help identify whats important. Edge processing lets you decide whats signal and whats noise, Hathi said. Collecting everything isnt efficient. The key is collecting the right data.

From hyperscaler to Splunky culture

After more than two decades at Microsoft, moving to Splunk was a cultural shift - and, for Hathi, a rejuvenating one.

Splunk has a very innovation-driven, free-form, Splunky culture, he said. Its playful, quirky, high-energy - and that drives innovation. Cisco provides the scaffolding of a big company, but Splunks spirit gives us the spark.

He believes that energy isnt just surviving within Cisco - its thriving. With Cisco leaders like Jeetu Patel and Chuck Robbins attending Splunk .conf, he sees the partnership as deeply supportive.

Ciscos actually helping us return to our roots, he said. This feels like Splunk 2.0 - a rebirth of Splunk. Customers are getting more value than ever before.

The final word

As our conversation wrapped up, I couldnt help but glance again at his array of data-collecting gadgets - Apple Watch, Oura ring, Whoop band - all quietly streaming telemetry in real time. If machine data is the heartbeat of the enterprise, then Kamal Hathi is living proof. He doesnt just analyse data - he embodies it.
Doctors hard at work in "Scrubs." The series revival is now in production. NBC/ABC

More Scrubs originals are scrubbing in.

On the heels of news that stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and John C. McGinley are currently filming the series revival comes another happy update for fans of the show.

Two familiar faces that viewers will recognize from the original show are joining the revival.

Scrubs debuted on NBC in 2001. The show later moved to ABC, where it came to an end in 2010, and where the series revival will also air.

The show was greenlit in July with a straight-to-series order.

New episodes are currently in production  the cast recently posted for a photo at the read-through.

South Oranges own Zach Braff, who has been sharing scenes from the set on social media, returns as John J.D. Dorian.

Braffs real-life friend Donald Faison is back as J.D.s best friend and fellow doctor Christopher Turk, while Sarah Chalke reprises the role of Elliot Reid, a friend and colleague to both characters and life partner to J.D.

READ MORE: See Scrubs cast reunite for revival series

The three actors are also producers of the Scrubs revival, with original series creator Bill Lawrence returning as executive producer.

Aseem Batra and Tim Hobert, writers from the original show, are the showrunners on the revival, which also sees Judy Reyes returning as head nurse Carla Espinosa and Short Hills John C. McGinley back as J.D.s favorite workplace bully, Perry Cox.

So who are the latest actors to return from the original Scrubs lineup?

Robert Maschio is back as Todd The Todd Quinlan, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The Todd is a doctor notorious for his fixation on sex, also known for sexually harassing his colleagues.

A look at clips of Todd from the show (watch below) raises the question of whether or not the show will tone down that part of the character or reform him in some way post-#MeToo.

Maschio appeared in 156 episodes of Scrubs that aired from 2001 to 2010.

Hammock Up, lets roll, the actor, who is now also a real estate agent, said on Instagram, sharing the casting news. Show the Todd some love.

Another Scrubs original returning for the revival joined the series in the middle of its run.

Phill Lewis is back as Crazy Hooch, the doctor who immediately appears when anyone says Hooch (or hooch).

The character is looped into endless Turner & Hooch gags and jokes (watch below).

J.D. and Turk are constantly pranking Hooch only to utter the refrain Hooch is crazy.

Lewis and Maschio arent the only recently reported additions to the Scrubs revival.

Theres a whole fleet of new characters bringing fresh faces to the cast.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the names.

Saturday Night Live alum Vanessa Bayer will be playing a character named Sibby.

Joel Kim Booster (Fire Island) joins as Dr. Eric Park.

Well well well, he said on Instagram. This cast? Immaculate.

The new interns at Sacred Heart Hospital include Amara, played by Layla Mohammadi, who starred in the New Jersey-set and Jersey-filmed movie The Persian Version.

Im a doctor now..kinda, she said on Instagram. So honored to be apart of this. Thank you thank you!

As for the other Scrubs interns, Amanda Morrow (The Devil Wears Prada 2) plays Dashana; David Gridley (FBI: International) is Blake; Ava Bunn plays Serena; and Jacob Dudman (Doctor Who) is Asher.
Rutgers University President William F. Tate IV will deliver the keynote address at the Middlesex County Business Summit on Thursday, Oct. 9. Rutgers University

Middlesex County will host its annual Business Summit on Thursday, Oct. 9, bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs and educators to explore strategies for thriving in a changing economic landscape.

The event, themed Thriving Through Change: Business, Innovation, and the Future of Work, will run from noon to 5 p.m. at The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center, 10 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick.

Rutgers University President William F. Tate IV will deliver the keynote address focusing on strengthening partnerships between the university and county. Tate will outline the universitys vision to strengthen industry partnerships, spin out companies from its research and development pipeline, and expand the countys entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The summit will feature two main panel discussions. The first, From Classroom to Career, will examine how government, business and education sectors are collaborating to develop AI-focused curricula and create pathways to in-demand careers. Panelists will share strategies for building talent pipelines that meet growing technology workforce needs.

A second panel, The Future of Funding, will provide insights on how businesses can position themselves for investment in todays competitive capital environment. Experts will discuss what funders look for beyond financial metrics, including leadership qualities and market readiness.

The event includes a breakout session on entrepreneurial success moderated by Sho Islam, director of the Middlesex County Office of Business Engagement. Local entrepreneurs will share how county resources helped them overcome challenges and scale their businesses.

Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios and Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum will deliver welcome remarks. The summit will conclude with a networking reception hosted by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, featuring complimentary refreshments.

While the event is free, organizers encourage attendees to make donations to Feeding Middlesex County, a volunteer organization that raises money for REPLENISH, the county food bank serving 150 food pantries and service agencies.

Lunch will be provided for all participants. Registration is required. To register, click here.

Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
Ed Galkin checks the inside of his plane before taking off for his fourth flight around the world in 2022 from Central Jersey Regional Airport in Hillsborough, New Jersey. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A great-grandfather of six from Middlesex County is finishing up a jaw-dropping aviation feat, just five months shy of his 90th birthday.

Ed Galkin and his copilot are set to return to Central Jersey Regional Airport around noon Sunday, concluding a 37-day, 8,800-mile journey highlighted by two crossings of the Atlantic Ocean and 15 stops in 11 nations.

Its been an incredible voyage, Galkin told CBC News Canada on Thursday while in Newfoundland.

Galkin has flown four times around the world with copilots, most recently in 2022, all in the same single-engine plane the retired dentist purchased in 1977 and is using on his current adventure.

He and his 72-year-old copilot, Peter Teahen of Iowa, were in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Saturday. Their Sunday morning return flight to the Hillsborough airport is expected to take 2 1/2 hours.

His latest adventure is serving as a fundraiser for Rotary Internationals global polio eradication effort, according to the organization. It is being called, Circle the Atlantic: Flight To End Polio.

Galkin and Teahen took off from the Hillsborough airport Aug. 30. They traveled to Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Poland, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal and Canada.

Galkin was born in Newark, grew up in Hoboken and has been a licensed pilot since 1970. He said he has been living in the same house in Edison since 1968. He retired from his dental practice in Woodbridge in December 2020.

Galkin and his wife, Bobbie, celebrated their 65th anniversary on Aug. 27. They have two children, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Luckily, Im still staying healthy, and I intend to fly until Im not healthy. Hopefully, itll be a bunch more years of flying, he told the radio station in Canada.
Jack Ciattarellis revelation that Mikie Sherrill refused to rat out her classmates may not be the October surprise he thinks it is.

The governors race took another turn towards the ugly this week as Ciattarelli tried desperately to make hay of Sherrills involvement, or rather refusal to be involved with, a cheating scandal at the United States Naval Academy.

The story, as far as we know it, is as follows: Way back in 1994 when Sherrill was a graduating senior, a fellow classmate acquired a copy of an engineering exam and proceeded to share it among his colleagues with Sherrill and others refusing to take part. The plot was ultimately discovered and members of the class, Sherrill included, were questioned about the who, what and where of it all.

During the investigation Sherrill refused to drop dime on her fellow classmates/future brothers and sisters in arms. As a result of violating the honor code, she wasnt allowed to walk with her graduating class and a notice was made in her disciplinary file.

The future congresswoman went on to have a distinguished career as a Navy helicopter pilot before leaving active duty in 2003 with the rank of lieutenant. End of story.

In a world where the president is a literal felon, I have a hard time believing this brand of scandal will upend the gubernatorial race. Besides, whats more interesting than Congresswoman Sherrills nearly unredacted military records is how it came into the possession of Jack Ciattarellis campaign.

Those records were apparently acquired by a Ciattarelli ally directly from the National Archives in direct violation of their own privacy policies. There were any number of hoops the Ciattarelli campaign would normally have to jump through in order to obtain an unredacted copy of Sherrills military records, including written approval from Sherrill herself.

She would obviously never consent to letting her opponent around her records, so theres few other ways to categorize the files other than ill gotten. If this were a court of law the files would be inadmissible, but its not  its a hotly contested governors race and the information is out there.

Ciattarellis team says the files it received did not include information about Sherrills connection to the cheating scandal; they discovered a commencement program that didnt have her name. The campaign says any allegation that it tried to smear Sherrill with ill-gotten documents is false.

However, Im of the opinion that this sordid little tale reveals more about Ciattarelli than it does about Sherrill.

What is Ciattarelli really trying to say as he trumpets his earth shattering revelations on Fox News? If hes trying to argue to a New Jersey electorate that Sherrill should have turned states witness on her classmates, that could be a tough sell. Prior to Liberty and Prosperity the state motto was Snitches Get Stitches, trust me on that one, no need to google it.

As with all things politics in the year 2025, Im of course referring to independents.

Trump Republicans will dust off the Lock her up! chants if Sherrill gets a jaywalking ticket. Trying to convince voters who arent terminally online that a service academy disciplinary action from over 30 years ago is disqualifying for the states highest office is an epic stretch.

Moreover, would you want to trust the treasure trove of state data to the guy urging members of our military to frag each other?

Call me crazy, but prodding young soldiers to inform on their bunk mates could affect unit cohesion. Ciattarellis entire tattletale gambit has strong kid who reminds the teacher to assign homework vibes. Good luck with that.
President Donald Trump is greeted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before speaking to a gathering of top U.S. military commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Quantico, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. Here, they discuss the weeks political events with Star-Ledger editor Enrique Lavin.

Q: What do you make of the Democrats decision to hold firm on health care funding demands despite the fallout from the government shutdown? It seems the White House is barreling forward with its drive to continue tearing into agencies already chainsawed by DOGE cuts. What scenarios do you see?

Julie: On the substance, there is no way for Democrats to win this shutdown. The White House will never reverse its healthcare cuts, because Donald Trump both enjoys causing pain for Americans and blaming Democrats for it. Its as simple as that.

But there is a way for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to win this fight politically, while winning the narrative wars and showing Democrats that he knows how to fight. He should call Republicans bluff and dare them to blow up the filibuster. Democrats need to shut down the MAGA narrative that Democrats have anything to do with the pain Americans are experiencing. The only way to do that is to flip the script and dare Republicans to eradicate the last vestige of Senate comity, the last tool to force compromise.

Republicans are disinterested in compromise anyway, so why pretend? The point is: the old way of doing things has led Democrats into the wilderness. Time to break things and put the blame where it squarely belongs. We wont win on policy while in the minority anyway. The only thing we are playing for is hearts and minds and the next election.

Mike: I agree with Julie on the substance. Somehow, the Democrats continue to lose on the messaging because they are in the weeds. Democrats need simpler messaging. Republicans are in charge of the White House, the U.S. Senate and the House, yet somehow Democrats will be blamed. Democrats need new messaging and new messengers. They should put Julie in charge of this in DC.

Q: At a televised meeting with about 800 of the militarys top generals, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled sweeping cultural reforms aimed at reshaping the armed forces: No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses By any measure, the speech sounded fit for a political rally. Thoughts?

Julie: It wasnt a political rally. It was a declaration that the United States government is going to war against American citizens, on American soil.

We are witnessing the authoritarian takeover of the nation by a duly elected president who no longer wants to bother with dissent, protests or even the First Amendment. Trump and Hegseth would not have ordered top American military brass from around the world to listen to them in person if they did not want obedience from the people they will order to deploy against American citizens  the same citizens they will soon classify as enemies of our country.

What is coming is not a far-off war on the beaches of Normandy or in the Mekong Delta. It is not Kent State, either. It is something unprecedented, something so antithetical to our history and culture that it required the Secretary of Defense to summon the nations military brass from across the globe in order to provide a brass-knuckled sales pitch.

Mike: Yeah, I thought the bravado and language against our own citizens is unnecessary. The U.S. military is lethal, and no one needs to brag about it. The most lethal and scary military forces, at least to me, are the ones who know they dont need to tell you.

Q: At the same gathering, Trump listed several U.S. cities, including New York, L.A. and Chicago, where he wants to deploy the military to combat so-called domestic unrest as training grounds for our troops. Its a war from within, he said. How will this play out?

Julie: These military leaders took an oath to the Constitution, not to the president. They must now decide what kind of orders they will give and whether they will send American troops into American cities to fight American citizens. Surely, some of them will obey their commander in chief, as they have been trained to do. God help us when that happens.

Mike: They also took an oath to civilian leadership, and Trump is the president. That said, I hope people will voice concerns about military in every city. But once again, Democrats are caught in theories while Trump is talking about taking on criminals. Taking on criminals is more popular than theories about democratic institutions.

Q: In response, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called for the president to be removed from office under the 25th Amendment, claiming Trump not only has dementia set in, but hes copying tactics of Vladimir Putin. Any legs to this, or is it theater ahead of the 2028 presidential election season?

Julie: Its not theater but its not going to happen. Trump has stacked his cabinet with yes-men and traitors to the Constitution. We are on the precipice of a deeply dangerous moment.

Mike: Agree with Julie. Not theater. Not happening either. Pritzker and other governors need to stand strong on their national guard. And the only way Trump stops will be if voters rebel in the midterms. Theres been no voter outrage yet, or at least not enough to slow him down.

Q: How should we interpret Trumps Gaza peace proposal in light of Israels continued military operations in Gaza and Netanyahus rejection of Palestinian statehood?

Julie: Its not going anywhere. Hamas will never disarm. Even if something is signed on paper, it will be violated before the ink is dry.

Mike: Totally agree. Hamas is not a rational state actor one can negotiate with, like two countries think they could.

Q: Related: Could anyone have predicted Trumps executive order granting Qatar a U.S. security guarantee akin to NATOs Article 5? It says the U.S. will treat any armed attack on the country as a threat to the peace and security of the United States and respond accordingly.

Julie: Sure, we could have. Qatar has bailed out members of Trumps family financially for years. Lord only knows how much money it has directed to Trumps shady crypto fund. This is how foreign policy is done now, with security guarantees sold by a grifting president. Way to go, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. Youve made this all perfectly legal.

Mike: Beyond whatever personal motives some may feel is involved, Qatar has been a strong ally to the United States for many years. But the complex web of relationships between countries in the Middle East means this could change with a new administration, unlike NATO which is a true treaty that has lasted 80 years.

Q: Just days after President Trump publicly urged the Justice Department to pursue his political adversaries, former FBI director James Comey was indicted for allegedly making false statements to Congress in 2020. Is this going anywhere and what are the implications?

Julie: Trial lawyers I know tell me this is going to be a difficult case for the Justice Department to pursue, thanks to Trump mouthing off about Comey publicly. The larger issue is that we are entering an era of political persecutions and, by the time Trump is finished stacking the federal bench with MAGA judges, an era of show trials. I know we think the Constitution will protect us but the founders never envisioned this.

Mike: Well, it looks bad. Almost as bad as when Paul Fishman went after Chris Christies allies to derail his presidential hopes, which were overturned unanimously by the Supreme Court. Imagine a prosecution so egregious the Supreme Court was unanimous. Prosecutors should be completely certain if they are going to go after a high-profile person so as not to make itself look like a political tool.

Q: In New Jersey, Democrat candidate Mikie Sherrill has been embroiled in a scandal about why she didnt walk at her Naval Academy graduation three decades ago. Initially she said she was punished for not turning in classmates who cheated on a test but later added she unknowingly took a stolen test and didnt report it afterward. This shift has raised questions about transparency and consistency  with Jersey Republican congressmen Chris Smith, Jeff Van Drew and Tom Kean Jr. calling for Sherrill to release her records. Her opponent, Jack Ciattarelli has pounced on this issue. How much of this will play a factor in the next four weeks?

Julie: Lets be clear, Jack Ciattarelli is swift-boating Mikie Sherrill [referring to the smear campaign Republicans waged against John Kerrys military record]. It worked for George W. Bush, so it might work now.

But in the end, New Jersey voters probably dont care about any of this. They will either vote Republican because they think New Jersey Democrats have made everything unaffordable or vote Democratic because they think Trump has made everything unaffordable and they want someone to stand up to him. Whether Rep. Sherrill walked in a graduation ceremony over 30 years ago isnt a factor in my 80-year-old parents ability to afford to stay in their home.

Mike: It is smart for Jack to attempt to discredit her military service because it is the most important factor in her bio that moderates her politically, giving her credibility across the political spectrum. If I advised Sherrill, I would be indignant, not defensive. I would proudly take on a fight about a commitment to public service, especially as a mom whose children have been dragged into this. There are moments when candidates must answer and turn around an attack, so that the counterpunch is stronger than the punch. That hasnt happened yet. But Julie may ultimately be right that it may not penetrate to the average voters any way.

Q: Will the federal government shutdown, which directly affect more than 20,000 federal employees in New Jersey, have an impact on the gubernatorial race?

Julie: It depends on how long it goes and when New Jerseyans will begin to feel the effects.

Mike: As of now, it will not. Unless voters react to Trump cancelling the Gateway Tunnel, or other projects important to New Jersey voters. And which party would they ultimately blame?

Q: The Trump administration stopped payments to two major transportation projects in our region: the Gateway Tunnel and 2nd Avenue Subway, claiming it has to review whether the process to award contracts was unconstitutional and discriminatory. Sherrill announced: As governor, I will fight this tooth and nail and sue the Trump administration to finish this critical job. Ciattarelli told us: I think its a large negotiation thats taking place. Will this be an issue for the race?

Julie: I would advise Rep. Sherrill to drive this day and night because this is not just about the Gateway Tunnel. She should make it clear that New Jersey needs a governor who will actually give a damn about New Jerseyans, since the president of the United States and his enablers obviously do not.

Mike: Wow, I was on to something with my last answer I guess. I agree with Jack that Trump is negotiating, but that doesnt mean Sherrill shouldnt drive the issue that New Jersey commuters dont want to be a pawn in Trumps fight with Chuck Schumer.

Political consultants Julie Roginsky and Mike DuHaime Photo by Stephanie Cowan

A note to readers: Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week with this Friendly Fire conversation.
Chase Bank and Chipotle Mexican Grill will open new locations at the ON3 mixed-use campus in Clifton, adding nearly 6,000 square feet of retail space to the redeveloped site along Route 3.

The two businesses represent the second and third retail tenants at the campus developed by Prism Capital Partners, joining Starbucks, which opened in late 2024, according to a statement on Tuesday.

Chase will occupy a 3,500-square-foot space featuring drive-through teller and ATM services.

The bank expects to break ground in the fall.

The bank, part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., operates nearly 5,000 branches nationwide.

Chipotles 2,325-square-foot location will offer both sit-down dining and drive-thru service.

A December groundbreaking is anticipated.

The restaurant chain has over 3,800 locations worldwide.

Prism Construction Services is completing new entrance and exit lanes to improve traffic flow from Route 3 to the retail sites.

The company is overseeing Chases build-out and providing turnkey development services for Chipotles building.

The ON3 development is transforming the former Hoffmann-La Roche North American Headquarters campus that spans Clifton and Nutley.

Prism acquired the 116-acre site in 2016 and has been converting it into a lifestyle hub combining office, research and development, educational, residential, recreational, retail, hospitality, and wellness facilities.

Current tenants include 1.47 million square feet of occupied office and lab space, with more than 2 million additional square feet planned.

The Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center at Clifton opened this summer, joining other occupants including Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Eisai Inc., Quest Diagnostics, The Ralph Lauren Corporation, Seton Hall University programs, and several other businesses.

RIPCO Real Estate represented Prism in the lease transactions, while The Goldstein Group brokered the Chase deal and Newmark handled Chipotles lease.
A 20-year-old New Jersey woman was killed Saturday in a hit-and-run incident in Clifton, the Passaic County Prosecutors Office said.

Police responded to a report of an unresponsive woman on the side of Route 21 north near the Exit 9 entrance ramp onto Route 3 west at about 8:12 a.m., authorities said.

The woman, identified as Kamaya Young, of Paterson, was pronounced dead, officials said.

According to the prosecutors office, broken pieces from a motor vehicle were found scattered near the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing, and more information will be released when it becomes available, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the prosecutors offices tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org. Anonymous tips may also be submitted online at https://pcponj.opsnetwork.org/tips.
FILE - Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., participates in a debate with Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., not shown, at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, June 2, 2025, in Boston, as live-streamed on Fox Nation. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP

As Democrats grow frustrated with U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), new polling shows he is gaining popularity among Republicans.

The new Quinnipiac University poll, released Oct. 1, showed 46% of Pennsylvania voters approved of how Fetterman was handling his job as senator while 38% disapproved. Another 16% did not offer an opinion, according to the poll.

However, the poll found that more Republicans than Democrats approve of how Fetterman was handling his job. This comes as Fetterman has frequently criticized his own party and bucked Democratic leadership in key votes, including voting for the GOP-led spending bill earlier this week.

Even President Donald Trump has praised him in several instances for splitting with his party, saying Fetterman is the most sensible Democrat.

The new poll found that 62% of Republicans approved of Fettermans job performance while 21% disapproved. In contrast, 54% of Democrats disapproved of Fetterman while 33% approved.

Independents are evenly split, with 43 percent approving and 43 percent disapproving.

One-time Democratic darling John Fetterman flips the approval script as Republicans embrace him and Democrats give him low marks nearly two years after GOP voters wouldnt give him the time of day, Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy said in a statement.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted from Sept. 25-29 among 1,579 registered voters in Pennsylvania. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

Despite positive feedback from the GOP in the latest poll, Fetterman has maintained he will not leave the Democratic Party.

Fox News Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo asked Fetterman last month whether he would consider changing parties, arguing there are real extremists who have tried to hijack the Democrat Party over policies and rhetoric.

No, Im not going to switch, Fetterman said. Im just going to be an independent voice in the Democratic Party. Im not going to be afraid of people.
A former police officer in Union County faced retaliation after reporting sexual harassment from a civilian employee, a lawsuit claims.

Matthew OHolla, who resigned from the Westfield Police Department in August, filed a civil lawsuit alleging a series of retaliatory actions by Police Chief Christopher Battiloro and other employees that created a hostile work environment.

Battiloros nephew, Vincent P. Battiloro, 17, of Garwood, is charged with two counts of murder for the hit-and-run deaths of two girls riding an e-bike in Cranford last week. Christopher Battiloro lives in Cranford, on the same street as one of the victims.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Christopher Battiloro condemned the actions of his nephew, who he did not name, and said he and his family do not condone, defend, or excuse the actions that led to the loss of life, and he stands with his Cranford neighbors in their grief.

According to OHollas complaint, filed in Superior Court of Union County on Friday, he began receiving unwanted, unsolicited, and purposely anonymous sexual advances through text message in March 2023. They came from Dominick Sandelli, the departments emergency communications systems supervisor.

Would you let another guy perform oral sex on you? one text read.

Sandelli later admitted to OHolla in person that he sent the messages from a burner phone to OHolla and several other officers, the suit alleges.

Sandelli continued the advances over several months, prompting OHolla to file a police report in July 2023. Following an investigation, Sandelli was given a brief suspension, and remained in a position with access to sensitive police and personnel information, the lawsuit alleges.

Shortly after OHolla filed the report, a complaint was lodged against him for working on his personal Vespa scooter during work hours, despite receiving prior approval from Battiloro to do so during off-hours. Sandelli then filed a retaliatory OPRA request for surveillance footage of OHolla at work, the suit says.

Battiloro failed to investigate [OHollas] allegations that Sandelli was retaliating through the OPRA request and associated complaint, dismissing it as the parties retaliating against each other, the suit states.

The town will vigorously defend this lawsuit, which is clearly opportunistic in its timing and intended to undermine the credibility of Chief Battiloro and the professionalism with which he has led the department, Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle said in a statement released Monday. We remain fully confident that when all the facts emerge, they will demonstrate no wrongdoing on Chief Battiloros part.

I, along with the entire Town Council, stand firmly behind Chief Battiloro, who has served the town of Westfield for more than two decades with the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and commitment to our community.

According to the lawsuit, Battiloro eventually removed OHolla from the Traffic Safety Bureau and reassigned him to the patrol division, where he would have increased supervision. According to the suit, Battiloro also endorsed a negative performance evaluation of OHolla and initiated an unwarranted performance improvement plan.

During a meeting with a police captain and a union representative, Battiloro stated OHolla deserves this, referring to the adverse performance evaluation. OHolla argued it did not meet the departments policy, the suit alleges.

Battiloro also brought allegations of OHollas theft of time to the Union County Prosecutors Office twice seeking criminal charges, but the office denied, the suit alleges. The allegations caused OHolla to be denied a promotion to sergeant.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims Battiloro and the police wagered bias-based harassment towards OHolla, a non-commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. That included verifying his drill attendance with his superior and rescinding a long-standing policy of paying officers for time missed due to military drills, the suit alleges.

OHolla later became the subject of an internal affairs investigation following a welfare check of a township resident, who had appeared to be deceased, but was alive at the time, the lawsuit says. The resident died roughly two weeks later, prompting OHolla to be placed on modified duty, which barred him from leaving the department headquarters during his shift and working side jobs.

At the conclusion of the investigation, OHolla was told that Battiloro was seeking to suspend him for six months or terminate him.

OHolla, who had been working for the department for a decade, resigned on Aug. 4.

Even had the Plaintiff accepted the six-month suspension, he knew he would either still be terminated or terminated under some pretext or another upon his return, because [Chief] Battiloro would not rest until the Plaintiffs career was over, the complaint says.

According to the suit, Battiloro then went before the township council stating the township should not settle with OHolla, preventing him from seeking a pre-litigation settlement. As a final act of retaliation, the suit alleges, Battiloro attempted to sabotage OHollas potential employment at the Union County Prosecutors office.

The suit alleges violations of the states Law Against Discrimination, or LAD.

Requests for comment from Battiloro, Sandelli and OHollas attorney were not immediately returned Sunday.
Trent Grisham fouled the first pitch of the ALDS off his foot, but the home plate umpire didn't see it and the play isn't reviewable. AP

TORONTO  At first glance, Trent Grishams bouncer down the first-base line on the first pitch of Saturdays Division Series opener between the Yankees and Blue Jays was routine.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scooped it up and when first-base umpire Adam Hamari signaled that it was a fair ball, it was an easy first out for Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman.

But Grisham never ran out of the box. He stayed with home-plate umpire Chris Segal, claiming the ball bounced off the top of his right foot before going into fair territory, meaning it shouldve been ruled a foul ball.

Replays show that Grisham had every right to be upset. The ball clearly bounced off his toe before hitting the dirt in the batters box. It barely nicked Grishams shoe, but there was definitely contact.

Do you think this should have been ruled a foul ball? pic.twitter.com/rFyfYq1Sq1  FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 4, 2025

Segal didnt see it, though. And much to the Yankees chagrin, a ball off a players foot isnt reviewable.

So, after making his case at home plate, with manager Aaron Boone also in attendance, Grisham had to walk back to the dugout.

Here are other recent Yankees posts on NJ.com to check out:

-- Yankees explain tough call taking vet off ALDS roster

-- Cody Bellinger in lineup and better, but Im sure well see him limping

-- Yankees change roster for Division Series; Blue Jays leave off stars

-- Blue Jays send Yankees, Aaron Judge message: Nothings changing

-- Cam Schlittler had last laugh after Red Sox fans crossed line in wild-card smack talk

-- Yankees reveal pitching plans for Division Series against Blue Jays

-- Yankees feared worst when Ryan McMahon flipped into Red Sox dugout in crazy play

-- Yankees-Blue Jays schedule, pitching matchups and more: What to know for ALDS
unday, September 28, the halfway mark between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I attended a talk in Manhattan featuring peace activists Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon.

This ten-day period, known as "The Days of Awe," is when Jews are called upon to engage in self-examination, renewal, reflection on their actions over the past twelve months, and to repair the damage they have caused to others. The timing was perfect to hear these men share their stories and vision for the peaceful future of Palestine and Israel.



The Brotherhood Synagogue in Gramercy Park, led by Rabbi Daniel Alder, hosted the event. It is a temple I know well, as it is the congregation where my son had his Bar Mitzvah.

On-site early, I had the opportunity to speak with Maoz and Aziz before attendees arrived. After offering my condolences to Maoz on the death of his parents on October 7, we talked about the current despair and violence gripping the land.



"We need to go back to the Judaism of our prophets," Maoz told me. "The opposite of what Israel is now. We can't wait for the prophets. Where is Shalom?"



Maoz acknowledged that Israelis were traumatized, but emphasized that public opinion was flexible. "Our role is to envision a new reality, and talk about the future." He underscored, "We're speaking about values, not terms." He paused and then continued. "I know about human life. It's sacred. Each of us should be accountable. [We need to] bring this potential for the scenario to happen. A wall will never protect us." He said definitively, "By 2030, there will be peace."

When I spoke to Aziz, we delved into the divisions between and among both Palestinians and Israelis. "There will always be extremists," he said. "You sideline them and create an alternative."



The meeting room filled up quickly by 2 p.m. Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, founder of Lab/Shul, and Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T'ruah spoke briefly to the crowd. Jacobs mentioned the silent vigil that had taken place in front of the United Nations, where protestors had held up photos of hostages remaining in Gaza and Palestinian children who the Israeli military had killed. "We have to break down the dichotomy," she said, "to a both/and." They announced the weekly Union Square meeting later that afternoon, organized by Israelis for Peace and NYC Friends of Standing Together, which would also feature Maoz and Aziz.



Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson, the Executive Director of Partners for Progressive Israel, was the moderator. Together, as co-presidents of InterAct (whose joint work has included a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in May 2025), Aziz explained, "Before we start, we set expectations. We give each other a hug."



Maoz began. "Aziz and I have been doing this work for the past two years. The situation is going from worse to worse. The old order and reality are broken. If there are not new ways, there will be a crash." He then said, "My reality was broken on October 7. My parents lived close to the border for thirty years." Maoz related how he had spoken to his father early that morning. There seemed to be some kind of escalation on the perimeter. Maoz went to make his coffee after signing off the call with, "Talk to you soon." Then, news trickled in. Maoz learned that Hamas was in the community. His calls to his parents got no response. At 4 p.m., he and his siblings were able to reach neighbors of his parents, who notified him that the house had been "burned to ashes, with two bodies inside."



Maoz's family began to sit shiva. The family agreed to reject the "cycle of blood and revenge that has been happening for years." Through his grief and tears, Maoz had a vision of humanity where the blood on the land would be "washed clean" from all the crying. When Maoz awoke, he resolved to heal himself by choosing a different path.



A message from the universe came in the form of a call from Aziz, whom Maoz had met a decade earlier through their work in the tourism industry. The person who had introduced them had contacted Aziz to inform him of Maoz's loss. Aziz's reaction to that horrific day was, "What has been done is an act of cowards."



At this point, Aziz picked up the thread of connection to share his narrative. "I reached out because I've been in that space," he said.



"I've experienced the Occupation since I was a little kid. I was seven years old during the Intifada." Aziz described his desire to stay home from school because of the constant tear gas from Israeli soldiers he would experience on his walk to attend classes. His mother insisted that he go, giving him freshly cut onions to mitigate the chemical irritants. Two years later, his brother was arrested and taken to prison for throwing stones at the IDF. While incarcerated, his brother was tortured and died shortly after his release. Now, at ten years old, without preparation for a flood of overwhelming anger and vengeance, Aziz had to find a way to continue his life.



For the next eight years, Aziz was politically active. He realized that if he wanted to go to college, he would need to learn Hebrew. He enrolled in an Ulpan course and joined a group comprised of Jewish immigrants. He was afraid, thinking that everyone would hate him. However, the breakthrough moment came when his teacher greeted him in Arabic. Aziz said, "I had never experienced an Israeli who treated me nicely. My story of transformation started in that classroom."



Aziz reflected on all his friends from Gaza who have lost innumerable family members and acquaintances. He speculated that if he took an inventory of everyone he knew who had perished, it would reach 1,000 people. "How do we use our passion and anger?" Aziz asked rhetorically. "Peace is impossible because we have not desired it enough."



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A cancer cell is an astonishing perversion of the normal cell. Cancer is a phenomenally successful invader and colonizer in part because it exploits the very features that make us successful as a species or an organism.

Siddhartha Mukherjee, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

No matter what she says, refute it. If she resists, say, Youre unreasonable.





Theres noise and pounding after 1:00 am!





Its impossible for you to hear below you! And the white female representative from corporate, Mercy Housing, in Illinois, nods with her.





No, you cant hear tenants below, the corporate boss chimes in to defend her manager.





Do I live in a condo or any soundproof building? No, I dont. In fact, you can hear many pins drop downstairs and down the hall! The previous downstairs tenant in the building I lived in before would call the police on my for flushing the toilet after 10:00 pm! Of course, I can hear the young man, and I mean a man, not a teenager even, jumping and pounding.





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We must hold the Superintendent accountable



Karla Griego

A Closed-Door Renewal

Like all public agencies in California, the LAUSD School Board is bound by the Brown Act, which requires transparency and open meetings. While the law allows certain closed-door deliberations, it does not require them. It also mandates that agendas be published in advance, informing the public about upcoming meetings and their topics.

On September 16, 2025, the LAUSD Board convened a special meeting with a single agenda item: Superintendents evaluation. The description suggested a routine review, but after private deliberations, the Board reemerged to announce a unanimous vote to extend Carvalhos contract. Parents and voters, who expect a chance to weigh in on important matters affecting students, were given no voice.

This lack of transparency violated campaign promises made by propublic education board members to increase parent engagement after years of silencing by the former majority, which the Charter School Industry supported. Instead of delivering change, the Board reinforced the status quo.

Secrecy Over Accountability

The Brown Act permits the Board to keep details of closed-door meetings confidential, but it does not compel secrecy. Nick Melvoin filed a complaint with the Los Angeles City Attorney after Scott Schmerelson disclosed information about the previous Superintendents hiring, ensuring that no Board Member dares to share what was discussed in these sessions. Therefore, stakeholders will never know if Carvalho was questioned about the failures during his tenure, including:

Cybersecurity Breach:After Russian hackers infiltrated LAUSD systems, Carvalho claimed no student data was compromised and threatened to prosecute anyone who contradicted the District's official talking points. Months later, student records, including sensitive information for students enrolled in Special Education programs, surfaced on the Dark Web, leaving parents fearing identity theft and long-term exposure for their children.

Failed AI Contract: Under Carvalos leadership, the LAUSD paid $6 million to AllHere Education for Ed, a generative AI chatbot meant to support struggling students. The program collapsed when the company declared bankruptcy, leaving privacy concerns and wasted funds.

Ending Primary Promise: Without explaining his reasoning, Carvalho abruptly ended this literacy program, despite district data showing it was helping students who had fallen behind. No proof has been provided to show that the replacement improved upon its predecessor.

PROP-28 Conflict: Instead of working with parents on implementing voter-approved funding for Arts Education, Carvalho dismissed complaints. Parents had to sue the District to force compliance. In responding to the lawsuit, Carvalho claimed that the plaintiffs did not understand the wording of the proposition. It was written by his predecessor, Austin Beutner, who was one of the people who filed the suit.

Special Education Exclusion: Under his leadership, the District blocked the Community Advisory Committee from participating in the development of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), its primary state-mandated duty.

What Comes Next?

Reports indicate that Carvalhos contract has not yet been finalized. Parents and communities should demand that the process moving forward be open, transparent, and accountable.

Q.: If the Superintendent position becomes vacant during your term do you commit to an open process that complies with the Brown Act and gives parents a voice before a final vote is taken to extend a contract to the selected candidate?



Dr. Rocio Rivas: Yes 20 Questions For The LAUSD District 2 Candidates

Dr. Diane Ravitch has recognized education advocate Carl Petersen as a valiant fighter for public schools. A former Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board, Petersen is a passionate voice for special education, shaped by raising two daughters with severe autism. He recently relocated to the State of Washington to embrace his role as Poppy to two grandsons. Explore more at www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com.


poster RFK: Legacy

(Image by Angel) Details DMCA



Theres a new documentary out about Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy: RFK Legacy. It is directed by Sean Stone, son of acclaimed director Oliver Stone, who directed the epic conspiracy drama, JFK (1991). Many viewers can recall sitting up straight-and-smart at around the three hour mark of the film when investigating attorney Jim Garrison (played by Kevin Costner) announces, I submit to you that what took place on November 22, 1963 was a coup d'tat.

US President Dwight Eisenhower, the former Supreme Commander of the European Expeditionary forces that were vital in the drive to defeat the Nazis, had warned Americans in 1961, in his last speech before leaving office, about the undue influence of the military-industrial complex (MIC). The American arms industry had grown exponentially since the end of WW2 and Ike was worried its unabated growth, and tax dollars spent, and lack of accountability, could ruin democracy.

As if to underscore the power of the conspiracy of undue influencers, later in the film Garrison and his family are watching the 1968 California primary when news flashes that RFKs been slain:

Jim Garrison: They killed Robert F. Kennedy. He won, and they killed him. They shot him down. Liz Garrison: Oh, God. Both of them? Both brothers? You were right.

They is the MIC, and Garrison adds, The war is the biggest business in America, worth $80 billion a year. That was then, but by FY 2025 military expenditure represented $1.20T committed of $1.94T Total Budgetary Resources, according to the US governments own spending agency. Money doesnt talk -- it swears, according to a Bob Dylan line. And, arguably, the MIC is joined by the Deep State and the Social Media who work with them to control the masses for money.

RFK: Legacy begins with RFK announcing his candidacy to run for the presidency in the fall of 1968. The film depicts him as laying low in an extended period of grief after his brothers murder five years before, but is energized by the national opposition to the Vietnam War and decides to run for the presidency. He connects with Americas youth and seems a healer of the racial divide exacerbated by the murder of MLK in Memphis in April of that year. He opens his candidacy with a speech before supporters:

I run to seek new policies. Policies to close the gaps that now exist between black and white, between rich and poor, between young and old. I run for the presidency because I want the United States of America to stand for hope instead of despair. I have traveled, and I have listened to the young people of our nation and felt their anger about the war that they are sent to fight, and about the world that they are about to inherit.

It had been a while since Americans had been told they were being listened to about problems in the present and their right to a brighter future. Stalwart supporters had seen JFK as a proponent of peace and as an advocatesharing knowledge in cooperation, rather than in competition, as a universal attribute of the species, homo sapiens. Such qualities ran against the grain of the military-industrial-complex operatives that the previous president, Dwight Eisenhower, had warned Americans to be on guard against. RFK was promising to end the war and pursue domestic tranquility. He had to go.

RFK Legacy also spends a lot of time with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. being interviewed by Oliver Stone about the Kennedy legacy -- and about RFK, Jrs own troubles with MIC-like forces aligned against him. This is where the film takes an uneasy segue into paranoia and defensiveness. It begins to feel like Sean Stone is constructing a fantasy about RFK, Jrs well-known troubles with information surrounding vaccines and autism, and overlaying this fantasy with warm, delicate memories of the Kennedy years, when so many average American saw John and Bobby as akin to Batman and Robin fighting bad guys (CIA, Mafia, and warmongers).

The Stones give RFK, Jr. the latitude to connect conspiracy theories -- and to then let him liken those conspiracies to his own living problems. For instance, Oliver Stone asks if RFK, Jr., believes Sirhan Sirhan murdered his father in LA. RFK, Jr., immediately replies, No. He elaborates, I read that autopsy report. And it was transformative for me, because anybody who reads that report will understand that Sirhan could not have killed my father. We hear again what weve heard before that Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian-born Lebanese alleged assassin confessed, even telling a courtroom what motivated him:

You must remember the circumstances of that night, June 5. That was when I was provoked. That is when I initially went to observe the Jewish Zionist parade in celebration of the June 5, 1967, victory over the Arabs. That was the catalyst that triggered me on that night.(here)

And yet, Sirhan Sirhan has maintained for decades that he doesnt even remember the night of the assassination. RFK, Jr. apparently buys this, and Stone inserts a visual reference to MK-Ultra, suggesting Sirhan was brainwashed.

The documentary slides further into connective speculation when Sean Stone references the plight of Rachel Carson, who was attacked in the media and by corporations, following the release of her groundbreaking reportage on the damage to the environment that is detailed in Silent Spring (1962). She was especially critical of Monsanto, the supplier of Agent Orange in Viet Nam. They couldnt nuke it, but they could defoliate the place. It seems abrupt and not entirely convincing when Stone then draws a parallel to RFKs woes with political operatives unhappy with his anti-vaxxing statements, as well as his views on autism. In RFK: Legacy, RFK, Jr., explains, "What I've been saying is people are going to be frightened of vaccines if they don't trust the federal regulators to be honest with the American people." While RFK, Jr. was throttled by the MSM for speaking to the dangers of vaccines, he was correct in pointing out that all of the vaccines for Covid that appeared in a deluge in late 2020 (though even t he NYT had criticized the notion that any vaccine could be created in less than four years --- it never had been before, and never for Covid at all) --- all of the released vaccines were made available by the US government through the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which drastically limited liability, and by which Big Pharma released insufficiently tested vaccines to the public, making millions of Americans guinea pigs.

RFK, Jr. ran for president as an independent in 2023/24 after the Democratic Party shut him out as a viable candidate, as they had the candidacy of Bernie Sanders. He eventually dropped out of the race after accepting an appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services from Donald Trump.

RFK: Legacy closes out with a return to a speech of Bobby expressing his own version of I Have A Dream, which moved so many Americans who yearned for decency and dignity and equity. And then, RFK, Jr. adds, Ultimately, the only thing that will save our country and our children is if we choose to love our kids more than we hate each other. A familiar Kennedy trope.

We know how that ended.

RFK: Legacy can be viewed at Angel.com, an online film streamer. They provide a 23 minute excerpt from the film to help you decide if you want to sign up to view it in its entirety.


US Government Shuts Down: What You Need to Know At 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025, the U.S. government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill before the ...

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US federal government shutdown as of 12:01 AM October 1, 2025

Surprise, surprise, the federal government's shutdown occurred at 12:01 Wednesday

As if this dysfunctional government of ours wasn't bad enough not serving the interests of the American people the Dems and the Repubs accused the other for the shutdown.

That's what these miscreants do anyway, accuse one another for this, that and the other.

They certainly don't talk with one another; they just accuse each other.

Now with Trump back again in the Oval Office and the Repubs in control of both houses of Congress they're the hammer and the Dems are the nail to be hit.

Of course whose is primarily to blame for the Trumpster's second go round if not the Democrats themselves.

They could have prevented it from happening. First by getting Biden to step down immediately after his disastrous debate performance in his debate with Trump instead of letting him continue till July 21st, less than two months for their convention to begin August 19th.

So the Dems took the easy way out and nominated (coronate really) Kamala Harris to face Trump in November.

What they should have done at their convention was determine who would have the best chance of beating Trump. They didn't do that and now we're living with the Trumpster's second coming.

So now the Dems are in the wilderness out of favor as the minority party in both the House and the Senate.

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Time is running out for Hamas. U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a 21-point plan for Gaza, but only gave the Palestinian armed resistance group 3-4 days to respond.

Israeli planes and tanks pounded residential neighborhoods in Gaza throughout the night. Local health authorities said that at least 35 people across Gaza had been killed by the military on Wednesday, most of them in Gaza City.

While the world awaits Hamas response, a strike on the old city in northwestern Gaza City killed seven people, while six people sheltering in a school in another part of the city were killed in a separate strike.

The Israeli military issued new orders for people to leave for the south and said it would no longer allow those to return to the north, as Gaza City came under heavy bombing.

Defence Minister Israel Katz described the move as tightening the encirclement around Gaza on the way to defeating Hamas, saying Palestinians willing to leave to the south would have to go through army vetting.

This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives isolated in Gaza City itself in the face of the IDFs continuing full-scale operations, Katz said.

The Israeli military also said that starting on Wednesday it would no longer allow people to use a coastal road to move from the south to communities in the north.

Gaza continues to suffer from genocide, starvation and lack of basic medical care. Israel continues to prevent aid trucks into Gaza, and has prevented the Gaza flotilla, consisting of 52 ships from 44 countries filled with aid to arrive. Israel has killed over 60,000 people in the war crime of collective punishment, where women and children were executed for the crimes of Hamas.

Trumps plan includes a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and a transitional international governance structure aimed at ending the war and overseeing the strip's reconstruction.

The plan has received cautious support from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but is being met with significant reservations from Hamas, Israeli extremists, and some Arab partners.

A Detailed Breakdown of the Plan:

Ceasefire and Hostage Release: The proposal mandates an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire across Gaza. It requires the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours, coupled with the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including 100-200 serving long sentences.

Demilitarization and Hamas Exit: A central pillar demands that Hamas must disarm and its members leave Gaza. Amnesty would be offered to members who agree to peaceful coexistence. An international Arab force, operating under a time-bound framework, would be tasked with collecting weapons.

Transitional Governance: Gaza would be governed by a temporary international body, tentatively named the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA). Palestinian technocrats would manage daily affairs under the supervision of Arab and European partners, with no role for Hamas or other militant groups. A "Board of Peace," reportedly to be chaired by Trump, would oversee the recruitment and training of the new government.

Reconstruction and Humanitarian Relief: The plan guarantees unhindered entry of humanitarian aid via the UN and international organizations, with safe corridors established across Gaza. A five-year reconstruction plan led by an international and Arab consortium is proposed, with an initial budget of $90 million, rising to $164 million by the third year.

Political Guarantees and Future Path: Israel would withdraw to an agreed line, explicitly avoiding the annexation of Gaza or the West Bank. The plan encourages Palestinians to remain in Gaza, ruling out forced displacement. It offers a conditional pathway to future Palestinian statehood, contingent on reforms and peaceful governance, with final-status negotiations to resume between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

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On October 1st, the start of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, a group of Santa Fe New Mexicans inspired by Jijmegen, Sweden, began reading the names and ages of people who have died in Gaza since October 7, 2023. There are 828 Jewish Israelis on this list, and nearly 69,000 Palestinians.

The book of names is 1200 pages long. Some individuals have five or six names. I imagine parents naming each child, honoring ancestors, wanting protection for their newborn. The Arabic names are rarely familiar. We readers do our best.

In a two-hour slot (over 120 total hours), four of us take turns reading a total of four pages each. I'm wrapped in several layers - and still, relentless wind keeps me cold, aware of my comforts, which Gazans and so many others likely do not have.

During our two-hour slot, all but a handful of the names we read are children six and under.

We read at Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Catholic church, under a statue of Our Lady. We have a lectern, a microphone and, at sunset, a lamp, near two benches and a handful of folding chairs for visitors.

Santa Fe Witnessing for Gaza invites other cities to create similar events.

RESOURCES ABOUT PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI HISTORY and REMEDIES

In earlier substacks, I listed films that teach Palestinian-Israeli history: In a dark time, Roethke said, the eye begins to see, and Imagining a techno-sustainable Palestine.

No Other Land, a new film by Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, shows his community, Masafer Yatta, destroyed by Israel's occupation - while he built an unlikely alliance with an Israeli journalist. Click Here How to Interfere with the War Machine. Will Falk describes how Columbus, Ohio's anti-preemption city charter amendment provides an example of a municipality's intervening in genocide and protecting the environment.

JP Hill reports that resistance is everywhere - it just isn't getting enough attention. European unions have called for a massive general strike for Gaza. U.S. Americans have shown up to resist when ICE tries to take their neighbors. The Debt Collective and tenants of Equity Residential, the nation's fifth-largest apartment owner, just announced a rent-debt strike. Trailer park tenants are forming tenant unions.

Rethinking Rural Living in the Sahara: A Manifesto for Water and Food Sovereignty in Algeria by El Habib Ben Amara. Across the Algerian Sahara, we are not lacking land, sunlight, or ancestral knowledge. We lack a bold and rooted vision that reconciles humans with the land, the climate, and their future. This manifesto calls for a profound shift in how we relate to the desert. It argues that rural housing in the Sahara should no longer be seen as a burden, but as an opportunity - a strategic lever for food, water, and ecological sovereignty in Algeria. If Palestinians receive land (including, perhaps, Gaza), could this manifesto provide a blueprint?

A POEM from Joseph Fasano:

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Protests at Reid Park 2025-Epstein Death Anniversary

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On September 25, a federal grand jury indicted former FBI director James Comey on charges of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding (by making that false statement) in 2020.

The false statement? The word "no," in answer to the question of whether he had "ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation."

The "someone else" is former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, himself fired for those unauthorized disclosures ... and for lying about them.

The claim of a known liar that someone else lied seems like a pretty weak prosecutorial rede. That explains why DOJ prosecutors reported no probable cause to seek the indictment. US president Donald Trump bullied their boss, US Attorney Erik Siebert, into resigning, replacing Siebert with a sycophant (Lindsey Halligan) who could be counted on to follow Trump's orders.

BUT!

Comey himself is also a known liar. That's not speculation. It's not an open question, it's a confirmed fact.

In 2020, Comey told Congress that he didn't know about Hillary Clinton's plans to link Trump to Russia using disinformation -- "that doesn't ring any bells with me." Subsequently declassified documents established that he had been briefed on Clinton's plans by then CIA director (and former Communist Party member, and also known liar) John Brennan.

Comey also told Congress that he had only briefed Trump on the "salacious" parts of the infamous "Steele Dossier" (part of Clinton's disinformation campaign). Again, subsequently declassified memos establish that he discussed the entire dossier, in depth, with Trump.

In fact, perhaps the only time Comey was very truthful was in 2016 when he more or less admitted that Clinton had committed crimes by negligently exposing classified information through her illegal use of a private email server, but wouldn't be prosecuted because, well, she was Hillary Clinton.

It seems like Comey's tenure was mostly lies. So pardon me if I decline to break out even the world's smallest violin for his current legal problems.

On the other hand, it's also true that this prosecution has nothing whatsoever to do with the alleged lie in question.

It's partly about Donald Trump's desire to "get" Comey for having proven insufficiently loyal to Donald Trump.

It's mostly about Trump's need for distractions from his close personal relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein.

So, OK, prosecute Comey.

And release the Epstein files.
Q. I take Advair for asthma. My insurance company requires that I use a mail-order pharmacy rather than a local drugstore.

I live in Florida, where it is hot and humid outside a good part of the year. Outdoor temperatures are well above the suggested storage temperatures for this medicine. I am not always here to receive it when it is delivered, so it may sit out for hours.

When I contacted the mail-order pharmacy with my concerns, they told me to rent a box at the post office if I wanted properly maintained temperatures!

A. You are not the first reader to report problems with mail-order medicines. The official instructions on storage for Advair (fluticasone + salmeterol) call for storage at room temperature (68 to 77 degrees F). Short excursions allow for temperatures to reach as high as 86 degrees.

We think its unreasonable for a mail-order pharmacy to require customers to rent post office boxes. Moreover, it is an incomplete solution. Most trucks that transport mail are not climate-controlled. The best way to know if your meds have been maintained properly during shipping would be if the mail-order pharmacy included a temperature and humidity sensor with the medicine.

Q. I just read that the Food and Drug Administration is planning to ban all natural thyroid preparations. I have been taking Armour Thyroid for decades.

At one point, it became unavailable, and I had to rely solely on Synthroid. I was miserable with brain fog and fatigue no matter what dose my doctor prescribed. I am terrified that I wont be able to function if the natural desiccated thyroid is taken off the market.

A. This could indeed be quite a problem for hypothyroid people who rely on desiccated extract of animal thyroid glands. When scientists ask patients whether they prefer natural extract, such as Armour, or synthetic levothyroxine like Synthroid, between 10% and 20% of people prefer the natural thyroid. You can learn more about this from our eGuide to Thyroid Hormones. This online resource is found under the Health eGuides at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

We understand that AbbVie plans to request approval for Armour Thyroid, but we cannot predict the outcome.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.
Douglas Hwang, whose parents own AB Hollywood's shopping center at 4434 N.E. Sandy Blvd., which houses a Teriyaki restaurant and a vacant tenant, got a demand letter to make accommodations for disabled people and pay attorney fees. "It took a toll on our family," Hwang said, noting that his parents are first-generation Korean immigrants who have owned the property for 40 years. Court documents

Portland attorney Jessica Molligan misrepresented facts in an unethical representation of a client as she pursued a bogus lawsuit alleging disability access violations against a Portland business to extract tens of thousands of dollars in attorney fees, a judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge Youlee Yim You ordered Molligan to pay the business, AB Hollywood, the full amount of attorney fees it spent defending the case.

Molligan acted in bad faith in bringing this suit and in the manner she litigated it, You wrote in a 37-page opinion.

Her misconduct and sordid scheme, the judge found, infected this case from its inception.

The suit Molligan filed against AB Hollywood was among the first in what became 52 cases filed under the guise of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2023 and 2024 in Oregon, You wrote.

Molligan handled most of the cases. She filed four on behalf of a Portland man, Conner Slevin, who uses a wheelchair, and another 36 on behalf of two other disabled people. A class-action suit is also pending against Molligan seeking punitive damages.

Molligan didnt immediately return a message seeking comment.

Slevin admitted in court last year that he was recruited by a Tennessee law firm working with Molligan to go to businesses and target them for disability access violations. He said he got paid $200 a visit.

Slevin later sued Molligan, alleging malpractice. The case is pending.

Molligan had sued AB Hollywood on Slevins behalf in September 2023 alleging that the family-run companys strip mall at Northeast Sandy Boulevard and 45th Avenue didnt meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

At the time, the property consisted of a teriyaki restaurant, one vacant storefront and three parking spaces, including one disabled spot accessible to vans and with proper signs, according to Iain Armstrong, the companys lawyer. All met the standards of the federal law, he said in court papers.

The judge wrote that Molligan used the blanket power of attorney to run the case without any input from or, seemingly any meaningful communication at all with her client, and she did not conduct a reasonable investigation into the property before initiating this action.

Molligan appears to have regarded plaintiff as little more than a case generator for her, and apart from allegedly visiting the site, plaintiff had essentially no connection with the case or apparently any idea what was going on with it, You wrote.

You found that Molligan violated the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers, which requires that any decision to settle a case must be made by the client, not the lawyer.

Molligan, in court documents, stood by her position that AB Hollywood had Americans with Disabilities Act violations and that her claims were not frivolous. She said Slevin gave her authorization to settle the suit on his behalf.

Molligan initially sent a letter to AB Hollywood with Slevins name on it that alleged access violations and demanded that the company fix them and pay $13,000 in attorney fees. Molligan then filed a lawsuit against the company in U.S. District Court in Portland.

In May 2024, AB Hollywoods lawyers made an offer to settle Slevins lawsuit for $1,000 and Molligan accepted it immediately, according to court records.

She sent a proposed settlement agreement and signed only her name to it, according to court records.

When AB Hollywoods lawyers then asked Molligan to have the agreement signed by her client, Molligan didnt respond until the following month and said she would dismiss the suit instead, the court records show.

Slevin then sued Molligan, and AB Hollywoods lawyer sought court sanctions against Molligan.

Molligan later admitted in court when facing potential sanctions that she knew or at later found out that Slevin had visited the strip mall property in November 2022 when a blue-and-white sign was plainly legible that designated an accessible parking space and not faded and unintelligible as the suit alleged.

You said Molligan violated one of the most fundamental aspects of the attorney-client relationship, by litigating the case with little, if any, communication with her client, and including allegations in the complaint that turned out to be false.

The judges opinion did not provide the total amount of attorney fees that Molligan has been ordered to pay.
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut ruled that President Trump illegally seized control of Oregon National Guard troops and she directed him to return them to the command of Gov. Tina Kotek under a temporary order that expires at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 18. This is the Oregon National Guard Armory in Salem, Oregon, on Oct. 2, 2025. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

A judge on Saturday ordered the Trump administration to halt its mobilization of 200 Oregon National Guard troops to protect the ICE building in Portland and its officers amid nightly protests.

Hours later, U.S. Department of Justice lawyers filed a notice to appeal the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a 31-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut rejected the federal governments assertion that Portland faces a danger of rebellion and said she wasnt persuaded by the U.S. Justice Departments argument that regular forces are unable to execute federal law.

Lawyers for the U.S. government also failed to show that federal officers need backup from the National Guard to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building or themselves, Immergut found.

The state and the city of Portland, the judge wrote, provided substantial evidence that the protests at the ICE field office in South Portland were not significantly violent or disruptive in the days - or even weeks - leading up to the Presidents directive issued last weekend.

She also found that the sniper shooting a week earlier at an immigration building in Dallas didnt provide grounds for the Portland mobilization as the federal government asserted.

Violence elsewhere cannot support troop deployments here, and concern about hypothetical future conduct does not demonstrate a present inability to execute the laws using nonmilitary federal law enforcement, her opinion said.

The judge ruled that President Trump illegally seized control of the state National Guard troops and she directed him to return them to the command of Gov. Tina Kotek under a temporary order that expires at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 18. She also denied the federal governments motion to place an administrative hold on her order.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson issued a brief statement, saying, President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement  we expect to be vindicated by a higher court."

Immerguts decision came as federal officers fired tear gas at a crowd of demonstrators who marched to the Portland immigration building Saturday afternoon and on the same day Illinois Gov. JB Pitzker announced that Trump planned to federalize 300 members of its states National Guard.

It followed a federal judges ruling in California in early September that found Trumps move to take control over the states National Guard in Los Angeles violated federal law. That ruling is under appeal.

Four local organizations put on the "No National Guard in Portland" protest on Saturday, October 4, 2025. The crowd met at Elizabeth Caruthers Park and walked about three blocks to the ICE facility. Allison Barr/The Oregonian

The sporadic violence outside Portlands ICE office comes nowhere close to meeting the high bar required under federal law, namely part of the code known as Title 10, Section 12406, to justify the extraordinary measure of bringing in the military, Immergut said.

While she called some of the protesters actions inexcusable, such as setting up a makeshift guillotine to intimidate federal officers or shining high-powered lights in the eyes of people driving federal vehicles, Immergut said the U.S. Justice Department lawyers cited only four significant clashes between protesters and officers in September before Trumps troop directive.

Those were nowhere near the type of incidents that cannot be handled by regular law enforcement forces, she wrote.

While the U.S. president is entitled to a great level of deference, she wrote, a great level of deference is not equivalent to ignoring the facts on the ground.

The Presidents determination was simply untethered to the facts, the ruling said.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last Sunday called 200 Oregon National Guard members into federal service for 60 days, but no troops yet have arrived at the building.

The state and city of Portland filed suit hours later and then filed a motion seeking an immediate restraining order to block the deployment. California Gov. Gavin Newsom submitted a brief in support of Oregons challenge.

The federal code that Trump invoked to federalize state National Guard troops says presidents can call them up when regular forces arent enough to execute the laws of the United States, repel an invasion by a foreign nation or suppress a rebellion or the danger of a rebellion against the U.S. government.

Such orders, the code says, shall be issued through the governors of the States or in the case of the District of Columbia, through the commanding general of its National Guard.

Four local organizations put on the "No National Guard in Portland" protest on Saturday, October 4, 2025. The crowd met at Elizabeth Caruthers Park and walked about three blocks to the ICE facility. Allison Barr/The Oregonian

The sporadic episodes of violence and property damage to the federal building were not a rebellion, nor did they pose a danger of a rebellion, and there is no evidence that they were part of any organized attempt to overthrow the government, the judge said.

Immergut found that the troop mobilization also violates the 10th Amendment, which reserves to the states all rights and powers not delegated to federal authorities by the Constitution, and harms the state by causing state and local police to spend more to quell increased civil unrest.

The judge pointed out that the size of the protests increased substantially ballooning to around 200 people last Sunday night, when Hegseth announced the federal mobilization of Oregon troops.

Because the President is federalizing the Oregon National Guard absent constitutional authority, his actions undermine the sovereign interest of Oregon as protected by the Tenth Amendment, her opinion said.

The mobilization also diverts the troops from other state responsibilities, impairing Oregons ability to call on the Guard to respond to emergencies, she said.

Keeping the status quo is in the publics interest and doesnt prevent local, state and federal law enforcement officers from continuing to arrest protesters who violate the law, Immergut said.

She referenced the countrys longstanding tradition of resistance to government overreach, quoting from founding leader James Madisons address to the Constitutional Convention in 1787: A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty...

This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law, Immergut wrote.

Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal powerto the detriment of this nation, she wrote.

Immergut dismissed the federal governments argument that troops were needed because the Federal Protective Service was overwhelmed and had to move 115 of its officers from other regions to assist at the Portland ICE facility.

That redeployment of federal officers helped reduce disorder between June and September, with about 20 or fewer protesters gathering outside the building in the immediate days leading up to Trumps federalization order, her ruling said.

If the President could equate diversion of federal resources with his inability to execute federal law, Immergut wrote, then the President could send military troops virtually anywhere at any time.

In a statement shortly after Immerguts decision, Kotek said: Truth has prevailed.

This ruling puts us on the right side of history, Kotek said. And while the fight is far from over, Oregon remains united and ready to defend our values and our rights  today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes."

Federal agents armed with pepper-ball guns and a rifle aim at protesters gathered beneath the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office on Sat., Oct. 4, 2025. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the ruling a healthy check on the president.

It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the presidents war-torn fantasy, he said. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion.

He said he expected the Trump administration to follow Immerguts order -- and if it doesnt, the state could return to court in an effort to hold the federal government in contempt.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said deploying unaccountable federal troops only inflames tensions and he praised the city attorneys who assisted in the legal challenge. He said it was clear that the Trump administrations narrative was manufactured.

Wilson said securing a temporary restraining order was a necessary step, but added: Our work to protect Portland immigrant communities must continue.

Wilson also urged all federal law enforcement agencies to mandate body worn cameras on its officers and adopt strict limits on chemical munitions.

By 7:51 p.m., U.S. Justice Department lawyer Christopher Edelman had filed a notice that the government was appealing Immerguts temporary restraining order, signed at 3:40 p.m.

An email to another of the federal lawyers involved in the case bounced back, saying the lawyer was on furlough status because the appropriation for their salary had lapsed during the government shutdown.

Immergut said she would accept a motion no later than Oct. 17 from the city and state to extend her temporary order in the form of a preliminary injunction and set an Oct. 29 date for a trial on the expected motion and the merits of the initial lawsuit.

Her ruling followed a nearly two-hour hearing Friday morning.

Immergut got the case Thursday afternoon after U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon, who was originally assigned it, recused himself once federal government lawyers raised the specter of partiality, considering his wife is a U.S. representative who joined with Oregons governor and Portlands mayor to decry Trumps troop deployment. Simon was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama in 2011; Immergut was nominated by Trump in 2019.

During arguments before a packed courtroom Friday morning, Immergut appeared skeptical of the Trump administrations basis for placing the Guard members under federal control, asking what recent clashes have prevented immigration officers from doing their job.

While Immergut said she recognized that she must give deference to the presidents determination, she noted that it appeared the administration relied on a June 7 memo to federalize the troops in both Portland and California.

The memo -- titled Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions  contends that numerous incidents of violence and disorder in response to immigration enforcement, along with significant damage to immigration facilities and credible threats constituted a form of rebellion against the authority of the U.S. government.

I dont see anything in the record that talks about recent events, Immergut said. It doesnt refer to anything proximate to the actual callout.

Protesters and counter-protesters square off near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in South Portland on Sat., Oct. 4, 2025. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian

U.S. Justice Department attorney Eric Hamilton pointed to Trumps Sept. 27 post on Truth Social saying conditions in Oregon continued to deteriorate into mayhem. In that post, Trump wrote that he was directing his defense secretary to provide all necessary troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists.

Hamilton argued that the social media post indicated Trump had been in discussion with his subordinates and his posts reflect his decision-making with Hegseth, and that theres been a persistent and serious threat of violence outside the ICE building.

Really? Immergut asked. A social media post is going to count as a presidential determination that you can send the National Guard to cities? Thats really what I should be relying on?

Hamilton also argued that a threat of rebellion exists in Portland, directing the judge to the 1891 definition in Blacks Law Dictionary, describing rebellion as a deliberate organized resistance to the laws or operations of the government.

He said the monthslong targeting of a Portland ICE building with violence, intimidation and threats by vicious and cruel radicals who have laid siege to the building and its officers qualifies as a threat of rebellion under the law.

Lawyers for the state and city of Portland countered that the June 7 memo appeared to have been drafted at the height of unrest in Los Angeles to justify the deployment of the California National Guard there and that it cannot be relied on for justification to deploy troops in Portland, where the situation on the street has been minimal in recent months.

State attorney Scott Kennedy called Trumps assessment vague, incendiary hyperbole.

Picking up on the judges line of questioning, Kennedy argued that the timing of the troop deployment in Portland was wholly arbitrary. He said there must be more than just minimal interference with federal activity in the relevant time frame to justify a mobilization.

The greatest problems outside Portlands ICE office occurred more than 90 days ago, with only occasional incidents recently that federal officers and local police have quickly contained, he argued.

He called the Guard mobilization one of the most dramatic infringements on state sovereignty in Oregons history and said its based largely on a fictional narrative.

The facts matter, added Caroline Turco, a senior deputy city attorney. The presidents perception is not the reality on the ground. What happens in Texas is not relevant to whats happening here.

Increased federal involvement is going to take us back to 2020, she said. We dont want the inflamed crowd that resulted from federal involvement at that time.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Brian Marshall of Oregon told the judge that the state and city would suffer irreparable harm if she didnt step in to block Trumps troop deployment.

The National Guard members wont be under the governors command and wont be available for calls to emergencies or natural disasters, he said. Their presence in Portland will also drive up overtime costs for Portland police, who undoubtedly will have to work extra hours to handle any increased demonstrations in response, he said.

Its unclear whether Trump and Hegseth will continue their move to place Oregon National Guard troops at the citys ICE building.

The 9th Circuit has yet to rule on the federal governments appeal of an injunction issued in early September by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer of San Francisco, who found the presidents federalizing of California National Guard troops in June violated federal law. There, the initial 4,000 troop deployment has dropped to several hundred.

Immergut previously served as a Multnomah County Circuit Judge from 2009 to 2019, and before that six years as Oregons U.S. attorney. In a prior job as a Multnomah County deputy district attorney, she took a leave of absence to work in the Office of Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. Her key grand jury interviews of Monica Lewinsky helped unravel the details of Lewinskys sexual encounters with President Bill Clinton and ultimately helped determine that he had lied under oath.

.
People protested outside the ICE building in South Portland on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, opposing President Donald Trumps authorization to send federal troops to Portland and the federalization of 200 Oregon National Guard members. Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Portlanders love a good social media throwdown and President Donald Trumps characterizations of Portland as war ravaged invited the onslaught. In a parade of hilarious video clips and memes, Portlanders have poked fun at both Trump and the citys quirky reputation, with satirical wartime posts bemoaning shortages of almond milk and warning that militant knitters are at the ready. With their lighthearted humor, Portlanders are displaying the quirk and creativity so deeply ingrained in the citys culture, while showing just how unfounded Trumps claims are.

Unfortunately, however, Trumps ire isnt contained to social media. Over the objections of Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Trump is seeking to federalize and deploy 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland due in part to a threat of rebellion, as The Oregonian/OregonLives Maxine Bernstein reported. While a federal judge has blocked a federal deployment for now, the Department of Justice plans to immediately appeal the order.

Amid the uncertainty, Portlanders must pause and recognize how much is at stake as the country heads toward the midterm elections when voters will decide whether America is on the right path. This is not just about protesting inhumane immigration enforcement or defending Oregon from federal overreach. Trumps military ploy to suppress one block of protests is yet another page from his playbook of bulldozing rights and norms while insisting such action is justified. Portlands response must help show the rest of the country how wrong he is.

That starts with Portland city elected officials, who must counsel calm among Portlanders and resist the urge to whip up sentiment. Leadership means guiding people to the outcome that serves the community best  not showboating or escalating a tense situation. The goal must be to maintain Portlands control over public safety and give the federal government no argument for taking over.

In this case, the best offense may be no offense. Let TV cameras capture images of complete calm outside the ICE facility. Let them show the protesters in chicken and frog costumes and Portlands funny protest signs. Let them show people simply sitting  not engaged in behavior that viewers could interpret as anything but peaceful.

Second, the mayor and City Council must reinforce Portland Polices authority to step up their presence at protests and quickly intervene if any criminal behavior occurs. They must understand that protecting public safety is not the same as supporting immigration enforcement. Police intervention is becoming more critical as Trumps attention has breathed new life into the anti-ICE demonstrations, drawing left-wing and right-wing agitators alike, including some from out of state. Portland has become a focal point for anyone whos itching for a fight.

Police, whose protest response has evolved considerably since 2020, must also be given the resources necessary to manage protests and keep people safe. If they are unable to do so, the city will be paving the way for federal authorities to take on that role  for 60 days or possibly longer  while giving the rest of the country a false picture of what has been happening here.

Third, if the federal government is successful in federalizing Oregon National Guard members to support the ICE building, protesters must remember that these federal troops are Oregon civilians who put their personal lives on hold to respond to emergencies that most of us would not ever want to deal with. These are the people who battle blazes in Oregons ever-lengthening wildfire season; help evacuate families and run search-and-rescue operations; respond to flooding disasters; and pitch in on weekend community clean-ups. That doesnt even include the many overseas deployments over decades to real war zones  not the social media kind. Oregon National Guard members are our neighbors, not our enemy.

And finally, dont let people twist this into something its not. Conservative influencers are highlighting images of our homelessness crisis to counter elected leaders insistence that federal troops arent needed. But Trump isnt sending troops to deal with homelessness, so its unclear how this is relevant. Portlanders dont deny the grim reality of any of the emergencies that our city is facing. Thats why voters elected a mayor who is laser-focused on getting people sheltered and why taxpayers are pouring money into a variety of solutions. While many of us might want faster progress, Portland is confronting its challenges and deserves the same deference to local policymaking that other communities receive.

Similarly, some of Portlands progressives are claiming that Trumps crackdown is somehow a result of Portlanders calling out the citys problems and advocating for the city to do more. Portlanders should dismiss such reductive reasoning that seems to channel some of the same all-or-nothing mindset described above. People can love this city without having to declare that everything is awesome. They can feel strongly about Portlands autonomy to make its own decisions at the same time they urge action to ensure its sustainability. And slow progress in one area does not indicate failure in all.

Trump picked Portland for a reason, and its not because military action is justified. This historical moment is about more than Portland. Its on our shoulders to make this a moment that keeps proving Trump wrong.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
Federal officers used tear gas on crowds protesting at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland on Saturday. Allison Barr/The Oregonian

A social media post made the rounds last week that appeared to show troops raking and bagging leaves at Waterfront Park on a lovely fall day with the caption Oregon National Guard have arrived.

On my Facebook feed, numerous people reposted the picture and dozens of others left comments. Some remarked that Trumps efforts to deploy the troops amounted to $10 million in landscaping services, while others urged Oregonians to treat them well since theyre our neighbors and must follow orders.

The thing is, the post was fake.

A few things gave away what was likely an AI-generated image: The picture featured blue skies, while we mostly had clouds and rain last week. Also, little oddities showed up, including a person who appeared to be raking while half-submerged in the river.

The biggest clue? As of Friday afternoon, state and federal officials confirmed that troops hadnt yet been deployed on Portlands streets.

The Oregonian/OregonLives reporters and photographers have been in regular contact with sources, and weve been on scene daily at South Portlands U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility so well be able to update Oregonians as quickly as possible when and if troops arrive.

The lead up to what will likely be tense times for Portland has been riddled with misinformation, which surely doesnt help.

Along with President Donald Trumps stream of mischaracterizations of the levels of violence and vandalism seen at protests at the ICE building, outside media have at times used photos and video from intense protests here in 2020. As The Oregonian/OregonLives Aimee Green wrote yesterday, its true that there have been serious clashes in the protests over the past summer  though most occurred back in June.

While participation has jumped a few times to a couple hundred people this year, theres typically around a couple dozen who play drums, dress up in inflatable animal costumes, play loud music and scream obscenities at ICE officers. That behavior  and federal officers use of tear gas to stop it  have drawn serious complaints from people who live and do business in the area. A nearby school found a new building and moved out to avoid the tumult.

Protests over police violence following the death of George Floyd lasted for more than 100 nights starting in the summer of 2020 and were epically destructive. Early on, thousands marched, often peacefully. Over time, the numbers decreased but still hovered in the hundreds as roving protests clashed with police in downtown Portland and across the city. There were fires, vandalism, looting and death. Our city still bears the scars.

To put todays protests into perspective, heres what the data shows:

Arrests in 2020: 1,071. In 2025: Around 60 over the past four months.

Location in 2020: Across the city. Location in 2025: One to two blocks in South Portland.

That is why reading a trusted local news source is important.

Weve had reporters regularly cover the protests in South Portland over the past few months, allowing us to publish numerous stories, photos and videos that help us truth squad rhetoric coming out today. But in anticipation of Trumps deployment of troops, were ramping up our presence.

For at least the next two weeks, teams of reporters and photographers from The Oregonian/OregonLive will monitor nightly protests at the ICE facility. Thats on top of the reporting that we do during the day.

Its not easy work. Already, one of our reporters was doxed and received threatening remarks online after asking to interview someone about the veracity of Trumps remarks. On Saturday, two other Oregonian journalists were doused with tear gas after federal officers sprayed it into a relatively peaceful crowd.

As Ive said before, our journalists are real people publishing real news about the place we call home.

Thats rarely true with reports from some national media outlets, social media influencers and video streamers. Those reports can be generated by people who dont live here, who dont have historical context and, in some cases, who dont care.

Sometimes, as we see with the leaf-raking picture, it may not even be people at all.

Always, but especially in the trying months ahead, read trusted local news sources like The Oregonian/OregonLive to understand whats happening in your home town. If you have questions or concerns, our stories provide ways to contact those doing the work.

Support local journalism at this important time by subscribing and sharing factual reports to help reduce the flow of misinformation.
Bob Day

For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Day is chief of Portland Police.

In these unprecedented times, I am deeply proud of how Portlanders continue to show up for one another, and I am equally proud of the Portland Police Bureau. This city is full of people who care and seek to express themselves.

Unfortunately, national portrayals often distort reality. Portland is 145 square miles, yet one city block has drawn outsized attention in news cycles. Viral clipssometimes months or years oldpaint a picture that is not consistent with the Portland we see every day. While this is frustrating, we are focused on what matters: keeping Portlanders safe. Through collaborative efforts, Portland Police and our partners have made great strides in public safety, especially in the area of violent crime, which is down 17%.

This year, there were many peaceful protests across the city that the police bureau facilitated, as part of our communitys commitment to free speech. There were also protests at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in the South Waterfront neighborhood, which at times involved criminal behavior that we addressed. These protests dwindled as the summer went on.

Its important to note that the Federal Protective Service secures the building itself, while Portland Police manages the surrounding neighborhoods. Recently, we have seen people with varying viewpoints come to the area with the intent to engage in violence and we are investigating several assaults; violence of any kind is unacceptable  we have and will continue to make arrests and pursue prosecutions. Free speech does not include freedom to commit crimes.

There are also those who want to draw parallels about current events and 2020, when 100-plus nights of protests deeply impacted the city and Portland Police. But this isnt 2020 for many reasons. Since I became chief two years ago, I have witnessed significant change. Reforms in use of force, crowd management and accountability have reshaped how we operate. As we have shown with the numerous massive protests that have occurred this year, large demonstrations can occur peacefully, and when disturbances arise, we take targeted action that can quickly restore order.

Five years ago, some city and state leadership left the police bureau isolated. Today, that has changed. The bureau is part of a united statewide effort, backed by strong leadership from the mayor, city council, city administrator, governor, our congressional delegation and fellow Portlanders.

Yet there is no ignoring that we are facing an extraordinary time in our citys history, with the deployment of both federal law enforcement and the Oregon National Guard. One of the reasons given for this action has been that Portland Police are not responding to public disorder. Just because officers are not seen wearing tactical gear lining up before crowds does not mean we are not responding. In fact, research shows that such tactics often escalate crowd behavior.

Instead, we use a layered approach when it comes to managing public order. We begin with our Dialogue Liaison Officers, easily recognized in their white shirts. These highly trained officers engage with organizers before demonstrations even begin, and during events they work to resolve tensions. This outreach has resulted in meaningful conversations, improved trust and events that are safer for everyone. These relationships with community demonstrate how far the bureau has come in finding space for dialogue without compromising public safety.

Our Rapid Response Team is trained to manage public order events where criminal behavior is occurring and deploy strategies to de-escalate situations and protect public safety. We have many varied ways we deploy them; one way is to act quickly to address incidents, make arrests if feasible, and then step back. These actions are directed by a Crowd Management Incident Commander, who may also choose to delay an arrest if immediate action would worsen the situation.

Portland Police are now recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in public order management. We have taught at international conferences and hosted the Western States Public Order Conference. Our focus has shifted from crowd control to crowd support, with an emphasis on outreach, preparation and communication. We now use evidence-based policing and crowd psychology in managing large public gatherings. These innovations have helped us connect with communities in new ways, already paying dividends in safer, more respectful demonstrations.

Now with the world watching, we have a responsibility to demonstrate what weve learned, how weve grown and how resilient we areboth as a police bureau and as a city.

Many people have reached out with feelings of frustration and even hopelessness. Rather than focusing on what cannot be done, this is an opportunity to channel that energy into actionthrough volunteering, community service or civic engagement. Turning dissonance into action is far more productive. Showcasing our city in social media and other forms of communication has been telling the real story.

Much like any major city, our challenges are significant, and we are addressing them. Yet I believe this is Portlands opportunitynot to be defined by division, but to show resilience, unity and innovation. I am honored to serve as chief of police, and I remain confident that together, Portlanders and the Portland Police Bureau can chart a safer, stronger and more hopeful path forward.
As a third generation Oregonian and having had a home in Multnomah County for 40 years, I am shaken by the way our politicians have gone off track.

We all know that Portland isnt a war zone. However, we all know that antifa and other radical groups have been allowed to ravage our city in the last five years. There has been little support for the police, and our politicians have been all talk but no action. All this plus homelessness and high taxes have pushed Multnomah County and downtown Portland into a death spiral.

Now the activists are centered at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland, (Tracking the rise and fall of Portland ICE protests: Key developments as Trump troops arrive soon, Sept. 30).

Our politicians - including our governor, senators, mayor and police chief - have done nothing to stop activists like antifa. Politicians, grow a spine and support ICE and the Oregon National Guard!

Clear out antifa and all other radicals and keep them out. We want a safe city again.

Keith Barnes, Portland

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
The order sending armed troops to Portland is consistent with the presidents doctrine of American disruption and decline, (Trump says hell send troops to Portland, authorizes full force, Sept. 27). Despite his erratic behavior, we can retain some hope in the knowledge that weve been here before.

Weve seen autocratic leadership, unpopular taxes and severe limits to public representation in governmental decisions. This was the case in 1776 on the eve of our struggle to form a government of the people, protected by a Constitution designed to prevent a return to autocratic rule.

The question before us now is whether our judiciary can retain the separation of its power from this authoritarian administration and a subservient Congress. Well soon know whether our system of government can reach its 250th year on July 4, 2026  or whether it will end at 249.

Russell Peterson, Lake Oswego

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
Richard Eckman, 84 and a Vietnam war veteran, and his wife Laurie Eckman, also 84, hold signs at the rally at Elizabeth Caruthers Park in South Portland before marching on to protest at the ICE facility a few blocks away. The Eckmans say federal officers rushed at them at the facility for no apparent reason," knocking the couple to the ground. Gosia Wozniacka / The Oregonian

An elderly couple says they were charged and knocked down by federal agents as they peacefully protested on Saturday in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland, just blocks from their home.

Laurie Eckman, 84, said she and her husband Richard Eckman, also 84 and a Vietnam war veteran, were rushed by federal officers for no apparent reason. She said her husband was leaning on his walker and wearing his Vietnam veterans cap as he was pushed to the ground.

It was totally unprovoked. It was not the kind of crowd that shouts the F word. It was people like us, our neighbors. There were families, there were several veterans, Laurie Eckman told The Oregonian/OregonLive. With no warning the feds charged into us, knocked us down and sprayed us. I was hit in the head with a projectile.

Laurie Eckman said the couple joined the protest on a spur of the moment when they saw the kickoff rally at Elizabeth Caruthers Park from their kitchen window. They live in the neighborhood and walk past the ICE building daily with their dog.

Laurie Eckman, 84, says federal officers rushed at her and her husband for no apparent reason" and knocked them to the ground. Gosia Wozniacka/The Oregonian/OregonLive

We didnt want to give the feds any excuses so we were staying away from the protests deliberately, Eckman said. But this group looked so benign, so peaceful, we thought we should join them.

Though the Eckmans were once active in the anti-war movement, they dont attend many protests these days, she said, though they did attend the No Kings rally in Portland this summer and had saved their signs. Richards read: Vets against militarization and Lauries, Will swap 1 Little King Donald for 10,000-plus immigrants.

We are a nation of immigrants and thats what makes our country great. So this ICE overreach is anathema to us, Laurie Eckman said.

Holding the signs and Richards walker, the couple made it to the park.

Shortly after, the crowd began to march. A few minutes after they arrived at the ICE facility at around 1 p.m., a small group of federal agents came out and arrested at least three people, including one of the protest leaders who federal agents dragged into the ICE building, Eckman said.

An hour later, she said, a large group of federal agents suddenly burst out of the building and rushed at Eckman, her husband and other protesters standing nearby, smashing them down to the ground.

Eckman said she was also hit with a projectile though she does not know what it was. Several eye-witnesses confirmed the couples account to The Oregonian/OregonLive and Eckman said a group of protesters immediately surrounded her to help, including a doctor.

Once the couple recovered enough and walked home, they were approached by four Portland police officers.

Laurie Eckman, 84, says she sustained a concussion after federal agents knocked her to the ground. Gosia Wozniacka/The Oregonian/OregonLive

They very kindly wanted to make sure I was okay, Laurie Eckman said. And they explained that they were not allowed to make verbal contact with the feds and had to stay about a block away. They were very solicitous of me, which I appreciated very much.

The Eckmans then went to the emergency room. Laurie Eckman said she sustained a concussion, but her husband wasnt injured.

Eckman said she and her husband, who served 10 years in active duty, are shocked at the federal agents behavior.

I never thought federal officers could behave this way. I really didnt, she said. I always thought people must be provoking them or something, that they would never do this unprovoked. Obviously, I was wrong.

And the couple want the world to know Portland protesters are not trouble makers.

People have to know that we are not Antifa, she said. Were just regular Portlanders who love our city, and my husband, being a Vietnam veteran, is incensed that were talking about war within our own country. This is outrageous, really.
California National Guard troops are arriving in Oregon after President Donald Trump deployed them to curb protests against federal immigration policy, Gov. Tina Kotek said on Sunday.

Kotek said in a statement Sunday morning that 101 federalized California National Guard members arrived in Oregon last night via plane, and it is our understanding that there are more on the way today.

A federal judge on Saturday ordered the Trump administration to halt its attempt to deploy 200 Oregons National Guard members to control protests outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland.

Kotek accused the president of trying to circumvent the ruling by deploying California troops to Oregon just hours later. She said the federal government did not communicate with her about that decision.

There is no need for military intervention in Oregon, Kotek said. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. ... Oregonians exercising their freedom of speech against unlawful actions by the Trump Administration should do so peacefully.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom was the first to publicly acknowledge the troop movement on Sunday morning.

They are on their way there now, Newsom said in a post on the social media site X.

Newsom vowed to fight Trumps deployment of California National Guard members.

We are taking this fight back to court, Newsom wrote on X. The public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the President of the United States.

Trump federalized the California National Guard in June and deployed them to manage protests in Los Angeles against increased immigration raids.

In Oregon, protests outside the Portland ICE facility picked up steam in early June, following the arrest of an asylum-seeker in U.S. Immigration Court. They were sometimes sleepy, but saw periodic flare-ups. Most protests had involved no more than several dozen people in the weeks before Trump announced in late September that he was sending all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.

Oregons attorney general quickly filed a motion to block the presidents deployment of Oregon National Guard troops.

U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut ruled on that motion Saturday. She rejected the federal governments assertion that Portland faces a danger of rebellion and found that lawyers for the U.S. government failed to show that federal officers need backup to protect the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building or themselves.

Immergut, who was appointed by Trump, found the president had illegally seized control of Oregons National Guard and directed him to return them to the command of Gov. Tina Kotek under a temporary order that expires at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 18.

Later Saturday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a notice to appeal the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement  we expect to be vindicated by a higher court," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said a statement.

Trumps move to send California National Guard troops to Oregon may not technically violate the letter of Immerguts temporary restraining order, said Tung Yin, a Lewis & Clark Law School professor.

As with so much happening these days, he said its uncharted territory.

Newsom would have standing in federal court in California to challenge the cross-state mobilization. A California federal judges injunction in early September, which found the mobilization of that states National Guard troops into federal service unlawful, is on appeal before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Both Oregon and California could challenge the cross-state mobilization, Yin said, citing a violation of the 10th Amendment which authorizes Congress, not the President, to determine when (and how) the militia can be called into actual service of the United States, as Immergut wrote in her Saturday ruling.

Oregon could again raise a 10th Amendment violation, Yin said, but would have to go back to court again, because Immerguts current ruling applies only to the federalization of Oregon National Guard troops. It likely would be considered a related case and be heard by Immergut, Yin said.

Yin also said Newsom could raise the same 10th Amendment argument, saying that the removal of California Guard members out of state infringes on his states sovereignty.

Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Liberty and National Security Program at New York University School of Laws Brennan Center, said what Trump is doing is clearly unlawful under Immerguts opinion.

But since Immerguts order solely relates to the Oregon National Guard, the Trump administration is exploiting a loophole to send Guard troops to Portland from out of state.

This is a flagrant attempt to circumvent the judges order, she said. It is one of the more brazen instances of contempt for the judicial branch that weve seen in this administration.

Oregon could request that Immergut clarify her temporary restraining order or issue a new one to make perfectly clear that the federal code, called Title 10, Section 12406, cannot be invoked at all by the federal government to have state National Guards protect Portlands ICE facility, Goitein said.
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek spoke to the media about a looming deployment of federalized National Guard troops on Sat., Sept. 27, 2025. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian

Gov. Tina Kotek praised U.S. District Judge Karin Immerguts ruling Saturday that found President Donald Trumps federal mobilization of Oregon National Guard troops to Portland violated federal law.

Heres what Kotek and others are saying:

Gov. Tina Kotek:

Todays ruling validates what Oregonians already know: justice has been served, and the truth has prevailed. I want to thank Attorney General Rayfield and his team for great work.

There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. The only threat we face is to our democracy  and it is being led by President Donald Trump.

From day one, Oregon has been prepared. Our coordinated, rapid response  from legal action to intergovernmental planning  has allowed us to stand firm against a baseless and dangerous federal overreach.

While the President plays politics, Oregon will stay focused on solving the real problems facing our communities.

This ruling puts us on the right side of history. And while the fight is far from over, Oregon remains united and ready to defend our values and our rights  today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.

Thank you  stay calm, stay together, stay strong.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson:

Today, Portland got very good news: U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut hit the pause button on the Trump administrations order to activate the National Guard and send federal troops to Portland.

This decision reaffirms what weve long maintained: the federal government overstepped its authority. As the judge noted, we provided substantial evidence that the protests at the Portland ICE facility were not significantly violent or disruptive in the daysor even weeksleading up to the Presidents directive on September 27.

Put simply, we won through peace. And weve shown we can hold those who engage in violence or destruction accountable.

Ive said from the very beginning, the number of federal troops needed or wanted in our city is zero.

We accomplish more when were together, and we accomplish far more with peaceful, purposeful protest and legal process than we ever could by simply lashing out. We will continue to intervene when we see lawbreaking behavior, just as well continue supporting the first amendment right to free expression.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield:

The court agreed with our position. Todays ruling is a healthy check on the president.

It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the presidents war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion. The president must demonstrate an actual threat based on real facts if he wants to put the National Guard on our streets. Members of the Oregon National Guard are not a tool for him to use in his political theater.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Commissioners Meghan Moyer and Julia Brim-Edwards:

Todays court decision  from a federal judge appointed by President Trump himself  affirms what we already knew: Deploying the military to Portland is not needed, because there is no foreign invasion or insurrection happening on our streets.

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners stands united against this administrations authoritarian behavior. We will continue to provide services, hope and opportunity to so many of the people this administration has targeted. We will not be intimidated by bullying tactics, and we will lead with values that recognize our communitys diversity is our greatest strength.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon:

Todays victory clearly supports what Oregonians already know: we dont need or want Donald Trump to provoke conflict by deploying federal troops in our state. I will keep working with local and state officials to ensure Trump does not keep wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to make Portland the center of his perverse fantasy about conducting assaults on U.S. cities.

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon:

There is no rebellion or invasion in PDX to justify federalizing Oregons National Guard.

The president is not a king and Trump is shredding our Constitution.

So lets protest -- but joyfully and peacefully. Do not get drawn into Trumps cycle of violence. Its his goal to cite violence to justify more authoritarian power. Lets not let him achieve it.

Lets show that Portland is a strong community where neighbors take care of each other.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon:

I am grateful today a judge granted a restraining order to block the National Guard from being deployed in Portland.

But Trumps lawless provocation will continue. Our response is simple: stay calm and do not take the bait. I encourage everyone to continue exercising their right to peaceful protest, but for your safety, to do so away from the ICE building in SW Portland.

U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon:

A federal judge in Portland just granted the State of Oregon and City of Portlands request for a Temporary Restraining Order to block the Trump administration from sending the National Guard to Portland. Thats good news. Portland does not need or want the military on our streets or in our communities.

U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon:

This ruling confirms what Ive been saying: we dont need this. Now the President should drop this nonsense and run us our money.

Sandy Chung, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon:

We applaud todays decision. Judge Immerguts ruling is consistent with the law and the facts on the ground in Portland. Not only would deployment of our states National Guard members waste up to $10 million in taxpayer dollars, there is simply no basis to deploy troops into Portland. The Presidents attempt to do so is a dangerous abuse of power, and very disrespectful of our state, its people, and our National Guard service members.

Hina Shamsi, director of ACLUs National Security Project:

As the founders of this country made abundantly clear, turning troops on civilians is an intolerable threat to our liberties. Even when the Ninth Circuit applied an overly-deferential standard to the Presidents decision to deploy troops in Los Angeles, it said that the decision must be made in good faith and honest judgment. Today, the district court found both were missing in the Presidents decision to deploy troops to Portland. When President Trump is trying his best to imperil our First Amendment rights and scare those protesting his cruel policies into silence, its encouraging to see this court ruling based on adherence to law and facts, not the Presidents fantasies of beautiful, vibrant American cities as hellscapes.
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The Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees in Game 1 of this American League Division Series matchup as the MLB playoffs finally return to Canada. The first pitch is slated for Saturday, October 4 at 5:38 p.m. PT/8:38 p.m. ET (7:38 p.m. CT) with a live broadcast on FS1 and streaming live on demand.

 You can watch this Mariners vs. Tigers game live for free with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV (free trial) or see more streaming options below.

The Mariners will tap George Kirby as the starting pitcher at home in the first ALDS meeting between these teams while Troy Melton will be the starter for the Tigers who hope to find a win on short rest after knocking off Cleveland in the Wild Card round.

What TV channel is the Mariners vs. Tigers MLB playoffs game on today? Is is streaming free anywhere?

What: The Seattle Mariners face the Detroit Tigers in a American League Division Series of the 2025 MLB playoffs.

Where: T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington.

When: A look at this best-of-five game series. 2025 MLB playoffs bracket, complete schedule.

Game 1 : Tigers at Mariners on Saturday, October 4 at 5:38 p.m. PT/8:38 p.m. ET (7:38 p.m. CT), FS1

Game 2 : Tigers at Mariners on Sunday, October 5 at 5:03 p.m. PT/8:03 p.m. ET (7:03 p.m. CT), FS1

Game 3 : Mariners at Tigers on Tuesday, October 7 at 1:08 p.m. PT/4:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. CT), FS1

*Game 4 : Mariners at Tigers on Wednesday, October 8 at 12:08 p.m. PT/3:08 p.m. ET (2:08 p.m. CT), FS1

*Game 5: Tigers at Mariners on Friday, October 10 at 1:40 p.m. PT/4:40 p.m. ET (3:40 p.m. CT), FS1

*If necessary

TV channel: FS1

How to watch streaming live without cable: There are several options to watch this game and more playoff games this season.

Mariners vs. Tigers spread, latest betting odds

Moneyline: SEA: -225 | DET: +180

Point spread: SEA: -1.5 | DET: +1.5

Over/Under: 7
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The Toronto Blue Jays dominated the New York Yankees en route to a 10-1 Game 1 victory. Can the Yankees right the ship in Game 2 before taking the series to The Bronx? The first pitch is scheduled for Sunday, October 5, at 1:08 p.m. PT/4:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. CT) with a live broadcast on FOX and streaming live on demand.

 You can watch this Blue Jays vs. Yankees game live for free with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV (free trial) or see more streaming options below.

Ace Max Fried has been slated to start for the Yankees tonight, looking to build off his great Wildcard round start, where he gave up 0 runs. Righty Trey Yesavage takes the mound for the Blue Jays, making his first playoff start at the age of 22.

What TV channel is the Blue Jays vs. Yankees MLB playoffs game on today? Is it streaming free anywhere?

What: The Toronto Blue Jays face the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series of the 2025 MLB playoffs.

Where: The Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

When: A look at this best-of-five game series. 2025 MLB playoffs bracket, complete schedule.

Game 1 : Blue Jays 10 - Yankees 1

Game 2 : Yankees at Blue Jays on Sunday, October 5 at 1:08 p.m. PT/4:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. CT), FS1

Game 3 : Blue Jays at Yankees on Tuesday, October 7 at 5:08 p.m. PT/8:08 p.m. ET (7:08 p.m. CT), FS1

*Game 4 : Blue Jays at Yankees on Wednesday, October 8 at 4:08 p.m. PT/7:08 p.m. ET (6:08 p.m. CT), FS1

*Game 5: Yankees at Blue Jays on Friday, October 10 at 5:08 p.m. PT/8:08 p.m. ET (7:08 p.m. CT), FOX

*If necessary

New York @ Toronto 1:08 PM FS1 Max Fried vs Trey Yesavage Tickets as low as $125

TV channel: FOX

How to watch streaming live without cable: There are several options to watch this game and more playoff games this season.

Blue Jays vs. Yankees spread, latest betting odds

Moneyline: NYY: -155 | TOR: +105

Point spread: NYY: -1.5 | TOR: +1.5

Over/Under: 8.5
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Playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith attended an event announcing the launch of a Black history museum in downtown Gettysburg. Sean Adams

Not long ago, the Hopkins House in Gettysburg - the last remaining Civil War-era log cabin that had been owned by Black citizens - was scheduled for demolition.

Instead, thanks to community activists, historians and fundraisers, the nearly 200-year-old building in the historically Black neighborhood of the Third Ward is being preserved as a museum.

Community leaders and guests gathered on Oct. 4 to announce the Hopkins House Museum capital campaign, which will raise the money necessary to renovate and preserve the historic building.

When completed, it will become the first museum in Gettysburg devoted to the areas Black history, and will showcase the original construction materials of a Civil War-era home, along with state-of-the-art exhibits.

In a press release from the Gettysburg History organization, the Hopkins House museum will focus on the experiences of freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad, through the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, and Reconstruction, to the fight for civil rights in the 20th century and beyond.

The project is a joint fundraising effort by Gettysburg History and the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association, and has already secured $1 million in pledged support. The goal is to raise another $1 million over three years.

But according to Gettysburg mayor Rita Frealing, its not only about our history, or Black history. Its about American history.

That battle saved our nation, Frealing said, referring to the 1863 Civil War battle. Remember, the Union was born in Philadelphia, but it was preserved right here in Gettysburg.

Award-winning playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith attended the event, sharing that she had frequently visited Gettysburg in her youth to visit family.

Her reconnection with her familys history in the town gave me an expanded idea of who I was, she said, and is serving as the inspiration for a play she is hoping to finish for the nations 250th anniversary.

The preservation of this communitys history isnt happening just now, Smith said, but has been a goal that the Black community here has had over time.

History is fragile, and its always moving, she said. I think its power that, at this moment in history, theres going to be a world-class museum thats about Black history in Gettysburg.

Smith added that you can see from the crowd here that its going to be a partnership of people who are not all African-American, but who are nonetheless invested in the story.

She also joked with the crowd that no check is too small.

Even these two little boys right there, she said, pointing to two children sitting nearby. Yeah, you: a quarter matters. History is fragile. Lets embrace our history. Lets keep it alive.
Law enforcement officers stand after deploying tear gas outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) AP

ACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  President Donald Trump is sending 300 California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge temporarily blocked his administration from deploying that states guard to Portland, Californias governor said Sunday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged Sunday to fight the move in court.

There was no official announcement from Washington that the California National Guard was being called up and sent to Oregon, just as was the case when Illinois governor made a similar announcement Saturday about troops in his state being activated.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said that 101 California National Guard members arrived in her state Saturday night by plane and more are on the way. Kotek said there has been no formal communication with the federal government about the deployment.

This action appears to intentional to circumvent yesterdays ruling by a federal judge, Kotek said Sunday. There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target.

A spokesperson for Kotek said Sunday he could not verify the current location of the National Guard members who arrived in Oregon on Saturday, directing questions to the Defense Department

The California National Guard also referred questions to the Defense Department. A department spokesperson declined to comment. There was no immediate comment from the White House.

Newsom, a Democrat, said in a statement that California personnel were on their way Sunday and called the deployment a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. He said these troops were federalized and put under the presidents control months ago over his objections, in response to unrest in Los Angeles.

People react as tear gas is deployed on protesters outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) AP

The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens, Newsom said in the statement. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States.

A Trump-appointed federal judge in Oregon on Saturday temporarily blocked the Trump administrations plan to deploy the Oregon National Guard in Portland to protect federal property amid protests after Trump called the city war-ravaged. Oregon officials and Portland residents alike said that description was ludicrous.

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, issued the order pending further arguments in the suit. She said the relatively small protests the city has seen did not justify the use of federalized forces and allowing the deployment could harm Oregons state sovereignty.

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said Sunday that the city continues to seek legal means to halt any National Guard deployment.

This action circumvents the courts decision and threatens to inflame a community that has remained peaceful, Wilson said. Our legal team is coordinating with our partners and will immediately pursue all lawful steps to enforce the judges order and protect Portlanders rights.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland has recently been the site of nightly protests.

Trump has characterized both Portland and Chicago as cities rife with crime and unrest, calling the former a war zone and suggesting apocalyptic force was needed to quell problems in the latter. Since the start of his second term, he has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities.

Law enforcement officers stand in tear gas outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) AP

Trump authorized the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago on Saturday.
An ICE officer watches protestors as a Lenco BearCat vehicle drives to the scene in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) AP

By THOMAS PEIPERT, The Associated Press

President Donald Trump moved to deploy the National Guard in another city Saturday by authorizing 300 troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, where the government said Border Patrol agents shot and injured a woman while firing at someone who tried to run them over.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson confirmed that the president authorized using the Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called ongoing violent riots and lawlessness that local leaders have not quelled.

President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities, Jackson said.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said the guard received notice from the Pentagon early in the day. He called the move unnecessary and a manufactured performance  not a serious effort to protect public safety.

This morning, the Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, Pritzker said in a statement. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.

Trump has long threatened to send troops to Chicago, but it was not immediately clear when or exactly where they would be deployed.

Meanwhile the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the shooting of the woman on the southwest side of Chicago. It said in a statement that Border Patrol agents were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars, and when they got out of their trapped vehicle, a suspect tried to run them over, forcing the officers to fire defensively.

Federal officers hold down a protestor in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) AP

The woman who was shot was a U.S. citizen and was armed with a semiautomatic weapon, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, noting that the woman was accused in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin last week of doxing agents.

DHS later identified her as Marimar Martinez, and said shes in FBI custody after being treated and released from the hospital. DHS said the driver of another vehicle involved in the ramming, Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, was apprehended. Its unclear if they are represented by attorneys who could comment on their behalf.

No officers were seriously injured, McLaughlin said.

In an interview with Fox & Friends on Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem again called Chicago a war zone and said protesters are being paid to disrupt operations and stir violence against officers.

Our intelligence indicates these people are organized and making plans to ambush and kill them, she said. Somebody is funding them.

The Chicago Police Department confirmed a shooting in the area but offered few details, saying it responded only to document the incident and control traffic.

A protestor is doused with milk, water, and saline after tear gas in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) AP

CPD is not involved in the incident or its investigation. Federal authorities are investigating this shooting, it said in a statement, referring questions to federal officials.

The escalation of federal law enforcement follows similar deployments in other parts of the country. Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles over the summer and to Washington, D.C., as part of his law enforcement takeover there. Tennessee National Guard troops are expected to arrive in Memphis to help police.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued to stop the deployment in Los Angeles and won a temporary block in federal court. The Trump administration has appealed that ruling that the use of the guard was illegal, and a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has indicated that it believes the government is likely to prevail.

Pritzker criticized the Illinois deployment for pulling the National Guard troops away from their families and regular jobs, saying, For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.

He also noted that state, county and local law enforcement have been coordinating to ensure the safety of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Broadview facility on the outskirts of Chicago.

Federal officials reported the arrests of 13 people protesting Friday near the facility, which has been frequently targeted during the administrations surge of immigration enforcement this fall.

Trump also said last month that he was sending federal troops to Portland, Oregon, calling the city war-ravaged. But local officials have suggested that many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on images from 2020, when demonstrations and unrest gripped the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

A gas canister erupts on the street in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side. (Anthony Vazquez/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) AP

Oregon officials sued to stop the deployment the next day. U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut heard arguments Friday and temporarily blocked the Trump administration on Saturday from deploying the guard in Portland. Immergut was appointed by Trump during his first term in office.

Immergut issued the order pending further arguments in the lawsuit. The plaintiffs said a deployment would violate the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal law that generally prohibits the military from being used to enforce domestic laws.

Trump has federalized 200 National Guard troops in the state, but so far it does not appear that they have moved into Portland. They have been seen training on the coast in anticipation of a deployment.

Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone and Margery A. Beck contributed.
A Steelton man died after a multi-vehicle crash on Route 11/15 in Perry County on Saturday night, the coroners office said.

Ronald Edwards Sr., 87, died of blunt force trauma following a multi-vehicle crash around 8:30 p.m. on the 3100 block of Susquehanna Trail near Motter Road in Watts Township, according to the Perry County coroners office.

Edwards was driving alone when the crash happened, the coroner said. The death was ruled accidental.

Pennsylvania State Police said Edwards was traveling northbound on Route 11/15 when he crossed into the southbound lanes, striking three vehicles in rapid succession.

Police said the two occupants in one of the vehicles were taken to Holy Spirit Hospital for their injuries. A passenger in another vehicle was also transported to Holy Spirit.

Their conditions have not been released.

Both lanes were closed for several hours while emergency crews cleared the scene.
A data center is under construction in Ashburn in Loudon County, Virginia, on Sunday, July 16, 2023. The centers house the computer servers and hardware required to support modern internet use, including artificial intelligence. The county is home to the world's largest concentration of data centers. Tech companies like to place the centers here, partly because the region's proximity to the nation's traditional internet backbone allows the servers in those data centers to save nanoseconds crucial to support financial transactions, gaming technology and other time-sensitive applications. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) AP

By Carl A. Marrara

AI data centers are colossal buildings, often spanning more than one million square feet.

Microsoft and OpenAIs joint facility in Wisconsin will cover 1.2 million square feet; Metas Louisiana project exceeds four million square feet; and Google has two projects underway at 1.4 and two million square feet.

But what truly matters is what is inside these concrete walls. Networks of advanced supercomputers fill the newly constructed space, supported by intricate cooling systems, backup power generation, gigantic batteries, and other essential infrastructure. At the core of all these systems are semiconductors.

Few realize that the Lehigh Valley was the original Silicon Valley. Western Electrics Allentown manufacturing plant produced the first mass-manufactured transistors in 1951, paving the way for modern semiconductors  the foundation on which microchips are built.

Though Bell Laboratories invented the first transistor in 1947 in New Jersey, it partnered with Western Electric to scale production. The Lehigh Valleys access to markets, railways, waterways, world-class universities, and manufacturing expertise positioned it as a leader in this emerging field.

Transistors soon evolved into modern semiconductors, driving microchip innovation in the decades that followed. Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley remained central to this development and still retain some production capacity today. However, domestic westward expansion  fueled by inexpensive land, a favorable business climate, military spending, and engineering-focused institutions such as Stanford and UC Berkeley  shifted the industrys epicenter to California, establishing the Silicon Valley we know today.

By 1970, the United States accounted for 48% of global semiconductor production, with Silicon Valley dominating worldwide research, design, and manufacturing. U.S. market share peaked in the early 1980s at about 55%. But in the late 1970s, the Japanese government recognized the industrys importance and invested $300 million ($1.8B today) to launch a public-private partnership with its six leading computer companies.

This marked the beginning of a dramatic global shift.

By 1989, Japan controlled 51% of the global semiconductor market, while the U.S. share dropped to 35%. Rather than competing head-on, American companies increasingly outsourced manufacturing to East Asia, seeking lower labor costs and looser regulations, while keeping research and development onshore. As Japans dominance waned, Taiwan, South Korea, and later China cut further into U.S. production.

Through the 1990s and early 2000s, this trend accelerated. Today, the United States accounts for only about 10% of global fabrication capacity. Meanwhile, Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea together produce more than 75% of the worlds semiconductors. Most concerning is Chinas rapid rise  from just 7% of global production in 2005 to a projected 25% by 2025.

Chinas ramp-up in semiconductor manufacturing should come as no surprise. The most common semiconductor materials are silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, and indium phosphide. In 2023, China produced 6.6 million tons of silicon. The next largest producer, Russia, produced just 620,000 tons, followed by Brazil at 390,000 tons.

The United States did not even rank in the top 10. China also accounts for more than 60% of the worlds germanium, more than 80% of the worlds gallium, and more than 70% of the worlds indium. No other country comes close to Chinas dominance in producing these critical minerals  the necessary inputs for modern semiconductor and microchip manufacturing.

One data center project requires hundreds of thousands of advanced microchips to achieve the massive computing power necessary for AI operation. Only a small fraction of all microchips are AI-capable, making this a major pinch point that could threaten future investment. Can global semiconductor and microchip supply keep up with this massive demand? More specifically, is the United States especially vulnerable given its lack of critical mineral mining and refining?

Not long ago, the United States learned this vulnerability the hard way. Between 2020 and 2022, auto production stalled  not due to shortages of steel, rubber, or labor, but because of a lack of semiconductors, microchips, and related imports. Today, demand is growing even faster: Sen. David McCormick recently announced $90 billion in AI investments in Pennsylvania, driving unprecedented demand for the minerals embedded in supercomputers, servers, and storage systems.

Bringing new mines and processing facilities online is time-consuming and costly, challenges the Trump administration has committed to solving through long-term investment. To confront this vulnerability, the president has issued executive orders on Unleashing American Energy and Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production, building on his September 2020 order on supply chain awareness and resilience. These directives are reinforced by $1 billion in new grants just announced by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Collectively, these programs join other U.S. government actions to strengthen national security, energy independence, and industrial competitiveness. For Pennsylvania, these programs offer grants, matching funds, and other support, appealing to a state with significant advantages and an industry community already demonstrating excellence in the field.

Pennsylvania can be the keystone in Americas push for a secure critical minerals supply chain, leveraging its abundant, underutilized resources and established industrial infrastructure. Coupled with its historic role in the birth of the modern microchip, the Commonwealth is poised for a classic voyage and return story. Its industrial legacy and leadership in coal provide workforce and technology expertise to support project development.

Feedstock potential exists in acid mine drainage and coal waste, making Pennsylvania a compelling proving ground. Successful demonstration projects could simultaneously remediate damaged land. For example, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh published a study finding 40% of the total lithium used in the U.S. could come from Marcellus Shale drilling wastewater. However, because the bulk of global lithium refining capacity exists overseas, primarily in China, our underlying national challenge remains.

But are the federal governments efforts enough? Even if we access raw critical minerals, they must still be refined into usable forms. Again, China dominates. The Peoples Republic of China currently refines 83% of the worlds copper, 73% of its lithium, 97% of cobalt, 98% of graphite, and 96% of rare earths (including essential inputs for semiconductors). A 2025 International Energy Agency report noted: In December 2024, China restricted the export of gallium, germanium, and antimonykey minerals for semiconductor productionto the United States. This was followed by further announcements in early 2025, including restrictions on tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, indium, molybdenum, and seven heavy rare earth elements.

What is urgently needed is a Manhattan Project-style initiative to expand mineral mining and refining capacity in the United States and among trusted allies  creating secure supply chains and distribution networks for semiconductor and microchip production.

Everything humans touch is grown from the earth or mined from it. While the information generated by AI companies is intangible, the machines behind it are not. Every component must be mined, refined, and manufactured to perform these modern tasks. If we fail to secure supply chains and distribution networks for critical minerals, we risk filling million-square-foot warehouses with nothing but empty space.

Carl A. Marrara is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.
Some legal research that Ive done shows that Mayor Cherelle Parker and City Council could take a stand in favor or our collective history as opposed to blessing a 250th birthday party.

The Donald Trump Interior Department has amply indicated that it will sanitize, if not eradicate, history when it comes to acknowledging the existence of slavery at Philadelphias historic Independence site, much of which is still owned by the City of Philadelphia.

Yet, if the mayor and council would stop resembling deer in the headlights when it comes to their general inaction regarding the onslaught of our liberties, they might read and act upon a 1950 Cooperative Agreement by and between the U.S. Department of Interior and the City of Philadelphia.

This provides that the parties are to cooperate to bring about the preservation of the historic structures, objects, and grounds in Independence Square as a national historical park and interpret them to the American people.

What is more, Article III there of specifically provides that neither of the parties to this agreement will erect or place, or permit the erection or emplacement of any monument, market, tablet or other memorial in or upon the buildings or grounds without the consent of the other.

It is my conclusion that Mayor Parker and/or City Council could declare the Department of Interior in breach of the Agreement when it comes to the slavery modification, rendering the Agreement void.

Given that the City continues to own parcels within the historic district, it could declare Independence Hall off limits to Trump and company next year.

Lets be clear. No citizen lawsuit can take the place of action by Philadelphia elected officials. Citizens are not parties to the agreement. If Mayor Parker wants to show some initiative so as to protect truth, justice and the American way, not to mention our collective historical legacy, she and council must declare the Cooperative Agreement to be void and of no effect.

The choice is either rubberstamping an outrage and another party or what is right. Even in these times however, unfortunately too many politicians like to party.

Mark D. Schwartz, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Malta welcomes some of the biggest names in poker today, October 5, as the 100,000 Super High Roller gets underway at Casino Malta in St. Julians. This three-day tournament runs until October 7 and is one of the highlights of the festival, bringing together some of the toughest high-stakes players to fight for a prestigious title.

In past editions, the Super High Roller has created big moments. Most recently, Leon Sturm won the 100,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona 2025. He came out on top of a heads-up battle with David Coleman to take home a career-best score of 1,450,385, showing that patience and perfect timing are needed to succeed at this level.

2025 EPT Barcelona 100,000 Super High Roller Results

Place Player Country Prize 1 Leon Sturm Germany 1,450,385* 2 David Coleman United States 1,148,755* 3 Jesse Lonis United States 706,800 4 Espen Jorstad Norway 524,400 5 Aleksejs Ponakovs Latvia 410,400 6 Punnat Punsri Thailand 319,200

*denotes heads-up deal

Leon Sturm

Players starting today will receive 250,000 in chips. Blinds begin at 500/1,000 with a 1,000 big blind ante. The plan for Day 1 is to play eight levels of 60 minutes each, with a break after every two levels. From the start, a shot clock will be in play, giving players 15 seconds for decisions, along with six 30-second time banks and one additional time bank added each level.

There is no limit on reentries, and registration stays open until the beginning of Day 2 on October 6 at 12:30 p.m. Once the final table is reached, the format changes, and a set number of hands will be played per level instead of timed levels.

100,000 EPT Super High Roller Schedule

Day Date Time Blind Levels Day 1 October 5 12:30 p.m. 60 minutes (play eight levels) Day 2 October 6 12:30 p.m. 60 minutes (play eight levels) Day 3 October 7 12:30 p.m. Fixed Number of Hands

Follow PokerNews for live coverage of the 100,000 EPT Super High Roller as some of the best players in the world look to capture one of the tours most important trophies.
Day 1b of the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe 10,350 Main Event has wrapped up after seven 90-minute levels of poker inside King's Resort, Rozvadov. A total of 84 entries were recorded for this second flight, and by the end of the night, just 54 players bagged chips to secure their place in Day 2.

When the chips were counted, it was Marek Tomes of Slovakia who topped the Day 1b leaderboard with a stack of 637,700. Seated during Level 1, Tomes surged up the chip counts just after the dinner break when Nourddine Chiha three-bet jammed the turn into his nut straight.

Not long after, Tomes called Rene Schnitzlers all-in on an ace-high flop with pocket sevens and held against a flush draw. A few smaller pots followed, including one where he showed a higher straight when one was available on the board, helping him finish the night as chip leader with one of the top five stacks overall heading into Day 2.

Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Marek Tomes Slovakia 637,700 399 2 Murilo Garcia Brazil 439,400 275 3 Ivan Banic Croatia 410,500 257 4 Artem Kobylynskyi Ukraine 400,000 250 5 Vito Branciforte Italy 331,400 207 6 Alexander Zubov Russia 322,600 202 7 Andrea Radicchi Italy 302,000 189 8 Lukas Pazma Slovakia 269,400 168 9 Oliver Boesch Austria 255,700 160 10 Tzur Levy Israel 252,200 158

Murilo Garcia

Murilo Garcia of Brazil sits second on the leaderboard after winning two key preflop all-ins with pocket kings. In the first, Sirzat Hissou five-bet shoved with pocket jacks and couldnt find help against Garcias cowboys. Shortly after, Mikolaj Zawadzkis ace-king also failed to improve, allowing Garcia to surge up the counts and finish the night near the top of the leaderboard.

Some of the other notables who made it through the day include Ivan Banic (410,500), Alexander Zubov (322,600), bracelet winner Lukas Pazma (269,400), Emilien Pitavy (151,700), Barak Oz (88,800), Viet Vo (83,000), Vlad Darie (66,500), and Simon Wilson (23,500), who will return with just over a fifth of the starting stack and plenty of work ahead if he hopes to make a deep run.

Aleksandr Zubov

The 84 entries from todays second flight, combined with the 462 from Day 1a, bring the total field so far to 546 entries. Of those, 358 players have bagged chips and will return for Day 2 on Sunday, October 5, at noon. Late registration remains open through the end of Level 12 on Day 2, with players allowed one reentry. The action on Day 2 picks up on Level 8 with blinds of 800/1,600 and a 1,600 big blind ante.

Remaining 10,350 Main Event Schedule

Day Date Time Blind Levels Day 2 October 5 12 p.m. 90 minutes Day 3 October 6 12 p.m. 90 minutes Day 4 October 7 1 p.m. 90 minutes Day 5 October 8 4 p.m. 90 minutes

Keep it locked on PokerNews for live updates, chip counts, and all the action as the 10,350 Main Event continues toward crowning the 2025 WSOPE Main Event champion at Kings Resort, Rozvadov.
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Editor

Ralph Mancini is an award-winning editor whos been employed by the Post and Courier since 2022. Previously, Mancini served in a variety of newspaper roles in New York City, Washington State and North Dakota.
The Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation has joined forces with the National Park Service of Nigeria to enhance conservation efforts at Okomu National Park and the broader Okomu Forest Reserve in Edo State.

In a statement posted on its LinkedIn page on Sunday, the Foundation stated that the partnership makes it one of the non-governmental organisation partners implementing the FAO GEF7 Biodiversity Project in Nigeria.

The FAO GEF-7 Biodiversity Project in Nigeria, a five-year initiative focused on enhancing biodiversity conservation and sustainability, is targeting lowland forest areas across Ogun, Edo, Delta, and Ondo States.

Global Environment Facility is bankrolling the initiative, which the Food and Agriculture Organisation will implement.

The projects ultimate goal is to promote sustainable agriculture, protect high-value forests, and improve the livelihoods of local communities through integrated landscape management and restoration.

We are pleased to see a focus on the often overlooked forests of SW Nigeria, which are highly threatened and not sufficiently recognised for the endemic species and subspecies they still harbour, ANI said.

The partnership is looking to prioritise the protection of the endangered population of African forest elephants, white-throated guenon monkeys, red-capped mangabeys, white-bellied pangolins and African grey parrots.

Lingering concerns

The development comes amidst uncontrolled deforestation practices, expansion of agricultural activities, poaching and extreme weather events, among other factors that continue to pose existential threats to Nigerias wildlife and forest cover.

The countrys Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act, 1985 forbids the killing, hunting, capturing or trading of endangered animals, and mandates the government to conserve and protect wildlife in compliance with international treaties.

That said, conservation regulations are seldom mainly enforced due to a lack of political will.

In 2022, an investigation by PREMIUM TIMES and Mongabay found evidence of systematic failure by law enforcement and the judiciary to hold wildlife poachers and traffickers accountable.

Similarly, this newspapers three-month-long investigation revealed how human-induced habitat loss, deforestation, and climate change drive human-elephant conflicts across major biodiversity hotspots in the country.

Despite being a CITES signatory, over the last decade, Nigeria has gained notoriety for being a key destination and a transit point for illicit wildlife trade. Its porous borders, coupled with corruption and poor law enforcement, have opened up a conduit for smugglers and wildlife traffickers operating between Africa and Asia for years with little or no consequence.

Threatened and unrecognised

In his reaction to the agreement on Sunday, ANIs executive director, Tunde Morakinyo, said the forests of Nigerias South-western region, which are highly threatened, are not sufficiently recognised in Africa-wide conservation strategies for the endemic species and the subspecies they still harbour.

The new deal will protect important populations of African forest elephants, white-throated guenon monkeys, red-capped mangabeys, white-bellied pangolins and African grey parrots, he said.

Last month, ANI announced that Gashaka Gumti, one of Nigerias first nature-based carbon initiatives, was among the four selected from over 100 African projects to get UK support.

The initiative is funded by FSD Africa, the UK-backed financial sector development agency.

The deal, Mr Morakinyo disclosed, included scholarships, rehabilitation of schools, and micro-finance support for women-led small and medium-sized enterprises focused on agro-processing.

READ ALSO: Abuja Estate residents demand halt to rock blasting by Chinese quarry company

Other interventions include support for farmers engaged in beekeeping and agroforestry, as well as in sustainable pastoralism activities.

While stating that the fund for the project could dry up because it relies on philanthropy, Mr Morakinyo said the project could free up long-term sustainable financing from the parks ecosystem services, which may increase the benefits communities receive from protecting their forests.
Despite Nigerias high cost of living, which leaves little room for generosity, Edidiong Eyen tries to stand out.

The CEO of an Akwa Ibom-based fashion brand, Elegant Stitches, has spent the last five years providing free fashion training to women, equipping scores of them with skills that enable them to fend for themselves.

Ms Eyen holds a masters degree in theatre arts from the University of Ibadan. She began her journey with a borrowed sewing machine; her room became her business place. She was driven by a burning desire to make a difference in life.

Her vision was sparked by a painful encounter at a tailors shop, where she was denied the chance to amend her dress. But Ms Eyen has since transformed her frustration into helping other young women through a consistent empowerment programme attached to her thriving business  she owns a big fashion shop in Uyo.

Over the past five years, Ms Eyen has trained 320 women through her yearly six-month fashion training. A video of the graduation posted on Facebook prompted this newspapers interest in how she was giving back to society.

That smile of fulfilment and gratitude on the faces of the beneficiaries gladdens my heart every blessed time, she commented on the photos of the graduation ceremony she posted on Facebook in September.

I am so humble and grateful for the little lives I have been able to touch, she stated. Dear Lord, give me the strength to do more.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Ms Eyen shared her challenges in operating the initiative.

Running this free training hasnt been easy, especially when all my machines get broken down by the trainees and I am made to pay for the repairs alone. But did I stop? No! I get them fixed and continue because its expected.

Another discouraging moment is when I meet uncultured and ungrateful people who do not value the training. Well, its often said that people dont take free things seriously, so I make excuses for them and focus on the hardworking ones who are ready to learn. So far, I have recorded many positive impacts, and that keeps me going.

Ms Eyen said sustaining the free training required grit and sacrifice.

She funds the free programme with income from paying clients and trainees. She has never received support from the government, any organisation, or any individual.

I have trained 320 ladies in the past five years, she explained, noting that 100 were paid trainees while 220 benefited from her yearly free training.

Edys empowerment aligns with Governor Enos blueprint

Ms Eyens work aligns with the Arise Agenda, the blueprint of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, which prioritises agriculture and entrepreneurship as a path to self-reliance and economic empowerment.

Mr Eno recently launched a fresh round of training at the Dakadda Skills Centre, Uyo, where over 500 trainees were officially admitted into the programme, designed to equip youths with skills in various trades, as part of the administrations efforts to reduce unemployment and foster innovation.

The initiative, Ibom LED training, covers a wide range of skills, including fashion design, ICT, agro-business, catering, and creative crafts. Participants also receive training in financial literacy, business planning, and digital marketing to enable them to scale their ventures after the training. Upon completion, participants receive grants to start their businesses.

While the government spends billions of naira to fund its training, Ms Eyen continues to run hers for free without external support.

Dont wait until you have plenty, Ms Eyen advised other artisans who dream of giving back. Start with the people around you. When you touch one life, youve touched millions.

She explained that many beneficiaries now own shops or market their designs online. There is a story of a woman who once could not afford the paid training, but she returned for the free programme and now earns a living from dress-making.
September witnessed a range of stories and initiatives addressing womens safety, peacebuilding, and empowerment across Nigeria.

From the efforts of women-led vigilante groups in Plateau State to the launch of a social charter in Kwara aimed at combating gender-based violence, the month highlighted the growing momentum for gender justice at all levels.

New manuals offering Islamic perspectives on the prevention of gender-based violence were also introduced, while reports highlighted the enduring trauma faced by rape survivors in Bauchi State and the socio-economic struggles of women breadwinners in the South-South region.

Additionally, PREMIUM TIMES examined the stigma surrounding infertility among Nigerian women, the barriers limiting womens political participation, and renewed legislative efforts through the Gender Bill seeking to increase female representation in national and state assemblies.

Here are some of the most important gender-related issues from September.

When Women Keep Watch: Inside Plateaus women-led vigilantes, peace networks

The report highlights the efforts of women-led vigilante groups and peace networks in Plateau State, who are working to promote security and stability in their communities. These women are taking proactive steps to address insecurity, often in the face of limited resources and support, and have recorded a positive impact in their communities.

Beyond the Wound: Nigerian women bearing the weight of infertility stigma

In many Nigerian families, infertility carries significant cultural and social stigma, with women often bearing the brunt of blame.

The inability to conceive is met not with compassion but with suspicion, ridicule, and, often, rejection.

After marriage, there is almost an unspoken countdown: within nine months, a baby and sometimes, even twins or triplets, is expected to arrive. When that milestone passes without a child, the quiet pressure begins to creep in.

Even when medical tests reveal male factors contributing to infertility, societal pressure and ridicule are frequently targeted at women.

dRPC, partners launch manuals on the Islamic perspective on prevention of GBV

A manual on the Islamic perspective on preventing GBV has been launched. This includes the launch of the Abridged Version of the Al-Azhar Guide on the Islamic Perspective of GBV, the Hausa Translation of the Islamic Guide on GBV in Northern Nigeria, and the Guidelines on the Islamic Perspective for GBV Prevention for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual & GBV.

Double Duty: South-South Nigerian mothers struggle to provide and care

In Nigerias south-south region, many women carry a heavy burden as mothers who serve as the providers for their families. Behind their resilience lies a quiet struggle that affects the nutritional and emotional well-being of their children.

This report focuses on the experiences of female breadwinners, primarily those in informal employment, who, despite limited financial resources, managed to support their families.

They often engaged in informal work and, faced with limited financial support, stretched meagre earnings to keep their families afloat. But survival comes at a steep price  malnutrition, mental stress, and emotional gaps that ripple across generations.

Remanded for rape

A 60-year-old man identified as Ajayi Femi was arrested by the police in Lagos for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman.

According to the police, the suspect has since been arraigned in court and remanded in prison pending the next adjourned date.

Similarly, a chief magistrates court in Awka, Anambra State, ordered the remand of a 33-year-old barber, Ihechukwu Korie, for the alleged rape of a minor who was his customer.

The defendant, who is facing one count of rape, was ordered to be remanded at the Awka correctional facility.

Bauchi rapists face prosecution as victims carry the scars

In Bauchi State, rapists face prosecution but victims bear the brunt.

While the legal process unfolds for the accused, the male victims are left to endure profound and lasting trauma. The report highlights the severe physical and psychological scars carried by the survivors.

It also details their ongoing struggles with pain, stigmatisation, as well as the pressure faced by their families to resolve it without making formal complaints.

Coalition condemns continued exclusion of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Womanifesto, a coalition of womens rights organisations, condemned what it describes as the unconstitutional and continued exclusion of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate.

The coalitions convener, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, in a statement, demanded the immediate reinstatement of the Kogi Central senator in full compliance with the court order.

Nigerias Gender Bill gives hope of increased womens participation in parliament

In Nigeria, where women comprise almost half the population but remain largely invisible in decision-making, a new constitutional amendment bill has re-ignited debates about gender equity in governance.

Titled A bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for seat reservation for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly; and for related matters, the proposed legislation is one of the most ambitious attempts yet to correct the imbalance in womens political representation.

The proposed changes would amend critical sections of the Nigerian Constitution, particularly Sections 48, 49, and 91, to guarantee womens participation across all legislative levels.

For many women in Africas most populous country, the bill is an effort to restore balance in a country where women make up less than five per cent of the countrys lawmakers.

Kwara community launches social charter to combat gender-based violence

The Agbarere community in Kwara State has launched a social charter aimed at protecting women and girls, promoting gender equality, and holding perpetrators accountable.

Over 250 participants, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, men, and youth representatives, security agencies, and civil society actors, attended the launch event.
Prince William's children have driven home for him how urgent it is to "fix the planet".

Prince William has announced this year's Earthshot Prize finalists

The Prince of Wales - who has Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, with wife Catherine, Princess of Wales - has unveiled the finalists for this year's Earthshot Prize and reflected on how quickly time has passed since he first announced the initiative, which rewards those offering innovative solutions to the world's environmental challenges, five years ago.

He said in a short film shared on his social media channels: Now, more than ever, is the time to fix the planet.

"I sat under this oak tree five years ago, soon after we launched The Earthshot Prize. The planet, the only home we have, needed our help, as scientists made it clear that we had to make significant changes by 2030.

"Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away.

"But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.

"The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet."

William praised the "urgent optimism" of the finalists, who he described as "heroes of our time".

He said: "It is impossible to hear these finalists stories, to see the impact they are already having and not feel encouraged by their energy and momentum.

"For me, it is that urgent optimism that has been at the heart of this Prize from the beginning. And it feels unstoppable.

"The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity  not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now."

Jason Knauf, CEO of the Earthshot Prize, believes the initiative is "more important than ever".

He said: Earthshot was founded because we are in a decisive moment. it's a ten-year window of opportunity where our actions today will shape life on Earth for generations to come.

The Earthshot Prize was also founded because Prince William believes that this decade can be a great human success story.

"That with urgency and optimism we can make these years count. Today as we stand at the half way mark of our mission, our work feels more important than ever.

And we continue to be driven by the belief that the solutions already exist, we just need to identify, celebrate and back them. Today thats exactly what were doing.

"The 15 finalists we are about to present alongside the amazing 60 before them are showing the world whats possible.

This years ceremony will take place in Rio de Janeiro next month.
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has disowned the Bachelor of Science degree certificate in the possession of the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, saying the politician did not complete his studies at the institution and was never issued a certificate.

The universitys action came months after authorities at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) similarly told PREMIUM TIMES that the certificate of national service being paraded by Mr Nnaji was strange to it and could not be authenticated. This newspaper had, as part of a longterm investigation into the politicians educational and service history, forwarded a copy of the document to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja for verification.

Allegations of certificate forgery have surrounded Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when President Bola Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate as Mr Tinubu began to form his cabinet, two months after taking office on May 29, 2023.

Mr Nnajis critics insist that he did not complete his university education and that both the bachelors degree and the NYSC certificate he presented to President Tinubu, as well as the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Senate, are counterfeit.

However, in response to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information request, Simon U. Ortuanya, the vice-chancellor of UNN, stated that although Mr Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

We refer to your letter dated 29 September 2025 in respect of the above subject matter, Mr Ortuanya, a professor, wrote in his 2 October 2025 letter to this newspaper. We can confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with Matriculation Number 1981/30725, was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.

From every available records and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached).

Mr Ortuanyas response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry, which came several months after the NYSC issued a similar verdict, is the high point of this newspapers two-year painstaking investigation into Mr Nnajis degree and NYSC certificates.

We first made an FoI request to the university on 1 February 2024. But officials failed to respond to our enquiry despite several reminders and follow-up visits to the institution by our reporter. During one such visit, a registry staff member compelled our reporter to pay a N15,000 processing fee. We did, but still received no response to our letter.

On 2 October this year, we decided to courier a reminder to the university, making the same request and attaching a copy of the Bachelor of Science degree the minister submitted to the Senate during his confirmation hearing on 1 August 2023.

It was the recent letter to the institution that triggered the response from Mr Ortuanya, who was appointed vice chancellor of the university only on 2 August 2025.

The universitys reply to our enquiry contradicts an earlier response to the Peoples Gazette newspaper on the matter. On 21 December 2023, Celine Nnebedum, the university registrar, responded to the newspapers enquiry, saying Mr Nnaji graduated from the institution in July 1985.

The official has since recanted, telling the Public Complaints Commission in May this year that the university searched its graduation records for the 1985 session but could not find Mr Nnajis name on them.

However, the latest information provided by Mr Ortuanya and Mrs Nnebedum to us and the Public Complaints Commission, respectively, aligns with the findings of our two-year investigation on the matter.

Unmasking a ministerial fraud

We began investigating Mr Nnajis credentials on 23 October 2023, after a whistleblower alerted us to suspected discrepancies in the ministers certificates and urged us to conduct an investigation.

The outcome of our two-year investigation is damning. Not only is Mr Nnaji a barefaced liar (telling lawmakers during his ministerial screening that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1985 and that he did his National Youth Service Corp scheme in Jos in 1986), but he is also a serial forger, who manufactured two key credentials with which he has gained career, business and political advantages for decades.

Our first step in investigating Minister Nnaji was a careful and repeated review of recordings of his 1 August 2023 confirmation hearing at the Senate, which was beamed live by at least five Nigerian television networks and later archived on the YouTube channels of the stations.

We also reviewed a recording of the 22 August 2023 inauguration ceremony of President Tinubus ministers. On that occasion, Mr Nnaji beamed with smiles and his face sparkled with pride as the moderator, Ajuri Ngelale, who was then the special adviser on media and publicity to President Tinubu, read his dishonest resume, including the lie that he bagged a bachelors degree in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Afterwards, we began knocking on senators doors in search of the 10-page document the politician submitted to Senate authorities and lawmakers. The first few senators we contacted declined to cooperate, even though we did not disclose the reason for our request to them.

Two who initially promised to share the document failed to keep multiple appointments. Ultimately, two unlikely lawmakers stood out. Without asking many questions, they separately instructed their aides to oblige us with copies of the documents.

A poor job at forgery

We then subjected the suspicious NYSC and degree certificates to a thorough forensic analysis in our newsroom. This process ultimately reinforced our hypothesis that the documents were most likely fake.

First, we found that the purported NYSC certificate, dated 15 May 1986, bore the signature of Animashaun Braimoh. The army colonel served as the fifth CEO of the NYSC between January 1988 and December 1990.

It is impossible that he signed Mr Nnajis certificate of national service on 15 May 1986, eighteen months before his appointment to that office. The head of the NYSC at the time the politician claimed he served was then-Colonel Edet Akpan, who held the position between January 1984 and December 1987.

Another glaring discrepancy in Mr Nnajis NYSC certificate was the titular designation of the corps CEO, who purportedly signed the document. From the inception of the NYSC and at least until the early 1990s, the head of the agency was known as Director.

For some years in the 1990s, the CEO of the corps became known as National Director and later as Director General, a designation still in use to date. However, Mr Nnaji has a certificate signed by a National Director in 1986, several years before that designation was introduced at the NYSC.

We reviewed at least 25 certificates issued by the NYSC between July 1980 and October 1990. All were signed by Director. Only Mr Nnajis was endorsed by National Director.

Our extensive review of NYSC certificates, from inception to at least October 1990, revealed that the six-digit numberings are devoid of alphabetic characters.

For instance, the certificate issued to Lateef Fagbemi, the current Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, in 1986, is numbered 323213, while that of Abubakar Badaru (the incumbent Minister of Defence), also issued in 1986, has 299355 as its identification number.

Mr Nnaji claimed that the NYSC issued him a certificate number A231309 in 1986, whereas the practice of adding alphabets to certificate numbers for national service did not begin until the 1990s.

Additionally, Mr Nnajis certificate indicates that he served in Plateau State between 16 April 1985 and 15 May 1986. We found that claim to be false because corps members statutorily serve for 12 months, not 13 as indicated by the ministers forged certificate.

For instance, Wale Edun, the current Minister of Finance, underwent national service between 20 December 1979 and 19 December 1980 (a period of 12 months), while Babatunde Fashola, former Lagos Governor, did his between 18 September 1988 and 17 September 1989 (also a period of 12 months). Of all the about 50 NYSC certificates we reviewed, only Mr Nnajis portrayed a 13-month service period.

On the surface, Mr Nnajis degree certificate appeared genuine. We compared it with the version issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to a former Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, who graduated from the institution in June 1979. Apart from his first name being misspelt as Geoffery instead of Geofffrey, the certificate ticked all the right boxes on genuineness.

But when we placed it side by side with Mr Nnajis certificate of national service, the artificiality of the document became apparent. The degree certificate suggested the politician graduated in July 1985.

However, the accompanying NYSC certificate claimed that the politician began his youth service on 16 April 1985, three clear months before he finished university. Were that to be true, it would have been a record because no one else in the 52-year history of the NYSC has been mobilised for national service while still studying for their first degree.

From Forensics to Legwork

With our forensic analysis of the two suspicious certificates complete, our reporters fanned out into the field for discreet investigations at the two institutions Mr Nnaji claimed issued him the documents. At the NYSC headquarters in Abuja, two highly placed officials of the Corps, who are experienced, separately scrutinised copies of the ministers certificate of national service handed to them by our reporters.

The insiders also helped to carefully review NYSC internal records to determine if anyone with Mr Nnajis identity had ever been mobilised for national service or issued a certificate of national service. Their verdicts were unanimous: the ministers NYSC certificate is a counterfeit. The NYSC later responded to a formal inquiry we sent on 23 September 2023, saying it had no record of the certificate in the ministers possession and was therefore unable to authenticate it.

Our reporters also spent days at Nsukka gathering information about Mr Nnajis time at the university and whether he graduated from the university as he claimed. They found that although the politician was admitted to study biological sciences at the institution during the 1981/82 academic session, he did not graduate and was not issued a certificate after he failed some of his courses, including Virology, with course code MCB 431AB.

The university closed the door on him after he repeatedly failed to attend several rewrite opportunities granted to him by the authorities, one staff member said. In fact, at one point, the university became so fed up with his absenteeism that it advised him to withdraw from the institution.

While Mr Nnaji now parades a bogus certificate claiming he graduated in July 1985, our reporters sighted a letter he wrote to the university on 1 May 1986 pleading to be allowed another opportunity to take an outstanding terminal course in September of that year.

Those familiar with his case said the university declined to grant his request. We also obtained a copy of the Order of Proceedings of the 20th Convocation Ceremony of the university, which contains the names of students who graduated in 1985. Mr Nnajis name was missing from the list.

Mr Nnaji has yet to respond to the enquiry PREMIUM TIMES sent to him on January 8, 2024, which was stamped received by his office at 1 p.m. on 18 January 2024. He also did not answer or return subsequent multiple follow-up telephone calls, messages and email seeking his comments for this report.
Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited has reacted to a PREMIUM TIMES investigation about the companys ownership, saying its new owners had no knowledge of any co-ownership by the Kano government before buying the property.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the management of the dry port also claimed that documents showing ex-Governor Abdullahi Gandujes children as former shareholders were forged by the founder and former managing director of the port, Ahmad Rabiu.

The management said the new owners acquired the port in 2020 from Mr Rabiu, who allegedly claimed to be the sole owner of the port.

It said the facility is a federally approved project under the supervision of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and it has, since acquiring the dry port, consistently operated with transparency and accountability.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, in March 2020, secretly transferred the state governments 20 per cent stake in the company to private hands, making his children co-owners before awarding a contract worth over N2.3 billion to provide infrastructure for the project.

The transfer edged Kano State out of ownership, while Mr Gandujes children emerged as directors and shareholders. Shortly after, Mr Ganduje, then governor, awarded a contract for works that were originally the states responsibility under its equity agreement.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Kano State was to pay for its 20 per cent equity by providing infrastructure roads, fencing, electricity, and water at the Zawachiki site in Kumbotso Local Government Area. The state government, under different governors, failed to do so until the ownership of the firm was changed in March 2020 to favour the Ganduje children.

In 2022, two years after the records were altered to favour the Ganduje family and a former aide, Abubakar Bawuro, new CAC filings removed the Ganduje children and transferred their shares to Mr Bawuro, the investigation found.

A CAC document seen by PREMIUM TIMES now lists only Mr Bawuro and Mr Rabiu as shareholders and Persons with Significant Control (PSC). The records, dated 19 October 2022, showed Mr Bawuro holding 80 per cent of shares and Mr Rabiu 20 per cent. That new ownership structure still subsisted at the time of our report.

However, the new owners of the port say they are not aware that the Kano State Government owned any share in the port.

The management said that Kano State never owned the property, arguing that its records of acquisition never showed the state government as a shareholder.

The company said it conducted its own CAC search, which did not list Kano State as having equity in the project.

It also said Kano States contribution, under Mr Ganduje, by providing infrastructure was strictly Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), not evidence of co-ownership or equity.

Kano State government support was classified strictly as CSR and not ownership, the company said.

The company instead blamed Mr Rabiu for discrepancies in the transfer of the company to the new owners. It also blamed him for financial losses and what it described as a campaign of calumny.

How we acquired Dala Port  CGE

According to the management, Mr Rabiu personally invited Abubakar Bawuro of City Green Enterprises (CGE), now the owners of Dala Inland Dry Port, to invest in 2020.

The board said Mr Rabiu consolidated ownership by securing resignation letters from other directors, including his son, transferring their shares to himself, before voluntarily offering 100 per cent of the company to CGE.

According to the management, CGE carried out due diligence at the CAC and found no evidence of Kano State Government ownership.

After selling the port to CGE, Mr Rabiu reportedly requested to buy back 20 per cent of the shares. CGE agreed but said he has yet to fully pay.

A board resolution filed with CAC now reflects Mr Bawuro as holding 80 per cent and Mr Rabiu 20 per cent.

At no time was Kano State Government or any member of the Ganduje family listed as shareholders or directors, Dala Inland Dry Port said, adding that one cannot remove an entity that was never legally a shareholder or director.

The company said that the company records that show Mr Gandujes children being listed as directors were forged by Mr Rabiu. PREMIUM TIMES is yet to verify that claim and others by the company.

The firm also accused Mr Rabiu of failing to disclose any claim of Kano State equity and maintained that he sold 100 per cent of the company to CGE without dispute for five years.

Agreements, Payments, and New Leadership

The company said a formal agreement was signed and full payments made between CGE and Mr Rabiu.

Following the acquisition, new directors were appointed with CAC approval, including Adamu Aliyu Sanda in 2021 and Hassan Bello in 2023.

At the time of CGEs entry, the NSC was reportedly considering revoking DIDPs concession due to inactivity. It was CGEs intervention that revived confidence.

Turnaround and Federal Recognition

Since the takeover, DIDP said it has achieved significant milestones.

DIDP was declared a Port of Origin and Destination by the Federal Government on August 5, 2022, and commissioned by late President Muhammadu Buhari on January 30, 2023, the company stated.

It contrasted this with what it described as years of financial losses and poor performance under Mr Rabiu between 2005 and 2020.

Rabius exit and campaign of calumny

The company said Mr Rabiu was removed as managing director on 30 July, following a review of the companys precarious financial position and his style of stewardship.

The Managing Directors position was abolished and replaced with an Acting Chief Operating Officer in August 2025, it said.

For the first time in DIDPs history, overhead expenses and salaries were funded entirely from internally generated revenue, the statement added, describing this as proof of a sustainable turnaround.

DIDP accused Mr Rabiu of launching a campaign of calumny after his exit, alleging that he issued threats to staff while enjoying a generous salary package, two new official vehicles, and jobs for his two sons.

The board said all its claims are backed by CAC filings, board resolutions, and government correspondence.

The reported misrepresentations are not grounded in fact, law, or record. Rabiu voluntarily sold DIDP to CGE, which revived and developed the port, while KNSGs role was limited to CSR support, the company said.

Today, DIDP stands as a testimony of resilience, corporate integrity, and effective partnership between investors, regulators, and government support. Its revival is not in dispute. Its future is secure.

The company listed supporting documents, including its Memorandum and Articles of Association, Certificate of Incorporation, board resolutions, sale agreement, NSC letters, and status reports as proof of its claims.

Mr Rabiu fights back

When PREMIUM TIMES confronted Mr Rabiu with the allegations by the port management, he denied any responsibility.

First, it was shocking to see PREMIUM TIMES went deep into our records and published so much about Dala Inland Dry Port and secondly to learn that the management are accusing me of waging a campaign of calumny against the company I founded and funded for over two decades. I have no reason to destroy what I built.

Mr Rabiu said it was Mr Ganduje, as Kano governor, that first introduced him to Mr Bawuro, and he was compelled to sign the sales agreement under duress.

I never knew Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro until Governor Ganduje introduced him while we were working on the dry port. He later resigned as Gandujes aide in December 2020 and joined our board as chairman on the Governors verbal instruction.

I was also forced to appoint Adamu Aliyu Sanda as legal adviser in 2019, months before I was compelled to sign a poorly drafted sales agreement. I was told the buyer was City Green Enterprises, which was not even a legal entity. Bawuros name was written on it, but he never invested in a kobo.

Bawuro and Sanda handled documents of sales agreement under the supervision of Hassan Bello, who at that time was the CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council. Bello later served me a 30-day termination notice of concession far short of the three months required, putting me in a very difficult situation.

But what pains me even further is that after leaving office, Mr Bello immediately joined the board of Dala Inland Dry Portfirst as a consultant who attended and participated fully in board meetings, and later as a full board member.

When asked if the Kano government was ever represented on the board of Dala port, he said yes.

Abdullahi Haruna was the director that represented the interest of Kano State Government on the Board. Sanda should give full and honest report, he said.

As for incompetence, I have nothing to prove. I have been recognised and respected as the frontrunner and expert on matters of inland ports in our great country. Bawuro was a maximum ruler at Dala Inland Dry Port. We have held an average of one Board Meeting every month since we came together because he must decide every step we were to take. H.E. Ganduje had to intervene between I and Bawuro all through.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), never issued him a degree certificate.

This admission validates the findings of a painstaking two-year investigation by PREMIUM TIMES, which revealed that he forged the credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation.

Allegations of certificate forgery have dogged Mr Nnaji since July 2023, when President Tinubu named him among the first batch of 28 ministerial nominees from 25 states forwarded to the Senate as part of the presidents initial cabinet list, two months after taking office on 29 May 2023.

Critics have long insisted that Mr Nnaji did not complete his university education and that both the bachelors degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to President Tinubu, as well as to the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the State Security Service (SSS), and the Senate, were forged.

The findings of PREMIUM TIMES extensive examination of the documents were damning and conclusive: both the degree certificate and the NYSC discharge certificate in the ministers possession are outright forgeries.

Mr Nnaji has now addressed the allegations for the first time, and, in doing so, confirmed that UNN never issued him any certificate.

Admission in Court Filings

The ministers admission is contained in court filings in a case he instituted against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the University of Nigeria, its Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, a professor, its Registrar, a former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguenjiofor Ujam, a professor, and the Senate of the University.

In the suit before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Mr Nnaji sought, through a motion ex parte, an order granting him leave to issue prerogative writs prohibiting UNN and its officials from tampering with or continuing to tamper with his academic records.

He also sought leave to issue a prerogative writ of mandamus compelling the university and its officials to release his academic transcript to him, and asked the Minister of Education and the NUC to exercise their supervisory powers to compel UNN to do so.

Additionally, Mr Nnaji requested an interim injunction restraining UNN and its officials from tampering with his academic records pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In her ruling of 22 September, Justice Yilwa granted three of the prayers sought but declined to issue any injunctive order against the defendants. The case was then adjourned to 6 October (Monday) for further hearing.

Those familiar with the matter said Mr Nnaji initiated the case to block the university from releasing details of his academic sojourn in the institution to anyone, including PREMIUM TIMES. He is also said to desire a transcript to refresh his memory regarding where he dropped out of university.

Nnajis Shocking Disclosure

However, in paragraphs 12 and 13 of his 34-paragraph verifying affidavit supporting the motion, Mr Nnaji made a stunning revelation, accusing UNN officials of refusing to issue him a certificate and, in the process, confirming that he never collected one.

In paragraph 12, he stated that the university admitted him in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry, and that he completed the programme and graduated in 1985.

But paragraph 13 contained the explosive admission:

That even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to Peoples Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:

This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.

The letter, signed by UNN Registrar Celine Nnebedum, was sent to the Peoples Gazette in response to an enquiry. But its contents have since been invalidated.

Mrs Nnebedum later recanted in a letter to the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) in May 2025, stating that the university searched its 1985 graduation records but could not find Mr Nnajis name.

Similarly, UNN Vice-Chancellor Ortuanya confirmed in a letter dated 3 October 2025 and addressed to PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Nnaji did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree by the university.

A senior university official told PREMIUM TIMES that the institution investigated Mrs Nnebedums letter and concluded that: It is either some people in the records office were influenced or manipulated to cover up for Nnaji, or it was a sincere mistake by the registry.

The official added: The truth of the matter is that he (Mr Nnaji) never graduated from here. His file is intact. It contains details up to the point where he dropped out.

Nnaji and a Forgery Confession

By admitting that UNN never issued him a degree certificate, Mr Nnaji has effectively confessed to forging his degree and NYSC credentials he presented in 2023 for his ministerial appointment.

This raises crucial questions: If UNN did not issue him a certificate, where and how did he obtain the degree document he submitted to Nigerian authorities? And if he never earned a degree, how did he qualify for the NYSC programme?

Ahead of his ministerial screening on 1 August 2023, Mr Nnaji submitted at least 109 copies of a 10-page profile document to the Senate Clerks office for distribution to all senators.

The first page featured his smiling photograph, describing him as a visionary industrialist, oil and gas expert, construction giant, healthcare practitioner, pro-democracy activist, trade and investment strategist, and environmental protection expert.

The next three pages detailed his personal data, including contact information, birth, origin, marital status, religion, education, work and business experience, and political achievements.

On page three, he claimed to have earned a combined degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology from UNN, though he failed to provide a graduation year.

For his NYSC service, he claimed he worked as a laboratory supervisor at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital in 1985 and later as an assistant quality control manager at Jos International Breweries Limited in 1986.

The remaining six pages  stapled to the main document  contained copies of his West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate, statutory declaration of age, Code of Conduct Bureau asset declaration slip, tax clearance certificate for 2022, his supposed UNN Bachelor of Science degree, and his purported NYSC Certificate of National Service.

These last two documents have been the core of PREMIUM TIMES long-running investigation. After nearly two years of verification, the newspaper conclusively determined that the degree and NYSC certificates are forgeries.

Now that Mr Nnaji has admitted that UNN never issued him any degree, the inevitable question remains: how did he come into possession of the certificate he submitted to Nigerian authorities?

Minister Keeps Silent

Despite multiple efforts to obtain his comments, Mr Nnaji declined to speak directly to PREMIUM TIMES on the matter.

He ignored a detailed written enquiry sent by this newspaper on 8 January 2024, which his office formally acknowledged and stamped as received on 18 January 2024 at 1 p.m.

He also refused to answer or return repeated follow-up calls, messages, and emails seeking his response to our findings.
Facebook has clamped down on surrogacy groups in Nigeria, following DUBAWAs investigation on how Facebook, misinformation, and legal loopholes throw Nigerian women into the surrogacy ditch.

The report, published on 27 September, projects the experience of surrogates in Nigeria who are at the receiving end of exploitative practices and severe health implications. It exposes human rights violations, particularly how surrogate agents lure women into surrogacy by weaponising misinformation, utilising Facebook for advertising, and leveraging legal loopholes to implement the practice.

International groups and Nigerians reacted to the report, criticising the existence of surrogacy groups on Facebook and calling for a ban.

This is such an eye opener, Purple Passion (@annie_chrissss) said on X after watching DUBAWAs documentary. A Facebook page agency for Surrogate mothers is genuinely the most ridiculous thing Ive heard in recent times.

Following the report, Facebook removed several surrogacy groups in Nigeria.

Meta removed the surrogacy groups that DUBAWA had shared with them via email during the investigation: Surrogate Mothers Nigeria, and Egg Donor and Surrogate Mother in Nigeria.

The social networking platform also removed the groups DUBAWA reported to them via the Facebook app: Egg Donation and Surrogacy (For Expectant Mothers) IVF, and Surrogates and Egg donors group. Initially, Facebook said the groups didnt violate their community standards. They later reviewed their decisions and deleted the groups.

After reversing its decisions, Facebook deleted more groups DUBAWA reported to them via its app: IVF & Surrogacy Support Groups Nigeria, Nigeria Surrogates and Intended Parents, Surrogate/Egg and Sperm Donors, and Surrogate Mothers Support and Advocacy Group.

Also, Facebook removed the international surrogacy platform, Surrogate Mothers Agency, which DUBAWA reported. The group had over 12,000 members and facilitated surrogacy worldwide, including for Nigerians.

Cumulatively, DUBAWA identified nine groups that had been deleted with over 38,000 global members.

Following the removal of the groups, Facebook also tightened enforcement of its community rules, as it is becoming more difficult for surrogate groups to post on the platform.

Temitope Afolabi, a former surrogate, told DUBAWA that surrogate agents now have difficulty posting surrogacy-related adverts on the platform.

Many of the surrogate groups have been brought down, and whenever they want to post, they always have an issue, Ms Afolabi said, They say Facebook dont allow them.

Agents managing surrogacy support groups on the platform are now forced to self-regulate against publishing financial advertisements. One surrogacy support group published a disclaimer:

To follow Facebooks surrogacy strict policies, we do not post payment plans, pricing, or financial discussions inside this group.

Before DUBAWAs investigation, there were countless Facebook surrogacy communities in Nigeria, with several groups created to facilitate surrogacy. Indiscriminate advertisements of surrogacy flood the groups, with different payment plans ranging from N2 million to N5 million advertised daily.

DUBAWA emailed Meta via email for comments following the removal of the groups; however, they failed to respond. We further contacted Metas head of communications, Oluwasola Obagbemi, on WhatsApp for comments, but she responded that she was on leave and out of the office.

However, Meta had initially informed DUBAWA in an email correspondence,

Ads and Groups that exploit people through the sale or illegal adoption of children violate our policies, and we remove this content when its found  as we have done in this case.
Six young Nigerians have emerged winners in the Hadith competition organised by the King Mohammed VI Foundation of African Oulema, Morocco.

AbdulGaniyu Tijani, one of the judges of the competition, disclosed this while speaking with journalists during the closing ceremony in Abuja on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the first category of the competition, the winners were Fatima Turbo, Muhammad Ibrahim and Abubakar Abba, all from Borno state.

In the second category, winners are Saleh Al-Amin from Borno, Ahmed Kolawole from Kwara and Khalifah Jibril from Kaduna.

The three winners in each category won cash prizes of N250,000, N200,000 and N150,000.

Mr Tijani said that the main objective was to encourage the youths to know and memorise the Sunnah and the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad.

The main objective of this competition is not the money that they are winning, but the knowledge and making them memorise the Sunnah and the Hadiths of our beloved Prophet.

We have six winners. In each category, we have three winners. So, the first is winning 250,000, the second is winning 200,000 and the third is winning 150,000, he said.

According to him, this is the second edition of this competition.

We had the first edition last year; this is the second edition.

We hope that this competition does not stop here. It should continue.

Nigeria today is regarded as number one in Africa in memorisation of the Quran. And we have not been working at all on the Hadiths of the Prophet, he said.

He said that the competition would serve as an opportunity for the young ones to start to memorise the Hadiths of the Prophet, and to know more of the Prophet.

He said the competition comprised three different levels and three different categories.

According to him, the first category has 40 Hadiths, in which the competitors have to memorise 40 Hadiths with the Sunnah.

And also the second category has to memorise 35 Hadiths, also with the chain of that Hadith and also with the meanings of the important words in those Hadiths.

The third category has to memorise 25 Hadiths, with the chain and also the Islamic rulings in those Hadiths. And Alhamdulillah, we just completed it, he said.

Mr Tijani recalled that 560 competitors participated from the beginning of the competition.

We have been on it for the past month, trying to see and select those that will participate on a very larger level.

The six that won today will be travelling after winning some cash, he said.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Maqari, one of the coordinators, said that the next competition was going to be the African competition.

We are going to prepare them. There is going to be a camp where they will be mentored on the lapses that were observed in the presentations. Inshallah, we will be overcome, he said.

Ahmad Kolawole, one of the winners, said that the competition exposed him to some hadiths that he did not know about before.

From this competition, I learned the second most important thing in Islam, which is the hadith of Muhammad, peace be upon him.

I was exposed to some hadiths that I did not know about before. And from it, I know many things that are attributed to prayer and other important things in Islam.

This competition encouraged me to be more adhered to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, he said.

(NAN)
A civil society organisation, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to abolish the two per cent service charge it imposed on payments made by intending Hajj pilgrims, saying the fee contributes significantly to the rising cost of pilgrimage for Nigerians.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, on Sunday, IHR described the $90 (144,000 based on the 1,600 exchange rate benchmark for the upcoming Hajj) charged by the bank as an unnecessary burden on pilgrims.

The group noted that with 95,000 Hajj slots allocated to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia, the CBN stands to generate around $8.55 million (13.68 billion) annually from the service charge alone.

The CBN should abolish the revenue it collects simply for transferring Hajj payments to NAHCONs IBAN account in Saudi Arabia, IHR said.

While we do not claim that the payments are illegal, we believe the CBN can waive them as their contribution to reducing Hajj fares.

PREMIUM TIMES has reported the announcement of the 2026 Hajj fare, with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) unveiling a major reduction of over 200,000 per pilgrim.

The commission described the move as part of ongoing efforts to make the sacred journey more affordable for Nigerian Muslims.

NAHCON also urged intending pilgrims to complete their payments promptly to enable the commission to meet the Saudi authorities deadlines for preparations ahead of the 2026 Hajj.

Read the full statement below:

CSO Calls for Abolition of CBN 2% Service Charge on Hajj Fare

Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR) has joined the call on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to abolish the 2% charge it receives from the payments of intending Hajj pilgrims from Nigeria.

IHR states that the 2% charge by the countrys apex bank, which translates to $90 per pilgrim (N144,000), based on the N1,600 foreign exchange benchmark used by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has contributed to the high cost of Hajj for Nigerian pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia allocates 95,000 slots to Nigeria for the annual pilgrimage. If the quota is filled, the CBN generates approximately $8,550,000 (N13.68 billion) in revenue yearly from Hajj payments by pilgrims.

IHR, in a statement Sunday signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, says following public outcry over the high cost of Hajj, The CBN should abolish the revenue it collects simply for transferring Hajj payments to NAHCONS IBAN account in Saudi Arabia.

The statement added that, while we do not claim that the payments are illegal, we believe that the CBN can waive them as their contribution to the reduction of Hajj fare in the country. Nigerian pilgrims are paying multiple service charges to various government establishments, which has jerked up the overall cost of the Hajj fare.

It should be noted that NAHCON has been funding its operations since 2019, relying on its service charge and relieving the government of Hajj operational costs. Such self-reliance measure needs to be supported by other government institutions to guarantee seamless and efficient services for Nigerian pilgrims, it said

The CSOs appeal follows similar calls by many Hajj stakeholders urging the Central Bank to waive the payments.

Ibrahim Muhammad

For: Independent Hajj Reporters

5th October, 2025
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified his comment about late President Muhammadu Buhari and Boko Haram but denied saying the two had ties.

The former president reportedly claimed on Friday at the public presentation of a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, a general, that Boko Haram once nominated Mr Buhari, before he became president, as its preferred negotiator.

Apart from media reports affirming his statement, an aide to Mr Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, wrote on X that he attended the event where Mr Jonathan made the statement.

Earlier today, I was at the book launch of former Chief of Defence Staff General Lucky Irabor (Rtd), where former President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed during his remarks that in one of the committees his administration set up to explore dialogue, Boko Haram once nominated the later President Buhari to represent them in negotiations with the government, Mr Ahmad, who worked with Mr Buhari when the latter was president, wrote.

However, in a statement by his spokesperson on Saturday, Mr Jonathan said his statement was grossly misrepresented.

In the statement issued by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Mr Jonathan clarified that at no time did he suggest or imply that his successor, Mr Buhari, was connected to or supportive of the terrorist group.

The former presidents comments were grossly misrepresented, the statement read. His reference was to a well-documented episode when various individuals and factions falsely claimed to represent Boko Haram and purported to name prominent Nigerians as possible mediators: without those individuals knowledge or consent.

According to Mr Jonathan, his comments were made in the context of illustrating the devious and manipulative strategies used by Boko Haram during its early years.

He said his point was that the group often invoked the names of respected public figures to create confusion, exploit political divisions, and undermine public confidence in government.

The former president further explained that his rhetorical question about why Boko Haram did not end its violent campaign when Mr Buhari became president was meant to underscore the absurdity of claims that the group genuinely wanted him as a mediator.

For the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Jonathan recognises that President Muhammadu Buhari, like every patriotic Nigerian, stood firmly against terrorism and was himself a target of Boko Haram violence, the statement added.

The statement emphasised that Messrs Buhari and Jonathan shared a common goal of restoring peace and stability to Nigeria during their respective administrations.

Mr Jonathan, however, urged the public to disregard any distorted interpretations of his remarks, stressing that his commitment remains toward peace, unity, and the strengthening of democratic values in the country.

The statement notes that Mr Jonathan believes that the nations progress depends on a truthful understanding of its challenges, not on the distortion of facts for political or sensational purposes.

Buharis ex-spokesperson reacts

Several newspapers also reported that Garba Shehu, former spokesperson to late President Buhari, dismissed Mr Jonathans claim that Boko Haram once nominated Mr Buhari as a mediator, describing it as false and politically motivated.

Mr Shehu urged Mr Jonathan to stop distorting facts for political relevance ahead of 2027.

The road to 2027

There are reports that Mr Jonathan is warming up to join the presidential race in 2027.

Although the former president has not confirmed this personally, his close ally told Vanguard that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will pitch Mr Jonathan against President Bola Tinubu

The presidency welcomed a possible Jonathan challenge, with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga saying Nigerians wont forget his dismal record in office.

Boko Haram insurgency: A shared blame

Boko Haram began around the early 2000s, but the failure of successive governmentsespecially Messrs Buhari and Jonathanshelped the group to significantly grow, spreading from Borno to other states in the North-east.

Mr Jonathan was the president when Boko Haram staged a strong comeback after the 2009 clash with the police.

He was the president when more than 200 school girls were seized by the violent group in Chibok, Borno State. His failure to win the war, among other things, was used to oust him in 2015 when Mr Buhari succeeded him.

Under Mr Buharis leadership (20152023), Nigeria made significant gains against Boko Haram, reclaiming territories the group once controlled in the northeast.

However, the insurgency evolved as Boko Haram split, with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) emerging as a stronger faction aligned with the Islamic State.

Despite military successes, attacks persisted, especially in Borno and nearby states, causing heavy casualties and displacement.

While Mr Buharis government weakened the groups territorial hold, the violence continued in new forms, fueling broader insecurity across northern Nigeria. The war also has a cross-border dimension, prompting regional governments to form the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

Meanwhile, the schism that rocked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under President Tinubus leadership is now posing a threat to MNJTF, with junta-led Sahelian states tactically withdrawing.

This, as noted by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, has culminated in broader security threats with spillover of violence in the Sahel spreading through Nigerias porous borders.

The transborder security is becoming worse with groups like Lakurawa and JNIM infiltrating Nigerias border communities.

Experts have warned that the situation could become worse if the ECOWAS schism is not well addressed.
The Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Adeola Ajayi, has ordered disciplinary action against officers involved in the arrest and detention of two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM, a private radio station in Jos, Plateau State.

The journalists, Ruth Marcus and Keshia Jang, were arrested while reporting an altercation between SSS officials and clerics at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Headquarters Church, where the funeral of the mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Nantawe Yilwatda, took place.

Two senior SSS officials who requested not to be named separately confirmed Mr Ajayis directive on Sunday to PREMIUM TIMES.

In a 41-second live video posted on Jay 101.9 FMs Facebook page, several clerics dressed in black suits were seen protesting angrily, apparently reacting to the actions of SSS personnel. A female officer, wearing a face mask, was seen arguing with the clerics during the incident.

While the confrontation unfolded, the journalists recorded and reported the event live on the stations Facebook page. They were subsequently arrested and detained, an action widely condemned as a violation of press freedom guaranteed under Nigerias constitution.

Following their arrest, Jay 101.9 FM management demanded their immediate release and urged the SSS to uphold democratic principles and the rule of law.

In response to inquiries by PREMIUM TIMES, one of the senior SSS officials described the arrest as a mistake, apologised for the action, and confirmed that the journalists had been released.

The SSS officials also confirmed that all officers involved have been identified, and disciplinary measures are already being implemented in compliance with the directive of the SSS director-general.

Previous cases of intimidation of journalists

The SSS, one of Nigerias intelligence and security agencies, has, over the years, been fingered in the arrest, detention, harassment, and intimidation of journalists, often in response to reports on sensitive or politically controversial issues.

Section 22 of Nigerias Constitution guarantees press freedom, stating that the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.

However, civil society groups argue that enforcement of this provision remains weak, allowing security agencies to act with impunity.

Those who criticise the SSS often point to the misuse of laws such as the Cybercrime Act and other regulations, which are frequently deployed to stifle dissent and suppress independent journalism.

In August 2024, Adejuwon Soyinka, a former BBC editor, was detained by the SSS at Lagos Airport upon arrival from the United Kingdom after his name reportedly appeared on a watchlist. He was released after six hours of interrogation, although his passport was withheld for some time. The SSS later said the incident was a case of mistaken identity.

Similarly, in May 2024, Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was detained for more than a week under the Cybercrime Act after publishing an investigative report exposing alleged misconduct by a senior government official.

In another case, Abdulrasheed Hammad, a freelance journalist based in Sokoto, was reportedly detained in August 2024 after investigating and exposing unregistered sachet water factories operating without regulatory approval. The SSS allegedly carried out his arrest under the instruction of the factory owner implicated in his report.
The House of Representatives has said its Committee on Constitution Review (HCCR) will hold a high-level consultative meeting on Monday with the leadership of Nigerias registered political parties.

The session, part of the 10th Assemblys broader programme to amend the constitution, will be held in Abuja at 10 a.m.

There are 18 registered parties in Nigeria.

According to a statement by the House Spokesperson Akin Rotimi, the meeting will gather national chairmen, national secretaries, national women leaders, and other senior officers of registered parties.

The agenda includes deliberations on thematic areas like special seats for women, judicial and electoral reform, independent candidacy, local government reform, state policing, human rights, and justice.

Mr Rotimi said the meeting will allow parties to bring their institutional experience and perspectives to bear on the amendment process.

The deputy speaker and chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, was quoted in the statement as describing political parties as the engine room of our democracy, asserting that their active participation is essential for credible, inclusive constitutional amendments.

To guide deliberations, the committee says it has prepared a compendium summarising the bills currently under review, available for download from their website at hccr.gov.ng.

Reflection on Septembers public hearing

The upcoming party consultation builds on momentum from a national public hearing held on 22 September, which itself followed zonal hearings across Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported robust debates from the hearing and strong demands for inclusion.

In his opening remarks, Mr Kalu emphasised that the legitimacy of any constitutional amendment will rest on popular acceptance, not just legislative manoeuvring.

He described the process as Nigerias most inclusive constitutional review in history, tracing the trajectory of Nigerias constitutional evolution, and arguing that the constitution, crafted under military rule, has long remained contested and insufficiently responsive to the democratic will.

He observed that the 1999 Constitution has become less representative of peoples will.

Mr Kalu noted that the national hearing represents the culmination of months of zonal consultations during which citizens, civil society groups, and professional bodies submitted memoranda.

The hearing was marked by strong and repeated calls for guaranteed representation of historically marginalised groups.

Many participants demanded that the constitutional amendment incorporate reserved legislative seats for women and persons with disabilities.

Some speakers called for quotas or special seats to correct decades of underrepresentation while others pointed to the importance of inclusive representation as a moral and practical imperative.

A major flashpoint of the public hearing was the proposal for state policing. Many stakeholders argued that Nigerias centralised policing model has failed to respond adequately to local security challenges, especially in rural and conflict-prone areas.

Local government autonomy also drew strong support. Participants insisted that local governments should have full administrative and financial independence, with their own legislative and executive arms and authority to manage local elections.
As Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, marks its 63rd anniversary, the Vice-Chancellor, Adamu Ahmed says the institution faces a steady loss of skilled staff to better opportunities both locally and globally.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice-chancellor disclosed this at a press conference as part of activities to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the institution in Zaria.

He lamented that: Aging infrastructure and poor renumeration have dampened staff motivation. It is disheartening to state that the university has lost nearly 2,000 staff in the last five years.

According to him, currently, the institution is in dire need of replacement and additional staff to strengthen its research and academic activities.

Presently there is a particular programme run by the university whose staff are 95 per cent professors.

This development may risk non accreditation of the programme in subsequent time and result to shortage of those who will take over from the existing high calibered staff, he revealed.

The V-C, who identified funding constraints as another serious problem affecting institutional operation, said the situation had compressed capacity for infrastructure renovation, library acquisition and research support.

Mr Ahmed, however, stated that the university plans to invest in new pedagogies and embedded technology into its teaching and workforce for productive result.

We shall strengthen the Distance Learning Centre (DLC), the largest in Nigeria, to increase the pace at which education is taken to every home, ensuring that no family is left behind.

In this way, ABU will not only expand access but also contribute meaningfully to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), especially in inclusive education and reducing inequality, he said.

The vice-chancellor challenged alumni community of the university to give back what the institution has given to them by stepping up through endowment gifts, annual giving and generous donations to secure the future of ABU.

Mr Ahmed used the medium to applaud the commitment of the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu for its bold reforms across the economy and the education sector.

(NAN)
On Sunday, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, approved the immediate extension of the retirement age of teachers in the state from 60 to 65 years and service years raised from 35 to 40 years.

The governor also rewarded outstanding teachers in the state with cash gifts of N46 million, and approved an upward review of Science Teachers and Head of Department allowances.

He also approved the immediate payment of the 2019 leave bonus areas to further motivate the teachers.

Mr Oyebanji disclosed these during the 2025 World Teachers Day celebration held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

No fewer than 5,000 teachers attended the colourful event, which was turned into a carnival.

The teachers across different cadres, adorned in Ankara uniform, sang and danced to appreciate the governors teacher-friendly policies.

Mr Oyebanji, who thanked the teachers for their invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the state, described them as the foundation upon which the future of the state is built.

He affirmed that the gesture was part of his administrations efforts to motivate teachers, recognise their immense contribution to the development of education, and enhance their welfare in line with the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.

While explaining that the extension of the retirement age was in fulfilment of his promise to reposition the education sector and retain competent and experienced hands in the teaching profession, the governor said a committee would be set up to oversee the elongation of the service year and ensure that only the agile individuals enjoy the privilege.

Mr Oyebanji further assured the teachers that his administration would continue prioritising their welfare and creating an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning.

Let me respond to the request by the TUC chairman, I have been told now that 2019 leave bonus was paid yesterday and you will start receiving the alert by tomorrow.

I have heard your yearnings with respect to the mandatory age for retirement, and this has been approved as recommended, but only for able and willing teachers. On the issue of science and head of departments allowances, I know that the head of service is doing the review of the allowances and I have instructed her to bring it by next week for approval, he said.

In April 2022, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari signed a bill increasing retirement age for Nigerian teachers from 60 to 65 years and pensionable service years from 35 to 40, whichever is earlier.

Re-election

The governor also informed the gathering that he would seek a second term and solicited their continued support.

My dear friends, this will be the only opportunity to meet in a group like this before the next governorship election. I therefore want to officially inform you that I will be seeking a re-election to the office of the Governor for a second term.

I have been greatly encouraged by the overwhelming goodwill, enthusiasm and support that you have shown me. I want to assure you that, for you, it will always get better. I am resolutely committed to my pact with you and all Ekiti workers. I therefore solicit your sustained support and prayers going forward, the governor stated.

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Olabimpe Aderiye, expressed gratitude to the governor for his efforts at repositioning the education sector and ensure that the teachers welfare is taken care of.

The commissioner highlighted various efforts of the governor at improving the general well-being of teachers in the state to include the release of over N1.6 billion as running grant to schools in the last three years, payment of over N6.2 billion as UBEC counterpart fund to ensure renovations of schools in the state, payment of over N1.5 billion for WAEC in the last years of the governors administration as well as prompt payment exam fees for students, placement, BECE and SS2 exams among others.

In their separate goodwill messages, the National President of ASUSS, Sola Adigun, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), represented by Lateef Adesiyan, and Ekiti State NUT Chairman, Adedeji Egbeyemi, all commended Governor Oyebanji for his continued demonstration of love and passion for teachers and the teaching profession in the state.

They commended and appreciated the governor for his significant achievements in the education sector, which include the sustenance of free and compulsory education in the state, the appointment of retired teachers as political office holders, and the massive renovation of schools across the state.

Other issues are the approval of career progression of graduate teachers, upward review of gratuities paid to retired teachers, employment of 1,500 primary school teachers and 2,500 secondary school teachers, among others.
A PREMIUM TIMES investigation has confirmed that the Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, forged his bachelors degree certificate, which he presented in 2023 for his appointment.

Validating our findings from a two-year investigation, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has disowned the certificate Mr Nnaji claimed to obtain from the institution in July 1985.

The universitys action came months after authorities at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) similarly told PREMIUM TIMES that the certificate of national service being paraded by Mr Nnaji was strange to it and could not be authenticated.

In response to a PREMIUM TIMES Freedom of Information (FoI) request, Simon Ortuanya, the vice-chancellor of UNN, wrote in a 2 October letter that although Mr Nnaji was admitted to the institution in 1981, he did not complete his studies and was never awarded a degree.

The universitys reply to our enquiry contradicted an earlier response to the Peoples Gazette newspaper on the matter. On 21 December 2023, Celine Nnebedum, the university registrar, responded to the newspapers enquiry, saying Mr Nnaji graduated from the institution in July 1985.

The official has since recanted, telling the Public Complaints Commission in a 23 May 2025 letter that the university searched its graduation records for the 1985 session but could not find Mr Nnajis name on them.

Also, the latest information provided by Mr Ortuanya and Mrs Nnebedum to us and the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) aligns with the findings of our two-year investigation on the matter.

Strikingly, the minister has admitted in a newly filed court filing that UNN never issued him a degree certificate.

You can also read the excerpts from the two letters below:

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

Vice-Chancellor: Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, SJD, FCIArb, FCIA, SJD (Loyola Chicago); LLM (UNILAG); LLB (UNN) BL Phone: 

2nd October, 2025.

Ref No: VC/P/5,

ADEYEMI ADESOMOJU

Deputy Managing Director

Premium Times

53 Mambolo Street, Zone 2 Wuse, Abuja.

Dear Sir,

RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOI) REQUEST ON GEOFFREY UCHECHUKWU NNAJI DEGREE CERTIFICATE

We refer to your letter dated 29 September, 2025 in respect of the above subject matter.

1, We can confirm that Mr. GEOFFREY UCHECHUKWU NNAJI with Matriculation Number 1981/30725 was admitted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.

2. From every available records and information from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we gre unable to confirm that Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji the current Minister of Science and Technology graduated from University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

3. Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July, 1985 to Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology.

4. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025 ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V issued by the University to Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter (copy attached).

5. Tf you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Accept, as always, the assurances of our highest consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Simon U. Ortuanya, SJD, FCIArb, FCIA

Vice Chancellor

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR

PHONE: - Registrar: Dr. Mrs. Celine Ngozi Nnebedum, Fis, FCAt, MALEA, MAUA(UR

Email: -

RUN/SRIR/V.1

May 13, 2025

Public Complaints Commission The Nigerian Ombudsman,

No. 25, Aguiyi Ironsi: Street Maitama,

P.M B. 68, Abuja.

REQUEST FOR VERIFICATION OF DEGREE CERTIFICATE RE: NNAJI, GEQFFREY UCHECHUKWU

Please refer to your letter of May 07, 2025 on the above subject.

This is to certify that NNAJI, Geoffrey Uchechukwu with registration number 1981/30725 was admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1981.

We wish to inform the Public Complaint Commission that we have searched through the University of Nigeria graduation record for 1985 session and we could not find Mr. Nnaji Geoffrey Uchechukwus name.

There is no indication that the certificate was issued by the University of Nigeria.

Please feel free to contact us if you need any other information.

Mrs. F.G. Achiuwa

Senior Deputy Registrar (Records)

For: Registrar
Residents of the AMAC Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, have demanded an immediate halt to rock explosions in the estate from a Chinese quarry company, Dai Jin Jia Investment Limited.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, the estate Chairman, Sunny Kulutuye, said that for seven years, the companys blasting activities have threatened their buildings while the safety of their families is in danger.

For over seven years, these dangerous blasting activities have been on, and our lives and properties have been threatened. Our buildings are cracking, and the safety of our families is in grave danger.

We are not sure if any of our buildings will pass any integrity test because of these dangerous blasts that have been shaking the foundation of our houses. Our once peaceful community is now under constant threat from man-made tremors, he said.

The chairman said the residents gathered around the Chinese company on Saturday to protest its activities, during which they made a four-point demand.

He listed them as the immediate suspension of blasting activities within the estates vicinity; a thorough environmental and structural integrity assessment of our buildings; an urgent government intervention to protect the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens; and a comprehensive assessment of compromised buildings and adequate compensation.

Mr Kulutuye emphasised that the residents are not opposed to economic activities or development, but no business interest should come at the expense of human lives and the structural safety of residential homes.

Efforts by PREMIUM TIMES to speak with the company on the residents concerns and demands were unsuccessful.

In July, this newspaper reported that the residents staged a protest around the companys quarry site against its incessant and unregulated blasting operations.

During the protest, they blocked all access routes to the site to express their grievances regarding the operations.

At the time, the chairman of the workers on the site, who identified himself as Haruna, told journalists and the protesters that the Chinese nationals operating the quarry site could not attend to the protesters because of a language barrier.

We have listened to you and we promise to amend. All your demands will be communicated to them, and we assure you wont have any reason to do this again, Mr Haruna said.

PRESS STATEMENT

We, the Residents of AMAC Estate, Demand an Immediate Halt to Dangerous Rock Blasting by Chinese Quarry Company -Dai Jin Jia Investment Limited

We, the residents of Aco Estate, Airport Road, Lugbe, have gathered here again today in a peaceful demonstration to express our deep concern over the continued dangerous rock blasting operations of a Chinese quarry company (Dai Jin Jia Investment Ltd) situated within proximity to our homes in AMAC Estate, along the Airport Road, here in Abuja.

For over seven years, these dangerous blasting activities have been on, and our lives and properties have been threatened. Our buildings are cracking, and the safety of our families is in serious danger.

We are not sure if any of our buildings will pass any integrity test because of the dangerous blasting that has been shaking the foundation of our houses. Our once peaceful community is now under constant threat from man-made tremors.

We are not opposed to economic activities or development, but no business interest should come at the expense of human lives and the structural safety of residential homes. Our demand is simple:

1. An immediate suspension of blasting activities within our Estates vicinity.

2. A thorough environmental and structural integrity assessment of our buildings.

3. Urgent government intervention to protect the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens.

4. Comprehensive assessment of compromised buildings and adequate compensation

We appeal to relevant authorities, regulators, and the Nigerian government to act decisively. Our homes must be safe, our children must be protected, and our community must be secured.

Signed,

Sunny Kulutuye

Chairman

Aco Residents Association
The reality is that it is not a Christian genocide that is going on in our country but rather a genocide against all Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim, and it is being perpetuated by a heinous, evil ISIS-inspired and Al Qaeda-like group of barbaric and savage terrorists and criminals that take pleasure in killing people of all faiths They do not represent Muslims but rather Satan. And in other countries that have been afflicted in a similar way, both Muslims and Christians have joined forces to fight them.

I listened attentively to the words of Bill Maher and CNNs Van Jones who have both accused Nigeria of indulging in Christian genocide and pondered on them deeply.

If, as a Nigerian, their words and narrative do not concern or scare you, then as @realDonaldTrump would say, you cannot be a very bright bulb.

When one adds their words to the recent contribution of @SenTedCruz, the greatest defender of Israel and advocate of Christian Zionism in the American Senate, in which he accused Nigeria of the same and said that he was introducing a Bill in the Senate to do something about it and protect Christians in Nigeria, then you will get an even clearer picture of what is unfolding and the horrendous agenda those behind it have in store for us.

To add to that is the alarming resolution, passed two days ago, of the Canadian Parliament that Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world for Christians to live and that Christians are targeted and slaughtered all over the country on a daily basis.

The first question that needs to be answered is: since when have the Americans and the West generally cared about anyone but themselves, the least of all the Christians in our country?

How come they have suddenly started mouthing this fake battle cry and how come the same rhetoric is suddenly coming out of places like the Canadian Parliament and other Western capitals?

The sooner those in power in Nigeria and the Nigerian people themselves get a clear grasp of what is really going on, the better.

More importantly, we need to do something to counter the narrative fast. This is because it is spreading like wildfire all over the world, and sadly people are buying into it.

The truth is that Americans, their allies and local collaborators are carefully and craftily preparing the ground for a religious war in our country and they want us to tear ourselves apart.

There can be no doubt that Christians have been targeted and killed in Nigeria in huge numbers by Islamist terrorists, whether they be Boko Haram or ISWAP, over the last 14 years, but it is also a fact that as many Muslims have been equally targeted and killed by the same Islamist terrorists over the same period of time.

There are two points that need to be made and properly understood.

First, the terrorists that have plagued our nation and slaughtered our people, both Christian and Muslim, for the last 14 years, were established, armed, funded and protected by the very same Americans and their Western and Israeli allies who are crying more than the bereaved today.

Worse still, they refused to sell arms to us or allow us to buy arms from anywhere in our attempt to resist the terrorists ourselves. Remember that?

They even refused to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation for many years and did not do so until it suited their purpose.

The second point to grasp is that the reason that they are now all talking about Nigeria and what they have labelled as Christian genocide, is not because they love Nigeria or care about Nigerian Christians but because they want to shift the worlds attention away from Gaza and focus it on Nigeria.

They also want to punish us for taking a bold stand at the United Nations against the genocide that the Israelis have unleashed on Gaza, which they are supporting and funding.

Standing up for humanity, that is our crime and I for one, as a Nigerian, make no apology for it.

In my view, it was indeed our proudest moment and finest hour when our vice president stood before the world at the United Nations and boldly proclaimed that we are against the genocide that is being unleashed on the Palestinian people, and condemned what is going on in Gaza, while insisting on a two-state solution to resolve the conflict.

Unlike others, we did not sit on the fence or buckle and sadly we are now paying the price for it.

This is the reason for their sudden venom, subversion and malice, and we must not for one moment think otherwise or delude ourselves into believing that they really care about us.

Let me be clear: There is nothing wrong with them wanting to help our country fight the terrorists and neither is there anything wrong in them showing concern.

As a matter of fact, that would be a welcome development.

What is wrong and unacceptable is the false narrative they are peddling that it is Christians alone who are being killed.

The question that needs to be answered is: Why is it being framed in this way?

Yes, Christian lives matter but do Muslim ones not matter too? If we are counting Christian bodies, should we not count Muslim ones too?

If they had said that terrorists were killing Nigerians of all faiths, their concern would have been welcome.

But when they say that only Christians are being killed and they are attempting to stir up the hearts and souls of Christians from all over the world to unleash a crusade on us in the name of defending Nigerian Christians, that gives cause for concern and the perpetuation and sustenance of such a wicked and distorted narrative and agenda which will not end well for our country.

As a matter of fact, it would tear us apart, swell the ranks of Boko Haram and ISWAP, alienate the Muslim population in our country, divide our ranks, encourage more violence and conflict, exacerbate both religious and ethnic tensions, and eventually lead to chaos and carnage in our nation, the likes of which we have never seen before.

Brother will kill brother and we will end up fighting a never-ending civil war, which is precisely what they want.

This is why this new-found rhetoric from the West is so dangerous.

We must join hands as Nigerians and re-emphasise our unity, our plurality of faith and our pride in our nation, and we must resist this insidious attempt to divide us with a false narrative that, if we do not manage carefully, will push us over the cliff.

If there was a Christian genocide going on in Nigeria, I would be the first to expose, oppose, resist and fight against it, because my faith is EVERYTHING to me.

The reality is that it is not a Christian genocide that is going on in our country but rather a genocide against all Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim, and it is being perpetuated by a heinous, evil ISIS-inspired and Al Qaeda-like group of barbaric and savage terrorists and criminals that take pleasure in killing people of all faiths.

They do not represent Muslims but rather Satan. And in other countries that have been afflicted in a similar way, both Muslims and Christians have joined forces to fight them.

That is what we need to do here and we must not allow the Americans or anyone else to divide our ranks and make us think otherwise.

We cannot win the war against terror by turning on ourselves.

We welcome the concern of our detractors but we reject their false narrative and their attempt to divide and destroy us.

Permit me to end this contribution with the following.

A number of years ago, I was amongst those that erroneously believed that only Christians were being targeted and subjected to genocide by the terrorists in Nigeria.

This was the case until 2020 when I went on a tour of the North-West and North-East and discovered that as many, if not more, Muslims and Muslim communities had been targeted and subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide, as the Christian ones in that area.

What I witnessed in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe and other parts of the majority Muslim core North shocked and shattered me and constrained me to accept the assertion that this was not an onslaught against Christians and Christian communities alone but rather an attack on Nigerians of every faith.

And it is the same in the Middle Belt where these evil demon-possessed barbarians are targeting and slaughtering Christians and Muslims in equal measure.

For example, I discovered that they attacked Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa and Kogi states and their predominantly Muslim communities as much and as frequently as they attacked Benue, Plateau and Taraba, which are predominantly Christian states.

From the day I came to appreciate all this, I took an oath before God and man that I would speak out against the atrocities being perpetuated against not just Christians but also Muslims.

I also accepted the fact that to do anything other than that would not only be inherently intellectually dishonest but also would add to the problem and make it worse rather than solve it.

The sooner we accept the fact that we are all victims of the same evil and heartless beasts the better it will be for us all.

What we must never do is accept the bogus narrative or harbour the perfidious notion that the West is trying to establish that only Christians are being killed in our country.

As Christians, we are, after all, meant to be our brothers keeper and as human beings we are meant to feel the same degree of pain and I daresay shame when either innocent and defenceless Christian or Muslim men, women and children are murdered in cold blood in our shores.

When the barbarians drop their bombs, wield their machetes, fire their RPGs and shoot their AK47s, they do not ask their victims what faith they belong to.

The notion that they do is as asinine and far-fetched as it is ignorant and mischevous.

Beasts dont care whether you are Christian or Muslim when they knock at your door: they only care about spilling your blood and taking your life.

May God guide us all, may He grant us peace and may He bless, defend and protect the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Femi Fani-Kayode is the Sadaukin Shinkafi, the Wakilin Doka Potiskum, the Otunba Joga Orile, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism and a former Minister of Aviation.
The earliest example of personal rule gone awry in the world was given in the biblical account of Eli, the prophet. Personal rule has become prevalent in Africa and other Third World countries. In the account, Eli was High Priest and Judge of Israel in the city of Shiloh. Kind-hearted to the troubled and oppressed, the prophets renown for kindness became weightier in the narrative of his comforting words to Hannah, one of the hitherto barren wives of Elkanah. When Hannah eventually gave birth to a son named Samuel, Eli extended his affable disposition to Samuels upbringing at the tabernacle. Powerful man of God that he was, Eli was however irredeemably lax in the upbringing of his two children, Hophni and Phinehas, who served as priests at the Tabernacle. The children were corrupt, wicked, greedy and morally bankrupt. They abused their fathers priestly office and authority at the sanctuary.

Hophni and Phinehas deployed their positions for personal gains and in the process, were embroiled in acts of adultery with women who served in the sanctuary. Again, whenever sacrificial offerings of meat were being offered to God, even before the fat was burned, Elis sons stormed the venue, forcefully appropriating the best portions of the meats for themselves. In Israel of the time, this was a profound contempt for Gods law and a grave sin. Elis rebuke of his sons was tepid and weak. In His wrath against this selfish use of personal rule, Gods judgment on Eli was fierce. Hophni and Phinehas were both killed in battle. When he heard the news, Eli fell headlong from his chair and died. Worse still, his lineage was forever de-linked from priestly reign.

Leopold Sedar Senghor, Senegals first president from 1960 to 1980, co-founder of the Negritude movement, poet and cultural theorist, gave an apt definition of personal rule. According to him, it is not the art of governing the State for the public welfare in the general framework of laws and regulations. It is (a) question of politician politics: the struggle to place well oneself, ones relatives, and ones clients in the cursus honorum, that is, the race for (benefits).

Personal rule, otherwise known as presidential monarchy, is a plague in Africa. It is another variant of despotism. It operates where institutions are replaced with persons and systems with individuals. Arising from another plague called the Big Man syndrome, the state is ruled by a strong man who informally distributes offices to friends, relatives and associates, according to the dictates of his whims. The state is then informally captured by patronage and a distribution networks of spoils of office. Individuals who are not formally recognized take over the formal functions of the state. What we then have is widespread corruption, impunity and abuse. This leads to the atrophy of public institutions, thus severely limiting the ability of public officials to make policies in the general interest of the people.

In Nigerias 65 years of self-rule, either under military or civilian, personal rule has been very prevalent. In it, government is run like a monarchy or, in the lingo of lawyers, as chattels personal. Personal rule has little or no demarcation of private and public domains, or even purses. Apart from giving official responsibilities to cronies and family members, being relative of the Big Man opens doors, vaults and commands attention.

The first publicly known instance of the familial brand of personal rule in Nigeria was under General Sani Abacha. Before him, little was known in the interface of the families of military despot leaders and the public. For instance, little was known about the excesses of families of Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Shehu Shagari or even Ibrahim Babangida. Under Abacha, however, familial impunity reigned. It came in the form of usage of Nigerias presidential aircraft by children of the military leader. On January 17, 1996, for instance, Ibrahim, son of the late despot, was on a jolly ride in the Nigerian Air Force presidential Falcon jet. He was headed to a party and private family engagement in Kano. Lagos being his departure, he was flying with 14 other friends, including his Yoruba girlfriend, Funmi; Bello, younger brother of Aliko Dangote and a wealthy young man called Dan Princewill. The jet was almost landing in Kano when it mysteriously exploded mid-air, swallowing all and their dreams.

Obasanjo was particularly loath to this deployment of public assets for personal use. So also were there no public examples of such deployment during Umaru YarAdua and Goodluck Jonathans time in office. Perhaps taking a cue from their parents personal rule disposition, children of successive Nigerian presidents have made this a pastime. Deploying public asset and office for private advantage resurfaced in 2020. Late President Muhammadu Buharis daughter, Hanan, flew the presidential jet on a private photography trip to Bauchi State. By convention, only the president of Nigeria, the First Lady, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria, ex-presidents and a presidential delegation are authorized to use the presidential jet. The convention does not grant the president any powers to transfer his right of usage of the presidential jet to any of his children.

Hanan had then recently graduated with a first-class in photography from Ravensbourne University, London. She was in Bauchi on the invitation of the Emir, Rilwanu Adamu, as special guest of honour. Photographs, which Nigerians considered presidential obscenities, showed Hanan disembarking from the presidential aircraft and being welcomed by Bauchi State government officials. The Buhari government justified Hanans action. Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the shameful act received the blessing of Buhari. Shehu turned logic and protocol on their head to accommodate this perverse usage of a common wealth.

Following in these footsteps, in October 2023, First Son, Seyi Tinubu, flew the presidential aircraft to attend polo games in Kano State. Before him, children, spouses of Nigerian leaders and top government officials who should have no business with the aircraft, had become forerunners of this aberration. This provoked the question: is this an endemic problem that should bother us as a people, or it is a mere frivolity that we have allowed to detain us overtime? Why do Nigerian public officials always fail to see the divide between the public and the private?

Of particular interest has been the two children of the current Nigerian president, Seyi and Folasade Tinubu-Ojo. In a May 4, 2025 piece I entitled Tinubus Ajantala son, I articulated how, if indeed all those democratic flowery words ascribed to the Nigerian president are not cosmetic, Seyi Tinubu must be a pain in the neck of his father, as he is to responsible parenting. I wrote, In Nigerias history, I am not aware of any presidents child who has threatened public peace, public decency and the public space as Seyi. His name has come out in every socially distasteful national issue. I also wrote further: You will recollect that this same young man was one who, but for his fathers peremptory scold, would probably have been attending Executive Council meetings with ministers. Seyi has no precis in illicit behaviour, so much that he outperforms himself in irresponsible public acts. He is reputed to have nominated ministers and behaves in socially anomalous manner that baffles He causes so much stir with his long convoys of glittering automobiles and is chaperoned to occasions by Nigerian security apparatuses.

Around the time when he paid official visits to northern states early this year to donate billions of Naira to victims of Nigerias social malady, an allegation by the NANS President that Seyi ordered him tortured, beaten and his nude pictures taken for his voyeuristic pleasure took over the stratosphere. There are allegations that he will be put forth as the next governor of Lagos State. I do not see any ooze from Seyis mind that justifies a mental fit for this task. In personal rules where there is no distinction between public and private purses of state runners, the question people ask is, where does the billions Seyi spends come from?

The presidents daughter, Tinubu-Ojo, who christened herself Iyaloja-General of Nigeria  whatever that means  is another sore thumb pointing at the evil of deploying personal rule for familial advantage. The eldest daughter of Nigerias president, from inception of her fathers presidency in 2023, Tinubu-Ojo has positioned herself as godmother of Nigerian open-air markets. Immediately her father came into office, in a baffling manifestation of an inflated hubris, she was said to have updated her Twitter bio with the title, First Daughter of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN). She thereafter sent tongues wagging when a viral video of hers, with Nigerian flags flying behind her, positioned her as addressing what looked like a national broadcast. It was seen as pointing at a desire to appropriate all the perks from her fathers presidency.

Capitalizing on the low capacity to stick to rules that is Nigeria, Folasade catapulted herself from Lagos market headship where she made herself Iyaloja. That position was appropriated by her after the passage of Mama Abibatu Mogaji who occupied same position. After this, she then made herself the market godmother of the whole of Nigeria. She was apparently yielding to an earlier call for an Hobbesian flee after power by her father in that famous counsel, to fight for it, grab it, snatch it and run with it. Folasade has made a pastime of positioning her representatives in various markets across Nigeria. The ultimate aim, it is said, is to protect her personal financial interests. In a Nigeria where genuflection before public office is widespread and public officials are like god, the presidents daughter, with the panoply of power and wealth at her disposal, is dreaded and worshiped.

Edo State, it will seem, will prove a fatal limitation of this hubris. In 2024, Folasade was said to have begun an attempt to impose an Iyaloja of Edo State markets on the ancient city of Benin. Last Tuesday when she visited the palace of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, the presidents daughter however met her match in the impregnable culture of the Edo people. She must have assumed that, like other states, Edo palace bows before ineptitude dressed in the garment of political power. Either out of stiff-necked resistance or inability to mentally penetrate, appreciate and understand the ancient culture of the Benin, the presidents daughter had continued in her imposition gambit which seems to have become a familial trait. At the palace, she told Oba Ewuare II that a Pastor Josephine Ivbazebule would be her surrogate for all markets in Edo State.

After she was done talking, the palace taught her a lesson with words that were harmless on the surface but lacerating in deed. Not only was she taught that she couldnt recreate her power drunkenness in Edo, she was told in plain terms that the cultural and historical foundations of market leadership in Edo State were far different from what obtains elsewhere in the country. Speaking through an interpreter as he does whenever he considers it demeaning to exchange verbal reply with a guest, Oba Ewuare told Folasade that in Benin culture, market leadership is not a political creation nor is it an external imposition. It is the product of tradition and which is under the suzerainty of the Oba of Benin.

If Nigerias No 1 citizen is not embarrassed by the activities of his children, parents all over the world are. The Yoruba, deploring this grotty descent in character of the First Family, say when an elephant trumpets, its child should not, too. They also counsel that, if ones barn posts a bountiful yam harvest, a wise man would cover it from prying eyes. Apart from the raw power to browbeat and be kowtowed to, as well as illicit funds and majesty associated with being the presidents children, Nigerians will be glad to harvest what these ones parents planted inside their skulls for national benefit. Certainly not the cunning that produces quick wealth and unearned advantage. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo could have attracted more umbrage from the people of Edo State for her audacity if not for the decency of the palace. Let the little darts from the Bini palace remind the presidents daughter that it is the over-ripe orange that invites throwing of stones at the mother tree.

Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist.
CCETEC Chairman, Guo Xianda and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun during a courtesy visit at the State secretariat, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, Friday

A Chinese power generation firm, CCETC, has expressed its readiness to establish a power generation plant as well as an industrial park in Ogun State. Chairman of the company, Mr Guo Xianda, disclosed this at the weekend during an extensive meeting between his team and the Ogun State Governor, at the Governors office in Abeokuta.

He pledged the company s readiness to install a 3MW power plant at the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport, Iperu-Ilishan, free of charge, in order to accelerate economic activities at the arena. The investment pledge comes on the heels of the recent visit of Governor Dapo Abiodun to China, in continuation of his investment drive across the globe. The governor, who led a powerful economic team from Ogun State to China, had engaged numerous investors on partnerships and collaborations in different areas of investments, raging from tech, energy and manufacturing, among others.

According to Mr Guo Xianda, the company based in Jiangsu, China, already has a substantial investment footprint in Nigeria and Africa, with over 250MW projects operating in Nigeria, and is now seeking to expand its operations further across Africa, with its capacity standing in excess of 5,000MW for distribution. Mr Xianda stated that the interest of the group in Ogun State covers power generation and distribution, investment in a dedicated state transmission network, and the establishment of an Industrial Park that will attract more Chinese manufacturers to Ogun State.

Responding, Governor Abiodun thanked the group for bringing such strategic investment opportunities to Ogun State. According to him, The company will strategically focus on three fundamental areas of intervention, namely: strengthening power generation and distribution within the state, investing in the States transmission network, and establishing an Industrial Park that will attract more Chinese manufacturers to the state while integrating power projects.

Meanwhile, the governor is scheduled to take the team on an inspection tour of the ongoing distribution infrastructure and power project currently being executed by Sahara and Powergen, as part of efforts to secure reliable energy supply across the state.
Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal, has expressed his condolences to the family of the late elder statesman, Muhammad Jabbi Maradun. The late Mr Jabbi, a retired diplomat passed away at the age of 82 in Abuja on Saturday, after a prolonged illness.

A statement by the governors spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described Mr Jabbi as a dedicated elder statesman who worked tirelessly to ensure the creation of Zamfara State. The statement read in parts: It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of Ambassador Muhammad Jabbi Maradun, a distinguished elder statesman and a true son of our beloved state, Zamfara.

Ambassador Jabbi was born on November 12, 1943, in Maradun local government area. Ambassador Maradun served as Nigerias Ambassador to Tunisia from 1999 to 2003.

He was a prominent figure in the movement for the creation of Zamfara State. Following the establishment of Zamfara State, Ambassador Jabbi joined the pioneer military administration under Colonel Jibril Bala Yakubu, where he served as Commissioner for Commerce, Industries, and Tourism.

His political affiliations included the GNPP, NPN, and NRC parties, and he was a stakeholder in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His final public service role was as a Federal Commissioner with the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, a position he served with distinction from 2005 to 2015.

On behalf of the people of Zamfara State, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, the emirate, and the people of Maradun Local Government for this great loss. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Jannah as his final resting place.
Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, has been conferred with the prestigious Golden Award of Excellence for Education and Teacher Friendliness by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). T

he honour was presented to the governor today at the 2025 World Teachers Day celebration held at Eagle Square, Abuja. The award is in recognition of the Radda administrations transformative reforms in education and commitment to teachers welfare.

Receiving the award, Governor Radda stated that his administration has committed over 25% of the state budget in the last two years to the education sector, demonstrating unprecedented prioritisation of education development. We have conducted a major recruitment exercise that was never done in this country, recruiting over 7,000 teachers at once.

We are now introducing rural incentives for our rural teachers to encourage them and give them the most needed attention for the development of our nation, he declared.

Governor Radda emphasized that developing education is developing the future, noting that without teachers, there would be no nation and no Katsina State. We commend you, we encourage you, and we will try to do everything we are able to do to make your lives better, he told the gathering of teachers.

He dedicated the award to all teachers in Katsina State, thanking them for their continued support and collaboration with his administration. On behalf of our government, our colleagues and all the students of our state, we thank the union, we thank the Nigerian teachers, and we wish you well, Mr Radda stated.

The 2025 World Teachers Day, themed Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession, brought together education stakeholders from across Nigeria to celebrate teachers contributions to national development. Earlier, in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, noted that collaborative teaching is being recognised globally as a powerful strategy for improving learning outcomes.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, highlighted the ministrys efforts in strengthening teacher collaboration through initiatives such as the National Teacher Development Policy (2022), the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework, and the promotion of Professional Learning Communities across schools.

The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audu Titus Amba, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for sustaining the Presidents Teachers and Schools Excellence Award and expressed gratitude to state governors who have identified with teachers by supporting the observance of World Teachers Day.

Mr Amba called on stakeholders to honour and thank teachers for their role in shaping the future and positively impacting society.

The NUT also conferred awards on Governors Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State and Ahmed Usman Ododo (Kogi).

The Chairman Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, representative of UNESCO and Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), delivered goodwill messages at the ceremony.

It is noteworthy that Governor Raddas administration has implemented comprehensive education reforms including massive teacher recruitment, infrastructure development, professional training programs, rural teacher incentives, and increased budgetary allocation to the education sector.
The federal government has delivered a consignment of reproductive health supplies and equipment to the Gombe State government to improve service delivery in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state.

At the official presentation held on Saturday in Gombe, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the initiative aims to strengthen grassroots healthcare in line with the administrations health sector reform.

Mr Pate said the states government has already made significant progress in widening access to primary health services.

This contribution is meant to complement your efforts so that PHCs can provide effective and quality care, especially for women, children, and other vulnerable groups, he said.

He said the donated items are meant for facilities in every local government of the state.

Mr Pate commended Gombes investment through its Primary Healthcare Development Agency and contributory health insurance scheme (Go-Health), assuring that Abuja would continue to partner with the state under President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda for the health sector.

This programme is being rolled out nationwide, but we are starting with Gombe. Other states will follow in line with President Tinubus vision to reposition the health system, he added.

In his remarks, the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, thanked President Tinubu for his administrations steady support, stressing that the intervention aligns with his governments health reform priorities.

READ ALSO: World Bank tasks Gombe communities to utilise 169 upgraded PHCs

Mr Yahaya noted that the state has placed healthcare at the centre of its development plans through PHC revitalisation, recruitment of medical personnel, and other initiatives, noting that the additional support would go a long way in consolidating these efforts.

Also speaking, the State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abba Musa, under whose office the items were distributed, explained that the intervention focuses on improving maternal and child health, boosting reproductive health services, and ensuring

PHCs are better equipped to serve the people.

Mr Musa listed the items delivered to include delivery couches, portable ultrasound machines with foetal dopplers, neonatal resuscitation workstations, hospital beds with mattresses, infant cots, suction units, microscopes, laboratory tools, weighing scales, diagnostic sets, blood pressure monitors, and 25 solar-powered refrigerators for vaccine preservation.

Additionally, 60 essential medicines were handed over in bundled packs, including pain relievers, antibiotics, anti-malarial drugs, cough and cold medications, medicines for postpartum bleeding, hypertension management, and family planning commodities.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Saturday criticised President Bola Tinubu for attending the funeral of the mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Nantawe Yilwatda, in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a key promoter of the opposition coalition against Mr Tinubu, said the president should have used his visit to the state to commiserate with victims of recent banditry attacks rather than attending a social event.

The former vice president made the remarks in a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.

With large swathes of the country still under siege from unrelenting insecurity and thousands of innocent lives lost, it is deeply unfortunate that President Bola Tinubu has not, for once, found it worthy to visit any of the affected states to commiserate with the grieving citizens.

Today, however, the president suddenly remembered Plateau State, one of the most terrorised parts of the North Central, not to share in the peoples pain, but to attend a social event under the auspices of his partys national chairman.

It is a sad reflection of priorities and a glaring mockery of leadership that while families in Plateau continue to bury their loved ones, President Tinubu chose to grace a political funeral rather than stand with the people in their darkest hour, he said.

Aside from the president, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang also attended the funeral ceremony.

Plateau State has suffered recurrent banditry attacks, often targeting rural communities at night. Attackers use guns and machetes, burn houses, abduct residents, and cause mass displacement. Many villages have been deserted, with survivors seeking refuge in towns, churches, and makeshift camps.

There is no exact death toll from the series of attacks, as government and independent reports differ widely. However, Amnesty International estimated that about 2,630 people were killed in Plateau State between 2023 and 2025, a figure the Defence Headquarters has disputed as inaccurate.

The insecurity has also spread to other parts of the North Central region. In September, Kwara State, previously considered peaceful, witnessed an attack in which several forest guards were killed and several residents abducted when bandits invaded Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area.

L-R: Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatd, during the funeral prayers of Nana Lydia Yilwatda Goshwe, mother of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nantewe Yilwatda Goshwe, in Jos, Plateau State capital, yesterday

Heartless President

Atiku described President Tinubus decision to attend the funeral instead of visiting victims of violence as heartless and insensitive.

Between the APC National Chairman and his President, what we witnessed today is a heartless exhibition of disregard for empathy, compassion, and the dignity of human life, he added.

The former vice president accused the president of abandoning victims of insecurity across the North Central states.

From Benue to Niger and most recently Kwara, the entire North Central region has endured some of the most horrific waves of violence in recent history. Yet, not once has the APC-led government deemed it necessary to physically stand by the victims or console their families.

Even when Tinubu made a symbolic visit to Benue State in June, he never bothered to set foot in Yelewata, the epicentre of the massacre. Instead, he ended his trip comfortably in Makurdi, turning his back on the people whose tears and blood still stain the soil.

Now again, he is in Plateau State, not to console the bereaved or reassure the broken, but to celebrate and make merry with his party elite while the people mourn. The message could not be clearer: this is a president who would rather feast than feela leader who finds pleasure where the people find pain.The Nigerian people are watching, and they will remember, he said.
The Nigerian police have charged a journalist with cyberstalking for calling Delta State Governor Sherif Oborevwori and a senator names on social media.

Fejiro Oliver, the publisher of the state-based Secret Reporters, was charged in two separate cases filed on Friday at the Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State.

Each case focused on Mr Olivers claims against either the governor or the senator, Ede Dafinone, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate.

Police alleged that for months this year, Mr Oliver posted remarks on social media aimed at destroying the reputations of the governor and the senator.

The cases were brought under the controversial section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act, 2015, which prescribes up to N7 million fine or imprisonment of up to three years or both, as punishment upon conviction.

In the case pertaining to Mr Oborevwori, the police filed just one count against Mr Oliver, accusing him of cyberstalking the governor by publishing defamatory posts on Facebook about him between July and August.

The charge outlined the remarks to include the Governor travelled to Brazil without the people knowing and making it Hush  Hush, the Governor gave contracts to his boys worth billions of Naira for rigging election, and the Governor sent government officials to China, spending millions of Dollars only to go and inspect CNG buses instead of attracting investor.

Another one was quoted as the governor is a sleeping governor who rigged election.

The other case, which had two counts, accused Mr Oliver of cyberstalking Mr Dafinone between May and July.

In the first count, Mr Oliver was accused of cyberstalking the senator by calling him different names like grossly incompetent senator, sleeping senator, betraying ingrate, Dodo Senator, POS Senator, Scammer in NASS, and that Senator Ede Dafinone must be recalled from the Senate.

The second count said Mr Oliver cyberstalked the senator by accusing him of stealing in a post stating that he hid school buses and transformers meant for his constituents.

Background

According to a report, the police arrested Mr Oliver on 18 September and detained him without charge at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Asaba.

Mr Olivers lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, filed an ex parte application, prompting the judge, Folashade Ogubanjo-Giwa, to order the police to justify within 48 hours why Mr Oliver should not be unconditionally released.

Mr Olivers case highlights growing concerns over how Nigerian elites, including public officials, use police to target social media trolls critical of them.

Although Nigerian law provides for mechanisms for instituting civil actions to seek redress over any online comment considered offensive or defamatory, many Nigerian elites prefer to take the criminal approach, which places the burden of clearing their names on the police.

Many are also concerned that the police are preoccupied with tackling online trolling despite their limited workforce and resources, while widespread serious crimes and security issues continue to affect multitudes of people in various parts of the country.

Many observers say the police invoke the Cybercrimes Act to arrest and detain critics of public officials and other influential Nigerians in disregard for constitutional rights.

In September, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State reportedly ordered the arrest of a journalist, Hassan Kangiwa, for releasing a video that showed the deplorable condition of Kangiwa General Hospital in the state.

Earlier in May, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urged the government of President Bola Tinubu to immediately end the use of the draconian Cybercrimes Act to target journalists, activists, critics and other Nigerians peacefully expressing their views online, and release those in custody across the country under the legislation.

Section 24 of the Act criminalises certain cyberstalking behaviour via electronic communications.

In particular, subsection (2)(c)(ii) deals with transmitting a message (or causing it to be sent) that is false, when the sender knows it is false, and does so for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety to another person, or causes such a message to be sent.

If convicted, the offender can be penalised by a fine of up to N7 million, or imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both.

SERAP said it was concerned that Nigerian authorities continued to use the Cybercrime Act to normalise repression of the rights of journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders, opposition politicians, artists and other Nigerians.

Nigerian authorities at all levels of government should immediately stop using the Cybercrimes Act and regulations disguised as broadcasting code by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to target, intimidate and harass journalists, bloggers, critics and media houses, the group said.
Details have emerged of how the traditional ruler of the Igoba community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Adinlewa John, narrowly escaped assassination when armed men stormed his palace on Thursday.

Police said on Saturday that a group of hoodlums, armed with firearms, knives, charms, and other dangerous weapons, invaded Igoba Community with the intent to wreak havoc.

They did not, however, state the reasons for the attack.

The police spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, in a statement, said that in the course of the violent activities of the hoodlums, a woman, Ogunoye Oluomo, was attacked, injured, and dispossessed of her belongings.

The assailants further advanced to the palace of His Royal Highness, Oba Adinlewa John of Igoba, where they attempted to assassinate the monarch. Fortunately, the royal father narrowly escaped the life-threatening assault, Mr Ayanlade said.

He further said the command has arrested 10 suspects in connection with the attack.

Upon receipt of the distress call, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Adebowale Lawal, promptly directed all necessary operational assets and manpower to the area..Led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, the tactical team effected the arrest of ten (10) suspects.

The suspects have confessed to their various roles in the unrest and will all be charged in court upon the completion of investigations, Mr Ayanlade said.

The spokesperson listed Items recovered from the suspects to include two locally fabricated pistols, one single-barrel gun, several rounds of live ammunition, assorted charms, knives, and machetes.

He said the injured victim was taken to a hospital, where she is currently receiving medical treatment and responding positively.

He added that efforts were ongoing to track down other fleeing suspects.

Normalcy has since been restored to Igoba Community, with security presence reinforced to forestall further breakdown of law and order, Mr Ayanlade said.

Another traditional ruler attacked

Meanwhile, the yam festival in Idogun community in Ose Local Government Area of the state turned violent on Friday as youth marched to the palace of the traditional ruler of the community, Onidogun of Idogun, Moses Bakare, and attacked him and members of his family.

Mr Bakares wife and son, Victor Bakare, were attacked at the venue of the festival in Ishara Quarters by a faction of youth said to have been at loggerheads with the palace.

The incident was later curtailed by the intervention of security operatives, particularly the Amotekun Corps and police officers who were deployed to the scene to disperse the rioters.

Victor, who addressed journalists at the palace after the incident, displayed injuries he sustained during the attack, alleging that the mob humiliated his family by stripping his mother, splashing him (Victor) with urine and other dirty substances, and manhandling the traditional ruler.

This is not just an attack on my family but on the entire Idogun throne, he added while fighting back tears.

On his part, the traditional ruler described the attack as a continuation of what he termed unprovoked hostility from a section of the youth in the community.

He condemned the assault, calling it barbaric, unfortunate, and a desecration of our tradition.

Mr Bakare called on the state government and law enforcement agencies to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice to forestall a repeat of such violence.

READ ALSO: Agboola Ajayi absent as Ondo PDP gets new leadership

The Amotekun Coordinator in Idogun, Omatayo Johnson, said the security team promptly restored order.

Our quick intervention prevented the situation from degenerating into something far more dangerous. Normalcy has since returned, he said.

Mr Ayanlade said the police have been informed of the incident and are investigating, promising that the perpetrators will face the law.

The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, further reassured the public of the commands unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property, he said.

The command hereby sounds a clear and stern warning to all criminally minded individuals and groups: Ondo State will never be a breeding ground for lawlessness.

Anyone who dares to test the resolve of the Nigeria Police will be brought under control with the full force of the law, arrested, and made to face the full wrath of justice without exception.

Criminals are therefore advised to repent, relocate, or be ready to meet the uncompromising determination of law enforcement agencies. At the same time, the Command assures all law-abiding citizens that they have nothing to fear, he said.
HONOLULU, Oct. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- People with Parkinson's disease (PD) often experience isolation, leading to loneliness. However, new research has revealed that not only is this well-established connection a two-way street, but that loneliness itself may actually be the stronger predictor of worsening motor symptoms and physical decline.

2025 International Congress of Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders

Study findings were initially presented at the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Honolulu. In a large cohort of individuals who had completed separate PD and loneliness clinical rating scales, investigators alternated loneliness and parkinsonism as outcome-predictors and learned that, over the long term (mean follow-up: 5.3 years), loneliness showed greater predictive power between the two participant-grouped multilevel models.

"Loneliness remains an understudied and undervalued modifiable variable in PD despite having very clear evidence for poor outcomes in various other populations worldwide," said Dr. Indu Subramanian, Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles and Director of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Southwest PADRECC. "In this study, 1,700 patients completed a loneliness screen and the MDS-UPDRS Part III, with good representation of women and non-white participants. While there is a bidirectional relationship between loneliness and parkinsonism, loneliness seems to speed up the rate of decline of parkinsonism.

"Given the fact that many of our patients are older and are at risk for getting isolated once they get diagnosed, loneliness should be screened in people living with PD, especially given the increase in loneliness after the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeted interventions to help people living with parkinsonism are also required."

The full text of the abstract is available at mdsabstracts.org.

A bout the 2025 MDS International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders  :

The MDS International Congress is the premier annual event to advance the clinical and scientific discipline of Movement Disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Convening thousands of leading clinicians, scientists and other health professionals from around the globe, the International Congress will introduce more than 1,800 scientific abstracts and provide a forum for education and collaboration on latest research and treatment findings.

About the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society:

The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS), an international society of more than 12,000 clinicians, scientists, and other healthcare professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. For more information about MDS, visit www.movementdisorders.org .

SOURCE International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of investors in Unicoin Rights Certificates issued by Unicoin, Inc. f/k/a TransparentBusiness, Inc. resulting from allegations that Unicoin may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

So What: If you purchased Unicoin Rights Certificates 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=44368 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

What is this about: On May 27, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") published a litigation release on the SEC's website under the title "Unicoin, Top Executives Charged in Offering Fraud That Raised More than $100 Million from Thousands of Investors." The announcement stated that on May 20, 2025, the SEC had charged "Unicoin, Inc. and four of its top executives [. . .] for false and misleading statements in an offering of certificates that purportedly conveyed rights to receive crypto assets called Unicoin tokens and an offering of Unicoin, Inc.'s common stock."

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 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 Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

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[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
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Health care executive Sujay Jadhav discusses his article How AI is revolutionizing health care through real-world data. Sujay explains how artificial intelligence tools like machine learning and natural language processing are turning unstructured electronic health record data into actionable insights that accelerate clinical research, drug development, and patient care. He highlights how AI can expand research cohorts, improve trial efficiency, and drive personalized medicine while stressing the importance of high-quality data curation, oversight, and multidisciplinary collaboration to avoid bias and ensure accuracy. Listeners will take away practical perspectives on how real-world data is reshaping diagnostics, treatment plans, and the future of health care.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Sujay Jadhav. Hes a health care executive. Todays KevinMD article is How AI is revolutionizing health care through real-world data. Sujay, welcome to the show.

Sujay Jadhav: Thanks, Kevin. Excited to be here.

Kevin Pho: Lets start by briefly sharing your story and then talk about the KevinMD article that you shared with us today.

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Sujay Jadhav: My background is that I was born into a family of physicians. My father was a physician, a psychiatrist, and growing up, I was surrounded by physicians, given most of my family members were in the industry. I supported him on weekends from an administration perspective, so I got great insights into the care elements but also the somewhat burdensome administration elements of running a practice.

I was the rebel; I decided to do engineering. But as things go in life, straight after business school, I joined a digital health company, and Ive been in the industry for almost 30 years now. Ive been very fortunate that Ive been part of three successful companies.

With each company, Ive managed to get closer and closer to impacting patient care. The first company was a company called Model N, where we helped deal with pricing for life sciences and biotech companies. The second company, Alto, helped focus on automating the early part of the clinical trial process and helping optimize it so that you can spend more time recruiting patients and quality patients into clinical trials. Now at Ana, I can leverage all this expertise, both on the commercial side and the clinical trial side, with a key focus on quality of care and a focus on real-world data.

Kevin Pho: Im always interested in hearing a variety of perspectives when it comes to that AI and health care intersection. There are so many avenues that we can explore. Your KevinMD article is How AI is revolutionizing health care through real-world data. For those that didnt get a chance to read your article, tell us what its about.

Sujay Jadhav: Looking at AI currently, theres commentary around how it is the latest buzzword. Ill say inherent in that comment is a little bit of shallowness with regard to how AI is leveraged currently. But the overarching purpose of the article is to talk through how AI is here today. It is transforming things all the way from the health care to life sciences continuum, and I set a number of examples of how we are leveraging AI to make a meaningful impact across that particular continuum.

The focus is on real-world data and particularly unstructured data, where we feel we can uncover a lot of insights to help improve quality of care and to help improve research. In terms of quality of care, at Ana, we help provide this mixed service in partnership with societies in the specialty areas that we focus on, such as ophthalmology and urology.

In essence, this service we provide is to help support the specialists in terms of submitting quality-of-care metrics to CMS. This allows them to have bonuses and also avoid penalties. Now, historically, the way these calculations were done was on structured data, and that has a limitation in terms of understanding the true overall quality of care. In the last couple of years, we have expanded it to unstructured data, where we are leveraging NLP and machine learning techniques on physician notes, as an example, to uncover quality-of-care dynamics that are occurring and allow the physician to submit that to CMS to help maximize the bonuses that they can get.

Another area where we are leveraging unstructured data and machine learning techniques is helping identify and diagnose patients with specific diseases. What we are finding in areas such as urology, for example, is that by leveraging these particular techniques, were yielding cohorts of patients five times larger versus normal structured data analysis. Secondly, in ophthalmology, looking at imaging data and identifying patients with geographic atrophy earlier on yields very large cohort sizes, which ultimately leads to helping address those particular patients with that disease, slow the disease progression, and improve overall quality of care.

Kevin Pho: When it comes to unstructured data, you specifically mention ophthalmology. What are some examples of unstructured data that you would typically find in the chart?

Sujay Jadhav: When we look at unstructured data, there are two elements. One is on the imaging side of the house. So, looking at the eye, etc., and understanding certain disease progression there. Weve built machine learning models that ingest the images and can look at diagnosing particular conditions, such as geographic atrophy, which I mentioned.

These models weve developed need to be trained over multiple years to hit that quality factor, which is important to leverage for regulatory and care purposes. But thats an example of one weve been using for a number of years to help diagnose.

Another one is in the glaucoma area, looking in the physician notes at intraocular pressure, or IOP, mentions, understanding reductions or increases in that, and also building machine learning models which look at not just the keywords but also the context around them to ensure that when we suggest that a particular patient has a degradation in, for example, visual acuity related to a particular disease, were suggesting it with a high degree of accuracy. So there are a couple of examples of how we are leveraging unstructured data to help surface patients with particular conditions.

Kevin Pho: Now, before AI and natural language tools, how would physicians be able to mine a chart and get some of these measures over to CMS? How was it done before this technology?

Sujay Jadhav: The core way that they would do it is that they would look at the images themselves and look at a lot of the diagnostic reports. Then they would have to categorize it in terms of ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes there. That would be the core of what they would leverage from a coding perspective to then do these particular calculations to then submit it to CMS.

As you can imagine, the variety of sources that you use to get this type of information, leaving it to the human eye, sometimes has a different level of variability. Leaving it to a different set of folks who are involved in the overall health care continuum also provides extra variability there. Hence, when you look at the quality of what was being submitted, it needed to have a lot of validation. A lot of effort went into that, and hence it was very, very cumbersome to submit this to CMS. We are looking to automate most of that particular process, but as I said, this is more of a support that we are providing to our specialists. At the end of the day, were not looking to replace the way they diagnose or the way they look at care of these particular patients. What we are doing is surfacing suggestions like, Hey, these particular set of patients are having improved quality here. You should leverage them for your submission to CMS to generate a particular bonus. Its more of a support function that we are providing to the specialists that we support.

Kevin Pho: Can you share some case studies or data in terms of the financial impact that your tool can give in terms of mining the chart for unstructured data so you could send it off to CMS? What kind of examples of financial benefit could there be for the practice?

Sujay Jadhav: Absolutely. We are seeing a couple of things. Were seeing north of 30 percent in terms of efficiency savings in actually documenting and calculating these quality measures in the way that were doing it and automating it. Thats just in the submission process. But when youre looking at the bonuses that they can generate and avoiding penalties, it can be 6 to 7 percent overall. When youre looking at practices which are doing hundreds of thousands of dollars, thats a substantial amount, even sometimes millions of dollars. So were seeing in the tens of thousands of dollars, if not one hundred thousand dollars, of impact related to submitting quality measures to help improve the way that they generate these particular bonuses.

Kevin Pho: Now in your article, you also talk about your experience with that intersection within AI and clinical trials and drug development. Tell us about how AI is helping us there.

Sujay Jadhav: Absolutely. As I talked a little bit about, we are mining the physician notes and the images to help do early diagnosis of some of these critical diseases that we have, but we also are leveraging those diagnoses and cohorts of patients for inputs into clinical trials. An example in prostate cancer, as I mentioned, is generating cohorts five times what you would normally get via a structured data analysis. Those particular patients are in the urologist setting, so helping surface them up for urology trials is extremely impactful there.

The early onset of that particular disease, which is a key disease that impacts a number of people in the world, helping provide that group of patients to pharmaceutical companies so they can enroll them in particular trials and then leveraging that data so that they can help optimize their inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure that when they conduct a trial, they can recruit adequate patients and help improve the overall cost and timeliness. As you can see, the early diagnosis that were doing in these critical disease areas is yielding high patient populations and is being an input into clinical trials to optimize that overall process.

One other thing I would add is the beauty of the amount of data that we have currently in AI. Were actually making a good dent in other areas, such as rare diseases, which historically have not had high patient populations, and also looking at segments of the population which typically have not gotten a large amount of investment, such as pediatrics. With the wealth of data that we have, both structured and unstructured, we can leverage all that data with AI techniques to help support trials in those particular areas where historically it was very, very difficult given the patient populations were very, very small.

Kevin Pho: Now are there any potential risks or pitfalls researchers and clinicians should be aware of when applying AI to real-world health data?

Sujay Jadhav: I would say that, first of all, were very, very careful with our particular models in terms of the way we design them. They have specialist clinicians who help design those particular models. As we go through every particular iteration with sample data, they validate that. Then ultimately, when we release the cohort of patients, de-identified for biotech and pharmaceutical companies to leverage, there is a quality gate that we do, which is clinician-led.

But Ill say the most valuable insights often come from unstructured data. The clinician notes, their observations, and the reports are essential to generating real-world evidence. AI is a tool that just scales the clinician expertise; its definitely not a replacement. As I mentioned, clinician input is critical to building and validating these particular models.

Accurate and thorough documentation doesnt just support care; there are a lot of downstream elements and benefits to it. It fuels research, improves trial design, and helps shape the future of medicine. The beauty of natural language processing, machine learning, and AI is that historically, physicians were forced to learn how to document things in a more standardized fashion. I think theres no need to do that anymore. With these particular techniques, they can record their observations the way they see fit. But having said that, it needs to be accurate. As long as thats accurate, then Im very, very optimistic in terms of how we can improve overall quality of care and research.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Sujay Jadhav. Hes a health care executive. Todays KevinMD article is How AI is revolutionizing health care through real world data. Sujay, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Sujay Jadhav: Yeah, absolutely. Hopefully, through this particular discussion and through my article, you know that AI is definitely here. Its adding a lot of value through the health care to life sciences continuum. I set a number of examples where we are definitely doing that.

AIs ability to unlock unstructured clinical data is already transforming how we understand disease, deliver care, and conduct research. Success depends entirely on high-quality, clinically validated data, made possible through close collaboration with clinicians who generate it. I will say to the clinician audience out there, theres definitely a first-mover advantage to leveraging a lot of these AI techniques right now. Im very optimistic given the number of solutions out there, whether its EHR-dependent or third parties that are AI-focused, that there are going to be a lot of opportunities for clinicians to leverage this to improve overall quality of care. But it is an iterative process, and the quicker and the earlier that clinicians leverage tools that they see as a good fit for them, the better it will be for the long term. Theyll see a lot of benefits in terms of overall quality of care and costs as well.

Kevin Pho: Sujay, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight, and thanks again for coming on the show.

Sujay Jadhav: Thank you, Kevin.
The Congress on Sunday claimed that the names of nearly 23 lakh women have been removed from the voter list in Bihar under the SIR with the bulk of them being from 59 assembly seats where a 'close contest' was witnessed in the 2020 elections.

IMAGE: All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba. Photograph: ANI Photo

Reiterating its 'vote chori' claims, the opposition party also alleged that the Election Commission of India 'targeted' Dalit and Muslim women voters whose names were dropped from the list as part of a 'well-planned conspiracy' during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The Congress asked when these women had cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections last year, were these votes 'fraudulent' and whether MPs elected on 'fake votes' helped form the government.

Addressing a press conference at the party's Indira Bhawan headquarters in New Delhi, All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba also alleged that 'at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah', the Election Commission is committing 'massive fraud' in the name of SIR in Bihar.

"There are approximately 3.5 crore women voters in Bihar, but the names of approximately 23 lakh women (22.7 lakh) have been removed from the voters' list," she claimed.

These women will not be able to vote in the upcoming assembly elections and 'we believe this decision is against the Constitution', Lamba said.

"Gopalganj, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Bhojpur, and Purnea are the six districts in Bihar where the names of maximum number of women have been removed from the voters' list," she claimed.

These six districts encompass about 60 assembly seats, Lamba said.

"If we look at the 2020 assembly election data, the INDIA bloc parties won 25 seats here while the NDA bagged 34 and a close contest was witnessed," she said.

"Now, the Election Commission has committed massive fraud in these very seats in the name of SIR," she alleged.

In Bihar, the names of 22.7 lakh women have been deleted, while the names of approximately 15 lakh men have been removed from the voter list, Lamba claimed.

The Congress is running a nationwide signature campaign against this 'vote theft', during which the party will collect five crore signatures, she said.

"The votes of lakhs of women in Bihar were deleted. In such a situation, our questions are: When these same women cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections last year, were these votes still fraudulent? Did these fake votes elect MPs who formed the government?" Lamba said.

"Today, a conspiracy is underway to add and delete names at the last minute, but we will expose it," the Mahila Congress president said.

"On one hand, Prime Minister Modi is depositing money into women's accounts to influence the Bihar elections, and on the other hand, he, in collusion with the Election Commission, deleted the names of approximately 23 lakh women from the voters' list," she said.

"Modi has targeted and cancelled women's votes and taken away their rights. But no matter how much Narendra Modi and the Election Commission try, we will not allow 'vote theft' to happen in Bihar," she said.

Her remarks came on a day Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar voiced satisfaction over the completion of SIR in Bihar, claiming that the exercise 'purified' the voters' list after 22 years.

He made the remarks at a press conference in Patna before winding up his tour of the state, where assembly elections are likely to be announced soon.

The total number of electors in poll-bound Bihar have come down by nearly 47 lakh to 7.42 crore in the final electoral roll published last Tuesday from 7.89 crore before the SIR of the voters' list carried out by the Election Commission.

The final figure has, however, increased by 17.87 lakh from 7.24 crore electors named in the draft list issued on August 1, which had removed 65 lakh voters from the original list on various accounts, including deaths, migration and duplication of voters.

While 21.53 lakh new electors have been added to the draft list, 3.66 lakh names have been removed from there, resulting in a net increase of 17.87 lakh.

The final figure may change marginally after supplementary lists are published during the poll process.

The EC's exercise has drawn sharp protests from the Opposition, which has accused the poll body of working at the behest of the ruling BJP, a charge it has flatly rejected.

The Commission has asserted that it will not allow any eligible citizen to be left out of the voters' list and at the same time, not let any ineligible person be on the list.

The assembly election schedule is likely to be announced by the poll body this week and the polls are expected to be held soon after Chhath, an important festival in Bihar that would be celebrated in the last week of October.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Chhattisgarh minister Nanki Ram Kanwar on Saturday alleged that he was placed under house arrest to stop him from staging a protest outside Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's residence, demanding removal of a district collector.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the Home portfolio, denied that he was put under house arrest. Kanwar later returned to Korba after BJP leaders met him in the evening.

Kanwar (82), a tribal leader, is a former MLA from Rampur assembly seat in Korba district and was home minister from 2008 to 2013 during the Raman Singh-led BJP government.

"There can be no question of house arrest. Such things do not happen with a senior leader like him. He is our leader. We will listen to whatever his instruction is, and what is appropriate will be done. The Hon'ble Chief Minister himself is concerned," Sharma told the media.

On September 22, Kanwar had written a letter to CM Sai, making several allegations against Korba Collector Ajit Vasant and demanding his transfer, warning of a protest otherwise.

On Friday, Kanwar and his supporters arrived at a community hall in Raipur's Tatibandh area. When they attempted to leave to stage the protest on Saturday afternoon, district administration and police officials allegedly stopped them and locked the gate.

A visibly irate Kanwar later spoke with reporters from inside the main gate, accusing the government of shielding the officer.

"I am demanding the collector's transfer. These people (the administration) have forcibly stopped me. It appears they have arrested me but are refusing to acknowledge it," Kanwar said.

"Entire houses in a village were demolished without providing compensation. Is this how the law works under this government? When you go to the Collector with a problem, he asks why you bring people along. Should we go to the chief minister or prime minister?" he asked.

He spoke to CM Sai as well as state BJP president Kiran Singh Deo but they did not pay heed to his demand, Kanwar claimed.

"People are watching what our government is doing. People are saying we won't get more than 10 seats (in the next assembly elections)," he said.

Party sources said that Kanwar met BJP leaders in the evening after they returned from an event of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Jagdalpur city. Kanwar then returned to Korba.

The opposition Congress targeted the government over the incident.

Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel accused the BJP of trying to suppress the voice of tribals.

"Wow! Amit Shah Ji! At the very moment when the country's Home Minister has arrived in Bastar to take stock of the arrangements, at exactly that same time, the senior tribal BJP leader, former Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar Ji, has been placed under "house arrest" in Raipur. This shows that the BJP wants to suppress the voice of the tribals, even if it arises from within the BJP itself," the Congress leader said in a post on X.
The Pakistan Army on Saturday criticised the recent remarks made by the Indian military officers and political leaders, warning that a future conflict between the two countries might lead to a "cataclysmic devastation.

IMAGE: A general view of a damaged portion of a mosque, after it was hit by an Indian strike, in Muridke near Lahore, on May 7, 2025. Photograph: Gibran Peshimam/Reuters

In a statement, it also said that these "irresponsible statements" indicate a renewed attempt at fabricating arbitrary pretexts for aggression -- a prospect which might "lead to serious consequences" for peace and stability in South Asia.

A day earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said India can cross any border whenever necessary to protect citizens and safeguard India's unity and integrity.

Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying the neighbouring country should stop sponsoring terrorism on its soil if it wants to retain its place on the world map.

General Dwivedi also said the restraint shown by New Delhi during Operation Sindoor would not be repeated in case of a future military conflict and urged Indian soldiers to remain poised for action.

Also, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Friday said that at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-origin F-16 jets, were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor.

In its statement, the Pakistan Army said that it noted with "grave concern" the delusional, provocative and jingoistic statements coming from the highest levels of the Indian security establishment.

In the face of highly provocative statements of the Indian Defence Minister and its Army and Air Chiefs, we caution that a future conflict might lead to cataclysmic devastation. In case a fresh round of hostilities is triggered, Pakistan shall not hold back. We shall resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint, it said.

The statement said that Pakistan has established a new normal of response, which will be "swift, decisive and destructive".

It added that the armed forces of Pakistan have the capability and resolve "to take the fight to every nook and corner of the enemy's territory".

The statement also responded to the threat of erasing Pakistan from the map, saying India "must know that if a situation comes, the erasure will be mutual.

It also said that earlier this year, the Indian attack against Pakistan brought two nuclear powers to the brink of a major war.

"...India now seems to be aching for the next round of confrontation," it added.

In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.

The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Singh said any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a "decisive response" that could be strong enough to change both "history and geography".

Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat's Rann of Kutch and Pakistan and is considered a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by both sides.
Jailed activist Sonam Wangchuk has appealed to the people of Ladakh to maintain peace and unity and continue with the ongoing struggle for statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the true Gandhian way of non-violence, his lawyer said on Sunday.

IMAGE: Aam Aadmi Party workers hold a candlelight march over the arrest of environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi on September 26, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Wangchuk conveyed the message through the legal advisor of Leh Apex Body, Haji Mustafa, who along with the activist's elder brother Ka Tsetan Dorjey Ley, met him at Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan on Saturday.

Wangchuk said that unless there is an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the four people during the September 24 violence, "I am prepared to stay in jail."

He was detained on September 26 in Leh under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and scores of others injured in the Union Territory.

Authorities have accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a plea filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activist's detention under the NSA and seeking his immediate release.

Mustafa posted Wangchuk's 'message' on his personal social media accounts, including X and Facebook, on Sunday after meeting the activist.

"I am doing well, both physically and mentally and thank everyone for their concern and prayers. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives and my prayers with people who are injured and are arrested," Wangchuk said.

He said there should be an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the four people.

Unless that is done, "I am prepared to stay in jail."

"I stand firmly with Apex Body and the KDA and the people of Ladakh in our genuine constitutional demand for Sixth Schedule and statehood and whatever actions Apex Body takes in the interest of Ladakh, I am with them, wholeheartedly.

"I appeal (to) people to keep peace and unity and continue our struggle peacefully -- in the true Gandhian way of non-violence," Wangchuk said.

The Ladakh administration had ordered a magisterial probe into the violence, but Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB), who are spearheading the agitation, have decided to stay away from talks with the Centre scheduled for October 6 till a judicial inquiry is ordered and all those detained, including Wangchuk, are released.
The chief education officer (CEO) of Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir directed teaching and non-teaching staff employed under the department to refrain from criticising government policies on social media, warning them of punitive action, including dismissal from service.

Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a circular on Saturday, he directed all the employees of School Education Department of the district to strictly adhere to the guidelines and refrain from 'indulging in unwarranted debates and discussions and avoid sharing commenting or posting inappropriate content on social media platforms'.

Pulwama MLA and PDP leader Waheed Para slammed the order, saying it stops people from 'raising their voices'.

The Baramulla CEO said various instances of misuse of social media platforms by teaching and non-teaching staff were discussed at a meeting chaired by the education department administrative secretary on Friday.

He said such acts as interference in the policy matters of the department.

'The activities are purely violation of circular instructions issued by the government' in 2023, the CEO said.

The CEO said the administrative secretary directed all chief education officers to bring to the notice of the administration any such violation without fail in order to fix responsibly.

The circular on social media posts allows for punishments for violations, including censure, fine not exceeding one month's pay, withholding increments and/or promotion, demotion, recovery from pay of the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to government by negligence or breach of orders, premature retirement and removal from the services of the state.

The circular, however, mentioned that the employees are not barred from using social media and they can use these platforms for 'positive and constructive purposes'.

People's Democratic Party leader Waheed Para has hit out at the government for issuing the order, and said it should be revoked.

'In an already numb Jammu and Kashmir, this order by the J-K govt's education dept warning teachers and govt staff against raising their voices, is deeply concerning. A govt that came to power on the promise of giving people a voice is now contributing to silencing the few remaining ones in Jammu and Kashmir,' Para said in a post on X.

He also posted a copy of the circular on his handle.

He said the J-K government had earlier informed the Assembly that it is drafting a new media policy aimed at regulating digital platforms, including social media and news websites, 'following the much-criticised 2020 New Media Policy formulated by the BJP'.

It was approved under by the administration of the Lt Governor, a central government nominee.

It was widely condemned by journalists, civil society groups and political leaders for its authoritarian undertones, said Para, the MLA from Pulwama.

"This order must be immediately revoked," he added.
Security forces have launched a major crackdown on the banned People's Liberation Army (PLA), a prominent Manipur valley-based insurgent group, arresting a total of 15 cadres including two key suspects directly involved in last month's deadly ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy that killed two soldiers.

IMAGE: Security personnel stand near an Assam Rifles vehicle after a terrorist attack on it in Nambol Sabal area, in Bishnupur. Photograph: ANI Video Grab

The two main accused were identified as Thoungram Sadananda Singh alias Purakpa (18) and Khomdram Ojit Singh alias Keilal (47).

Their arrest came within 72 hours of the Nambol incident where two Assam Rifles soldiers were gunned down, officials said.

Security agencies are also reportedly investigating whether the PLA has been operating with any political patronage and this scrutiny comes in the wake of another dominant insurgent group, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), recently announcing a ceasefire and agreeing to participate in the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement already signed by 24 Kuki insurgent groups with the Union home ministry.

Officials indicated that certain vested interests were attempting to undermine President's rule -- a measure that has led to a cessation of the severe ethnic violence in the state.

These groups are pushing the narrative that the current administration is ineffective and that the suspended state assembly should be immediately restored, they said.

The Assam Rifles convoy ambush took place on September 19 in Nambol Sabal Leikai, a denotified tract where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) does not hold ground and the CRPF is usually in charge of road security.

Two men of the Assam Rifles, Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap, died after the 407 Tata vehicle they were in was ambushed along the road from Patsoi to Nambol base.

This was the first attack against central security forces deployed in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people in May 2023.

Of the weapons recovered during the ongoing operations, officials indicated that six are likely looted from a police armoury during the earlier phase of ethnic clashes in 2023, suggesting that weapons originally intended for the communal conflict are now making their way into the hands of insurgent groups and being used against security forces.

A van, suspected to have been used in the Nambol ambush, was also recovered from Mutum Yangbi, about 12 km from the site.

Thoungram Sadananda Singh, one of the accused arrested by the security forces, was a member of UNLF and had recently moved to the PLA after his previous group decided to lay down the arms, the officials said.

In an unusual turn, the PLA did not claim responsibility for the Nambol incident, despite a history of publicly owning all actions over its 48 years of existence.

Reliable intelligence inputs suggest the PLA central leadership was not aware of or did not authorise the attack.

This has prompted the intelligence agencies to examine the possibilities that the Nambol incident might have been a political contract killing, directed at tainting the state's brittle atmosphere, discrediting President's rule, or forestalling the revival of a popular regime, the officials added.

After the attack, an emergency high-level meeting presided over by Governor Ajay Bhalla was held to emphasise the importance of collective action from all security agencies to quickly identify the attackers and enhance security in soft spots, such as major highways and routes of transportation.

While the arrests are on, observers are sounding alarms over the revival of old banned outfits such as the aggrieved cadres of UNLF, PLA, Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup (KYKL), and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK).

The authorities have warned that the declaration of a truce may allow these groups, who have been labeled "heroes" by some, to redirect their arms against the same people that they purport to defend.

The UNLF, with an estimated disgruntled 250 cadres, is notorious for high-level extortion from contractors and businesspeople.

The PLA, originally known as 'Polei,' seeks to liberate Manipur and establish an independent Meitei homeland in the Imphal Valley.

The KYKL, which is financed largely by extortion, is described as a mercenary organisation without a unified ideology, whereas the PREPAK finances itself by extorting commercial establishments, especially pharmacies, and has close associations with drug-trafficking operations.

Intelligence inputs suggest that Valley-Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs) continue to maintain significant strength in the Imphal Valley and along the India-Myanmar border.

The PLA is estimated to have around 500 cadres, while PREPAK (both factions), KYKL-OKEN, UNLF-K, and KCP-NOYON have a combined strength of around 550.

The Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) is believed to have around 900 cadres, and the National Revolutionary Front of Manipur (NRFM) approximately 200.

Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023, rooted in disputes over land rights and political representation.

The unrest has claimed over 260 lives and displaced nearly 50,000 people internally.

*****

Caches of arms recovered in Manipur, six militants held

Security forces recovered caches of arms and ammunition from Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts of Manipur, police said on Sunday.

Six militants belonging to various proscribed outfits were also arrested in separate operations for their alleged involvement in extortion and other illegal activities in four districts of the northeastern state.

One Heckler & Koch rifle with magazine, two bolt action rifles, two pull mechanism rifles, two improvised mortars and two hand grenades were recovered at Kotzim in Kangpokpi district on Saturday.

Security Forces also found one sub-machine gun, one .303 rifle, one 9mm pistol, one .32 pistol, seven locally made bolt action rifles, ammunition, and other warlike stores at Kanglatombi area in Imphal West district.

In separate operations, security forces arrested six militants in Imphal East and West, Bishnupur and Kakching districts.

The police arrested a Kangleipak Communist Party (PWG) cadre from his residence at Laipham Khunou in Imphal East district on Saturday. He was allegedly involved in extortion from hospitals and public in the valley area.

Another PWG militant, who was picked up from Porompat area in Imphal East district, was involved in extortion from the public including government officials.

The police arrested two cadres of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Chingmeirong Mamang Leikai area in Imphal West district.

They were accused of being involved in extortion from the public in the valley area and mediation through intimidation between parties in cases of loan recovery.

A handgun, along with a magazine, and Rs 1,26,900 in cash were recovered from their possession.

Another cadre of the same outfit was arrested from his residential locality at Hiyanglam Makha Leikai in Kakching district. He was involved in recruiting youths for the PLA.

One more PLA cadre was arrested in Ithai Wapokpi in Bishnupur district.

These four arrests were made on Friday.
At least 23 people, including children, were killed as relentless rain triggered one of the worst landslides in a decade in Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas on Sunday, sweeping away homes, cutting off roads, isolating villages, and leaving hundreds of stranded tourists amid widespread devastation, officials said.

IMAGE: Vehicles partially submerged in the flood water as the water level of the Teesta river rises after heavy rain, in Darjeeling on Sunday. Photograph: ANI Video Grab

According to reports compiled by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the West Bengal's Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district administrations, fatalities were reported from several locations -- Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), Mirik Lake area and the Nagrakata area in Jalpaiguri district.

According to the NDRF, a total of 18 people have died in Darjeeling, with 11 fatalities in Mirik, the worst-hit area, and seven more in the Darjeeling subdivision, including Jorebunglow, Sukia Pokhri, and Sadar Police Station areas.

In a separate rescue operation in Nagrakata, located in the nearby Jalpaiguri district, five bodies were recovered from landslide debris.

"Total number of deaths reported so far is 23, spanning across Mirik, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri," a NDRF official said.

North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha described the situation as 'alarming' and maintained that the total death toll till evening was 20 but 'is likely to go up'.

Anit Thapa, chief executive of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), which governs the Darjeeling region, stated that landslides have been reported at 35 locations across the picturesque area, known as the 'Queen of the Hills'.

The landslides, described by officials as the worst since 2015 landslide which killed nearly 40 people in Darjeeling, have left behind a trail of devastation.

Entire slopes have caved in, highways buried under thick mud, and communication lines snapped.

The Mirik-Sukhiapokhri road, a key road connecting several hamlets, remains blocked.

Hundreds of tourists who had thronged the hills for Durga Puja and post-festive vacations found themselves marooned amid the chaos.

Families from Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly, visiting Mirik, Ghoom, and Lepchajagat, were forced to stay indoors as the hills were battered by torrential rain since Saturday night.

According to the NDRF, road connectivity remains severely disrupted across Darjeeling and North Sikkim, with an iron bridge connecting Siliguri to the Mirik-Darjeeling route damaged, cutting off access to the region.

As the situation worsened, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a high-level meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, opened a 24x7 control room, and said she would visit North Bengal on Monday (October 6) to assess the situation.

She also announced compensation for the victims.

"The situation is grave. Due to incessant rain in Bhutan, water has overflowed into North Bengal. This disaster is unfortunate- natural calamities are beyond our control," Banerjee told a news channel.

She said more than 300 mm of rainfall was recorded in just 12 hours, leading to severe flooding and landslides across at least seven sites in Darjeeling and adjoining areas.

Banerjee also assured stranded tourists that the government would make arrangements to bring them back safely.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over the loss of lives and said the situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas was being closely monitored.

'Deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a bridge mishap in Darjeeling. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides...,' he said in a post on X.

Several people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, Nagarakata, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses.

Temporary relief camps have been set up in coordination with NGOs and the district administration, while many families in Mirik have been moved to safer locations.

Darjeeling MP and BJP leader Raju Bista has written to the CM requesting that the landslides be declared a "state-level disaster."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the loss of lives and urged the Centre to provide assistance to the state.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an alert for extremely heavy rainfall in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, till October 6. It warned of more landslides and road blockages due to saturated soil conditions.

A red alert was also issued for Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri districts, while an orange alert (Be Prepared) was sounded for Darjeeling district.

Sunday's disaster bears grim echoes of the October 1968 deluge, the deadliest in the region's recorded history, when nearly 1,000 people perished as continuous downpours washed away entire settlements in the hill districts and Sikkim, and the plains.

From the devastating slides of 1899, which killed 72 people in the then British hill station, to the Ambootia landslide of 1968 and the recurrent cloudburst-induced disasters of 1950 and 2015, Darjeeling's fragile terrain has been repeatedly reshaped by nature's fury.

The state government has kept emergency control rooms in Siliguri, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri on high alert, with additional teams of civil defence and state disaster force kept on standby.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High around 30F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. Low 16F. Winds light and variable.
The election victory this weekend of right-wing populist Andrej Babis risks turning the Czech Republic into another Central European problem child for Brussels after he campaigned on vows to slash support for Ukraine and confront the EU over immigration and environmental policies.

Babis, a former prime minister and billionaire sometimes referred to in the media as the Czech Donald Trump, easily took the most votes with his ANO (YES) party garnering 35 percent.

A triumphant Babis said after the results came in that he would seek a one-party minority government, though he would hold talks with two small parties including the far-right SPD that could give him a majority in parliament.

There is no panic yet in the corridors of power in Brussels with some officials assessing that Babis is no Robert Fico or Viktor Orban.

That's a reference to the leaders of Slovakia and Hungary, who in recent years have caused the bloc all sorts of headaches by watering down or holding up sanctions on Russia, pausing both military aid, economic support, and EU accession negotiations for Ukraine and undermining the rule of law in the club in general.

Still, Orban was the first leader in Europe to congratulate Babis, who was Czech prime minister from December 2017 to December 2021.

Filip Nerad, who has followed Czech-EU politics for the think-tank Globsec, told RFE/RL that the Babis government will be more critical toward big EU initiatives such as the Green deal that aims to make the bloc climate neutral by 2050.

He also said Babis opposes the migration pact, which enters into force next year and is aimed to create a common EU asylum system.

Still, the 71-year-old leader may not totally align with Budapest and Bratislava, giving some hope Brussels may be able to work with Prague on some level.

Overall the Czech Republic will be less in the mainstream in Brussels and cooperate more with Hungary and Slovakia, but dont expect that Prague will follow Budapest and Bratislava on everything, Nerad said.

The assumption, speaking to both European and Czech officials, that Babis indeed is different from his two Visegrad peers is based on three observations.

Firstly, the nature of his election win.

While his ANO party clearly came out on top, the three other populist parties -- the SPD, Motoriste sobe (Motorists for Themselves) and Stacilo (Enough) -- fared poorer than expected.

Stacilo failed to clear the 5 percent threshold to gain seats in parliament, removing a potential coalition partner for Babis.

While the Slovak-born Babis may aim to form a minority government of just ANO ministers with the political backing of the Motorists and SPD, analysts said talks between the parties are likely to prove difficult.

And his government might end up wobbly and weak. He might even eventually turn to the more mainstream parties in the outgoing government.

Second, while his rhetoric on the campaign trail often was anti-EU, he may be forced to move toward the middle to work along side pro-West President Petr Pavel, who is popular among Czechs and a likely counterbalance to Babis.

Pavel doesn't have many levers of power, but one he does possess is approving cabinet ministers. And he's already said he wont accept any anti-systemic candidates if he is to sign-off on Babis's government.

It is also worth noting that many other senior ANO officials such as Karel Havlicek and Adam Vojtech are considered moderate and even were well-regarded in Brussels during their previous stints as government ministers.

Finally, there is Babis himself, who despite having sharpened his criticism of the European Union in recent years and is in the same European political group that has challenged the mainstream direction of Europes policies, has practical reasons to remain Western-oriented.

His business interests in agriculture and media are linked to both Austria and Germany and dependent on generous EU funds.

He has sought close political ties with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and with France. On top of that, he has promised to honor the Czech Republic's commitment to NATO.

We want to save Europeand we are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO, Babis told reporters after his election win.

Pavel Havlicek, who follows Czech-EU relations for the think tank AMO, notes that Brussels most likely is looking at the Czech vote with skepticism and worry.

But, he adds, it will be important for Brussels to stay merit-based and judge Babis on his deeds and not necessarily his rhetoric" as he could prove to be "more pragmatic and willing to negotiate than Fico and Orban.

One EU official, speaking to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity, said Babis's election is likely to remove the Czechs from their leadership role in some parts of the bloc.

Concretely, the Czechs have spearheaded an ammunition initiative that has been key in getting millions of rounds of mainly desperately needed ammunition to Kyiv as it fights to repel invading Russian forces.

Babis has been a sharp critic of the initiative, though he has left the door open for it to fall under NATO auspices.

Czech soldiers in any possible future peace-keeping mission in Ukraine can likely be ruled out and weapons might not be transferred to the war as readily as before.

There are other projects driven by the Czechs that may quietly might die out too.

The country has been pushing Brussels for over a year to limit the movement of Russian diplomats in EU countries and to impose EU-wide sanctions on the current ruling regime in Georgia as it backslides on democratic reforms and veers toward Moscow.

Prague was also instrumental in creating a new sanctions framework for Russian hybrid action around the globe and encouraging Kosovo to apply for EU membership.
PRAGUE - Former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, after scoring a dramatic political comeback in the October 4 parliamentary elections, looked to reassure the West over his commitment to the EU and NATO, but he may be forced to partner with even-more Eurosceptic partners to form a government.

"We want to save Europe...and we are clearly pro-European and pro-NATO," Babis told reporters amid concerns he could push the Czech Republic closer toward Russia -- following the path of EU mavericks Hungary and Slovakia -- and oppose further military aid to Ukraine.

Prague has acted as a major supporter of Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion of 2022 and has taken in thousands of war refugees, actions Babis has often vocally opposed.

With nearly all votes counted, results showed Babis, a billionaire who leads the populist ANO party, as the clear winner with nearly 34.6 percent. Turnout was 68.9 percent, the highest in the country since 1996.

But, with an estimated 81 seats in the 200-member parliament, ANO would not have a majority, meaning potentially complex efforts to find coalition partners.

Many analysts have said coalition talks may include the far-right SPD, which has called for the Czech Republic to withdraw from both the EU and NATO. It received 7.6 percent of the vote, likely to give it about 15 seats.

The Motorists, a small opposition party that has voiced opposition to many EU policies, also managed to pass the threshold and enter parliament for the first time. It received 6.8 percent, with an estimated 13 seats.

Current Prime Minister Petr Fiala's center-right, pro-West Together grouping finished second with 23.3 percent (52 seats), while its coalition partner STAN had 11.2 percent (22 seats), and the liberal Pirates party had nearly 9 percent (18 seats).

If the government is dependent on the position or on the support of the SPD, it's going to be very complicated, Jan Machacek, a foreign policy adviser to Czech President Petr Pavel, told RFE/RL as results came in.

Machacek added that this would create a very dangerous situation for foreign policy, because the SPD is extremist, sharply anti-Ukraine [and] EU -- a pro-Russian party.

Celebrating what he called a "historic result," Babis said he would seek to form a single-party minority government and would hold talks with the SPD and Motorists on securing their support for it.

The 71-year-old Babis has often employed strong Eurosceptic rhetoric but has regularly ruled out withdrawing from the EU or NATO.

He co-founded the far-right Patriots for Europe bloc in the European Parliament with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"Truth has prevailed!" Orban wrote on X following the election. "Good news for Europe."

Opposition To Ukraine Ammunition Initiative

While not directly opposing further assistance to Kyiv in its fight against Russias full-scale invasion, Babis again said he was not in favor of Pragues continuing leadership of a 2024 initiative to provide ammunition for Ukraine.

If there is a war, no one should make money because of the war. It [the initiative] should be organized by NATO, he told reporters.

We are helping Ukraine through the EU; the EU is helping Ukraine, and it is in the European budget. We are paying a lot of money to the European budget, and this is the way we will continue to help, he said.

As many as 16 European countries, led by the Czech Republic, in 2024 set up the ad hoc coalition to buy artillery rounds for Ukraine. The aim was to supply as many as 800,000 large-caliber shells to boost the Ukrainian war effort.

Despite claims that the initiative has been a success, it faces fierce criticism from the Czech opposition and Ukrainian NGOs over alleged profiteering, political favoritism, poor quality, and supply delays.

Babis also repeated his objections to Ukraines immediate membership in the EU.

We are not prepared for EU [membership]. We have to end the war first. Of course we can cooperate with Ukraine, but we are not ready for the EU, Babis said.

President To Tap Next Prime Minister

Under the constitution, Pavel will tap the next prime minister and said he would start talks with party leaders on October 5.

Pavel, who defeated Babis in a 2023 presidential run-off election, met the billionaire ANO leader last week to discuss conflicts of interest regarding his roles as a politician and businessman.

"I have promised Mr. President to meet him and show him a solution that will be in line with Czech and European laws," Babis said.

Along with charges of conflicts of interest, Babis -- one of the countrys richest people, with considerable stakes in agribusiness and media -- has been dogged by legal disputes and accusations of EU subsidy fraud.

RFE/RL's Ray Furlong and Reuters contributed to this report.
TBILISI -- Tbilisi remained tense after a night of clashes between protesters and riot police during local elections that saw the ruling Georgian Dream party tighten its grip on power amid opposition boycotts and growing Western concern that the country is drifting closer to Moscow.

The unrest marked one of the most serious challenges to the government in months, coming as thousands rallied against what they called an increasingly authoritarian government.

On October 4, Georgian riot police used pepper spray and water cannons to drive protesters away from the presidential palace in the capital and detained at least five leaders of the opposition demonstrations.

Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said the detainees had been taken into custody, including activists and protest organizers Paata Burchuladze and Murtaz Zodelava.

Those detained "are accused of violently changing the constitutional order of Georgia or calling for the overthrow of the state government, as well as organizing, leading, and participating in group violence. The crimes envisage up to nine years in prison," Darakhvelidze said.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the attempt to "overthrow" the government had failed and that those who participated in it would be "severely punished."

He added that "strict measures" would be implemented in the coming days following the protest, which appeared to be mostly broken up by around midnight local time.

Preliminary official results from the October 4 local elections had Georgian Dream claiming to have won control in every municipality in a vote boycotted by much of the opposition amid fears the results could be falsified by authorities.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on October 5 condemned the election process, saying it came "amid a period of extensive crackdown on dissent."

"Months of raids on independent media, the passing of laws targeting civil society, the jailing of opponents and activists or amendments to the electoral code favoring the ruling party drastically reduced the possibility of having competitive elections."

"A large part of the opposition boycotted these elections, and the turnout was relatively low," Kallas said in a statement.

Rights groups also assailed the atmosphere surrounding the vote.

Amnesty International said it "has documented a sweeping campaign of repression, including politically motivated prosecutions of opposition figures, the silencing of independent media and civil society through restrictive laws and punitive measures, and the widespread arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of protesters."

On the day of the vote, thousands of people, many waving Georgian and EU flags, took to the streets following calls by opposition parties for large protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party as ballots were being cast for local elections. At least nine opposition groups urged a boycott of the vote.

The protesters' aim was to revitalize daily demonstrations that began last year following alleged violations in parliamentary elections and a subsequent government decision to halt talks on joining the European Union. The opposition also criticized what it saw as the government's growing Russia-friendly policies.

The anti-government protests have largely quieted down over recent months following earlier crackdowns.

On October 4, crowds started to gather shortly after voting began, with some organizers saying the aim was the "peaceful overthrow of the government."

But around 7 p.m., they began moving toward the presidential palace. As a group of demonstrators attempted to break through the palace fences, Georgia's Interior Ministry declared that the rally had "exceeded the norms set by law."

Police responded by deploying water cannons and pepper spray. According to witnesses, they also used tear gas to push back protesters.

Georgia's former president, Salome Zurabishvili, who has opposed the Georgian Dream party and previously led peaceful protests against its rule, said she opposed any violence and accused the government of "staging" the attack on the presidential palace to discredit the opposition.

"Im on Rustaveli Avenue on the 310th day of peaceful protest for Georgias European future. The regimes staged 'takeover' of the Presidential Palace is a provocation. We wont fall for it -- we stand for free and fair elections and a European Georgia," she wrote on X.

Video coverage by RFE/RL's Georgian Service showed both police officers and protesters were engaging in physical confrontations, with demonstrators throwing unidentified objects.

According to Georgia's Interior Ministry, 21 of its officers and six protesters were injured during the clashes. Details could not immediately be confirmed, although videos and live feeds from the ground showed injuries among protesters.

Before his detention, activist Burchuladze called on Interior Ministry employees to listen to the voices of the people and to arrest senior figures of the Georgian Dream party.

Ahead of the demonstration, authorities pledged a tough response to those it cast as seeking "revolution."

With reporting by Reuters and the BBC
KYIV -- Poland and NATO allies mobilized fighter planes and put ground forces on high alert early on October 5, as Kyiv said Russia had launched a new wave of aerial attacks across Ukraine, including on the Lviv region, near the Polish border, killing at least five people.

"Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness," Poland's operational command said in a social media post.

Poland described the measures as preventative actions that were aimed at securing the airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened region.

The move comes nearly a month after a swarm of Russian drones flew into Poland's airspace, forcing NATO aircraft to scramble to intercept them and shoot down some of the devices.

The September 10 incident was the first direct encounter between NATO and Russia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on October 5 that at least five people were killed, and 10 others were wounded in a combined Russian attack, which involved more than 50 missiles and about 500 drones. The strikes cut off electricity for tens of thousands of people and damaged buildings and infrastructure.

Today, the Russians again hit our infrastructure, everything that ensures a normal life for people, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post.

Zelenskyy reiterated Kyivs calls for more support from its Western allies as Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears the four-year mark and US efforts in recent months to broker a peace deal have made little progress.

We need more protection, faster implementation of all defense agreements, especially regarding air defense, to make this aerial terror meaningless. A unilateral cease-fire in the sky is possible, and it can open the way to real diplomacy, Zelenskyy said.

He added that the United States and the European Union must act to force [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to stop.

Ukraines air force said that the entire country was put under air raid alerts for several hours, with the most dire warnings of missile and drone strikes issued for the western Lviv region. Local authorities said at least two people were killed in the strikes which also left some areas without electricity.

Andriy Sadoviy, the mayor of the provincial capital, Lviv, said the city's air defense systems were heavily engaged in repelling Russian drone and missile attacks. The city is located about 70 kilometers from the border with Poland.

The mayor said on Telegram that, as of 7:30 a.m. local time, some parts of the city were left without power and that public transport was yet to start running. Sadoviy warned residents that it was "dangerous to go out into the streets."

In the city of Zaporizhzhya, the capital of the southwestern Zaporizhzhya region, provincial Governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram that a Russian "combined strike" had killed a woman and wounded nine other people.

"Apartment blocks and private houses were damaged, cars burned. Windows were blown out, yards wrecked, Fedorov said.

The governor also shared photos- which he said were from the site of the attack -- showing a partly destroyed building and a burnt-out vehicle.

More than 73,000 customers in Zaporizhzhya were left without electricity in the aftermath of the latest Russian strikes, the governor added.

The Russian-held Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, located some 55 kilometers southwest of the city of Zaporizhzhya has been cut off from external power since September 23.

The latest strikes also targeted the Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine as well as Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy provinces in the north and northeast, Odesa and Kherson provinces in the south, and the central Kirovohrad region, according to the Telegram post by Zelenskyy.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the strikes, saying that Russia is masking its failed summer offensive with terror attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

Kallas vowed that the EU will continue supporting Ukraine as long as needed: finalizing the next sanctions package, ensuring financing, providing weapons.

Russia will not stop until forced to, Kallas said in a social media post on October 5.

Meanwhile, local telegram channels in Russia's Belgorod region near the border reported power outages following a Ukrainian attack on the Luch substation. Outages in the region have become a regular occurrence in recent months following suspected Ukrainian strikes.

Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, said in a post on Telegram that "there is damage to the energy sector. Emergency crews have gone to the scene."

Putin Warns Against Tomahawk Deliveries

Putin said that relations between Moscow and Washington would be damaged if the United States supplied long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, enabling it to strike deep into Russia.

"This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations," Putin said in a video clip aired by Russian state television on October 5.

US Vice President JD Vance said in September that Washington was considering a request by Ukraine to obtain Tomahawks, although it is not known if a final decision has been made.

Tomahawks, which have a range of 2,500 kilometers, would make it possible for Ukraine to reach all of European Russia, including Moscow, if Kyiv got the missiles.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Reuters, dpa, and AFP
BELGRADE - Anja Mijovic was a young mom pushing a baby stroller when she took part in protests against Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic 25 years ago. Now, she needs the help of a walker to attend anti-government demonstrations that have continued across Serbia for months.

We were young, we were kids, the 50-year-old author told RFE/RLs Balkan Service, reflecting on political battles separated by decades.

Mijovic was a drama student in Belgrade in the 1990s, a period dominated by Milosevics Serbian nationalist policies and a series of bloody conflicts. She was among the mass crowds who protested when Milosevic refused to accept an election defeat, eventually forcing him to step down on October 5, 2000.

When he fellI said: Ive finished the job. And I returned to a normal life, she said.

Soon afterwards, the countrys new democratically elected government handed Milosevic over to the international tribunal in the Hague, where he faced charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Mijovic said she and other young protesters never imagined that Serbia would again witness mass street demonstrations. Now, from this distance, I see how wrong we were.

The current protests, which began in November last year, are the largest in Serbia since the Milosevic era. They were sparked by the collapse of a railway station roof in the northern city of Novi Sad.

The tragedy killed 16 people and shocked the public amid reports that corrupt practices led to shoddy construction at the railway station, a flagship government project led by Chinese businesses.

Calls for accountability have morphed over time into a wider protest against the government and may be the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Aleksandar Vucic. Protesters have demanded his resignation and new elections.

'Belgrade Is The World'

While the situation now is very different to that of 25 years ago, Mijovic argues that todays students are continuing a struggle that began at that time.

Its exactly the same scenarioWe stood up and we carried that famous sign, Belgrade is the World, she said, referring to a slogan of the time.

The message was that Belgrade was part of the wider world even though it was under nondemocratic rule. It has now been readopted by protesters holding banners saying Belgrade is the World, Again.

But Mijovic says the connections run deeper than mere slogans, hinting at Vucics previous role as Information Minister under Milosevic, a position he used to enforce draconian restrictions on the media.

Anyone who was involved in [Milosevics] government [should] never be allowed to hold a public position again, she said.

Vucic has since sought to distance himself from his activities at that time, renouncing previous nationalist positions and promising to lead Serbia into the European Union.

But he has also maintained close ties with Russia and China, and has faced criticism for poor standards of democracy and media freedom in Serbia. Freedom House, a US-based pro-democracy group, says Vucics rule has steadily eroded political rights and civil liberties.

Meanwhile, Serbian police have used violence against peaceful protesters, including tear gas and stun grenades. There have been accusations of beatings and police brutality.

This has sometimes been matched by harsh rhetoric from Vucic, accusing protesters of terrorism and of trying to destroy the country. For Mijovic, this too is a reminder of the atmosphere of her youth.

We were all [called] foreign mercenaries, domestic traitors. My grandmother did not believe [the narrative] that I had sold my country, but she latched onto the narrative that wed been drugged, she recalled.

In the years since then, Mijovic has gone on to forge a successful career as an author, specializing in thrillers about crime and corruption in contemporary Serbia.

I remember everything that has happened to us and I archive itso that future generations understand what kind of a den we live in, she said.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The women leaders of opposition parties backing Catherine Connolly have been buoyed by favourable poll results for the presidential candidate.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns, and Labour leader Ivana Bacik were among dozens joining Ms Connolly on a canvas of OConnell Street in Dublin on Sunday.

Ms Connolly, who also enjoys the backing of People Before Profit and a range of independents, was on 32 per cent in the Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll, nine points ahead of Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys (23 per cent), with Fianna Fails Jim Gavin trailing on 15 per cent.

Asked about the figures on Sunday, the Galway TD said: The poll reflects the reaction that Ive been getting on the ground  and not just me, the movement that I represent.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald with Ms Connolly (Niall Carson/PA)

There was a merry atmosphere on Dublins main thoroughfare as campaigners handed out leaflets while the candidate met voters, children and pets.

Speaking to the PA news agency at the canvass, Ms McDonald said: Im delighted that Catherines performing so strongly.

I know that the campaign still has work to do, but she is clearly the so to able, most competent candidate in the field, and I think all of the values that she represents will shine through.

I think she will just be a person who can articulate Ireland and who we are in a really powerful way over the next seven years.

She added: Shes also not Fianna Fail or Fine Gael, and I think that will matter to people.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said she was delighted with the polling figures, which showed Catherine Connolly on 32% (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ms Bacik said she was delighted with the figures but, having worked on campaigns for Michael D Higgins, she said early polls should not be taken as definitive.

She said: Were getting an incredible level of support for her, thats our experience on the ground canvassing, so many people have already made up their minds.

There are still undecideds but many after the first two debates are already moving towards her because her performance has been so strong.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns (Liam McBurney/PA)

She added: People say this to us: Even if I dont agree with everything she sees, I like her authenticity and her steadfast manner.

Ms Cairns said the momentum for Ms Connolly keeps building and added: It is a really special campaign to be a part of.

However, she agreed that the result will come down to undecideds and encouraged supporters to spread the word.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar Urges Bihar to Celebrate Election Like Chhath Puja; Elections Before November 22

He added that there are 243 general constituencies in Bihar  2 reserved for STs and 38 for SCs.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar Urges Bihar to Celebrate Election Like Chhath Puja, Bihar Election Soon Latest News: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday urged voters in Bihar to cast their votes and celebrate Election Day just like Chhath Puja. He stated that the term of the Bihar Legislative Assembly ends on November 22, 2025, and that elections will be held before that date.

Addressing a press conference in Patna, Bihar, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, I greet all the voters of India and Bihar. I urge all the voters of Bihar to cast their vote and celebrate Election Day just like we celebrate our Chhath Puja festival.

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CEC Gyanesh Kumar stated, "Recently, voter list cleansing was carried out in Bihar, and the booth-level officers present not only completed the task of cleaning up the voter rolls in their respective booths, but 90,217 booth-level officers of Bihar have done work that is exemplary across the country... Just as Vaishali in Bihar showed the world the path to democracy, together, you will become a source of inspiration for the country in the task of cleansing the voter list."

He added that there are 243 general constituencies in Bihar  2 reserved for STs and 38 for SCs.

"The entire team of the Election Commission has been present in Bihar for the past two days. Election Commission officials held meetings with the Bihar police administration, heads of enforcement agencies, and nodal officers," he added.

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He further stated that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) began on June 24, 2025, and was completed before its deadline.

For the mental motivation of BLO workers who worked tirelessly, remuneration was provided to them, he added.

(For more news apart from Supreme Court To Hear Plea Filed By Sonam Wangchuk's Wife, Challenging His Detention Under NSA, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Breaking: Heavy Snowfall at Rohtang Pass; Manali-Rohtang Road Closed for Traffic on Sunday

India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert across the state, warning of heavy rain in Kullu, Manali, and Lahaul-Spiti.

Breaking: Heavy Snowfall at Rohtang Pass; Manali-Rohtang Road Closed for Traffic Latest News: Higher altitudes in Himachal Pradeshs Kullu district have been witnessing continuous snowfall since this morning, including the famous tourist destination Rohtang Pass.

As a precautionary measure, the administration has closed the Manali to Rohtang Pass road at Palchan for traffic.

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The weather has shifted across most parts of the state since early morning. Snowfall has begun in higher altitude areas, while lower regions are experiencing rainfall.

Manali itself has been receiving rain since morning. If the rainfall continues, snowfall is expected in Manali by afternoon, according to local estimates.

Meanwhile, the state IMD (India Meteorological Department) has issued a yellow alert across the state, warning of heavy rain in Kullu, Manali, and Lahaul-Spiti.

(For more news apart from Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait Checks on Singer Rajvir Jawanda as He Remains on Ventilator Support, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Jammu & Kashmir: All Government and Private Schools Across State to Remain Closed for Next Two Days

The India Meteorological Department, Met Centre Srinagar, has issued an orange alert for the region, warning of heavy rainfall.

All Government and Private Schools Across in Jammu & Kashmir to Remain Closed for Next Two Days News: The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has announced the closure of all Government and Private Schools across the state for the next two days, starting tomorrow.

The Directorate of School Education, Jammu stated that the decision has been taken in view of the weather advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in various parts of the Jammu Division. The step is aimed at ensuring the safety and security of students and staff.

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As per the official order, schools will remain closed on October 6, 2025 (Monday), and October 7, 2025 (Tuesday).

The India Meteorological Department, Met Centre Srinagar, has issued an orange alert for the region, warning of heavy rainfall.

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The IMD has placed the state under a yellow alert for October 7, 2025.

(For more news apart from Jammu & Kashmir: All Government and Private Schools Across State to Remain Closed for Next Two Days, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
AAP Nominates Industrialist Rajinder Gupta as Rajya Sabha Candidate from Punjab

The Upper House seat became vacant after Sanjeev Arora resigned on July 1 this year, following his victory in the Ludhiana (West) bypoll

Nominates Industrialist Rajinder Gupta as Rajya Sabha Candidate from Punjab News: The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Aam Aadmi Party announced the nomination of industrialist Rajinder Gupta as a candidate for election to the Rajya Sabha by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Punjab on Sunday.

He has been nominated for the only vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Punjab in the upcoming bypoll to the Upper House of Parliament, scheduled for October 24.

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According to The New Indian Express, Rajinder, Chairman Emeritus of the Trident Group, resigned as Vice Chairman of the State Economic Policy and Planning Board, as well as Chairperson of the Sri Kali Devi Advisory Committee, on Saturday.

The report added that the decision to nominate a Punjabi face was taken to avoid any narrative of Delhi leadership dominating the state.

Earlier, there was speculation that one of the top leaders of the ruling party could be nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.

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AAP currently has 93 MLAs in the 117-member state assembly. With a clear majority, and as the winning candidate needs only 60 votes, Rajinders victory is considered a certainty if an election is held. However, the report noted that Punjab may continue its long-standing convention of sending Rajya Sabha MPs unopposed.

The Upper House seat became vacant after Sanjeev Arora resigned on July 1 this year, following his victory in the Ludhiana (West) bypoll by a margin of over 10,000 votes.

Sanjeev Arora is now serving as the Industries and NRI Affairs Minister in Chief Minister Bhagwant Manns Cabinet.

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(For more news apart from AAP Nominates Industrialist Rajinder Gupta as Rajya Sabha Candidate from Punjab, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
Firing at Ludhiana Police Checkpoint, After Police Stop Bikers Coming from Wrong Side Latest News

Punjab is witnessing an increasing number of civilians indulging in firings.

Firing at Ludhiana Police Checkpoint, After Police Stop Bikers Coming from Wrong Side Latest News: In Punjabs Ludhiana, near the Laltu Police Post on Pakhowal Road, two men on a Splendor motorcycle opened fire on police during a checkpoint operation. The police had signaled the bikers, who were coming from the wrong side, to stop. Instead of stopping, the assailants fired at the police team.

While the police personnel narrowly escaped the gunfire, a private citizen who was assisting the police at the checkpoint was hit by a bullet. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital for treatment. The two bike-borne attackers managed to flee the scene.

Providing details, SHO Avneet Kaur of Sadar Police Station said that the checkpoint was being managed by PCR Zone In-charge Inspector Sunita.

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When two men riding a bike on the wrong side were signaled to stop, they initially slowed down but suddenly sped away, he said, adding, when the police tried to intercept them, the assailants opened fire.

No police personnel were injured in the firing, but the private individual, identified as Lakhwinder Singh, sustained a gunshot injury and was taken to a private hospital immediately.

Punjab is witnessing an increasing number of civilians indulging in firings.

(For more news apart from Punjab: Firing at Police Checkpoint, One Injured, After Police Stop Bikers Coming from Wrong Side, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
UNDERCLOUD Theatre Festival, 18th edition

UNDERCLOUD is the first independent theater festival in Romania

Foto: f

Ion Puican, 05.10.2025, 13:23

UNDERCLOUD, the first independent theater festival in Romania, returns between September 18 and October 5, with an anniversary edition  it has come of age, being the 18th edition. This edition takes place in 18 spaces in the Calea Grivitei area of Bucharest. Two weeks of independent theater, art and creative energy!

The festival was initiated in 2008 by theater director Chris Simion-Mercurian and is produced by the Calea Grivitei Foundation, with each show having only one performance in the festival, emphasizing the unrepeatable nature of the theatrical experience. UNDERCLOUD proposes a curatorial approach focused on living, challenging, provocative art, focused on contexts that directly and immediately influence the lives of the audience.

We spoke with actress Dana Rusu, curator of the performance section about this anniversary edition of UNDERCLOUD:

The fact that UNDERCLOUD turns 18 this year, for us, for the festival team, this is coming of age. And it feels like we are turning 18 just like a child. You can feel in the festival program that we have matured, that we have evolved just like independent theater in Romania. We have evolved with it. In this years edition, the festival is on a holiday, and this edition is an anniversary one, that is why it starts on September 18, lasts 18 days and takes place in 18 locations on Calea Grivitei and the surrounding area.

What show or event would define the spirit of this edition of the UNDERCLOUD Festival? Dana Rusu, curator of the performances section, answers us:

I dont think there is a single show or event that defines the spirit of the 18th edition. Each show defines the spirit of this edition. The shows were chosen on the fly. They represent, of course, along with the team of volunteers, the UNDERCLOUD Festival. What is important to mention is that the artists responded to our challenge to adapt the shows they perform in a certain way at the venue, in unconventional spaces or outdoors, such as in the UNARTE courtyard, which is already a traditional space where we are building a large stage, where they can come and perform the show outdoors. And we continue like this until October 1st, with an outdoor show in this space.

What other characteristic is specific to the UNDERCLOUD Festival?

Also, the reading out loud shows. They really define the spirit of UNDERCLOUD. We always have at least one reading performance and this years edition is no exception. We have even more readings in an extraordinarily beautiful space, Primitiv Plants. We have Letters to Doti with Ionut Grama and Alexandrina Halic, and, Together with Serban Pavlu and Ofelia Popii.

Actress Dana Rusu tells us what the UNDERCLOUD Festival has prepared for the young audience, the future theater spectators:

MiniCloud, returns this year with activities for children. It takes place during the 3 weekends of the festival, also in the UNARTE courtyard, between 10 am and 2 pm. There are free courses for all children who register in advance. Theater, theater-dance and puppet and marionette construction courses. Of course, it is very important to involve children in the performing arts from a young age, and that is why we continue with the MiniCloud, and we do not want to give up, no matter what, on this section, because we know that we are growing, on the one hand, the future theater audience and, on the other hand, it is very important for the evolution of children, because it develops their imagination, creativity and, of course, the ability to speak in public. There are many skills that these courses target in the development of children.

At the end of our discussion about the UNDERCLOUD Independent Theater Festival, actress Dana Rusu, curator of the performances section of this edition, told us:

UNDERCLOUD is known for its courage to step out of its comfort zone. Thats how I met it when I was a student and I wasnt on the organizing team. Thats how I noticed it. Every edition comes with other challenges, and in organizing this years edition, first and foremost, the challenge was to extend it for 18 days and not have it be a festival like were used to, of 7, maximum 10 days. We hope that after 18 days of theater and art, the spectators will take with them the desire to see more independent theater, to come to more shows like this and more cultural events that somehow step out of their comfort zone. We hope to revitalize this historic area of Calea Grivitei from a cultural point of view, to involve the community and residents of the area in the development of this festival. And we also want to promote the young artists who have entered this independent cultural sector, and hope that viewers will stay with them, and want to see them again and again.
October 5, 2025

A roundup of local and international news.

Newsflash

Newsroom, 05.10.2025, 13:50

Reform. The bill on the reform of the local and central administration may be finalised next week, says prime minister Ilie Bolojan. He went on to say that all coalition partners agree on staff downsizing, but concrete plans to achieve this are yet to be established. The reform will be part of the third package of fiscal and budgetary measures initiated by the government. Bolojan has warned that without a quick reduction in fixed expenses, the additional revenues resulting from taxes and duties may soon be exhausted. In another move, lawyers from several cities are dissatisfied with the magistrates partial strike and have called on them to give up the protest in order to unblock the activity of the judiciary. Magistrates, however, are determined to go ahead with the strike until at least 8th October, when the Constitutional Court judges are expected to rule on a bill on judicial pensions. Magistrates from courts around the country are only processing urgent cases, in protest against the changes proposed by the government regarding their work pensions, including raising the retirement age and limiting the amount of pensions, which magistrates say are unconstitutional.

Hackathon. Over 200 Romanian students, professionals and entrepreneurs have taken part in the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2025, the largest global hackathon held simultaneously in over 400 cities around the world. According to a Facebook post by the education ministry, Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca are among the international centres where participants in the event are looking for innovative solutions to the challenges of the Earth and outer space. In the opening of the event, the education minister Daniel David said the hackathon is an approach that brings together education and science. In his address, he emphasised the importance of courage, solid theories and continuous learning in the innovation process. NASA Space Apps Challenge annually brings together thousands of participants from around the world and is recognised as the largest international hackathon dedicated to science, technology and the sustainable future of the planet and space exploration.

Exercise. The Romanian Air Forces are carrying out complex missions across the country until next Friday, as part of the BUREBISTA 25 exercise. The missions involve the coordinated use of all air and ground weapons systems. In order to respond effectively to current challenges, the military are training based on scenarios of air defence of certain targets and prevention and reaction to hostile enemy actions to ensure the security of the national airspace. Also, between October 20 and November 13, over 5,000 military personnel from ten NATO allied states will participate in the multinational exercise DACIAN FALL 2025 (DAFA 25), hosted by Romania and Bulgaria. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence in Bucharest, the soldiers, equipped with 1,200 technical means, come from Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The exercise will take place simultaneously in Romania and Bulgaria. The NATO exercises, including DACIAN FALL, are defensive in nature and are carried out in full compliance with the international obligations pledged by Romania, the Ministry of National Defence pointed out.

Arrest. Former Bucharest mayor Sorin Oprescu was detained by Greek police near the airport in Thessaloniki, said the Romanian Police. A European arrest warrant had been issued for him in May 2022, with the former mayor due to serve a prison sentence of 10 years and 8 months. Oprescu was convicted of forming an organised criminal group, taking bribes and laundering money. He fled Romania before the sentence was published, in April 2022. He was later caught in Greece, but the Court of Appeal in Athens rejected Romanias extradition request, citing his health condition and the conditions of the Romanian prison system. Subsequently, legal procedures were resumed to bring Oprescu to Romania so he could serve his prison sentence.

Defence. NATO member Poland said it had scrambled aircraft to ensure air security on Sunday morning after Russia launched new air strikes on Ukraine, Reuters said. Ukrainian officials said missiles and drones hit the Lviv region near the Polish border. Vilnius airport in Lithuania was closed for several hours after hot air balloons were reported heading towards the airport on Saturday evening. This Baltic state, which borders Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, has seen a number of Russian drone incursions in recent weeks. NATO members on the eastern flank have been on high alert since Poland shot down Russian drones that had entered its airspace in September. Drone sightings and aerial incursions, including in Copenhagen and Munich, have disrupted European aviation.

Flooding. The Bulgarian authorities have declared a state of emergency after floods caused by heavy rains hit the countrys coastline. So far, at least four people have died in the Black Sea resort of Elenite. Streets have been flooded, cars have been swept away and dozens of homes have been submerged. The floods have also caused significant damage to the infrastructure, with power outages in several areas and some bridges and roads blocked. The army has sent boats with rescue teams to help the residents of the flooded areas. (CM)
Zion Miera Source: Metropolitan Detention Center

ALBUQUERQUE  The brother of a 14-year-old fatally shot in a University of New Mexico dorm is accused of removing guns and drugs from the room without trying to render aid to the teen or call 911.

Zion Miera, 19, is charged with tampering with evidence, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and drug possession. Daniel Archuleta, the 19-year-old student who leased the dorm, faces similar charges.

Miera was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center Oct. 2. A warrant has been issued for Archuleta's arrest.

John Fuentes, the alleged shooter, was arrested soon after the July 25 killing of Michael LaMotte, of Rio Rancho, and is awaiting trial on an open count of murder and lesser felonies.

Miera has been booked into MDC. A warrant has been issued for Archuleta's arrest. It is unclear if Miera or Archuleta has an attorney.

An arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court further alleged that for months Miera had been supplying LaMotte with drugs to sell to his classmates and the pair would often "split the profits."

New Mexico State Police said in the month before the shooting, Miera began talking about selling and trading guns with LaMotte and LaMotte's mother told police she knew Miera kept multiple guns in his younger brother's room.

An attorney for the LaMotte family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Investigators searched Miera and LaMotte's phones and found videos and photos of the group showing off guns in Archuleta's dorm prior to the shooting, including a photo in which LaMotte was smoking cannabis "and playing with at least six different firearms."

The night of the shooting, Miera took LaMotte to the dorm room a final time, according to the affidavit. Through later interviews, police learned Fuentes and Archuleta took LSD and did cocaine with Miera while LaMotte smoked cannabis.

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As the group played video games, according to the complaint, Archuleta "pressured others to snort line after line" of cocaine.

"While drinking and consuming the drugs, they passed around and played with two loaded stolen pistols," the complaint states, which were brought by Archuleta and Miera.

Around 12:05 a.m. and without apparent warning, police said, Fuentes shot LaMotte in the head and opened fire on Miera and Archuleta, grazing the latter with a bullet. All three fled the dorm room but, the complaint states, Miera and Archuleta returned less than 20 minutes later.

Police said the two were seen leaving the dorm room on surveillance video with two bags believed to contain a large quantity of drugs and at least two guns. Neither called 911 and Miera's mother eventually took them to the hospital and they told authorities they were unaware if anyone was shot.

When UNM police made entry into the dorm after 3 a.m. they found LaMotte dead, with a box of ammunition, alcohol, cannabis, LSD and cocaine nearby, according to the complaint. More than $3,500 was found in a dresser drawer.
Strong festive season along with revised GST 2.0 tax structure augmented demand specifically in the sub-350cc segment

Suzuki Motorcycle India has posted strong domestic sales in September 2025. However, exports have fallen sharply. Reduced prices due to new GST reforms along with a spurt of purchases during the festive season has resulted in the company witnessing increased footfalls into company dealerships which could continue through the months ahead.

Suzuki 2W YoY and MoM Sales  Sept 2025

In Sept 2025, Suzuki 2W sales stood at 1,05,886 units in domestic markets. This was a 37.05% YoY growth from 77,263 unit sales of Sept 2024, relating to a 28,623 unit volume increase. Exports, on the other hand, dipped by 19.68% to 17,664 units, down from 21,992 unit sales of Sept 2024. Domestic sales commanded an 82.70% share while exports accounted for a 14.30% share. This took total YoY sales (domestic + exports) to 1,23,550 units, a 24.48% YoY growth from 99,255 units sold in Sept 2024 and related to a volume gain of 24,295 units

It was also on a MoM basis that the company witnessed stronger domestic sales which grew by 15.56% over 91,629 units sold in August 2025. Exports fell sharply by 20.81% as compared to 22,307 units shipped relating to a 4,643 unit decline. Total MoM sales (domestic + exports) thus improved by 8.44% over 1,13,936 units sold in Aug 2025, a volume increase by 9,614 units.

Suzuki 2W Q2 FY26 Sales

In the Q2 FY2026 period, Suzuki showed off strong demand both in domestic and export markets. Domestic sales were up 10.63% to 2,93,544 units from 2,65,345 units sold in Q2 FY2025 marking a 28,199 unit volume increase. In global markets, the company has seen its exports improve by 3.82% to 57,542 units from 55,424 units in the corresponding period of the previous year. This related to total sales of 3,51,086 units, a 9.45% increase over 3,20,769 units.

Suzuki 2W YTD Sales Analysis  April-Sept 2025

In terms of YTD sales, Suzuki Motorcycles India has once again shown an all-round increase. Sales in domestic markets improved by 10.44% to 5,472 units in the April-Sept 2025 period. It related to a 53,942 unit volume growth to command an 82.90% share. YTD exports were up 13.82% to 1,17,720 units from 1,03,415 units in the same period of the previous year. Total YTD sales grew by 11.01% to 6,88,174 units from 6,19,945 units.

New GST reforms came into effect from the 22nd of last month. Suzuki offers models such as the Access, Burgman Street, and Avenis scooters, while in the motorcycle segment, there are the Gixxer and V-Strom SX. As the company passes on full benefits to buyers as a result of a lower tax slab of 18%, as against a 28% before, price cuts range from Rs 7,823 to Rs 18,024, depending on model and variant. In September 2025, the company introduced the new 2025 Suzuki V-Strom SX adventure tourer and also flagged off a 10-day Himalayan Expedition for V-Strom SX owners from Delhi.
More information

A pollinator protection plan the state hopes to publish next year will seek to balance the interests of native pollinators with the interests of honeybees.

Honeybees arrived in the Americas from Europe in the 17th century. A pocket guide to the states native bees calls honeybees a semidomesticated species introduced to provide honey and pollinate crops.

Honey bees are social insects, living in large colonies with a well-organized hierarchy, according to a report by the Butterfly Pavilion, a Colorado-based nonprofit. The colony comprises a queen, worker bees (females), and drones (males). They work together as a cohesive unit to maintain and protect their hives.

While honeybees were brought by settlers, native bees have been around for millennia.

Native bees exhibit diverse social structures, the report states. Some are solitary, meaning they live and work individually, while others are social, forming smaller colonies with fewer members compared to honey bees.

More than 4,000 species of native bees have been identified across the country, the report states.

There are about 1,000 species of native bees in New Mexico, some that nest in the ground.

For more information, visit pubs.nmsu.edu/bees.
Nadiya Bychkova has hit out at experienced celebrity dancers taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.

Nadiya Bychkova is partnered by Chris Robshaw

The 36-year-old professional dancer - who is partnered with former England rugby player Chris Robshaw - has insisted the show should be about "people who have never danced" so the audience can see how they progress over time.

She told The Sun newspaper: We often dont see it because people who dont have experience would sometimes leave the show earlier, which is really sad as theres so much talent.

Its nice for the audience to see that its possible to learn, but you do need to put in the work, which Chris is doing every day."

The show has faced criticism after West End star Amber Davies was brought in to replace injured Dani Dyer, while former Billy Elliot star Lewis Cope has also been accused of having an unfair advantage.

And Nadiya insisted those with "any kind" of performance experience have an advantage over other contestants.

She said: In this situation, its not only Chris, its any contestant who didnt have any experience, not just dance  its any kind of performance experience.

When youre trained to be in the moment, to tell the story, you know how to show something  that helps a lot.

Chris is taking all the information on board  he just needs a few more weeks to get to the point.

Its the experience of knowing how to do that which is completely new and you cant get overnight.

The Ukrainian believes her dance partner has what it takes to make it to the final.

Asked if she thinks Chris could finish in the top four, she said: Absolutely yes. But thats far  there are 12 weeks to go.

The sportsman's wife, Camilla Kerslake, has also hit out at the differing levels of experience the contestants have.

She shared photof of Chris on his Strictly debut and wrote on Instagram: "Proud forever. Up against people with years of experience when you've never even done a 2 step, opening the whole season and starting with one of the hardest dances going.(sic)"

However, she hopes she hasn't affected his chances on the show.

She told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "I hope my big mouth won't get Chris in the bottom two."
Ministers are to give police new powers to target repeated protests, aimed particularly at cracking down on demonstrations connected to Gaza, the Home Office has said. The announcement, made the morning after almost 500 people were arrested in London for expressing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, could allow police to order regular protests to take place at a different site. Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, will also look at all anti-protest laws, with the possibility that powers to ban some demonstrations outright could be strengthened. - Guardian

Despite Donald Trump telling Israel in a message on social media on Friday to "immediately stop the bombing", there are continued reports of deadly Israeli attacks on Gaza. Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, is reporting that six Palestinian people have been killed since dawn in Israeli attacks. It is reported that four civilians were killed waiting for aid near distribution centres northwest of Rafah, one man was killed in Israeli shelling targeting Gaza City and another man was killed by Israeli forces near an aid distribution centre around the Netzarim junction. On Sunday, witnesses told the Reuters news agency that Israeli planes escalated attacks across Gaza City, the territorys biggest urban centre and an area that Israel claims to be the last bastion of Hamas. - Guardian

Kemi Badenoch has pledged to deport 150,000 illegal migrants a year with new Trump-style immigration squads. The Conservative Party leader will use this years conference in Manchester to announce how she would reform Britains migration system after leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Mrs Badenoch has unveiled a seven-point plan to secure Britains borders, including a commitment to deport small boat arrivals within a week, refuse any asylum claims by illegal migrants, deport all foreign criminals and remove immigration powers from judges. - Telegraph

An oil trader attempting to buy swathes of the North Sea from Shell has been accused of relying on fictitious loans from Abu Dhabi Sheikhs. New court documents obtained by The Telegraph claim that Francesco Mazzagatti, who runs start-up Viaro Energy, banked on facilities that never existed to support his acquisition of RockRose, a rival oil and gas company, in 2020. The claims have been made as part of a fraud case against Mr Mazzagatti in the High Court, brought by his former employer, Alliance Petrochemical Investment (API). Newly filed documents allege that Mr Mazzagattis Viaro relied on 500m worth of sham facilities from Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Thiab, two members of the Abu Dhabi royal family. - Telegraph

Bosses have been shocked by the rise, which will help fund upgrades to the electricity network. An announcement about the increase was slipped out three weeks ago and is set to come into force in April. Standing charges will go up by 3.7 billion, an increase of 94 per cent. The rise will not apply to about 500 of the UKs biggest electricity users, mainly those in heavy industry. Such companies currently benefit from a 60 per cent discount on network charges, which will rise to 90 per cent next year. The effect of this will be to foist the cost of discounts onto businesses such as pubs, restaurants and retailers. - The Times

Jaguar Land Rover is finalising a deal to lend its suppliers hundreds of millions of pounds after a taxpayer-backed rescue of Britains biggest carmaker hit the skids. Bosses are this weekend putting the final touches to a radical lifeline that would see up to 500 million injected into its bombed-out supply chain, The Sunday Times can reveal. The privately funded initiative is separate to a 1.5 billion rescue unveiled by ministers last Saturday. The taxpayer-backed deal is still yet to be signed off despite appearances to the contrary, multiple sources said. JLR declined to comment. - The Times

Sir Keir Starmer is facing hard questions over his government's role in the collapse of the trial involving allegations that a parliamentary assistant was spying for China. Christopher Cash, 30, from Whitechapel, east London, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33, of Witney, Oxfordshire, were each charged with the offence of spying under the Official Secrets Act. They were set to face trial in October, but proceedings against them were stopped on Monday, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs. The pair were accused of passing information about the Government's foreign policy to a high-ranking member of the Chinese government. - The Daily Mail
The FTSE 100 gained 206.42 points or 2.2% during the week to finish at 9,491.25.

Equity view

The Italian owner of canned-tuna and ready-meals group Princes has announced plans to list the company on the London Stock Exchange.

Pubs chain JD Wetherspoon posted a jump in full-year sales and profits on Friday, despite a slew of higher costs.

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air said on Thursday that it had carried 6.265m passengers during September, up 8.8% year-on-year.

Perth-based energy company SSE said it expects first-half profits to fall by up to a third, but is guiding to growth over the full year with the majority of annual earnings being delivered in the second half.

Supermarket giant Tesco lifted its full-year guidance on Thursday, after a strong first half fuelled by the warm summer weather.

Electricity distribution group National Grid said it expects half-year results for the six months to 30 September to be in line with expectations.

Energy services firm Petrofac confirmed on Wednesday that key discussions with Samsung E&A and Saipem were advancing, as it inched towards completing long-running restructuring plans.

BHP Group will invest further in its Olympic Dam project in order to boost its copper base and production of the metal.

PayPoint rallied on Tuesday as it said that Royal Mail owner International Distribution Services has taken a 49% stake in Collect+ for 43.9m and announced a special dividend as a result of the deal.

The chief financial officer of Smith & Nephew is to relocate to the US, the British medical devices firm said on Tuesday.

Asos shares headed south early on Tuesday after it warned that full-year adjusted underlying earnings were expected to land towards the lower end of its 130m to 150m guidance range, while revenues were seen "slightly below" market expectations, as the online fashion retailer continued to navigate a subdued consumer backdrop.

Cruise operator Carnival lifted its annual profit guidance on Monday as it pointed to strong demand and posted record third-quarter results.

Saga revealed on Monday that chairman Roger De Haan had acquired 1. 2m ordinary shares in the London-listed lifestyle business.

Chief executive Emma Walmsley is to leave GSK, it was announced on Monday, after nearly a decade in the role.

Anglo-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca is to list directly on the New York Stock Exchange, it was announced on Monday.

Economic news

The Chancellor is reportedly considering a stamp duty holiday on new London listings in an effort to boost the capital's competitiveness as a public capital market.

Shares in Fermi Inc rocketed on Thursday, after trading in the real estate investment trust's dual-listed stock got underway.

Retail banking business Shawbrook was reportedly preparing to revive its long-awaited initial public offering, with private equity owners BC Partners and Pollen Street Capital expected to issue an intention to float as early as Thursday.

House prices nudged higher in September, industry research showed on Wednesday, as the market continued to shake off wider economic uncertainty.

Price pressures for UK consumers picked up this month as food prices continued to climb and non-food price deflation eased, with the British Retail Consortium warning of more pain ahead for shoppers.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves urged fiscal responsibility on Monday, warning that there was "nothing progressive" in mounting government debt.

Jaguar Land Rover is to resume some manufacturing operations, the luxury car group confirmed on Monday, a month after a cyber attack halted its UK production lines.

International events

US aviation giant Boeing Cos long-awaited 777X jet is facing further delays, it was reported on Friday.

American holding company Berkshire Hathaway on Thursday announced that it is to purchase Occidental Petroleums chemical business, OxyChem, for $9.7bn in its biggest acquisition in three years.

Daniel Kretinsky is to sell his stake in Thyssenkrupps steel division, it was confirmed on Thursday, ending joint venture plans between the Czech billionaire and Germany industrial giant.

Private equity firm 3i Group is reportedly exploring exit options including a sale for Evernex, a French provider of third-party maintenance services for data centre infrastructure.

Data from S&P Global and Hamburg Commercial Bank confirmed that the eurozone manufacturing sector resumed its downturn in September due to a fall in new order inflows and increased job losses.

Exxon Mobil has announced plans to cut 2,000 jobs as part of a global efficiency drive, according to reports on Tuesday.

US video game maker Electronic Arts said on Monday that it has agreed to be taken private for $55bn by a consortium comprising Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners.

Denmarks Genmab said on Monday that it has agreed to buy Dutch drugmaker Merus for $8bn.

German aviation giant Lufthansa Group has announced plans to cut 4,000 admin jobs by 2030 as part of plans to "significantly increase profitability".
From Mothers Day busloads to loyal fans flying in from Florida, Jade Island is more than a restaurant  its a Staten Island institution. Still, John Yip's wife wants him to retire. The restaurant owner says a firm "negative" on the situation and carries on with the Polynesian place for now. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Jade Island, the iconic Polynesian restaurant in New Springville, has signed a new leasequelling rumors that the beloved Staten Island eatery was preparing to close. The deal also means longtime owner John Yip isnt retiring anytime soon.

Yip, who began working at Jade Island in 1986 and took over management in 1994, has spent more than 40 years in the restaurant business. Despite gentle nudges from his wife to consider retirement, he says hes not going anywhere.

Native Staten Islanders Richard Corash, center, and Paul Hollender are proud regulars at Jade Island. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

I enjoy my job, so I keep the happiness here. I dont want to retire, Yip said with a smile.No one else still serves drinks in pineapples, he added. Maybe theyre still doing that in San Franciscobut were always doing it here.

Jade Island even gained national attention when the late Anthony Bourdain filmed an episode of No Reservations there with Staten Island native, the late David Johansen of the New York Dolls. The booth where the two legends sat remains a popular request among diners eager to relive the moment or share it with new generations.

Puffer fish light fixtures are the envy of any modern interior decorator or social influencer. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

The restaurants customer base stretches far beyond Staten Island. Yip recalled a tradition from about 15 years ago when busloads of customers would arrive from Manhattan the Saturday before Mothers Day.

It was something to seea whole table filled with drinks served in fresh pineapples, he said, laughing.

When you're a kid, these booths seem small. But as an adult, it's a different story  a little more snug, but still a happy fit. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

Even former Staten Islanders whove relocated to Florida and South Carolina make annual visits back to Jade Island.

They still come to my restaurant. Some foodthe egg roll, the noodles, the fresh drinks we makeit brings people back, Yip said.

In 2012, Jade Island came close to losing its leasea fate that had already claimed neighboring Goldens Deli. But thanks to hundreds of calls from loyal customers to landlord Kimco Realty, the beloved restaurant secured its future.

The salivary glands get going when the meal starts at Jade Island  with crispy fried noodles, nasal-clearing mustard and a house-made apricot sauce that puts duck sauce brand names like Saucy Susan to shame. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

Today, Jade Island continues to serve its signature Hunan and Polynesian dishes while making subtle updates to its interior, including new carpeting. The cozy barwith its starfish-embossed lighting fixtures, blowfish pendulum lights, and flaming pu-pu plattersremains part of the experience that has made Jade Island a cherished destination for dates, proposals, family dinners, and celebrations.

With a new lease in place and no plans for retirement, Jade Island remains a vibrant part of Staten Islands culinary landscapestill flaming, still festive, and still full of memories.

What's the rave about with Jade Island's flaming pu-pu platter? Surely you have stories playing with the blue flame. For now, we're looking at saucy wings, beef on a stick, seriously tempura-ed fan-tail shrimp, bone-in BBQ ribs (hiding behind the sterno) and scrumptious shrimp toast, a delight literally not for the faint of heart. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)

Fans on social media were quick to celebrate the news, sharing memories like these: One of our favorites back in the years I lived on Staten Island (19632007). We had many enjoyable meals at this restaurant. I currently live in New Jersey.

Another wrote: We lived in Staten Island for 23 years before moving to Florida. No other Chinese restaurant could compare with their food. Now my grandchildren bring their children there to enjoy the food, atmosphere, and friendly service.

And one more: Do you know I lived on Staten Island for almost 60 years, born and raised, and Id never gone thereuntil about a month ago. It was so good, and the place is so beautiful.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Hundreds of Staten Islanders gathered in Willowbrook Park on a bright and sunny Saturday to join Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon at his fourth annual A Mile in Their Shoes walk and family festival to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

McMahon organized the free event to bring together law enforcement, community service organizations, government resources and volunteers to support victims of domestic violence and help educate the public about the crimes that often take place behind closed doors.

Thirty percent of the violent crimes, and at least two or three homicides a year, are driven by domestic violence. Close to half of the felonious assaults occur during incidents of domestic violence, McMahon explained.

Every day I get a report of what happened the day before, what type of incident, was there an arrest, or is it being investigated. And we have a special column thats checked off, is it (domestic violence) or not?

I hate to tell you, but every day, 70% to 80% of the reports that are coming into our office are driven by domestic violence. Domestic violence impacts far too many lives on Staten Island, many of whom sadly suffer in silence, and thats why we joined together to say, Silence Hides Violence, McMahon added.

Joining McMahon at the podium was Commissioner Saloni Sethi, from the Mayors Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence.

Sethi said, Our theme this year is It Takes All of Us, because we want to remind everyone that everyone has a role to play in ending domestic violence. Events like these are crucial for raising awareness about available resources for survivors, engaging families and communities, and ensuring they can better support survivors.

She added, If anyone needs help, our office is here for you. We have the Staten Island Family Justice Center, conveniently located near the ferry, where you can walk in and receive confidential assistance in your preferred language. We also operate the citys 24-hour HOPE hotline at 1-888-NYC-HOPE (1-888-692-4673), where you can call and get connected to services immediately.

Additionally, we have a NYC HOPE website where you can learn more and find information on how to help a friend, as well as access various resources.

Before being assigned as the Staten Island Borough Commander, NYPD Chief Melissa Eger commanded the Chief of Departments Domestic Violence Unit for two years.

Eger said, Every day, we work together to support survivors and hold offenders accountable. But today is about the community, because you cant arrest your way out of domestic violence. Survivors need support, and when the community comes together to support survivors, thats where the power is.

Survivors of domestic violence require financial support, emotional assistance, child care and much more. It is not a one-stop shop; they need a wide range of help, and we do our best to support them, added Eger.

Afronia Ibrahim, 14, from Arden Heights, a freshman at Tottenville High School, was among those who attended the event and had an opportunity to speak with Chief Eger.

Ibrahim was joined by other students from Tottenville High School who came to earn service hours at school.

She said, I was really inspired by the speeches that were given here today. I didnt know how really bad it could be and how it could mess up peoples mental state.

And I didnt know that a lot of stories are kept hidden, which is really sad because youll never know if one of your friends is suffering, Ibrahim added.

After the opening remarks, McMahon was joined by Sethi and Eger as he led the crowd around Willowbrook Park for the annual Mile in Their Shoes Walk.

The afternoon continued with music by DJ Vinny Thrilla, face painting, a bouncy house, food pantry, New Beginnings Boutique, zoo animals and games.

The FDNYs Ladder 86 and Engine 166 were on hand to let children climb aboard their firetrucks and try on helmets.

Complimentary refreshments included ice cream, pizza, donuts, cookies, and more.

For help, call 311 and ask to be connected to the nearest NYC Family Justice Center, visit NYCs HOPE Resource Directory online atwww.nyc.gov/NYCHOPE to find resources and support, or call the citys 24-hour Domestic Violence hotline, 800-621-HOPE (4673), for immediate safety planning, shelter assistance, and other resources.
Staten Island resident Jasmine Ray, the ex-girlfriend of Mayor Eric Adams, is recounting intimate details about her secret romance with hizzoner in a juicy tell-all memoir titled Political Humanity, which is set to be released on Sunday, Oct. 5. Staten Island Advance/ Victoria

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Staten Island resident Jasmine Ray, the ex-girlfriend of Mayor Eric Adams, is recounting intimate details about her secret romance with hizzoner in a juicy tell-all memoir titled Political Humanity, which is set to be released on Sunday, Oct. 5.

In our closest moments, I would rub the back of Erics head, where his old surgery scar left him vulnerable, Ray, 42, wrote in one section of the book, a copy of which was obtained by the New York Post. He could sit still for hours if I kept my hand there, as if my touch eased something no one else could reach.

Ray, of Stapleton, claims she dated Adams from 2014 to 2016, before later being appointed to a City Hall position earning more than $160,000 a year. The mayors office confirmed Tuesday that Adams had dated Ray about a decade ago, but hadnt had any romantic engagements since Ray was appointed to the administration three years ago, according to a Daily News report.

In the book, she recounts their whirlwind romance which began when she noticed the then-Brooklyn borough president wearing a Mr. Rogers sweater at the Barclays Center. Ray then details some very intimate encounters from early in their courtship, the Post notes, including one chaste and fully clothed experience at a NYC hotel opening.

There, Ray made clear she wouldnt sleep with Adams, the Post reports, prompting him to respond he just wanted some shut-eye.

Minutes later, I laid down, the book reads. He did too  fully clothed, not a belt undone. He placed his head on my chest and instantly passed out. And somehow, in the quiet of that room, fully clothed, it was one of the most intimate experiences of my life.

Ray also offers details of their breakup in the self-published book, when she  looking to move beyond Adams  asked him to release her earlier this year.

He didnt even flinch before responding no, she wrote. I wasnt asked to elaborate. I wasnt even asked why. We both knew what I meant. But here, in these words, in this very moment, and for my own sanity and survival, I am releasing myself.
After decades of controversy and failed plans, the Central Coast Council is trying to lure pilots to its ailing airport with a masterplan to expand operations for flight schools and emergency services.

To fix Central Coast airports lack of clear and cohesive direction, the council in February adopted a masterplan to transform the 160-hectare sites facilities and infrastructure.

There are plans to upgrade the main runway, allow the long-term leasing of available land, relocate emergency services, develop commercial land, and undertake flood mitigation works. Another key plank of the plan focuses on addressing the aviation industrys skills shortage by expanding flight training and pilot schools.

The Oceania region needs about 10,000 new pilots within the next two decades. Credit: Edwina Pickles

While the airport  also called Warnervale  has about 30,600 movements a year, this figure is forecasted to balloon to 55,000 by 2042. The council expects the airport to create about 200 jobs and potentially bring in $10 million in wages and salaries into the region annually  but it runs at a loss of more than $158,000 per year.
One-time prime ministerial contender Mark Latham was tossed out of Royal Randwick Racecourse by police under a new rule drawn up by the Australian Turf Club specifically aimed at him.

The independent NSW MP has threatened to take legal action against the club, which owns Sydneys four metropolitan racetracks, claiming his eviction was payback for his campaign against the $5 billion sale of Rosehill Gardens.

Officers escorted him out of the racecourses Grandview Restaurant and off the premises in dramatic scenes on Epsom Day on Saturday afternoon, during which another patron shouted: Can I have his dessert?

Latham said he was there as the guest of a member, having handed back his own ATC membership in June after being placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond over an on-course tirade at club executive Steve McMahon.
It remains unclear who is behind the cache, although police and underworld sources say it does not belong directly to one of the citys warring crime gangs. When you have people stockpiling weapons for any reason, there can be no good outcomes. Often its linked to organised crime groups, so then in turn those weapons are used in other serious and violent offending, Detective Inspector Julie MacDonald said. The criminality of people who are involved in facilitating the movement and storage of firearms should not be underestimated. They are a key factor in allowing violent offending to take place and bring immense harm to the community. Victoria Police wont say how officers eventually confirmed the rumour of the propertys existence, only that in these investigations often its really small details from people who might live near these properties or hear information in passing that makes the biggest difference.

The discovery is one of four major gun- and organised-crime operations run by police since mid-August that have uncovered more than 90 firearms across the city, a haul that also included a dangerous new breed of 3D-printed fully automatic machinegun-style pistols. One of these recently uncovered stashes is allegedly linked to the citys most powerful crime syndicate, run by Kazem Kaz Hamad, whose street crews have unleashed a wave of firebombings and shootings over the past three years. It included a stockpile of explosives, some of which police suspect were stolen from a chemical factory in Melbournes outer west. Investigations are ongoing. Another series of operations recovered 57 firearms and four high-tech 3D printers from properties linked to the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang. Police and underworld sources, who cannot be publicly identified, say these stash houses are both a lucrative business and a way to avoid highly effective crackdowns using sweeping anti-firearm search powers that were introduced in 2018.

Known as Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs), they allow police to search nominated offenders, and any person in their vicinity, for firearms without a warrant at any time. More than 2200 people are currently subject to them. This has meant criminals have had to get smarter about how they get and keep firearms, including using people with clean records to transport and store guns until they are needed for violent crimes. The photo of the handgun allegedly transported by a mule to a stash house linked to underworld boss Kazem Hamad in 2024. An insight into how these operations work was aired in criminal proceedings involving another stash house allegedly linked to the Hamad syndicate that was raided in June 2024. A police summary tendered to the Magistrates Court claims that the alleged boss of a drug trafficking syndicate sent a mule carrying two high-powered handguns to meet the stash house minder outside Melbourne.

Messages sent via encrypted apps on phones seized by police show the courier, who was paid $300 for the delivery, confirmed with the boss that a gun had been picked up by sending a photo. Open it up and there should be a chrome gun take a pick [sic] of it, the alleged boss messaged the courier. Messages later set up a meeting where the weapon would be dropped off at a pre-arranged time and location. I can see her at 3 or 345, the alleged stash house operator messaged. Shes there now bro, the alleged drug dealer warned as the courier arrived.

The Lunar taskforce and VIPER squad allegedly traced the deal to the registered address of a demolition company at a sprawling rural property. Police allege the stash house operator is closely associated with the Hamad syndicate. The false wall concealing 10 firearms that police allegedly found at the stash house linked to Kazem Hamad. Police later recovered 15 illicit firearms at the property, most of which were concealed behind a false wall in a shed. They included the chrome handgun. Also found was a shipping container holding 2.4 million cigarettes. The Hamad syndicate are responsible for a significant number of serious offences including arsons, extortions [and] shootings linked to the illicit tobacco trade as well as the importation and distribution of illicit tobacco, the police summary said.

All of those charged are contesting the allegations. Loading Locations of stash houses are closely guarded secrets and the business of buying and selling the weapons is done by delivery or meet-ups at other locations. Other criminals have been found with their weapons closer to home, but still technically out of their hands, by renting a property next door in a different name. But an increasing number of crime groups are creating their own weapons from scratch. Several of the gun raids turned up sophisticated homemade weapons and 3D printers.

At The Armoury, police found a 3D-printed FGC-9 fully automatic pistol, which can be made for only a few hundred dollars in materials with the right equipment and freely available blueprints. The underworld has begun to adopt 3D-printed guns as they have become more sophisticated, durable and easy to manufacture. They also cost less than traditional black market firearms. Handgun prices are $30,000 right now. They used to be $15,000, an underworld source said. Stephen Bendle, from the Australian Gun Safety Alliance, said 3D-printed weapons were the biggest firearm risk facing Australia.
An expanding branch of Hinduism in Melbournes eastern suburbs is caught in a brawl with neighbours over a plan to build classrooms for religious philosophising.

Chinmaya Mission Australia started in a modest red-brick house in Templestowe in the 1980s, but Indian migration has since fuelled growth to 18 centres nationwide and thousands of followers.

Vasudha Chaitanya, the resident Chinmaya Mission monk at the groups Templestowe home. Credit: Wayne Taylor

The Hindu sect has now applied to redevelop its original home on Pioneer Drive, where resident monk Vasudha Chaitanya lives and teaches about 100 people per week.

However, Manningham Council rejected Chinmaya Missions proposal, triggering an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Anthony Albanese came away from his visit to the Kings Scottish pile at Balmoral conceding he would become the fifth successive republican Labor prime minister who has failed to advance the republican cause. This did not appear to outwardly trouble him.

Anthony Albanese shares a joke with King Charles at Parliament House last October. Credit: Getty Images

Maybe this one-time tribune of the Labor left was seduced by the magic of the monarchy. Or simply cowed by its sheer magnitude, given how it sits at the pinnacle of global celebrity culture. Maybe in King Charles he eyes a left-wing kindred spirit, who, probably like him, would prefer to speak more passionately on progressive issues but opts instead for self-censorship so as not to scare the horses. The joke in royal circles is that King Charles is more radical even than George Monbiot, one of The Guardians more leftist columnists. Almost certainly, the King of Australia is more radical than the prime minister of Australia on issues such as global warming.

Rather than mimicking Menzies-style deference, Albaneses shelving of republicanism stems primarily from an understandable aversion to referenda. Losing the Voice referendum marked the low point of his tenure, and one from which he did not fully recover until election day in 2025. In an interview with David Speers on ABCs Insiders, he announced the country would not be asked another referendum question for the duration of his prime ministership. I think Ive made it clear that I wanted to hold one referendum while I was prime minister, and we did that, he said. Then he twice reaffirmed the phrase we did that, to shut down further discussion.

In America, the US Senate has long been the graveyard of much-needed reform  a body which up until the mid-1960s killed off civil rights bills aimed at ending Jim Crow segregation and which this century has blocked stricter gun controls. In Australia, referenda have become the burial ground for reformers dreams: the Voice in 2023, a republic in 1999, and a commonsense change urged upon voters by Bob Hawke in 1988 lengthening parliamentary terms to four years rather than three, which would have made politics less of a permanent campaign.
Before 7.30pm on Sunday night, the narrative of this grand final could have been shaped any which way. You could have cherry-picked statistics and form and history to support any educated guess about an outcome. Recent finals data, for instance, foreshadowed a Brisbane comeback from at least a 14-point deficit, but the numbers say the Storm simply do not leave themselves open to capitulation in the way Penrith and Canberra did the past two weeks.

Ask anyone: Brisbane cannot be down 22-12 at half-time and turn that into 22-26 at the full-time whistle.

Yet there is no statistic to quantify the sight of Reece Walsh tackling Tui Kamikamica out of a probable match-winning try. And Walsh chasing down Ryan Papenhuyzen out of another match-winning try. And Walsh tackling at the death to hold on to the slimmest of leads in a grand final that had everything and more.

Such axis-tilting flashpoints are measured only in the sound of Walsh exclaiming Oh my god. What a bloody ride, in the way beers flew and people sprinted on the Accor Stadium pitch, and in the possible tears of Bellamys granddaughter. And if Billie is heartbroken enough to cry for a second time in as many years, that is not a good day for a doting grandfather who flirts with finishing his extraordinary tenure almost every off-season.
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Reviews & adviceTripologist Opinion Europes new entry system starts next week. Heres what you need to know Michael Gebicki The Tripologist October 6, 2025  5:00am

October 6, 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 45 View all comments

Key points Europes new Entry/Exit System (EES) starts October 12, replacing passport stamps with biometric checks

Australians dont need to pre-register, data will be collected at your first Schengen entry and stored

The EES will be followed by ETIAS, a visa-waiver system requiring online authorisation for Australian travellers

Travelling to Europe in the near future? If youre going on an Australian passport, or any other non-EU passport, youre going to encounter Europes new Entry/Exit System (EES). Implementing the system will take time, but in the long term its a gain for Aussie travellers, promising quicker and more fluid entry to Europe. What is the EES? The EES is a digital border control system that automatically registers non-EU visitors entering the Schengen zone. It comes into effect on October 12 and applies to 25 of the 27 EU member states, plus Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland, all members of the Schengen zone. Although they are EU members, Ireland and Cyprus will continue with manual processing of passports for incoming passengers. The only other European countries not included under the EES umbrella are the UK, Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

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What you need to do to enter Europe under the EES From October 12, you might be asked to provide biometric data including a photo and fingerprints at a kiosk. Getty Images Nothing. You dont need to apply or pre-register for the EES before entering Europe. The first time you enter a Schengen zone country after October 12, you might be asked to provide biometric data including a photo and fingerprints at a kiosk. This data will be retained for future entries and exits. The system wont be implemented instantaneously on October 12 at all entry points across the Schengen zone. You might still have to front up to an immigration counter to have your passport checked. The EES will be rolled out gradually over a six-month period, with full implementation from April 10, 2026. When your fingerprints and photograph have been captured you will be able to use self-service scanners to enter and exit Schengen zone countries on subsequent trips. This is expected to work like Australias SmartGates, which use facial recognition technology to match you with your passport data. One of the requirements of the EES system is a biometric passport, which has a chip loaded with your biometric data. Those without a biometric passport wont be denied entry, but they will need to front up to an immigration officer instead of using the self-service portal.

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What biometric data does the EES store? The EES will eventually replace passport stamps with digital scanners that record entry and exit across the Schengen zone. Getty Images For Australian passport holders who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen zone, the EES system will store four fingerprints and your facial image. Initially, fingerprints of children under 12 years of age will not be scanned. The data the EES collects is subject to the EUs General Data Protection Regulation, which requires data only be collected for specific and legitimate purposes. EES administrators insist safeguards are in place to ensure the rights of travellers regarding the protection of their private lives and personal data. Whats the rationale for the EES? When fully implemented, the EES will replace passport stamps with digital scanners that record entry and exit across the Schengen zone. That will make border checks quicker and simpler, and it should make European travel for Australians as speedy as it currently is for EU passport holders. There is also a security aspect to the EES since it prevents travellers from overstaying, using false identities or otherwise misusing visa-free travel.

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The system should also make it much easier to leave and re-enter the Schengen countries. For example, that would apply to Australians who might leave the Schengen zone after 40 days and travel to the UK for three weeks, and subsequently wish to return to the zone to use up the remainder of the 90 days they are permitted to stay in a 180-day period. Rather than having to prove their eligibility to return based on entry and exit stamps recorded in their passport, their movements will be digitally recorded. Related Article Opinion

Bali What you need to know about the new entry requirements for Bali Jenny Hewett Travel writer Although Europe is coming late to the party, many countries have taken steps to implement electronic screening for incoming travellers. The list includes Australia, the US, Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and, as of October 1, India, with its e-Arrival Card. As well as expediting immigration processing, electronic screening systems are a potent security measure since they can link a particular passenger to nuggets of information. For example, the PNR (passenger name record), the six-digit string of characters and numbers that a passenger is assigned when they make an airline booking, has information about their travels, how they booked, paid, visa information and meal preference. Some countries employ agencies to conduct forensic scanning of incoming travellers, even scraping social media for unwelcome political or ideological posts. In a world where terrorism, illegal immigration and even freedom of expression are hot topics, its not surprising that countries want to know more about who is coming to visit, and possibly intending to stay.

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Theres more to come The EES is a first step towards full implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Much delayed  it was supposed to start in 2020  ETIAS is now expected to come into effect in the last quarter of 2026. ETIAS is a visa waiver system, similar to the USs ESTA and the UKs ETA, and it will become an entry requirement for non-EU passport holders travelling to any of the 30 European countries covered by the system. Under the system, passport holders from a selected group of visa-exempt countries, including Australia, will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation. Related Article Savvy traveller Beware this trap with your passport next time you travel The application process is simple, although the questions have become more intrusive than originally envisaged. Applicants will be required to provide their name, date and place of birth, nationality, home address, parents first names, email address and phone number, passport number, education level and current occupation, intended travel details and any criminal convictions, past travels to war or conflict zones and whether they have been deported or refused entry to any country. The cost is expected to be 20 ($36). Once issued, the travel authorisation will be valid for three years.

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Will it all go smoothly? Expect some missteps and foul-ups during the rollout of the EES and ETIAS. For proof, consider the chaos caused at Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane airports when Australias Border Force upgraded its Gen3 SmartGates in 2024, which involved a minor change in the process. But in the longer term, EES and ETIAS are worthwhile innovations. Anyone who has queued for 30 minutes or more at border control in a European airport should have reason to cheer.

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Jerusalem: This did not go the way Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted.

On Monday, the Israeli leader won a peace plan from President Donald Trump that promised him total victory, in the form of a take-it-or-leave-it message to Hamas. The militant group would have to release all the Israeli hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip within 72 hours, lay down its arms and surrender any role in the territorys future  or Israel would be given a free hand to pursue the groups destruction.

Protesters in Tel Aviv on Saturday (Israel time) call for an end to the war and the release of all remaining Israeli hostages. Credit: Getty Images

On Friday, responding to a new ultimatum from Trump, Hamas announced that it was ready to release all the hostages. But it said nothing about how soon it would do so, demurred on laying down its arms and said it wanted to discuss the details of Trumps plan.

To Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Netanyahus, this was in essence, a rejection by Hamas of the presidents proposal, he wrote on social media.
Los Angeles/New Orleans: A federal judge on Sunday (Monday AEDT) temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying any National Guard units to Oregon, after a legal whirlwind that began hours earlier when the US president sent California troops to Portland to protect federal buildings from ongoing protests.

During a hastily called evening telephone hearing, US District Judge Karin Immergut granted the temporary restraining order sought by California and Oregon.

A day earlier, the same judge had temporarily blocked the administration from deploying Oregon National Guard troops to Portland. But on Sunday, Donald Trump moved to send National Guard troops to the state from neighbouring California and then Texas.

Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest in Portland on Saturday. Credit: AP

Immergut, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, issued her second, more sweeping order late on Sunday after she upbraided the federal governments lawyer and questioned how the move to send the California and Texas troops to Oregon was not in direct contravention of the order that was issued yesterday.
HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG:--- As Sint Maarten prepares to celebrate 15 years of constitutional autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Organizing Committee for the 2025 Governors Symposium enters its final week of preparations for this anticipated annual event.

Installed earlier this year by His Excellency Governor Ajamu G. Baly, the Committee, which comprises of Chair Garrick Richardson and members Cassandra Janssen, Withney Murray, Emilio Kalmera, Jessey Salomon, Melanie Choisy, and Arienne Lindeijer (Aide-de-Camp to the Governor), has been working diligently over the past few months to curate a meaningful and future-focused program under the theme: 15 Years of Constitutional Autonomy: Achievements, Lessons and Prospects.

The symposium will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in Cupecoy, bringing together key voices from across government, academia, and civil society to reflect on the countrys progress since 10-10-10 and to explore its path forward.

In the lead-up to the event, the Committee launched several new initiatives designed to deepen public participation, most notably the Autonomous Conversations podcast series, a first-of-its-kind effort by the Governors Symposium. The short-form podcast, featuring four episodes, takes listeners and viewers through Sint Maartens constitutional journey and includes community reflections and transgenerational perspectives.

The first three episodes have already aired and are available to view on the Facebook and YouTube pages of The Governor of Sint Maarten. The final episode, a reflection of the outcomes of the Symposium and titled Post-Symposium Reflections, will follow later in October.

Another highlight of the preparatory activities has been the Youth Creative Vision Contest. To date, the Committee has received 17 submissions for the Youth Creative Vision Contest, an encouraging sign of the enthusiasm and imagination of our local youth. The winning entry will be showcased during the symposium, and the student(s) will be officially recognized by the Governor.

Reflecting on the months of preparation, Committee Chairman Garrick Richardson noted that the 2025 edition represents both a celebration and a call to reflection. The past 15 years have brought growth, challenges and important lessons, Richardson stated. Our goal as a committee has been to create a symposium that captures the essence of Sint Maartens journey as a country, while encouraging dialogue about our direction from here.

The 2025 Governors Symposium will begin at 8:30 AM and will be livestreamed via the official Facebook and YouTube pages of The Governor of Sint Maarten, allowing audiences at home and abroad to take part in this milestone occasion.

For more information visit the social media pages of the Cabinet of the Governor of St. Maarten or contact the Governors office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Iran says cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog 'no longer relevant'



Tehran, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



Iran's top diplomat said Sunday that cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog was no longer relevant following the reimposition of international sanctions on the Islamic republic.

"The Cairo agreement is no longer relevant for our cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, referring to a September deal with the UN agency.

The deal had set up a framework to resume cooperation and allow the watchdog to inspect Iranian sites, after Tehran suspended cooperation following Israeli and US strikes on its key nuclear sites in June.

But the agreement lost its significance to Iran as Britain, France, and Germany -- signatories to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal -- triggered the return of the UN sanctions over Tehran's non-compliance.

Tehran had threatened to halt cooperation with the agency if they sought to reimpose the sanctions.

"The three European countries thought they had a leverage in their hands, threatening to implement a snapback," Araghchi said during a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran.

"Now they have used this lever and seen the results... the three European countries have definitely diminished their role and almost eliminated the justification for negotiations with them."

He added that the European trio "will have a much smaller role than in the past" in any upcoming diplomacy over Iran's nuclear dossier.

Iran accused the IAEA of failing to condemn attacks conducted by its arch-enemies on its nuclear installations, despite it being a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Western countries, spearheaded by the United States and joined by Israel, accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and define uranium enrichment as a red line.

Iran categorically rejects the accusations, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes and that it has a right to enrichment under the NPT.

Some Iranian MPs have floated the idea of leaving the NPT, while President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran will remain committed to its obligations under the treaty.

Araghchi said Tehran's "decision regarding cooperation with the agency will be announced", without elaborating, while adding there was still room for diplomacy.

Iran had engaged in talks with the United States starting in April to reach a new deal over its nuclear program.

However, the June attacks on Iranian nuclear, military and residential sites by Israel brought the talks to a halt.

Tehran accused the United States of undermining diplomacy and urged guarantees and recognition of its rights before any possible resumption of negotiations.
Trump suggests willing to extend arms control deal with Russia



Washington, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



US President Donald Trump said Sunday he was prepared to maintain a nuclear arms treaty between Washington and Moscow, after his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin proposed a one-year extension.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Trump said at the White House when a reporter asked for his response to Putin's offer to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, four months before its February 5, 2026 expiration.

New START restricts both countries' deployed offensive nuclear weapons, requiring that intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and nuclear warheads remain below the agreed-upon limits.

The treaty, signed in 2010, limits each side to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads, and 800 deployed and non-deployed ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers.

It also provides for a mutual verification system.

But such inspections have been suspended since Moscow halted its participation in the treaty two years ago, against a backdrop of the war in Ukraine and growing tensions with the West.

In January, Trump expressed a desire for a negotiated denuclearization with Moscow and Beijing. He has also asked the Pentagon to develop a huge and ambitious US missile defense system known as Golden Dome.
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The Met had urged the group to call off its plans, with Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley saying: By deliberately choosing to encourage mass law-breaking on this scale, Defend Our Juries are drawing valuable resources away from the communities of London at a time when they are needed most.
Addressing the event by video, British-Israeli former hostage Emily Damari, who was held captive by Hamas for more than a year, said: When I was in Gaza, I sometimes saw clips of anti-Israel marches and protests  it was very hard to watch while I was being held hostage in Gaza, it was as if the world had forgotten about us.
She said: "I just think their mum must be so happy, it must have been really tough on the mum, the boys not talking for all those years. And I just think as a mum, that must be  she must feel so happy to see her boys getting on."
Ami Iyer, 23, wears a kiss inspired by Sabrina Carpenter's "Short n' Sweet Album" as she waits for the headliner to perform Saturday. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

Hours before Sabrina Carpenter took the American Express stage for her 8:30 p.m. set, the crowd gathered at the barricade already looked like a mood board for a new kind of pop fandom  one where sparkle meets political conviction and DIY fashion doubles as a love letter to female autonomy.

Last year, the die-hard cowgirl-hatted and bedazzled Pink Pony Club camped out all day for Chappell Roan. This year, crowds traded their electric pink for pastel purples, blues and soft baby pinks, donned by young and older fans alike.

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Before the gate opened, festival-goers prepared to run to the front of the big stage dressed in blue gingham, a reference to some of Carpenter's country-twang hits, while others had red kiss temporary tattoos stamped on their arms in tribute to her "Short n' Sweet" album cover.

Samantha McCoy, 24, wears a Sabrina Carpenter-inspired baby doll poofy dress as she waits for the artist to grace the stage Saturday. Many Carpenters were decked in pastels, baby doll dresses and even red kisses. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

Samantha McCoy, 24, flew from Indiana into the Texas heat to catch a glimpse of Miss Carpenter and dance to her tunes. Her poofy pink dress and high white socks topped with bows recalled Sabrina's "Short and Sweet" tour, in which the star donned a different color of baby doll dress each night.

'Protect the dolls' and the soft power of Carpenter's fans

Cole Nance, 26, and his friends wear '90s-inspired airbrushed tanks inspired by Zara Larsson. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

At the front of the barricade, a group of guys in spray-painted tees  inspired by Zara Larssons recent album  said they got the shirts from a Galveston-based brand for the vibe. Around them, the outfits shimmered in a spectrum of meanings. Raul Martinez, from Oklahoma City, had his jacket hand-made by a drag queen: a rhinestone declaration reading: Protect the Dolls. The phrase, long used as a rallying cry for trans women and queer artists online, has evolved into a larger movement in fashion  a call to defend the feminine and the expressive.

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Sam Koch, in the group with his twin, said, "We just loved her look and thought it would be fun."

Standing beside him, Ashtyn Craven wore a shirt that read Vasectomies Prevent Abortions, a blunt slogan that cuts through the sequins and sweetness. Together, they embodied the duality of Carpenters crowd  playful but politically aware, pop-coded but grounded in something sharper.

Younger Carpenters join the pastel trend

Augusta, 10, poses Saturday as she and her family wait for Sabrina Carpenter to play the American Express stage. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

The crowd was a mix of teens, families and festival regulars. If you closed your eyes, the hum of the excited young girls was clearer and brighter than any other group.

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Two blonde sisters posed by the front of the American Express stage six hours before Carpenter's set. Another sat on a picnic blanket, a white sparkly cowboy hat bobbing on her head as she posed to show off her pink Sabrina shirt.

Randal and daughter Audrey Williams, 11, pose Saturday as they wait for Sabrina Carpenter to grace the American Express stage. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

Audrey Williams from San Antonio, wore an off-white shirt down to her knees with Sabrina's face smiling sweetly. She's only 11, but she's been a fan since before Sabrina's "Espresso" days, and couldn't wait to hear her on stage.

"She understands me through her music," Williams said. Sabrina has a song for every mood, she added. "It speaks a lot to me."

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A family  no matter the style  agreed

Not all Carpenters were easy to spot in the crowd.

Meghan Alward, Jessica Peterson and Sharon Philpy pose on the festival grounds in various fits Saturday. Alward and Philpy, and both their husbands, all agreed that Sabrina Carpenter was the act to see. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

At Philpy family's fourth ACL Fest as a group, four out of five agreed: Sabrina was the act to see.

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Meghan Alward wore a black cowboy hat with a pink bandana around her neck to match her pink combat boots. Her sleeveless top sparkled like a disco ball. Her parents, Sharon and Bruce Philpy, preferred Aggie maroon, but Bruce still planned to make it back in time to hear his favorite Sabrina bop, "Espresso."

Lily Pennock, Emma Abelkis and Melina Christodoulides, all 21, pose Saturday in front of the American Express Stage. The trio chose their looks based on style and simplicity. Lily Kepner/American-Statesman

Some Carpenters hid in muted colors, eagerly anticipating the pop queen with a coolness that resembled Sabrina's own suave. Lily Pennock, 21, wore a long boho knit skirt and a matching top that mastered comfy classy, while her friends, Melina Christodoulides and Emma Abelkis, opted for a black sheer top and mini skirt combo and a simple polka-dot dress respectively.

But the bold Carpenters were there, and the crowd adored them. Ashley Jimenez stunned in a pink leopard-textured jumpsuit, with long hot pink tassles down her arms like magenta rain. "Very Sabrina," passersby told her.

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Sabrina Carpenter drew a massive crowd to Zilker Park on for Austin City Limits Music Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2025. Provided by Austin City Limits Music Festival Sabrina Carpenter closes her set with a fireworks display at Austin City Limits on Saturday night Oct. 4, 2025. Provided by C3 Presents. Sabrina Carpenter drew a massive crowd to Zilker Park on for Austin City Limits Music Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2025. Provided by Austin City Limits Music Festival

By the time Sabrina Carpenter hit the stage Saturday night at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Zilker Park was packed shoulder-to-shoulder  easily the largest crowd of weekend one so far. Before the show began, a red warning screen asked fans to take a step back before the show could resume.

Festgoers watch Sabrina Carpenter perform at Austin City Limits on Saturday Oct. 4, 2025. Provided by C3 Presents.

Fans shuffled, murmured and finally cheered as order returned. Rumors that Taylor Swift might attend ACL Fest exacerbated hype around the festival's most-anticipated set.

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When the lights dropped and the actual surprise guest appeared, the roar was deafening  the kind of sound youd expect if Taylor Swift herself had shown up. Instead, it was Shania Twain. Together, she and Sabrina tore into That Dont Impress Me Much, a cross-generational duet that marked a new chapter in Sabrinas country-inflected pop era.

Festgoers watch Sabrina Carpenter perform at Austin City Limits on Saturday Oct. 4, 2025. Taylor Regulski/Provided by C3 Presents.
Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents Festgoers watch Sabrina Carpenter perform at Austin City Limits on Saturday Oct. 4, 2025. Provided by C3 Presents. Sabrina Carpenter closes her set with a fireworks display at Austin City Limits on Saturday night Oct. 4, 2025. Provided by C3 Presents. Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents

When the stage lights dropped and Sabrina Carpenter's surprise guest finally appeared Saturday night at Austin City Limits, the crowd screamed so loud youd think Taylor Swift had actually shown up. But as the spotlight hit, it wasnt Taylor  it was Shania Twain. The two divas launched into That Dont Impress Me Much, cementing Sabrinas country-leaning reinvention and setting the tone for a night of running the show her way.

Her vocals? Flawless. Belt for belt, Sabrina hit every note like shed been training for this her whole life  which, in a way, she has. Those Disney days clearly paid off; the stagecraft stayed, but now it comes with edge and intention.

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Pre-show tension

Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents

Before the first note, chaos briefly took center stage. A staffer rushed in, asking fans to step back, while a red-screen warning flashed: PLEASE TAKE A FEW STEPS BACK AND THE SHOW WILL RESUME SHORTLY. Murmurs rose, the crowd shuffled, then cheers rippled out. Order restored, the show began.

Projected news-clip footage cut to darkness: Sabrina, cast as a startled newscaster, asked, Do you know where your husband is? Then she appeared gingham top, curly hair bouncing, denim shorts, dance moves straight from an 80s workout video  for Busy Woman."

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She came out swinging, and the crowd was hers.

Eras end, fashion shifts but the energy stays

Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents

Mi Vuong leaned over: Have you noticed her style has changed? Gone are the corsets and sparkles of her Short n Sweet days; now its gingham, boots, cowgirl vibes, and curls that bounce on command.

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The momentum turned country with Slim Pickins. Before Manchild, a parody ad for Manchild Spray played like a Febreze spoof  cleaning up men, literally. When Sabrina sang the track, she line-danced during the bridge, twirling an imaginary lasso and locking eyes with the audience. Im so grateful, she murmured twice, shaking her head in disbelief.

During Good Graces she forced the crowd to yell back, I wont give a [expletive] about you!  girl power, zero apologies. She thanked fans for camping out and quipped, Everythings bigger in Texas, thats what they say.

Scattered around, personal dramas unfolded. Mis friend gasped, Oh my god, he messaged me back, and two strangers leaned in with advice  dont text him now. Mi confiscated the phone. These are Sabrinas people  the girls who overthink text bubbles and feel every lyric like its written for them.

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She slowed for Sharpest Tool in the Shed, raw and human, then nodded to her past: All Because I Liked a Boy erupted into fireworks.

Two divas, one stage (and Djo gets cuffed)

The crowd reacts as Sabrina Carpenter announces Shania Twain as her special guest during her performance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park in Austin, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman

Then  Shania entered. The crowd lost it. Together, they sang That Dont Impress Me Much, a perfect mash-up of nostalgia and reinvention.

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Her dancers moved in couples onstage while Sabrina changed outfits. Dance breaks are her playground  she commanded the moment in Tears. Later, she reappeared in a pastel-blue mini for Nonsense, followed by Feather. Hearing I feel so much lighter like a feather with you off my mind hit me in the gut  the end of my own situationship just one day before ACL suddenly felt like a blessing.

Before Bed Chem, the screens flashed "Parental Discretion Advised." Sabrina crooned from a bed and remixed Ginuwines Pony into the bridge, red lights bleeding across the stage. Seductive, confident, in full control.

Im always looking for love in every city, she teased mid-set as the police-like camera found Djo  a.k.a. Joe Keery front and center. This ones for you, Djo, she said, waving and launching into Juno. Fireworks exploded during the guitar solo, a wink to her rock edge and the kind of ACL moment fans will brag about for years.

That's that Sabrina 'Espresso'

Sabrina Carpenter performs on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at Austin City Limits Music Festival. Alfredo Flores/Provided by C3 Presents

Her final act felt cinematic. Tears played against storm projections; she rose on a platform for Dont Smile, a sea of phone flashlights flickering below like constellations. She closed with Espresso, and fans poured out of Zilker Park onto Barton Springs Road  giddy, buzzing, and energized because, well, yes  thats that Sabrina "Espresso."

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Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Nick Valensi of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman A fan holds up a sign during the show by The Strokes at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Nick Valensi of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas, left, and Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes perform at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

They were a few minutes late, but fans were unbothered.

The hype was on the other side of the field where a rumored Taylor Swift appearance at Austin City Limits Music Festival lured both diehard fans and the Sabrina Carpenter-curious. But a faithful crowd shouted Strokes! Strokes! to draw out the other Saturday night headliner.

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The Strokes emerged from a cloud of white smoke like astronauts about to board an Apollo shuttle on a mission to save humanity. Frontman Julian Casablancas  clad in a gray vest and jeans  slowly made his way to the mic stand. It was all Casablancas from the jump  no lip-synching, no backing vocals.

For better or worse.

The Strokes perform at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Casablancas stumbled through songs with no intentionality. The band seemed shaky at times. They couldnt make up for Casablancas' obvious lack of enthusiasm. Opening song Bad Decisions felt like foreshadowing.

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Stage lights turned green for Reptilia, and vibes were weird. At times, Casablancas turned his back to the crowd, paused to adjust his sunglasses mid-lyric or wandered across the stage like he was looking for the exit.

In the moments between songs when performers often address the crowd, share stories or extend thanks to fans, Casablancas said nothing. He did occasionally drone indiscernible and random thoughts into the mic.

It felt less like a concert and more like a band fulfilling a contract. Casablancas even joked about how upper management controls what the band does.

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We dont choose the songs. They take us out of our cryogenic chambers. Back to our cyber crypt after this, he said. His bitter, deadpan delivery did not feel like a joke.

The Strokes perform at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

He mumbled something about ChatGPT and had to be reminded by his guitarist which song was next on the playlist on a few occasions.

The Adults Are Talking was sloppy, off-tempo and half-hearted. Last Nite, their biggest hit, was treated like a burden. Casablancas mumbled through most of it, paused mid-chorus to talk about fireworks, and spoiled their fake encore before even walking offstage.

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Those fireworks  which often light up the sky during headlining sets on ACL Fests two biggest stages  never came.

The encore didnt feel complete when Casablancas muttered, Alright guys, have a wonderful night. Be safe. Love yall.

Then an ear-piercing siren rang out from the darkened stage and a confused crowd scattered. There was a police siren used during Sabrina Carpenter's set around the same time, but this one seemed to emanate from the Strokes' side of the field. One man in the crowd compared it to a SWAT alarm.

Though the ending seemed abrupt, festival organizers told the Statesman the show went exactly as planned.

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Julian Casablancas of The Strokes performs at ACL Fest in Zilker Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Casablancas has told reporters since 2020 that he hates playing the band's biggest songs live. As recently as early August, he told Rolling Stone Italia that the band faced pressure to keep the Strokes together solely for financial reasons.

That definitely felt like the case at ACL Fest.

Casablancas detached cool attitude has always been part of his schtick, but this wasnt cool  it felt checked out. His focused has shifted to his other project the Voidz, and Strokes co-founder Albert Hammond Jr. is also pursuing solo work. The Strokes themselves just seem tired of being the Strokes.

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Fans still love them enough to forgive the indifference, but the fires gone. The Strokes didnt crash and burn at ACL Fest. Just like the passion behind their music, they slowly faded away.
Austin police are looking for Enrique Ramirez Leon, 68, after he went missing on Sunday morning.. Courtesy Austin Police Department

5:12 p.m. update: Enrique Ramirez Leon, 68, was found by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper in Columbus, about 90 miles southeast of Austin. Austin police said he was found as a result of the missing person alert.

Earlier: Austin police are looking for a missing elderly man who wandered from his home on Sunday morning.

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Enrique Ramirez Leon, 68, was last seen leaving his residence in the 1100 block of Mansell Avenue at 5 a.m., police said. Leon suffers from memory loss and other medical conditions that put his welfare at risk. He drove off in his wife's car, a Grey 2012 Chevrolet Malibu with chipped paint and the license plate PLX1913.

Law enforcement have activated a Silver Alert for Leon, who was described by police as a Hispanic male, a Spanish speaker, about 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds. He has chin-length gray hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-up shirt and dark blue jeans.
Shawn Ayers, the brother of Amy Ayers, hugs Mindy Montford, of Attorney Generals Office, a news conference at Austin City Hall about the 1991 I Cant Believe Its Yogurt murder investigation on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman With a photo of sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison in the background, Mayor Kirk Watson speaks at a news conference at City Hall about the 1991 I Cant Believe Its Yogurt murder investigation on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Today, finally we have an answer.

When Mayor Kirk Watson spoke those words last week i n the chambers of Austin City Hall, it felt as though the entire city let out a collective sigh of relief.

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For 34 years, the mystery of who killed four teen girls at a North Austin I Cant Believe Its Yogurt shop has tormented our community. The grisly details of the crime  the girls were bound with their own clothing, shot in the head and the building was torched, presumably to destroy evidence  transformed how Austin saw itself. We were no longer a quirky college town immune from such violence. It has been said the Dec. 6, 1991, murders marked the day Austin lost its innocence.

The Austin American-Statesman has chronicled the case each step as the story unfolded over three decades. We reported extensively on the initial reports of the deaths of 13-year-old Amy Ayers; sisters Sarah and Jennifer Harbison, ages 15 and 17; and 17-year-old Eliza Thomas  to the arrests of four local young men, one of whom was sentenced to life in prison and another to death, before their convictions were overturned.

And our journalists were there, in the front row, Monday when authorities announced they finally identified the killer: Robert Eugene Brashers, a serial killer linked to three other slayings in South Carolina and Missouri, and tied to the Austin crime through ballistics and DNA.

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The news has been deeply emotional for our community. Many longtime Austinites Ive spoken with in recent days shared stories of remembrance of when the murders happened and the subsequent investigation  many were just children at the time. Some said the memories were too haunting to revisit.

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Many local reporters and editors have contributed to coverage of this story for 34 years. Investigative reporter Tony Plohetski, who began his career at the Statesman more than 25 years ago, started covering the case in 2003 when Maurice Pierce, one of the men originally accused, was released from the Travis County Jail after three years because prosecutors couldnt make their case. Through the years, he has chronicled other key developments, and in doing so, has built relationships with the victims families and investigators.

The Statesman and Plohetski were well-positioned to break the news Sept. 26 about the case's surprising outcome. We delayed publishing our exclusive report until we knew that law enforcement had completed its briefing of the family members. We recognize that delivering news while respecting family privacy is a difficult balance  one we have grappled with before and undoubtedly will again.

As for the four men whose lives were forever changed by wrongful accusations and convictions, we will continue to cover their potential exonerations. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said at the news conference that the overwhelming weight of the evidence points to the guilt of Robert Eugene Brashers and to the innocence of Maurice Pierce, Michael Scott, Robert Springsteen and Forrest Welborn.

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If the conclusions of the APD investigation are confirmed, I will say I am sorry, although I know that will never be enough, Garza said.
The 1886 Driskill Hotel has symbolized the glory of Old Austin right in the heart of downtown. Provided by the Driskill

In today's newspaper, restaurant critic and reporter Matthew Odam takes American-Statesman readers on a tour of the newly remodeled Victorian Bar at the Driskill Hotel.

The ornate downtown inn, built in 1886, has played many parts in Austin's history, from 19th-century cattle baron's palace to 20th-century power broker's den, from nearly demolished symbol of the city's fusty past in the 1960s to an undeniably classy retreat from Sixth Street crowds in the 21st century.

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For today's "From the Archives," I've selected some stories from American-Statesman back issues that hint at the hotel's tospy-turvy past.

Note that in its first decade alone, the Driskill appeared in some 1,800 articles. It reached peak coverage during the first decade of the 20th century, when it was featured in almost 10,000 Statesman stories. Many of those items were simply one-sentence reports about who was staying at the hotel, but that's a lot of ink.

Relax, I did not read all of them.

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Send your best Driskill Hotel anecdotes to mbarnes@statesman.com.

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Boosting the city's new jewel

In 1924, the American-Statesman was headquartered at the southwest corner of Brazos and East Seventh streets. At that time, the palatial original Driskill Hotel stood to the south. In 1930, a sleek tower was added. The newspaper's leaders wanted to be near the action and the hotel provided a political, business and social hub. Provided by the Austin History Center

During the hotel's first decade, this newspaper's reports about the Driskill accentuated the positive rather than its slow construction and deadly worksite, much less the virtual fortune it drained from cattleman J.L. Driskill and family.

Sunday, Nov. 18, 1882: If the Driskill Hotel is proceeded with, as we have no doubt it will be, we shall have the very finest hostelry in Texas. With dozens of smaller buildings going up in all parts of the city, Austin may fairly be said to have a regular boom on the building line, and the prospects ahead are more flattering than the realities of the present.

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Sunday, Oct. 24, 1886: The Driskill Hotel: The Finest Structure South of St. Louis'  In view of the fact that the Driskill Hotel will be opened to guests on the first of December, a short description of it at this juncture will not be out of place. This magnificent and imposing structure rears aloft its immense proportions in the very heart of the business section of the city. From whatever direction it is viewed it presents a grand appearance and attracts the attention of all. The building was commenced in January 1885 by Col. J.L. Driskill of this city who is the sole owner. It is without a doubt the grandest structure of its kind south of St. Louis, and it compares favorably with the great hotels of that city.

Tuesday, Dec. 21, 1886: The Driskill Opened  The great doors of the Driskill Hotel were swung open to the public for the first time last night. The corridors were thronged with prominent gentlemen, all of whom wished hearty and abundant success to the hotel and its management. From and after today, the Driskill will be a business institution of the city, and there are none who will refuse to bid it the best success.

The decline of the Driskill family

After pouring money into the palatial hotel, J.L. Driskill died less than four years after it opened. His family remained socially prominent, but their fortunes dimmed as well.

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Saturday, May 30, 1890: 'Col. J.L. Driskill: Stricken with Paralysis, He Quietly Passes Without a Struggle'  The Statesman announced the death yesterday of Col. J.L. Driskill yesterday morning. It occurred a few minutes after midnight and after an illness of only about 20 hours. He had a profound faith in the future greatness and grandeur of Austin, and when the cattle business was at its zenith, he conceived the plan of erecting the Driskill Hotel in this city, and today and for all time it will stand a monument to his energy and enterprise. Driskill was a sagacious business man, and while adverse fortune came to him in his declining years, it was through no fault or mistake of his. His wife, two sons and four daughters survive him.

Wednesday, May 25, 1910: The funeral of Mrs. J.L. Driskill will be conducted from the family residence, 710 West 14th St. this morning at 10:30 o'clock. Interment at Oakwood Cemetery. Dr. Arthur F. Bishop, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, will conduct the services.

Sunday, Aug. 17, 1924: 'Varsity Regents Sound Doom of Driskill Hall'  Driskill Hall, the home of the old cattle baron, Jesse Lincoln Driskill, which was built and furnished in 1881-1882 at the cost of $120,000, is soon to be either razed to the ground or removed from its familiar setting. The handsome old house, at one time the showplace of Austin, is to give up its site for the erection of the Alice Littlefield Memorial Dormitory. The destruction of Driskill Hall will take place on the hundredth anniversary of the birth of the man who saw fit to devote his talent and fortune to the upbuilding of Austin. (This earlier Victorian family house was located on Whitus Avenue near the residences of E.M. Scarbrough and Bishop Kinsolving.)

Adding a sleek tower to the Driskill palace

The Driskill Hotel survived and adapted to the times. In 1930, the owners added a tower of rooms, designed by the important El Paso firm of Trost & Trost, behind the ornate structure at East Sixth and Brazos streets. Note: Headlines sometimes stretched longer than most do today. In addition, the following article confirms that Austin aligned as much with the Old South as with the Southwest in 1930.

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Sunday, April 27, 1930: 'Austin's Welcome to the World: The Driskill Hotel "A Tradition of the South," Provides for a Growing City by Announcing the Opening Today of Its New Twelve-Story Addition, Making the New Driskill Hotel One of the Finest in the Entire South'  The original hotel was constructed about 45 years ago about the time the Capitol Building was completed (This is off by two years; the Capitol opened in 1888). It was built by and named for Mr. Driskill, a patriotic citizen of Austin, who took great pride in making it one of the finest in the South. Its lofty columned lobby on the first floor, spacious lounge, banquet and private dining rooms on the mezzanine floor; the wide, cool covered porches on the south and east, remain virtually as they were when originally designed and surround it was an atmosphere of Old-South hospitality.

The Driskill as ultimate political backroom

Lyndon Baines Johnson and family watch the 1964 Presidential returns at the Driskill Hotel in Austin. The downtown establishment has long been a place for politics and power; LBJ and Lady Bird used it for a social and business home base. Provided by the Austin History Center

While other hotels, such as the Stephen F. Austin and the Alamo, rose downtown, the Driskill remained a smoky hub of action for politicos, business people and cultural leaders. Lyndon Johnson gathered his cronies there; Lady Bird Johnson started her media empire in the corner offices. In 1948, for instance, LBJ announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate from his penthouse suite at the Driskill.

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I'll offer just one late sample, published just before LBJ's landslide presidential victory in 1964.

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1964: President and Mrs. Johnson will come to Austin about 6 or 7 p.m. Tuesday for a family dinner at the Driskill Hotel where they will watch early election returns. A White House source said they would spend the first night in their Jim Hogg suite with "family and a few friends." They are to go to the Municipal Auditorium later where the President will make his election statement. The Johnsons are expected to spend the night at the Driskill, the source said, but this depends on when vote results are known.

The Driskill almost demolished

Despite hosting the First Family just a few years earlier, by the late 1960s, with the decline of downtown, the Driskill drifted into relative obscurity. Its owners proposed demolishing the place.

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Happily, Austin was just discovering its historical legacies. The first clear victory of Austin's preservation movement was the Old Bakery on Congress Avenue. Yet it gained wider support with the campaign to save the Driskill from demolition.

Friday, June 6, 1969: 'Reprieve Won by Driskill'  It's not saved yet, but the Driskill Hotel received a four-month "reprieve" Thursday when a group of Austinites announced formation of the Driskill Hotel Corporation and a plan to restore the "old" Driskill to its former elegance  along with a couple of significant additions. Austin architect Max Brooks, spokesman for the corporation, said its aims are twofold: To save the Driskill and to create for the city of Austin "something it really needs  a fine hotel and convention center."

The road back to icon status

A series of owners and managers have striven to remake the Driskill during the past 50 years, including efforts to stage sumptuous special events and improve the status of its dining options. Before all that, the victory by preservationists led to a gala reopening in 1973.

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Sunday, Feb. 11, 1973: 'More History is Made in Driskill's Reopening'  Presidents and governors have walked her halls, slept in her rooms, dined in her restaurant and socialized in her bar. The Driskill Hotel has seen much history and Saturday night's formal reopening was yet another chapter. Saturday night's grand ball marking the second opening of the famous hotel was attended by descendants of every Texas governor since 1886, Gov. and Mrs. Dolph Briscoe, and two former chief executives of the Lone Star State.
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18:09 Indian-origin man extradited to Canada after arrest in Texas An Indian-origin man, arrested in Texas over an assault case by the United States Marshals Service, has been extradited to Canada, local media reported.Sukhpreet Singh, 25, is one of the several suspects wanted in connection with the assault of Elnaz Hajtamiri in 2021 in Canada, CTV News reported... Read more >

17:30 Check electrical systems of all Boeing 787s: Pilots' body The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Sunday urged aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to thoroughly check and investigate the electrical system of all Boeing 787 aircraft in the country. The pilots' body wrote a letter to the DGCA a day after a Boeing... Read more >

16:43 2 more cough syrup deaths reported in MP Two children from Amla block in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district have died allegedly after taking Coldrif cough syrup, which has been banned now as tests showed presence of a toxic chemical called diethylene glycol, health officials said on Sunday.Amla Block Medical Officer Dr Ashok Narware... Read more >

16:38 Thackeray cousins meet again amid alliance buzz Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) head Raj Thackeray met again on Sunday, this time for a personal event, amid speculation about the cousins allying for the upcoming local body polls.The Thackeray cousins attended the naming ceremony... Read more >

16:23 Darjeeling landslides: Situation being closely monitored, says PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides and asserted that his government is committed to providing all possible assistance to those affected.'Deeply pained by the loss of... Read more >

15:45 Vijay's campaign vehicle driver booked A case has been registered against the driver of actor-politician Vijay's campaign vehicle in connection with an accident it allegedly involved in on its way to September 27 Karur rally where a stampede claimed lives of 41 people, police said.The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief's campaign vehicle... Read more >

14:54 Bihar elections to be held before...: CEC Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday lauded Bihar's booth-level officers (BLOs) for their exemplary work in 'cleansing the voter list', calling it a model for the rest of the country. The 90,217 BLOs of Bihar have done work that is exemplary across India. Just as Vaishali... Read more >

14:44 Loss of lives due to rain, landslides in Darjeeling distressing: Murmu President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said the tragic loss of lives due to heavy rain and landslides in West Bengal's Darjeeling is distressing and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.In a post on X, she also prayed for the success of rescue and relief operations and wished a... Read more >

14:21 'I'm doing well': Wangchuk issues first statement from jail Activist Sonam Wangchuk demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of four people during the Leh protest, stating that he is prepared to stay in jail until this demand is met.Sajjad Kargili, leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), posted on X that his message was conveyed... Read more >

13:42 Brick kiln owner booked for forcing 13-year-old girl into bonded labour A case has been registered against the owner of a brick kiln in Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly forcing a 13-year-old girl into bonded labour, police said on Sunday.The child from the Katkari tribal community was rescued from a brick kiln in Bhiwandi taluka, following which a case was... Read more >

13:40 Russia to remain India's No 1 crude oil supplier: Analysts India's crude oil imports from Russia saw a marginal decline in September, but continued to account for over one-third of the country's total oil purchases, despite US pressure to curb the trade over concerns that it supports Moscow's war effort in Ukraine.India's crude imports in September were... Read more >

13:37 RAT gets deployed on Air India's Birmingham-bound plane The operating crew of Air India's Amritsar-Birmingham flight reported that the Boeing 787's Ram Air Turbine (RAT) unexpectedly deployed during the final approach on October 4, but the aircraft landed safely, the airline said on Saturday.RAT deploys automatically in the eventuality of a dual... Read more >

13:35 Two minor girls found dead in well in Karnataka's Kolar The bodies of two minor girls who had reportedly gone missing were found in a well in this district, police said on Sunday.The deceased have been identified as Dhanya Bai and Chaitra Bai, both Class 7 students of the Government Higher Primary School in Yalachepalli village of Mulbagal town, they... Read more >

11:47 Landslides in Darjeeling, several feared dead Several people are feared dead following landslides in parts of Mirik in Darjeeling district due to incessant heavy rain, a senior police officer said on Sunday.The official said that rescue and relief operations are currently underway, with local administration, police, and disaster response... Read more >

11:26 Rock Band 'The Smashing Pumpkins' calls off their Indian debut performance Image only for representation Popular rock band 'The Smashing Pumpkins' have called off their upcoming Indian debut performance citing unexpected logistical challenges and circumstances beyond their control. The performance was part of the band's Rock Invasion 2025 Asia Tour. Taking to their Facebook handle, the... Read more >

11:17 IIT Roorkee develops tableware from wheat straw Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee/Image courtesy X The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has developed an eco-friendly tableware from wheat straw in collaboration with a Maharashtra-based firm, which may offer a solution to the problem of stubble burning and pollution caused by single-use plastic. By moulding wheat straw into... Read more >

11:06 Amit Shah meets Fadnavis, deputy CMs in Shirdi Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar in Shirdi town, BJP sources said on Sunday. The meeting, which lasted for about 45 minutes late on Saturday, apparently centred around the extensive... Read more >

10:49 Govt probes e-commerce sites over 'dark pattern' fees Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The department of consumer affairs has received several complaints against e-commerce platforms for charging extra fees under various names, a practice that the government has classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers. Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and... Read more >

10:16 Six held for `trying to convert' family in Chhattisgarh Six persons including two women were detained here on Saturday for allegedly trying to convert a family to Christianity, the police said.A woman from Parshuram Nagar area had filed a complaint that a woman of her family had been converted to Christianity, and members of a neighbouring... Read more >

09:52 Six more militants held in Manipur ops, arms seized File image Security forces recovered caches of arms and ammunition from Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts of Manipur, police said on Sunday. Six militants belonging to various proscribed outfits were also arrested in separate operations for their alleged involvement in extortion and other illegal... Read more >

09:41 Five bodies recovered, two missing in Maha beach tragedy File image The police in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district have so far recovered five bodies among the seven who were swept away in the sea off Velaghar beach on Friday, an official said. The search for the two missing persons -- Irfan Kittur (36) and Zakir Maniar (13) -- is going on, he said. A... Read more >

09:34 AAP to field Trident Group's Rajinder Gupta for RS bypoll from Punjab Chairman emeritus of the Trident Group Rajinder Gupta The ruling Aam Aadmi Party is likely to field industrialist Rajinder Gupta as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Punjab on October 24. The bypoll is being held to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of AAP's Sanjeev Arora, who stepped down from the Upper House following his... Read more >

09:20 KCOCA invoked in murder case in K'taka's Bantwal Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act has been invoked in connection with the murder of 32-year-old Abdul Rahiman, who was attacked on May 27 in the Erakodi area of Kuryal village that falls under Bantwal rural police station limits, police said. Rahiman and another man, Kalander Shafi,... Read more >

09:02 Man shot dead in UP over 14-year-old enmity; accused absconding A 45-year-old man was allegedly shot dead by a youth in an apparent act of revenge for his father's murder 14 years ago in Manglora village, police said on Sunday. According to the police, the victim, identified as Jaivir, was returning home from his fields on Saturday evening when the... Read more >

08:56 Israeli strikes kill 70 in Gaza amid Trump's call to end war At least 70 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Saturday, including seven children between the ages of two months and eight years old, Al Jazeera reported.The strikes came after United States President Donald Trump urged Israel to immediately stop bombing Gaza after Hamas agreed... Read more >

08:49 Modi to inaugurate Navi Mumbai international airport on Oct 8 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, a senior official told ANI. The airport is set to place Mumbai among the world's elite twin-airport cities, alongside London, New York, and Tokyo, giving a major boost to India's... Read more >

08:37 Earthquake of magnitude 6.0 rocks Japan An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 shook Japan on late Saturday night, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 50km.In a post on X, the NCS said, EQ of M: 6.0, On: 04/10/2025 20:51:09 IST, Lat: 37.45 N, Long: 141.52 E, Depth:... Read more >
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis uses dynamic positioning to maintain its position near the Johns Hopkins Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, Aug. 5, 2025. Storis was commissioned on Aug. 10. (Ashly Murphy/U.S. Coast Guard)



The Coast Guards newest polar icebreaker arrived Friday in Seattle after 112 days at sea on its first patrol.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis, commissioned in August, left Pascagoula, Miss., on June 1 and sailed through the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean on its way to its first visit to the Arctic north of the Bering Strait.

In the span of a few months, this crew has gained proficiency in the basics of operating the ship, and we were ready to challenge ourselves, commanding officer Capt. Corey Kerns said in a service news release. Storis is different than most Coast Guard cutters, and this crew is proud and excited to demonstrate its value to the service and the nation.

Early last month, Storis entered icy waters for the first time as a Coast Guard cutter to relieve USCGC Healy and monitor the Chinese-flagged research vessels Jidi and Xue Long 2.

There is an increased demand for Arctic security using icebreakers because climate change has opened new sea lanes in the region. Russia and China have in recent months operated joint naval exercises in the Bering Sea near Alaska.

Throughout the cutters inaugural deployment, the crew conducted helicopter operations, gunnery exercises, established numerous operational and administrative programs, and organized multiple community outreach events throughout six port calls, providing tours to more than 1,500 people.

The Storis is the first polar icebreaker that the Coast Guard has acquired in more than 25 years. The service only has two other such icebreakers  the 48-year-old heavy icebreaker Polar Star and the 27-year-old medium icebreaker Healy. Polar icebreakers are specifically designed to cut through ice in the Arctic. The service said it needs at least eight polar icebreakers to meet the operational needs in the polar regions.

Aside from the Polar Star, Healy and Storis, the Coast Guard has 21 domestic icebreakers and 16 ice-capable buoy tenders. Domestic icebreakers are smaller vessels designed to clear channels for commercial shipping during winter months in waterways such as the Great Lakes. Buoy tenders are capable of breaking up thin layers of ice.

For the next six weeks, the ship and crew will be in training, including a two-week underway phase with scheduled engagements in Victoria, Canada.

Were excited to return to family and friends and enjoy some of the experiences the Seattle area has to offer, Kerns said. It will be great to see the waterfront full of red hulls soon, too. But we still have a lot of training to do for our USCG crew to be ready to take full responsibility of the ship and will continue to work closely with our civilian shipmates to get us ready.

Storis was formerly a commercial tow vessel purchased for the Coast Guard in 2024 for $125 million. It was given navigation, communications and defensive improvements, along with a new coat of paint in Coast Guard red and white colors.

Storis will be in Seattle temporarily, alongside the services other polar icebreakers, until infrastructure improvements are completed in Juneau, where the cutter will be permanently homeported.
A view of the inner wall and guard towers of Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in March 2004. A federal appeals court in Virginia is trying to decide whether a contractor who worked alongside soldiers at the Abu prison should be held liable for treatment detainees experienced there. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)



A federal appeals court in Virginia is trying to decide whether a company that worked alongside soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq should be held liable for treatment detainees experienced there.

At stake in the case, which has been in litigation for more than 17 years, is a potential $42 million payout that would be the most substantial penalty for the abuse delivered at Abu Ghraib since the public first learned of the scandal months after the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003.

At the center of the case is CACI Premier Technology, a Virginia-based defense contractor hired in 2003 by the U.S. government to provide civilian interrogators at Abu Ghraib. The company long has denied its employees took part or were responsible for the notorious events at the prison and repeatedly has moved to have the case dismissed.

Three Iraqi plaintiffs  a middle school principal, a fruit vendor and a journalist  have accused the contractor of conspiring with the U.S. military to torture detainees in violation of international laws. They said they experienced physical and psychological abuse at Abu Ghraib, including electrical shocks, food deprivation and threats of dog attacks.

All three eventually were released without being charged.

A federal jury last fall voted in favor of the men, delivering a verdict requiring CACI to pay $14 million to each plaintiff. The contractor appealed, and last month, both CACI and the plaintiffs, represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights, made oral arguments before a three-judge panel in the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Unlike the federal government, which has sovereign immunity from these kinds of suits, contractors who work in war zones are considered private entities and are more vulnerable to legal challenges in cases of alleged misconduct, said Alex Sarria, a partner at the Washington D.C.-based law firm Miller and Chevalier with expertise in government contracts.

Sarria said it might come down to whether the contractor acted of its own accord when committing the alleged violations or if it can show that the plaintiffs are challenging actions taken at the direction of the U.S. government. If a contractor can show this, it may be entitled to some type of immunity.

Two former Iraqi prisoners hug each other after being released from Abu Ghraib prison, March 23, 2004. Three Iraqi plaintiffs have a case in the federal court system accusing a contractor of conspiring with the U.S. military to torture detainees in violation of international laws. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)



If the court upholds the $42 million payout, it might discourage contractors from following troops into battle or handling certain tasks for fear of liability, Sarria said.

Ultimately, contractors will worry that theyll be left holding the bag at the end of these contracts, Sarria said.

During oral arguments, attorneys representing CACI argued contractors cannot be held responsible for actions they conducted at the behest of the U.S. military, especially when those actions didnt occur on U.S. soil.

This case involves injuries that occurred in Iraq. It involves an alleged conspiracy based entirely in Iraq. It holds CACI liable for the conduct of U.S. soldiers in a war zone, said John OConnor, a partner at the Washington D.C.-based firm Steptoe.

An attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights argued that CACI employees, including some in the U.S., knew about questionable interrogation tactics and took steps to cover them up. The plaintiffs attorney also argued that because the U.S. was occupying Iraq at the time, contractors were subject to U.S. law.

Whats critical here is there was no foreign law in existence at the time the United States occupied Iraq, attorney Baher Azmy told the panel of judges.

Theres also the issue of sensitive subject matter. Earlier in the litigation, the U.S. government intervened to remove evidence about interrogation under the State Secrets Privilege. Without that information, CACIs lawyers argue theyve been unable to fairly defend themselves.

The state secrets privilege deprives the district court of much of its truth-seeking abilities, OConnor told judges.

Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Abu Ghraib, located about 20 miles outside Baghdad, was a notorious prison complex used by Saddam Husseins regime to detain, torture and execute dissidents.

It later was refurbished and used by the U.S. as a military prison site, holding thousands of criminal and security detainees.

Within months of troops taking control, images and accounts of inhumane treatment at the prison began to surface.

About a dozen soldiers were convicted of charges varying in degrees. Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, in charge of U.S. prisons in the country, received a demotion in rank. No others higher in the ranks were punished publicly. Then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld tried to resign twice over the scandal but was denied by President George W. Bush.

The court has no timeline to make a decision. And if one of the parties wants to challenge the verdict, it can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thousands line the beach to watch the Snowbirds, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, perform as ambassadors of the CAF, using CT-114 Tutor aircraft, over the Huntington Beach Pier on the first day of the ninth installment of the three-day Pacific Airshow, Oct. 3, 2025, in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles via TNS)



LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service)  Right above the shores of Huntington Beach, a retired American subsonic T-33 fighter jet darted across the blue canvas of a clear afternoon sky, leaving a spiraling plume of smoke in its wake.

The aeronautical scene is a familiar sight in the coastal city this time of year. The Pacific Airshow, an annual three-day civilian and military aerobatic display that touts advanced maneuvers and aerial military might, has drawn thousands of aviation enthusiasts to Huntington Beach and the Australian Gold Coast since its inception in 2016.

Janet Cardena, who has attended every Pacific Airshow, said experiencing the raw physical power of the planes keeps her coming back.

Im down by the water and I feel the jets while they do their flyover, and the rumble  your body shakes like a building when theres an earthquake, Cardena said. Then the smell of the gas. ...Its amazing for me.

However, this year, there was a notable force of nature and technology missing from the spectacle.

Because of the congressional deadlock over the budget and subsequent federal shutdown, the U.S. military  perhaps the most prominent Pacific Airshow draw  would not be in attendance over the Oct. 3-5 weekend.

We have been advised that U.S. military assets will not be able to participate in this years event, Airshow Director Kevin Elliott said in a statement. While this is certainly disappointing news, we are excited to share that Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach will continue as scheduled.

To some, the sky might as well have fallen.

When were trying to bring our kids out here to have fun, and Im like, well, sorry, no Marine Corps planes, its pretty disappointing, said Ryan, a former Marine who chose not to share his last name out of privacy concerns. I was in the invasion of Iraq, and so we had a lot of fixed wings coming over, dropping bombs, so I tend to get kind of emotional.

The Pacific Airshow has had its fair share of hitches before  many outside of organizers control. Last year, viewers were subject to a thick marine layer that clouded the skies and nearly obstructed the view of the few planes that still went up. In 2021, an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach forced a cancellation of the last day of the weekend.

This year, the show went on, though without what many believe is the main attraction. There was still a beachful of attendees, staring at the sky in anxious anticipation of the intestine-rattling blast of plane engines from not-so-far above.

The British Royal Air Force and Canadian Armed Forces acted as substitutes for the U.S. Air Force, some members of which strolled around the event uniformed and at booths hosting pull-up challenges and recruitment efforts near the food vendors.

Thats one thing I do miss, is the scene where the F-35s and the Thunderbirds play, said Janet Kondos, an Air Force veteran. It is what it is, they got to do what they have to do.

Royal Air Force paratroopers drew a grand applause after a coordinated display of parachute work that saw them float down to the shores. After a Red Bull aerobatic helicopter improbably flipped over its rotor and pulled itself out of a dive at the last second, a group of children near the shore started imitating the maneuver in somersaults.

Emma McDonald, an Australian pilot who flew a petite Extra 300L aerobatics plane, darted directly into the sky at a near-90-degree angle about midway through the program, which caused the audience to hold their collective breath as the aircraft plateaued. McDonald yanked the plane from an upright position and tumbled over into a glide, drawing gasps that transformed into cheers.

Thats it! one attendee shouted. Keep it up!

Although there was little American military spirit in the sky, the patriotic spirit on the ground was indelible, reminiscent of a Fourth of July celebration. Children ran and played in the water, couples with full beach setups caught a slight buzz in the sweltering heat and American flags decorated the sands like a planet conquered.

We did the Miramar Air Show before and they had a whole Marine Corps infantry display where they get off the helicopters and then they do the whole attack, Ryan said. It would be pretty cool with our equipment here, as opposed to the Royal Air Force.

Despite not having the most current U.S. fleets, crowds were still privy to a history lesson in American aviation throughout the program. A World War II B-29 Superfortress, a B-25 Mitchell bomber and Vietnam-era Grumman Albatross all made impressionable appearances.

To some, the opportunity to be so close to some of the crowning achievements in aeronautics was personal.

Out of all the dreams that I had as a kid, thats the one thing I wanted to do, like I want to fly an Apache, I wanted to fly a jet, said Cardena. But growing up, there werent women that were pilots and so this is as good as it gets for me  this is as close as I can get to them.

Cardena still found herself slightly disappointed with the consequences of a federal shutdown. She had looked forward to seeing the planes and helicopters she grew up wishing she could fly, but unfortunately, it was not her year.

As Cardena reflected, a Royal Air Force C-17 temporarily blotted out the sun and covered the beachgoers with a gargantuan shadow as it passed over Huntington.

2025 Los Angeles Times.

Visit latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers arrested a Swiss national at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for alleged involvement in sex crimes against children.

In a statement over the weekend, the BI reported that the suspect, identified as Heinz Arbenz, was stopped by immigration officers at NAIA Terminal 1 on September 29 after attempting to depart for Bangkok.

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Arbenz was later arrested by the BIs fugitive search unit (FSU) after the BI received confirmation of his previous sex-related crimes.

Records show that Arbenz is a sex offender with two prior convictions in Switzerland in 2017 and 2021 for offenses related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials.

In 2024, the Public Prosecutors Office of the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, initiated further criminal proceedings concerning new allegations of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

He has stayed in the Philippines for more than 3 weeks, and is suspected of visiting Southeast Asian countries to victimize children.

The BI said the arrest is part of its Project #Shieldkids, an intensified campaign against child traffickers and foreign sexual predators whose presence poses a risk to public security and safety, especially to the welfare of the children.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado denounced the presence of another foreign predator, declaring it outrageous that such individuals continue to target the vulnerable, and vowed that the Bureau will exhaust all means to ensure they are expelled and held accountable.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA)  Human rights advocates are urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to renew the mandate of its atrocity investigation in Sudan, with a crucial vote that will determine the missions future set for Monday in Geneva
Tony Bryant Seville Sunday, 5 October 2025, 20:48 | Updated 21:01h. Share

Seville has long attracted tourists from all over the world because of its wealth of spectacular architecture, monuments and iconic landmarks, not to mention its tempting cuisine, longstanding cultural traditions and colourful festivities. However, as with most provinces in Andalucia, Seville has joined the age of modern technology to try to attract a different type of tourist, introducing several virtual reality attractions that recreate awe-inspiring experiences: one of these is the Titanic Experience, which arrived in the capital of Andalucia in the summer.

This innovative idea, created by one of the worlds largest virtual reality experience companies, Virtual Zone, is currently available in many European countries after premiering in the USA. It offers participants the opportunity to explore the RMS Titanic, the British ocean liner that sank on 15 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg on her maiden voyage.

Located in the virtual reality centre in the Nervion district of Seville (Avenida San Francisco Javier), close to the tram and urban bus lines, this next-generation experience guides visitors on a remarkable descent 4,000 metres below the sea surface, revealing the haunting beauty of the wreck as it rests today and immersing them in one of the 20th centurys most tragic maritime stories.

Relive the maiden voyage

The virtual reality headset allows one to embark on what was intended to be the first of many trans-Atlantic crossings between Southampton and New York, while interacting with the surroundings of the fated liner and experiencing life on board as if they were actually there.

Operated by White Star Line, RMS Titanic carried some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from the British Isles, Scandinavia and other parts of Europe who were seeking a new life in the USA and Canada. This virtual experience takes you back in time to meet the passengers and crew who made the Titanics voyage legendary, while experiencing life on board through their eyes and discovering their personal stories with audio in English and Spanish. You will also learn about the visionaries who imagined, designed and built this iconic ship, and discover how their ambitions became reality, but ended in a tragedy that claimed the lives of 1,496 passengers and crew.

The Titanic Experience will appeal to those fascinated by the history of the worlds most famous ship, and even fans of the 1997 epic romantic disaster film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Educational experience

It offers an educational experience, embarking on a tour of the ships deck, the luxurious dining room and grand staircase, to the corners of the boiler room and to the helm, where the experience allows you to navigate the vessel.

This highly rated virtual attraction has been a success wherever it has docked, being described by those who have experienced it as spectacular, super immersive and an amazing experience.

There has been an increasing focus on exploring the application of virtual reality within the realm of tourism. This is an ideal opportunity for those who have not experienced virtual reality because there are no strong sensations and plenty of support from the technical team at all times.

The experience lasts approximately one hour.
Jennie Rhodes Malaga Sunday, 5 October 2025, 20:55 Share

This years grape harvest in Malaga province has been one of the most complex in recent times, marked by a dual scenario of climatic conditions that have, on the one hand favoured the development of the vines and good quality grapes, but on the other hand, the wet conditions followed by high temperatures have provided the perfect conditions for mildew to take hold.

In Manilva, the western Axarquia and the Montes de Malaga, losses of up to 80 per cent of the harvest have been reported by some vineyards. In the Antequera area some vineyards have been unaffected and others have lost up to 50 per cent of their crops. In the eastern Axarquia area and the Serrania de Ronda the presence of this fungus has been minimal.

But this isnt the first time that the provinces grape harvest has been affected by disease and in fact the mildew has not been as catastrophic as the phylloxera plague that affected vineyards across Malaga and much of Europe in the nineteenth century.

The origins of the provinces wine-making tradition date back to the late Middle Ages, when agriculture and livestock farming were the main economic activities and winemaking played an important role. For centuries, Malaga wines were celebrated and sought after in the most distinguished markets in Europe and were consumed in London, Amsterdam and Hamburg and beyond. By the eighteenth century Malaga was Spains biggest exporter of wine.

A thriving trade

Trade not only impacted the local economy but also led to the emergence of a thriving bourgeoisie, many of whom were of foreign origin, who controlled the land and large estates. The two main varieties of grape were Muscat and Pedro Ximenez.

Malagas wines were highly acclaimed in Russia. In 1791 the then ambassador to Moscow Miguel de Galvez, uncle to Bernardo de Galvez, the American Independence hero born in Macharaviaya, presented Empress Catherine II with several cases of Malaga wine, which she liked so much that she declared it tax-free in her kingdoms. Similarly Tsar Alexander III was said to be very fond of Malaga wine. During the first third of the 19th century, much of the province continued to thrive thanks to its grapes and especially the popularity of its wine and raisins.

However, disaster struck when phylloxera was detected on La Indiana estate in Moclinejo in July 1878. Although it is believed that the disease first appeared in Ronda and Moclinejo in 1874 and 1875, labourers and landowners at that time attributed the loss of vines to the poor quality of the land or the severe drought of previous years rather than this new disease.

Zoom The spread of phylloxera across Andalucia. Junta de Andalucia

The parasite had first been identified in Europe in 1863 when vines mysteriously started drying up in France. In 1868 Professor Jules Emile Planchon came to the conclusion that this tiny insect had most likely come over from the Americas.

It had two characteristics that set it apart from other pests: it spread quickly and not only infected the plant but killed it. It was the beginning of a catastrophe that would destroy almost all of Europes vineyards over the course of half a century. From Moclinejo phylloxera quickly spread to nearby vineyards and by August 200,000 vines had been infected.

Carried by the wind, the spread of the wine plague lasted for decades. Regions that had not been affected waited, terrified, for its arrival. It was also recorded in Catalonia in 1879 and Valencia in 1900.

Experts

Many experts travelled to Malaga to study the plague in an attempt to contain it and there were numerous requests for financial aid, but it was slow in coming and by 1886 there were no Muscat vines left. Two years later the same happened with the Pedro Ximenez vines.

With the harvests completely destroyed, the wine and raisin trade collapsed and economic activity came to a standstill. The situation was so dire that by 1894 the government stopped collecting taxes and contributions in some areas.

In 1930, despite many efforts to resume cultivation, there were only about 36,000 hectares of vineyards. The lack of work in the Axarquia and other areas led to depopulation as people sought work elsewhere and some even went abroad.

It wasnt until the end of the 1990s and early 2000s that winemaking started to see a resurgence in Malaga province and the Sierras de Malaga Designation of Origin DOP), a protected geographical indication for wine varieties in Malaga, was created in 2001.

DOP regulates the Pasas (raisins) de Malaga and in 2017 the Axarquias grape growing and drying process was recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a globally important agricultural heritage system (GIAHS).

Despite the mildew that has affected some areas this year, Malaga provinces grapes, raisins and wines are once again sought after in international markets. This is thanks to both the regions popularity as a tourist destination and the work of its Spanish and foreign-owned wineries
His real name was Hamza Karimi, but his stage name was Hamko. The 25-year-old murdered on Friday on a terrace in Marbella was a Swedish rapper. National Police officers are investigating his possible involvement with organised crime under the hypothesis that he was executed in what would be a new settling of scores in Malaga province.

Zoom

One of the security cameras of the terrace he was on, in Avenida Jose Banus, recorded the almost complete sequence of the crime. It happened at exactly 2.31pm. Karimi, in shorts and shirt, was smoking and talking casually on the phone while walking from one side of the terrace to the other, which was fortunately empty.

Video surveillance of the premises captured how the killer, who was wearing a black shirt and cap and brown shorts, casually crossed from the other side of the street while pretending to talk on his mobile phone so as not to arouse suspicion. When he reached Karimi, he circled around behind the parked cars to get closer without leaving him any room for reaction.

With chilling coldness, the perpetrator pulled a pistol from a shoulder strap on his back and aimed it directly at the young Swede, who only then realised what was happening and dropped to the ground. The camera recorded Karimi rolling on the ground trying to dodge the bullets, but the killer followed him without letting go of the trigger. More than ten shots were fired, seven of which hit him.

The rapper managed to climb over the terrace seats, which is where the perpetrator followed him. When the victim ran limping into the establishment, the assailant ran out and fled. It only took a few minutes for the police to arrest him thanks to the 'Operation Cage' that was coordinated in the town to block all escape routes from Marbella. The security forces had the number plate of the getaway car.

The Udyco unit against drugs and organised crime on the Costa del Sol has taken charge of the investigations, which gives a clear idea of what the main hypothesis of the National Police is. Swedish media have reported that the rapper had links with gangs in Stockholm, which investigators are trying to confirm in order to clarify the motives for the murder.
The federal government shut down last week after Congress could not come to an agreement on a budget. Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the stalemate. Bill Bramhall leads the editorial cartoon gallery with his view that Democrats are taking a gamble by holding out, even though Republicans control both the House and the Senate.

Walt Handelsmans Uncle Sam hoists a giant tube of Krazy Glue to mend the divided Congress. Nick Anderson and David Horsey see the shutdown as a presidential ploy to fire more federal workers under the Project 2025 blueprint. Michael Ramirez portrays Democrats as threatening to jump from a high building as a negotiating tactic, except no one is watching. Mike Luckovich sees Republicans as the captain blaming the jet crash on the donkey in aisle 3. Phil Hands thinks we need a government shut up as President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer throw toddler tantrums.

The weeks other big news was Secretary of War Pete Hegseths address to generals and admirals summoned to Quantico, Virginia, from around the world. Anderson finds irony in the tiny Hegseth lecturing giant military leaders on the warrior ethos. To Joel Pett, Trumps speech about using the military against the enemy within was really about stirring up protests in Democrat-led cities so that he can grab more power. Worst Portlandia episode ever, Ohman writes.

Other news events in this weeks gallery include a mass shooting at a Michigan church; a peace ultimatum in Gaza; and the death of Jane Goodall, who expanded our understanding of primates.

Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.
Americans, Canadians unite in battling 'eating machine' carp



Dunnville, Canada, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



Finally, something to unite President Donald Trump, his Democratic opponents and the Canadians he's threatening to annex: a ferociously hungry carp.

Invasive carp, sometimes called Asian carp, were introduced in the United States in the 1970s. And they've never stopped spreading -- and eating everything in their path -- since.

"They're eating machines," said Trisiah Tugade, an aquatic biologist with Canada's Invasive Carp Program, as she and her team glided along the Grand River -- a Lake Erie tributary -- looking for fish that specialists fear will devastate the Great Lakes.

Because they can eat up 40 percent of their bodyweight daily, invasive carps were initially seen as a tool to control nuisance algae in confined areas, like aquaculture ponds.

But they escaped, likely during floods, and made their way north, including through the Illinois River. That has raised the specter of the devastating eater establishing itself in the Great Lakes, the world's largest freshwater system by surface area.

"There is nothing that I have seen that scares ecologists more than looking at what the impacts would potentially be if the species of Asian carp that are in the Illinois River get into the Great Lakes and form a breeding population," University of Michigan Great Lakes water policy expert Mike Shriberg told AFP.

It's a threat that has got the attention of Trump, who calls the fish "a threat" and specialists on both sides of the border.



- Shock treatment -



Each year, Canadian experts search for carp in Great Lakes tributaries considered favorable for spawning and feeding -- often grassy areas with warmer, shallow water.

In the Grand River, Tugade and senior biologist Alex Price oversaw an electrofishing mission.

The team lowered two roads into the water that released non-lethal pulsating charges, stunning the fish and allowing them to be brought with nets into a tank onboard.

Fish were identified, measured and -- if not deemed invasive -- released into the muddy water.

Since the program's launch in 2012, only a few dozen invasive carp have been captured in Canadian waters.

James Hall, whose Hall'emin Sport Fishing business takes clients out on Lake Erie, told AFP he was one of the first to catch one.

"I was wondering what it was, but I knew it was something different," he said, describing the moment he pulled a carp out of the water a decade ago.

Hall said he put the fish on ice and called government's carp hotline.

Invasive carp "have been very rare to catch, which is great," said Price, while insisting vigilance was essential given the gravity of the threat.

"They can breed multiple times a year and produce hundreds of thousands of eggs in a single event," he told AFP.

"Within the first year of life, they can be too big for our natural predators to eat," he added.



- Blown apart? -



Shriberg described the Great Lakes as "the great uniters" across US political parties and between Canada and the United States.

Defending them against invasive species has been a bipartisan priority in states on their shores, several of which have historically been US electoral swing states -- like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- he said.

Trump's May White House memo confirming his support for efforts against "the economic and ecological threat of invasive carp," drew cross-party praise.

"We're in the most politically contentious times that I've seen in my lifetime," Shriberg said, calling Trump's "quiet" memo an affirmation of the rare bipartisan nature of Great Lakes policy.

But that path forward is uncertain.

Trump's trade war and annexation threats have strained US-Canada relations. Earlier this year the president reportedly told former prime minister Justin Trudeau that he wanted to revise treaties governing the Great Lakes.

Shriberg noted cooperative management of the waterway has defined US-Canada relations, but said "the Trump administration's hostility towards Canada ... threatens to blow that apart."

If the battle against invasive carp were to fail, the consequences would be both dire and unpredictable, he added.

"It would cause dramatic changes in the ecological balance of the water," Shriberg said.

And if they ever became established in the Great Lakes, "I don't believe that you'd have any chance of actually eliminating the population," he said.
Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Matmo lashes southern China



Beijing, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes as Typhoon Matmo lashed China's southern coast on Sunday, state media reported.

The powerful storm made landfall around 2:50 pm (0650 GMT) in Guangdong province, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The National Meteorological Centre recorded winds of more than 150 kilometres per hour (93 mph).

As the storm approached, authorities evacuated 197,000 people from their homes on Hainan Island and 150,000 from Guangdong province, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Public transportation, construction sites and businesses were also shuttered in coastal cities including Haikou, Wenchang, Zhanjiang and Maoming.

The city of Beihai in the south of Guangxi region also announced Sunday it would suspend work, classes and transportation.

The storm had already caused sea levels to rise in a port in Maoming on Sunday morning, leading to a "serious" risk of flooding, according to CCTV.

The intensity of the typhoon is expected to gradually decrease after making landfall, the meteorological centre said.

But torrential rain and strong winds were expected until Monday in Hainan and parts of Guangdong and Guangxi.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists say are accelerating climate change and making extreme weather events more frequent and intense.

It is also a world leader in renewable energy and aims to be carbon neutral by 2060.
Bangladesh deploys warships to protect prized hilsa fish



Dhaka, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



Bangladesh's defence force said it has deployed warships and patrol aircraft as part of a special surveillance operation to protect a prized fish from illegal fishing during its spawning season.

The herring-like hilsa, Bangladesh's national fish and a much-loved delicacy in West Bengal in neighbouring India, return from the Bay of Bengal to rivers each year to lay eggs.

Bangladeshi authorities said on Saturday they had imposed a three-week ban on fishing from October 4-25 to safeguard the spawning areas.

The defence force's Inter-Service Public Relations said in a statement that 17 navy warships and patrol helicopters had been deployed to enforce the ban and protect the fish.

"The warships and state-of-the-art maritime patrol aircraft have been conducting round-the-clock surveillance to prevent the intrusion of domestic and foreign fishermen into the deep sea," it said.

Millions in Bangladesh depend on the fish, which can cost up to 2,200 taka ($18.40) a kilogram in Dhaka.

Indian fishing fleets trawl the brackish waters of the River Ganges and its vast delta, feeding demand in the megacity of Kolkata and the wider state of West Bengal, which has a population of more than 100 million people.

Overfishing to meet such demand can deplete stocks as the hilsa return to spawn.

Environmental experts say fish stocks have also been hit by changes to the ecologically sensitive and low-lying deltas, threatened by rising seas driven by climate change.

However, they also fear the ships could disturb the spawning hilsa at a critical time.

Md Abdul Wahab, former head of the Eco Fish project at WorldFish, told AFP the hilsa needed "calm and undisturbed waters for spawning" and suggested the use of drones instead.

The Bangladesh government has allocated 25 kilograms of rice per fishing family to compensate for the ban during the spawning period.

Some said that was not enough.

"These three weeks are very difficult for fishermen, as we have no other means of survival," said Sattar Majhi, a 60-year-old fisherman.
Landslides and floods kill 64 in Nepal, India



Kathmandu, Oct 5 (AFP) Oct 05, 2025



Landslides and floods triggered by heavy downpours in Nepal and neighbouring India have killed more than 60 people, officials said Sunday, as rescue workers raced to reach cut-off communities in remote mountainous terrain.

Torrential downpours have lashed Nepal since Friday, leaving rivers in spate and many areas in the Himalayan nation inundated.

At least 44 people have died in rain-triggered disasters and five are missing, Shanti Mahat, spokeswoman for Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, told AFP.

At least 37 were killed by landslides in the worst-affected eastern district of Illam.

"Heavy rains overnight caused the landslides," said local district official Sunita Nepal.

"Rescue workers have reached the affected areas. It was difficult because many roads were blocked."

Rivers in the capital Kathmandu have also swelled, inundating settlements along their banks.

Security personnel were deployed to assist rescue efforts with helicopters and motorboats.

"There is some damage, but thanks to the authorities' prior flood alert, we were able to move some belongings to a safe place," said vegetable seller Rajan Khadga, 38.

Landslides have blocked several highways and disrupted flights, leaving hundreds of travellers -- many returning after celebrating the Hindu festival of Dashain -- stranded.

At least five people are still missing, according to federal disaster officials.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki said government agencies were "fully prepared for rescue and relief".

"Your safety is our utmost concern. Do not hesitate to seek necessary assistance," she said in an address, adding that the government has declared Sunday and Monday public holidays and urged people not to travel unless necessary.

- 'Red alert' -



Across the border in India, at least 20 people were killed in the tea-growing hill district of Darjeeling in West Bengal state after heavy overnight rain unleashed flash floods and landslides that destroyed homes and infrastructure.

"In the wake of last night's heavy cyclone in the Darjeeling hills, over 20 people have lost their lives," said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a lawmaker in India's upper house.

Footage on Indian television news showed rescue workers using cables to access cut-off regions as raging waters smashed into bridges and caved in roads.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "pained by the loss of lives".

"The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides," he said in a statement on social media.

India's weather department on Sunday issued a red alert for "extremely heavy rainfall" in sub-Himalayan areas, including Darjeeling, until Monday.

Relentless downpours also swelled rivers in neighbouring Bhutan, prompting the Indian army to join rescue efforts.

Military helicopters were deployed to evacuate several civilians stranded in the border town of Phuentsholing, the army said in a statement.

Monsoon rains, usually from June to September, bring widespread death and destruction every year across South Asia, but the number of fatal floods and landslides has increased in recent years.

Experts say climate change has worsened their schedule, frequency and intensity.

The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development warned in June that communities faced heightened disaster risks this monsoon season.

"Rising temperatures and more extreme rain raise the risk of water-induced disasters such as floods, landslides, and debris flows," it said.
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The 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing is well underway and bookies have said Ross King is the celebrity contestant most likely to be eliminated in the first results show of the competition.

The 63-year-old This Morning star sits at the bottom of the Strictly leaderboard after scoring just 10 points in week one of the competition and 15 points in week two.

Therefore, it looks likely that King could be headed for the first dreaded dance-off of the competition set to take place on Sunday (5 October).

According to bet365, King has odds of 8/11 to leave the BBC dance competition first, followed by the divisive internet personality Thomas Skinner, now on 11/4, and rugby player Chris Robshaw (4/1).

The first elimination of the series will be revealed during the results show on Sunday at 7.15pm, after the two couples with the least amounts of votes go head to head.

Shirley Ballas announced last week that the responsibility of holding the casting vote will now rotate among the judges week by week, with Motsi Mabuse given the responsibility for the first elimination.

King broke down in tears after performing a waltz to Sunshine on Leith by The Proclaimers with his dance partner Jowita Przysta this weekend.

Ross King and Jowita Przysta on Strictly Come Dancing ( CREDIT LINE:BBC/Guy Levy )

The presenter told host Tess Daly that he sees himself as the posted boy for older men that cant dance that want to and fought back tears as he added he hoped hed inspired others to give it a try.

Earlier this week, King and Przysta took a trip to Loch Lomond in Scotland, with the presenter once again becoming emotional as he described himself as a very proud Scottish person.

The TV star is known for presenting ITV breakfast programmes, including Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, as the shows LA correspondent.

King is a four-time News Emmy winner and has hosted more than 30 TV series since he first made his debut on radio broadcasts aged 15.

On joining Strictly, he said: Lets give this the best that I can! As my mum always said: Youll never know till you give it a go!

You can see the full week two Strictly leaderboard results here.
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Strictly Come Dancing fans are reacting with relief to the elimination of internet personality and Apprentice star Thomas Skinner in the latest episode of the BBC dance competition.

Skinner, who swiftly became the most divisive contestant of this years series, was voted out by the judges after a dance-off with his professional partner, Amy Dowden, against England rugby star Chris Robshaw and dancer Nadiya Bychkova.

Posting to social media after the results on Sunday (5 October), many fans said the judges had made the right choice, pointing to his salsa to the song Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal.

Whatever the f*** Thomas Skinner did may be one of the most traumatising things ever on the show, one viewer said. And I remember Ann Widdecombe. And John Sergeants marching... horrific stuff.

Just locked in to BBC and seen Thomas Skinner doing some weird stuff with Dizzys track can't lie kinda creeped me out forget that for a laugh mate, another audience member said.

Excellent, I can start watching Strictly with the wife now that moron Thomas Skinner has been kicked off, one viewer wrote on X. Do better picking contestants @BBC.

One fan said he was gutted for Dowden but delighted that Skinner had been voted out.

One, sharing a clip of Skinner dancing the salsa, said sarcastically: The woke lefties have sent home one of the greatest dancers Strictly has ever seen. Poor Thomas Skinner.

Cancel culture is so cruel.

Head judge Shirley Ballas and judges Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood all voted to save Robshaw and Bychkova, meaning Motsi Mabuse did not need to use her casting vote. However, she said she would have voted the same way when asked by host Tess Daly.

Before giving him a two, Revel Horwood said of Skinners salsa on Saturday night: It looked like you were competing at a weightlifting competition in Skegness, darling, it was all just powerlifts.

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Speaking about his time on the show, Skinner said: I've loved it. I've never danced before and my stay was short, but Amy's amazing.

It's been great fun and I've enjoyed it. I can't really dance that well but I've had fun! Thank you, Amy  sorry that we havent done too good, cause you're a different class.

open image in gallery Skinner praised his professional dance partner Amy Dowden ( Guy Levy/BBC )

Dowden said of her time with Skinner: Weve laughed so much. We've worked so hard and a glitterball would have been amazing, but what I've learnt in the last few years is happiness, health and being alive is more important than anything.

She continued: There is a ballroom boy in there, so I'm a bit gutted he didn't get to do the ballroom, but the last three years, as you know, have been quite difficult for me. I lost all confidence as a dancer - but walking into the room with you with a massive smile and a laugh, you brought me back and, honestly, thank you.

Skinner had early spoken out against what he called a hate frenzy against him after his now-infamous meeting with US vice president JD Vance. He claimed that much of what had been reported about him had been massively exaggerated or written in a way to make me look bad.

open image in gallery Thomas Skinner, Amy Dowden, Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova in the 'Strictly Come Dancing' dance-off ( CREDIT LINE:BBC/Guy Levy )

The internet personality was mired by numerous controversies ahead of the start of the Strictly series. Days before the series launch, he snatched a journalists phone at a press conference before walking out of the event.

I happened to catch a glimpse of the screen and saw numerous messages  not about Strictly  but about a personal story from my past, Skinner explained later. In that moment, seeing it there caught me off guard.

Sunday nights episode also featured a special performance from Swedish pop star Zara Larsson of her new single Midnight Sun, the title track from her latest album.

Next week, the remaining 14 couples will take to the dancefloor next week in a Movie Week special, where each couple will channel a different film.

Strictly returns at 6.05pm on Saturday, 11 October on BBC One.
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Bad news: the latest project from Suranne Jones doesnt always feel like the real deal. Implausible details abound in this six-part heist thriller (that she produced through her company, TeamAkers). And there are weak links in the cast. Still, dont panic, because the blissful moments outweigh the blah ones. Jones herself as Bert  a tough and sexy ex-con, who enjoys playing mind games  is on blistering form. Her co-stars, Jodie Whittaker and Elizabeth Berrington, are compelling. In a typical line of dialogue, Whittaker tells Berrington: I always said your vagina could light up a room! What a relief to be able to report that Frauds (taken as a whole) is a shining example of accessible, transgressive TV.

Money has clearly been spent on a story thats set in Spain and toggles between the southern coast and Madrid. Wide-angle shots of a bullring are stunning. Theres also a lusciously lit church plus two set pieces, in episode six, that are epic in every way.

Ironically, the cinematic visuals trigger a bleak thought. Jones is a beloved stage actor whos starred in game-changing dramas (Vigil, Doctor Foster, Gentleman Jack and Hostage) as well as a spry TV movie (Christmas Carole). But shes never been the lead in an actual film. You know, the kind you see at the Odeon or Vue. Like Natalie Portman and Frances McDormand, who she physically resembles, Jones offers a lucky dip of treats. In Frauds, her brown eyes are expertly noirish, yet when you least expect it, she suddenly grins like a kid taking their first bounce on the biggest of trampolines. In a just world, Jones would be a screen legend. Why isnt there a place for her in cinemas?

Anyhoo, the plot revolves around the forgery of a painting, ie, the art of imitation. In the first episode, writer Anne Marie OConnor (who collaborated with Jones on knotty siblings drama Maryland) has wicked fun with action-movie cliche  she knows were expecting a riff on Thelma and Louise. Bert is picked up from prison by her one-time partner in crime, Sam (Whittaker). Sensible Sam is now trying to go straight, but hot-headed Bert has cancer and, before she dies, wants to do one last job. To be precise, she wants to steal and replace a painting from the Reina Sofia Museum: Dalis Face of the Great Masturbator. We get a good look at this lewd masterpiece  its all but rubbed in our faces  which is one of many clues that, for all the familiar signposts, were headed somewhere new.

Jones has a massive LGBTQ+ fanbase thanks to Gentleman Jack, Vigil and Charlie Brookers cheeky comedy, A Touch of Cloth. Lets just say, said fanbase will find Frauds intriguing. Theres a transgender character, Miss Take (Talisa Garcia), who owns a drag bingo bar and, when it counts, puts on a magnificent show. Theres also sexual tension between Bert and Sam. Bert flirts, aggressively, with Sam, mockingly referring to her, at one point, as my husband. Were they lovers in the past? Will they hook up in the future? And should we be impressed or disturbed by Berts machismo? Sam hisses at Bert, You cant keep your d*** in your pants! Both Bert and Sam, by the way, like to mooch around in comfy trousers and flat shoes. Looking for the next Oceans 8? Youre in the wrong place.

Whittaker is not quite as well served by the script as Jones (Sam gets plenty of screentime, yet the character lacks definition, which is a shame). But, as youd expect from the woman who was so pulverisingly beleaguered in Broadchurch, and so endearing as the first female star of Doctor Who, Whittaker makes the most of what shes given. Shes especially memorable when Bert and Sam reinvent themselves as bawdy Irish nuns and, later, bumbag-toting tourists. In these scenes, she and Jones seem possessed by the blithe spirits of Victoria Wood and Julie Walters in the Eighties sketch show Wood and Walters. Or Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley in Ab Fab. The results are surreal and gusset-wettingly funny.

Its icing on the cake that the crew assembled by Bert and Sam  including two Spaniards (Thais Martin and Javier Taboada) and two northerners (Karan Gill and Berrington)  are diverting in their own right. Gill, for example, ensures nervy Bilal  the Bradford gambler hired to duplicate the Dali  is adorable in a three-dimensional way. Gill may be working on a small canvas, but his brushwork is delicate.

As Jackie Diamond, a fiftysomething magicians assistant, Berrington is even more impressive. A TV regular, she is part of cult film history thanks to Martin McDonaghs 2008 black comedy In Bruges. She was the cockney matriarch who took objection to her husband smashing the family phone (Her: Its an inanimate f***ing object!; Him: Youre an inanimate f***ing object!). Berrington is very animated in Frauds. Jackies sleazy and controlling husband has his eye on a cute whippersnapper (Karise Yansen), who gives Jackie the once-over and says, witheringly: Youll be stuck here in 20 years time, looking like a 2lb sausage in a 1lb skin. Shes a childless woman in a series obsessed with mother-daughter relationships, and all but vibrates with uncertainty over her right to take up space. Yet shes also incredibly bright. She explains to Martins character that the invisibility of middle-aged women could work to the groups advantage. As she does so, you may be tempted to squeal with delight.

The feminism in Frauds is down to earth and visceral; it feels timely and genuine. True, Jones and Whittaker arent invisible. Theyre high-profile celebrities. Yet, at 47 and 43, respectively, theyre edging towards 50 (the age, according to French author Yann Moix, at which women become too old to love). Good on the pair for making this series, which, though not perfect, celebrates sly broads who fly under the radar and proves (for those of us whod kill to see Jones conquer Hollywood) that you dont always need a big screen to think big.
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Entrepreneur Natasha Nelson always knew she was different.

The 35-year old from Stone Mountain, Georgia, struggled with establishing social norms.

She found small talk difficult, and couldnt understand why people did things like make the bed.

She was diagnosed with autism in 2023 - just after her youngest daughter was also diagnosed.

open image in gallery Natasha Nelson, who was diagnosed as autistic as an adult ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Now, Nelson is encouraging people to seek a diagnosis if they also think, or have long had suspicion, that they could be on the spectrum.

If your life has always felt like it was in chaos and you dont feel comfortable and you dont feel like you thrive and you just feel like youre constantly surviving and going from one thing to the next, what you got to lose? Nelson said.

Common signs of autism include trouble with social communication and a fixation on certain routines or topics  Nelson says people have become my special interest now  and may go unnoticed during someones childhood.

But it can be costly and difficult to obtain an autism diagnosis later in life due to a shortage of medical professionals trained to work specifically with adults. Here's more information on what you should know about adult autism diagnoses.

open image in gallery Nelson was diagnosed once her daughter was confirmed as autistic ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

What is autism and when is it usually diagnosed?

Autism spectrum disorder is a range of intellectual, language and social difficulties, like rigidly following routines, having fixed or obsessive interests and struggling to hold eye contact or understand nonverbal communication. Autism is typically diagnosed during childhood, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children be screened as early as 18 months.

Why are more adults being diagnosed with autism?

More adults have sought insight on their own neurodiversity in the last decade  often after their children are diagnosed or after seeing social media posts. A study published last year in JAMA Network Open showed a 452 per cent increase in autism diagnoses among adults age 26 to 34 from 2011 to 2022.

Some traits of autism can go unnoticed until adulthood, when there are new social demands. Others may have learned how to hide certain behaviors, known as masking.

Adults have learned to compensate over time, said Whitney Ence, a psychologist at the University of California San Francisco who works with autistic adults. They may have learned like I cant display that in public, and so I do that in private."

There's also an overlap of symptoms between various disorders like ADHD and OCD that can complicate an autism diagnosis due to difficulties with nonverbal social cues or executive functions like attention span, working memory and problem-solving.

What are the symptoms of autism in adults?

Symptoms present differently for everyone, and many of the traits are common for people without autism, like enjoying routines or enjoying going down rabbit holes of information.

But to meet the diagnostic definition of autism, the symptoms must cause significant impairment, said Dr. Arthur Westover, a psychiatrist who specialises in autism at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Were human beings in general. We like routines ... just having a bit of pleasure and feeling better with routines does not mean youre autistic," Westover said. "It goes a little bit deeper than that.

Russell Lehmann, 34, has lived with his autism diagnosis for more than 20 years. The motivational speaker has routines that he describes as both comfortable and stressful. Eating the same food and buying the same groceries, he said, brings him comfort. But if he skips going to the gym for an hour and a half every day, he becomes overwhelmed with feelings of depression and failure.

Its like no gym, no day, he said. ... My routine is an incredibly existential burden, because every night I go to bed knowing I have to do a routine I do not like simply to function.

How does a diagnosis work?

While there are various online screening tools, autism is a complex diagnosis, so experts recommend talking to your primary care physician for a psychiatry referral.

That psychiatrist might want to interview people who were present in your early childhood, like family and friends, who can attest to symptoms being present at that time.

Some psychiatrists may refer you to a psychologist, who can give you a standardized diagnostic autism test or will use their own clinical judgement. There is no brain scan or blood test for autism.

Getting an autism diagnosis as an adult can be costly and take some time. Westover said there's a major shortage of specialists who work with autistic adults. Nelson's diagnosis took three years and she paid more than $3,000 out-of-pocket.

Ence also suggests that you ask yourself a few questions when considering getting a professional diagnosis, and to know that you may run into a waitlist: What is leading me down this pathway to think that I need a professional diagnosis? Do I need access to services? Are there services I dont have available to me?
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There are few things as good as sliding into bed at night with time to spare. I know this firsthand, following years without the recommended seven hours of sleep a night.

Doctors say adults need at least that much to stay healthy and keep their cognitive abilities sharp  but more than a third of Americans just arent getting enough.

Even just an hour more can have a massive impact on your health  from lowering blood pressure to strengthening the immune system in the long run.

A relatively minor commitment to get a little more sleep can make a real impact on improving your health, said Anne-Marie Chang, an assistant professor at Penn State University.

Figuring it was worth a shot, I decided I would go to bed 30 minutes early every night for a week.

open image in gallery Not getting the recommended amount of sleep means an increased risk of chronic disease and other health problems. Just minutes can make a difference, according to experts ( Getty Images/iStock )

I was sure it had to help in some way. After all, I only get about six hours of a sleep each night, as do 40 percent of Americans.

Thats the average amount for New Yorkers like me, according to sleep-tech firm Simba, as people in urban environments have to deal with increased levels of noise and light pollution that can keep them awake.

But, sleeping for under seven hours has been shown to harm your mental and physical health, leading an increased risk of chronic disease, anxiety and depression, trouble focusing and an increased risk of accidents.

With that in mind, instead of getting into bed at 10:30 p.m. every night, I made it 10 p.m. sharp. I ate dinner shortly after 7 p.m., instead of 8 p.m. I also made sure to shower earlier and plug in any devices, if need be.

I turned off the overhead lights before getting into bed. Then, I set my alarm for the morning on my alarm clock. I made sure not to look at my phone. If I was still mentally awake, I briefly read a book instead of doomscrolling.

Come morning, I dont know if I felt quite as chipper as I had hoped. I wasnt groggy or sluggish, but I wasnt exactly thrilled to leave my bed. I definitely did need a large cup of coffee, as I normally do to become normal.

But, I did feel as if my cognitive performance had improved at work, on the phone, and while riding the subway. I was able to think things out more and write clearly. I could respond to my parents quicker and with intention. And, I acted decisively when moving around and off the train.

And theres not a lot to lose from heading to dreamland earlier. What do you really lose by going to bed 30 minutes earlier?

I found that the transition wasnt hard. Although, you should note that I am a single, 32-year-old woman without roommates. Others may have additional hurdles to jump on the way to sweet REM sleep, like children or spouses.

open image in gallery Doomscrolling at night can keep your brain awake. Bright screens act as a stimulant ( Getty Images/iStock )

If you want to try this and, to quote my father, put some more sleep in your sleep bank, experts say there are several ways to make it easier.

Being consistent with when you go to sleep and when you wake up is a start. Set a time that you will remember every day. So is limiting when you drink alcohol and coffee and work out. These all have a stimulating effect, and can be counterproductive.

Doing any of that too late can keep you awake and thinking about that embarrassing moment 15 years ago.

Screens are some of biggest sleep-stoppers, too. Bright screens stimulate the part of the brain that is designed to keep us awake, according to Sutter Health.

"I think if you were to actually put [people who sleep six hours a night] to the test and look at how theyre functioning during the day cognitively, you would definitely find deficits," Dr. Andrew Varga, a neuroscientist and physician at the Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep Center, told TODAY.com.

So do any digital activities on those screens, Dr. Lauren Hartstein, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, told The New York Times.

While you can switch the device off, you cant turn your brain off, she warned.
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Could tattoos be the secret weapon in the fight against skin cancer? It might sound incredibly unlikely at first, but new research suggests theres more to tattoo ink than meets the eye, especially when it comes to melanoma risk.

For years, people worried about the possible health dangers of tattoos. But new research suggests something surprising: people with multiple tattoos appear to have less melanoma, not more. However, before anyone rushes to the tattoo parlour for cancer prevention, its crucial to take a closer look at the fine print because every study has its flaws, and this one is no exception.

Researchers in Utah  the US state with the highest melanoma rates  studied over 1,000 people. They compared melanoma patients with healthy people to see if tattoos, especially extensive ones, affect cancer risk.

The results suggested that people whod had multiple tattoo sessions or possessed several large tattoos actually experienced a reduced risk of melanoma. In fact, the risk was more than halved.

open image in gallery There have been longstanding concerns about tattoo inks, which contain chemicals that can be harmful or even carcinogenic ( Getty )

This was a striking finding, especially given the longstanding concerns about tattoo inks, which contain chemicals that  in other settings  can be harmful or even carcinogenic. Scientists have previously worried that introducing foreign substances into the skin could promote cancer development.

Extensive recent research has in fact linked tattoos to a type of cancer called lymphoma. But this broad population-based study did not support these fears for melanoma.

Why the results might be misleading

Yet the evidence comes with a number of critical caveats. The first and perhaps most significant issue was the lack of data about key melanoma risk factors, which is essential for drawing reliable cause-and-effect conclusions.

Important risk factors such as sun exposure history, tanning bed use, how easily people sunburn, skin type and family history of melanoma were only recorded for people with cancer  not for the healthy people in the study. Without this information, its impossible to tease apart whether the observed lower risk in tattooed people actually stems from the tattoos themselves, or whether its merely a byproduct of other lifestyle differences.

Another issue lies in something called behavioural bias. Tattooed participants were more likely to report riskier sun habits, such as indoor tanning and sunburns, although here the apparent protection of multiple tattoos remained even after adjusting for smoking, physical activity and some other variables.

However, data on key risk factors for melanoma, such as sun protection behaviour and the use of sunscreen, werent available across both groups. This raises the possibility that the supposedly protective effect might actually be a result of unmeasured differences  perhaps those with many tattoos are more likely to use sunscreen or avoid sun exposure to protect their body art.

open image in gallery Tanning bed use was only recorded for people with cancer ( iStock )

Adding further complexity, the response rate among melanoma cases was only about 41%, meaning that most people with melanoma didnt answer questions about it, which is relatively low, though typical for studies using surveys like this. This could create whats called selection bias. If people who answered the survey were different from those who didnt, the results might not apply to everyone.

No information was collected on where the tattoos were located, so we dont know if they were on sun-exposed or covered areas of the body  an important distinction since ultraviolet light is a major risk factor for skin cancer. In fact, recent research suggests air pollution may protect from melanoma and it does this by filtering out harmful UV rays.

Interestingly, the study did not show that melanomas occurred any more frequently within tattooed skin than in un-tattooed areas. This suggests that tattoo ink itself is unlikely to be directly carcinogenic, though some research suggests that it might be.

However, the researchers urge caution. This is one of the first major studies on tattoos and melanoma, so the results suggest new ideas to test rather than prove that tattoos are protective.

About the author Justin Stebbing is a Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Comparisons with previous research, conducted in other countries, also reveal inconsistent findings. Some studies have shown skin cancers  including melanoma  in tattooed populations or areas of the body. However, these studies have also been hampered by small sample sizes, lack of information on other key risk factors, and diverse sun-bathing habits around the world.

What does this all mean in practical terms? The findings are far from a green light to seek out tattoos as a shield against melanoma. Crucially, the absence of detailed behavioural and biological data means that the observed effects could just as easily reflect differences in lifestyle or unrecorded habits in tattooed populations.

Main symptoms of melanoma skin cancer NHS A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be a sign of melanoma. Signs to look for include: A mole with an uneven shape or edges

A mole with a mix of colours

A large mole

A mole that changes over time Other signs to look out for include moles that are: swollen and sore

bleeding

itchy

crusty

For now, the fundamental advice for melanoma prevention is unchanged: limit sun exposure, wear sunscreen, and check your skin regularly, regardless of ink status.

For those who already have multiple tattoos, the study does, however, provide some reassuring news: there is currently no evidence that tattooing increases the risk of melanoma, and any association with reduced risk may simply reflect other factors.

The broader message, though, is one of scientific caution. Interesting signals like these warrant further investigation in larger, more carefully controlled studies, that can fully account for all the complexities of cancer risk and human behaviour. Until then, tattoos may remain a personal choice, but definitely not a medically endorsed strategy for staving off skin cancer.
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When working on a cold case, there is no guarantee that a murder will be solved  and even if it is, it often takes years or even decades.

In the case of Atlanta mother Melissa Wolfenbarger, it took 25 years  with the help of a podcast, and in a bizarre twist, her serial killer father.

Now, loved ones and supporters have traveled to Fulton County Courthouse in August 2024 for a long-awaited trial they hope finally brings justice.

Finally we are starting the trial that we have been waiting 26 years for, Melissas sister Tina Patton wrote on Facebook this week, adding: #justice4melissawolfenbarger.

The 21-year-old was last heard from by her family on Thanksgiving 1998. Her dismembered remains were found five months later, in close proximity to her husbands place of work.

It was 2003 before the remains were identified as Melissa  only after her father Carl Patton was arrested for a string of unrelated killings from the 1970s known as the Flint River murders.

His arrest is what finally identified her remains, Melissas mother Norma Patton told The Independent. If he had never been arrested, we might have never known.

Melissas death was not at the hands of her father, who had been cleared in her murder, but what happened to her and the identity of her killer remained a mystery for decades.

open image in gallery The 21-year-old was last heard from by her family on Thanksgiving 1998. Her dismembered remains were found five months later, in close proximity to her husbands place of work ( Provided )

Melissas case only began to gain some traction in 2017 when Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl Mac McCollum got her hands on it after the slain womans mother came to her for help.

You cant give up. You just keep going. Talk to anyone who will listen, because you dont know who that person might be to help, Norma said. Thats what Sheryl did for us. She opened the door and helped us walk through it.

Melissas case was the first one to be featured on McCollums podcast Zone 7, when it launched in February 2023.

In a stunning turn of events, over a year later in April 2024, a listener who heard the episode reached out to McCollum and shared a crucial bit of information.

I had a gut feeling, McCollum said, recalling the moment she received the tip.

She told The Independent that the person had witnessed behavior between the couple, but said she could not give further details.

open image in gallery Melissas case was the first one to be featured on Zone 7, McCollums podcast, that was launched in February 2023 ( Zone 7 )

McCollum sent the information to the lead detective and, after more than two decades of no answers, the case picked up steam and shot through the next few months at lightning speed.

Three months later in August 2024, Melissas husband Christopher Wolfenbarger was arrested and indicted by a grand jury for her murder.

I was just tickled pink. We waited so long for this, Norma told The Independent. Its been a long, hard road. But it finally happened.

What happened to Melissa Wolfenbarger?

Melissa was last heard from on Thanksgiving 1998 when she called her family to make plans for Christmas that year. But she never showed up.

There was no phone call, and she never showed up, Norma explained about her daughter missing the holidays. I immediately panicked. But she was an adult. Married with kids. Not much we could do.

But when my birthday came and went with no call, I knew something was very wrong, she added.

After Normas missed birthday in February, they drove to Melissas house in Atlanta from their home in Locust Grove, Georgia.

But the Wolfenbarger family was gone. Neighbors told them they had moved away but their address was unknown.

The family reported Melissa missing and authorities tracked down her husband Christopher Wolfenbarger to question him.

He told police that Melissa had left on her own to pursue her dream of starting a new life in California, the Atlanta Police Department told Dateline in 2021.

open image in gallery The remains found in 1999 were not identified as Melissa until 2003 ( Atlanta Police Department )

On April 29, 1999, a severed human head was found in a black trash bag in close in proximity to Wolfenbargers place of work. At the time, officials misidentified those remains as belonging to another missing person, a man.

But then on June 3, 1999, more dismembered human remains were discovered in black trash bags near to where the first remains had been found. A torso was never found.

The remains were not identified until 2003  only after Melissas father Carl Patton was arrested in connection to an unrelated murder.

DNA testing led to Patton being convicted for the killings of Fred Wyatt, Liddie Matthews Evans, and Evanss boyfriend Joe Cleveland in Georgia, in the 1970s, known as the Flint River Murders. He pleaded guilty and was given a life sentence.

He was also a suspect in Melissas murder, but Tina said her father would have never hurt Melissa, according to 11Alive. Dad loved us, she said. He was devastated. Just like us. He broke down and cried.

But it was his arrest that led to answers for the family.

My mom was able to convince him to say something about my sister, Tina said, according to local outlet 11Alive. And somebody in Atlanta saw it in the paper the next day and said, Wait a minute, theres some remains over here in the morgue. And the address, the vicinities are kind of close to where this girl lived. So lets go get DNA.

open image in gallery Melissas father Carl Patton is serving life in prison for the Flint River murders. His arrest in 2003 led to the identification of Melissas remains ( Dodge State Prison )

DNA positively identified the remains as belonging to Melissa and cleared Patton of her murder.

But Melissas killer was still out there. And Norma continued to put all her time and effort into getting justice for her daughter.

In 2017, she met McCollum  and everything changed.

My daughter was beheaded and I need your help

McCollum remembers the exact moment she first saw Norma Patton.

It was at a formal dinner for a Wine and Crime event she was hosting.

McCollum, who is the founder and Director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI), often hosts the popular program that takes an in-depth look at unsolved cold cases.

While McCollum was on stage talking, she noticed a woman walking into the event wearing Bermuda shorts and a hat looking like she had literally walked in off the beach.

After the event, McCollum said the woman came up to her and said: My daughter was beheaded and I need your help.

Without any hesitation, McCollum agreed to hear her story.

And Norma certainly had one to tell. Armed with binders full of information, she was ready to talk.

But there was a twist.

She touched both binders, looked me in the eye and said, My husband is in prison for murder and I helped him.

Norma had testified against him, which played a substantial role in the case, testified Lt. Col Bruce Jordan of the Fayette County Sheriffs Department.

open image in gallery Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl Mac McCollum featured Melissas case on her podcast Zone 7 -- which later brought in a tip from a witness ( Provided )

It is my opinion she saved the taxpayers a lot of money, Jordan said, adding that he requested the "deal" that gave Norma immunity from any murder charges relating to the four killings, according to local outlets at the time.

After hearing Normas admission, McCollum was not alarmed.

Melissas case is separate from the sins of her father, she told her.

But McCollum said she needed to speak with Patton to do a complete victimology. In 2021, they started corresponding by writing letters.

What became clear to me was their loyalty, McCollum said. Their loyalty to Carl, their loyalty to each other and their loyalty to getting justice for Melissa.

In the letters, one man is clearly named as the suspected killer: Melissas husband  Christopher Wolfenbarger.

Through McCollums own investigation, her correspondence with Melissas family, and the letters, she had her own theories, but told The Independent that it was time to bring in the experts.

Because at the end of the day, who cares what I think, but if I have Nancy Grace, Joseph Scott Morgan and Dr Angie Arnold telling me its Wolfenbarger, McCollum said. And theyve done their own independent research, theyve looked at the case file by themselves. I will stake my reputation on it.

open image in gallery Carl Patton wrote to McCollum and in the letters, one man is clearly named as the suspected killer. Melissas husband  Christopher Wolfenbarger ( Provided )

At that point, a new district attorney was coming to the fore  Fani Willis. She launched a task force and McCollum was on it. One of the first cases on the agenda was Melissas.

The first thing McCollum did was take Assistant District Attorney Adriane Love to the area where Melissas head had been found and the close proximity of it to the front door of his business.

That is critical, she said. Youve got to show them, theyve gotta walk it.

But working the case took time.

Justice for Melissa

Melissas husband Wolfenbarger was arrested on August 6, 2024.

A press conference was planned for the next day where his arrest would be announced to the public.

The original lead detective on Melissas case wanted to contact her father himself, but the inmate would not have phone privileges until Thursday.

McCollum told The Independent that Detective Calhoun did not want him finding out on the news.

Back in 2003, Detective Calhoun made an effort to tell Patton himself that his daughters body had been identified.

open image in gallery Christopher Wolfenbarger, pictured in a booking photo, was arrested for the 1999 murder of his wife. The arresting officers found him hiding behind a dryer in his home ( Fulton County Sheriffs Office )

He drove to the prison to tell Carl in person  daddy to daddy, McCollum said.

So this time, the detective went out of his way to call the warden and have someone deliver the news to Patton.

He had been devastated when he found out she had been murdered, Norma said about her husband. But he was deliriously happy as soon as he found out Chris had been arrested.

Detective Shephard, who took over the case several years ago, said Wolfenbarger had been a person of interest from the beginning, and that probable cause is how they were able to finally make the arrest.

open image in gallery Norma Patton (left) and Tina Patton (right) pictured at a press conference on Wednesday wearing shirts honoring Melissa Wolfenbarger ( Fox 5 Atlanta )

When asked what specifically linked Wolfenbarger to the murder, he said, I want to protect the integrity of the case going forward, so I cant disclose certain evidence, but we look at everything when it comes to a cold case.

Melissas sister told the media that day that their family always believed Wolfenbarger was responsible for her murder.

From day one, we knew it was Christopher, she told reporters.

There was never, ever any doubt in our minds, who did this. My mom has said I dont know how many times, that when she first met him, there was just evil in his eyes, she continued.

Both Norma and Tina said they never heard from Wolfenbarger again after Melissas disappearance.

Melissa had left her husband the summer before she disappeared, according to her sister, after saying her husband hit her and dragged her by the hair down a sidewalk.

But when [Wolfenbarger] went in front of the judge, he asked the judge to let him talk to her alone, and she went back to him, her sister said.

Norma told The Independent she hopes Melissas story will help other women in domestic violence situations.

Its always been a domestic violence issue from day one, Norma said. She had already left because of his abuse. I think she went back to him but at one point said, Im gonna call mom and Im going home. And maybe thats when he lost it.

open image in gallery Norma said she hopes Melissas story will help other women in domestic violence situations ( Atlanta Police presser screenshot )

You dont know what the final straw was  that caused him to do what he did to her, she said.

Hes the only one who has the real answers.

Norma tearfully told the crowd that she will finally, after all these years, stop watching the news.

I dont have to watch the news anymore, because we got him, she said. Hes in jail and, Lord help me, he stays there.

Wolfenbarger, who is currently being held in Fulton County Jail, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of murder and felony murder.

Jury selection in his trial began August 12 and opening statements are expected to begin on August 14.
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A U.S. citizen was shot Saturday on Chicagos South Side after Border Patrol agents said they were rammed by 10 cars and became boxed in during a confrontation in the Broadview section of the city.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a news release that federal agents fired defensive shots at an armed U.S. citizen during routine patrolling.

Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, McLaughlin stated.

Law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at an armed US citizen who drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds.

McLaughlin continued, The armed woman was named in a @CBP intelligence bulletin last week for doxing agents and posting online Hey to all my gang lets fk those mother fers up, dont let them take anyone.

open image in gallery A group of 10 cars reportedly ran into ICE agents Saturday in Chicago, resulting in them firing at an 'armed' woman ( Getty Images )

No officers were seriously injured, McLaughlin said.

The woman was found near 39th Street and Pershing Road and transported in fair condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago Sun-Times reports, citing Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt.

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem addressed Saturdays shooting on X, writing, Today in Chicago, members of our brave law enforcement were attackedrammed and boxed in by ten vehicles, including an attacker with a semi-automatic weapon.

I am deploying more special operations to control the scene. Reinforcements are on their way. If you see a law enforcement officer today, thank them.

open image in gallery The woman who was shot reportedly attempted to drive herself to the hospital before being located by law enforcement ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Noem continued in a follow-up post, Our brave men and women of law enforcement are being targeted and attacked by violent anarchists who seek to tear down America.

I want each and every member of law enforcement to know this: President Trump and I have your backs. Stand with ICE as they continue to protect and defend our homeland, she said.

Since August, the Trump administration has deployed federal law enforcement to Chicago, citing a disputed rise in crime. ICE enforcement has grown more aggressive, including helicopter surveillance of raids and arrests of local officials and activists who oppose the operations.

Protests against ICE raids have occasionally turned violent as Saturdays incident follows the fatal shooting of Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez by an ICE officer in September.

open image in gallery More troops are on the way to Chicago, Kristi Noem said Saturday, amid protests against ICE raids ( Getty Images )

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker revealed Saturday that the Department of War gave him an ultimatum.

Call up your troops, or we will, Pritzker said on X, announcing that the Trump Administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.

I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois, Pritzker wrote.
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A 31-year-old man was charged with murdering two teenagers in Arizona in what authorities called a senseless, violent act.

Thomas Brown, a military veteran, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, in May when the teens were hiking in Mount Ord.

Murder is one of the most heinous crimes that can be brought on a person and their family," Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Capt. David Lee said at a press conference on Friday. "In a way, it's the ultimate theft."

Pandoras relative notified police when she hadnt returned from her camping trip with friends. The teens last known location was Mount Ord in the Tonto National Forest.

When authorities went to look at the campsite, they found conditions that suggested there was evidence that something had been dragged away from that camp area, Lee said.

open image in gallery Thomas Brown, 31, was charged with murdering two teenagers he randomly encountered on an Arizona campground ( Maricopa County Sheriff's Office )

Officers then located the teens bodies on May 27. They had both been shot multiple times, the captain said.

Various tips about the incident poured in, including one claiming that Brown had been camping at the same time as the pair. Another group of campers camping around that time encountered an individual who was acting very strangely, Lee said.

When interviewing Brown, he told detectives that he and his wife went camping on Mount Ord from May 23 through May 25, but he stayed through the following morning. He also told police that he encountered two individuals whose descriptions matched those of Kjolsrud and Clark, Lee said.

After collecting evidence, police concluded that "Thomas Brown provided false and misleading information regarding his involvement," the captain said.

According to documents, investigators discovered DNA evidence that showed the suspect had been in the teens SUV, despite his claiming that he never went inside the car. His DNA was also found on the victims bodies despite his saying he never had any physical contact with them.

In addition, a pair of gloves with Browns blood on them was also found close to the vehicle.

Brown was arrested at his home and booked into the Maricopa County jail on Thursday.

open image in gallery Pandora Kjolsruds family notified police when she hadnt returned from her campaign trip with friends. The teens last known location was Mount Ord in the Tonto National Forest ( GoFundMe )

Theres no evidence to suggest the suspect and the victims were connected. "They were, as far as we know, complete strangers," Lee said.

Evidence suggests Brown acted alone and poses no further danger to the community, he said.

An Army spokesperson has confirmed that Brown served in the Arizona Army National Guard between October 2013 and December 2022. He was on active duty in Djibouti, Africa, between July 2020 and April 2021.

Simone Kjolsrud, Pandoras mother, also spoke at the press conference. My daughter Pandora was a beautiful, brilliant light in this world, she said. We are all devastated and we miss her every day. All of life's beauty feels less bright without her here.

Simone added that she never gave up hope that her daughters killer would be found.

open image in gallery A GoFundMe page that has been set up for Evan Clark's family has raised nearly $36,000 ( GoFundMe )

I have full faith in our judicial system to evaluate the evidence in this double homicide and find the perpetrator guilty of the violent murders he committed against two innocent teenagers.

Her statements were echoed by Evan Clarks mother, Sandra Sweeney.

I am so happy that no one has to worry anymore. This, as everyone knows, has not just wreaked havoc in my life but for everybody. Now, everyone can rest easy and know that hes not going to harm anyone else... He was the light of my life, he was my world, she said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Pandora. At the time of writing, it has raised $36,000. A similar page for Evan Clark has raised the same figure.
As a parent, teacher and someone who is constantly wrestling with their screen time, Im sufficiently anxious about how our brains are being twisted and warped by algorithms, AI, digital charlatans and other clickbait terrors.

At work and at home, I do my best to try to embed digital literacy skills and barriers. My daughters YouTube account is so locked down she can pretty much only access phonics tutorials. I regularly interrupt classes to lecture my students about how influencers are financially incentivised to keep them outraged, scared and scrolling.

Boomers are at risk of being captured by an internet fast becoming ruled by bots and AI slop. Credit: Getty Images

When I meet people and mention that Im a teacher and relatively new parent, they want to know, how fried are kids today? How worried should we be about a generation who learned to balance a bottle in one hand and a smartphone in the other?

Yet, my response isnt what they expect. Yes, Im worried about the kids in our lives. But Im far more worried about our parents.
Australians detained by Israeli forces after trying to reach Gaza on board an international aid flotilla claim they have been physically and mentally abused by their captors, their supporters say.

Supporter Jess Mamone said one of the Australians detained, Surya McEwen, had his shoulder dislocated, and his head slammed into concrete since being detained by Israeli forces last week.

An image from a video released by the Global Sumud Flotilla showing Israeli soldiers approaching one of the flotilla vessels off the coast of Gaza on October 2. Credit: AP

McEwens mother, Jacinta McEwen, said he was being tortured for trying to feed starving people.

My son has been threatened with sexual abuse, had his head slammed into concrete, and his arm dislocated, she said.

An Australian spokesperson for the Global Movement to Gaza delegation said that detainees were also subject to intimidation and sleep deprivation techniques, and deprived of essential medication.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment about the allegations.

On Sunday, the department confirmed officials from the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv were in Ketziot, the site of a prison in Israels southern Negev region, to support the detained Australians.

The Australian government has made clear to Israel our expectation that detainees will receive humane treatment in line with international norms, a spokesperson said.

The IDF has also been contacted.
Well before Freya Fires Up was sensationally axed from Sky News thanks to the appearance of an Islamophobic guest wearing rashers of bacon on his chest, host Freya Leach had been steadily making a name for herself as a darling of the right.

Leach, who only graduated from high school in 2020, has emerged as a right-wing commentator, first while president of the University of Sydney Conservative Club and now as a political influencer for the Liberal Party which enthusiastically backed her social media posts during the federal election.

Freya Leach is lauded by the right of the Liberal Party. But many fear her views are damaging it. Credit: Brook Mitchell

She rallies against a range of issues, including describing net zero has a lofty global goal that will leave Australia impoverished as well as bemoaning that society no longer values motherhood. In a paper for the Menzies Research Centre, where she is the director of youth policy, Leach argued that childcare is often a last resort for families who, if given the choice, would prefer to spend more time with their children.

Like most Gen Zs, Leach is prolific on social media and some of her political TikToks amass more than 1 million views. In an Instagram reel last year, Leach posed this question to US psychoanalyst and parenting commentator Erica Komisar. Is childcare damaging childrens health?
Loading Fitz: 86! BB: They were mostly short ones, but it gave me the experience I needed. I used to read all the scripts that came in  hundreds of them  and pick out which ones I thought were technically and economically feasible to finance, before submission to a committee. The scripts that appealed to me were ones where I felt that people werent making other peoples films, they were telling their own stories. I was looking for original films with original ideas, where your first response is: I havent actually seen anything like this before. And then in the early 70s I read in the paper that a government fund had been set up to make films in Australia. I was friends with Barry Humphries in London, And I said, Look, we could do a script for the Barry McKenzie comic strip ...  Fitz: And so the iconic, The Adventures of Barry McKenzie starring Barry Crocker was born, a film about Australians, by Australians, for Australians  which was a stunning success, commercially.

BB: Yes, but for me it was a big mistake, because I was regarded as Mr Yobbo. The reviews were terrible and I struggled to get more work. Aunt Edna (Barry Humphries) with Barry Crocker in a London taxi in a scene from The Adventures of Barry McKenzie. The reviews were terrible and I struggled to get more work. Fitz: You were having a Barry Crocker  BB: The only work I could get was to do a sequel to Barry McKenzie, with Reg Grundy promising hed finance me doing The Getting of Wisdom, which is what I wanted to make. But there was no written contract, and he never followed through. Fitz: You had every right to have your knickers in a knot, your Reg Grundies in a twist.

BB: I was, and still am, a hopeless businessman. I should have got all the money up-front from Reg. But Philip Adams saved me in 1976, by sending me the play Dons Party, by David Williamson  which I turned into a film  and I was able to follow up with films like Breaker Morant, Puberty Blues and Tender Mercies. Fitz: And yet even though you received an Academy Award nomination for Tender Mercies, perhaps your signature film was Driving Miss Daisy, in 1989? BB: Yes, the producer Dick Zanuck called me. Hed seen Breaker Morant and Tender Mercies, and he said, Theres a play I want you to make a film of. Its off Broadway, a small play with only three people in it. He flew me to New York, and we saw the production, and it had a fantastic but unknown actor in it, Morgan Freeman. Fitz: You told me that story in London last year! Remind me, what did Freeman say to you when you met him backstage? BB: He said, If you dont cast me in the film, Ill be after you. Ill hunt you down.

And the other one I cast was Jessica Tandy, the original Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire, but she had been forgotten. Nobody knew her and Morgan. I got most resistance on casting Morgan. They said, You want that old black man?. I remember saying, You should kiss his arse. Youre lucky that an actor that talented wants to be in this film. Anyway, the budget was so tight, we shot the whole thing in 25 days, not the usual 50 to 60 days. Fitz: But even then, you were not set? It was not immediately recognised as a classic? BB: No. Warner Brothers, who had distribution rights, said Its an arthouse film. Its not worth distributing. And they were only going to put it on in an art house in San Francisco. It was devastating. But then I got this call, Have you got that film of the old Jewish lady and the black man? They couldnt remember their names! Fitz: Taxi! BB: So I went over to this big theatre at Warners, that held 600 seats. But there was just one man there, a Warners exec. So we sat down together, and they started playing the film. After 20 minutes, he got up and walked out. I followed him out to the lobby, and I said, You dont like it?

No, I do like it. Is the rest of it as good as the first 20 minutes? It gets better. Ah, OK. Whats all this about? We havent got a Christmas film. We need a Christmas film. This is it.

And they put it on in 3000 theatres. And it got nominated for nine Oscars and won four. Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy. The budget was so tight, we shot the whole thing in 25 days, not the usual 50 to 60 days. Fitz: Strangely, not including even a nomination for best director for you! And yet, when once asked if you were bitter about that, you said, No, not at all. I didnt think it was that well directed. It was very well written. When the writings that good, youve really just got to set the camera up and photograph it. BB: [Laughing.] Yes, I guess so. But, of course, youve still got to know where to point the camera! Fitz: And another quarter of a century of successful films have followed including Black Robe, Silent Fall, Last Dance, Double Jeopardy, The Contract and, perhaps most famously, Maos Last Dancer. Youve worked with everyone from Richard Gere [King David] to Sharon Stone [Last Dance] to Glenn Close [Paradise Road], Tommy Lee Jones [Double Jeopardy], Robert Duvall [Tender Mercies], and you gave Cate Blanchett her start, in Paradise Road. My question is this. Every director wants to do what you have done, and have a 60-year career of hits. How do you do it? What is your technique for making films that has stood you in such good stead?

BB: [Thoughtfully.] I mean, I always have the whole film in my head, from pretty early on, after reading the script. I know the way I want it to look, and have each scene put on storyboards. Fitz: Well, how are you so blessed as to have such a clear idea? BB: I dont know. I mean, many actors will tell you that no two directors have the same technique. I know many directors get the script, the actors and the camera-people all on set and work on their own idea from there, after a lot of discussion. But I never do that. I know what I want, how I want it to look. I prepare all the scenes very carefully, as I have a background in very low-budget films, that have to be shot in a given period. I tell them: Heres the shot, this is the angle of the camera, and this is how I want it cut. Fitz: Despite being 85, you told me recently that you still feel as strong as you ever have. What are your plans for the future, and even retirement? Do you want to be making films into your 90s? BB: Ive never given it any thought. But I feel fine. Ridley Scotts about two years older than me, and still going  and Clint [Eastwood] is in his 90s, and doing a new film now.

Fitz: Cut! All right, present company excepted  as I need to disclose youve written a film script for one of my books  what is the great Australian story yet to be told? BB: There are stories all the time. But I have written another script about these Australians who, 10 years ago, went to Georgia, near the Black Sea, to try and buy the czars wine collection, which has been stored there by Stalin. Fitz: I love it already! But that brings us to your latest opus, The Travellers, which sees you reunite with Bryan Brown for the first time since Breaker Morant, 45 years ago. How did it come about? Bruce Beresford: I wanted a story set in Australia. Credit: James Brickwood BB: Well, I actually wrote that script during the COVID lockdown. I wanted a story set in Australia, a modern story. And drawing on my own experience, I remembered what it was like to come back from America, to look after my ailing mother, and to be drawn back into a world I had left, but was still intact  all the friends, former lovers and so forth, still there. I was a fish out of water, but then you get drawn back in. And I also had some friends who had been hugely successful working in opera in Europe, and they had told me stories of having to come back and then deal with family problems. And I thought thats an interesting angle, so I pursued that. I worked up the characters, with Bryan [Brown] playing the elderly father, Luke Bracey in the role of the successful opera set designer returning home, and Susie Porter as his sister.

Fitz: And I know you shot it in WA late last year. Do you know, as youre shooting it, whether it works or not? BB: Absolutely not. I have an instinct for individual rushes, and know whether or not they work, but as to whether or not it has the magic or not, you cant know until the whole thing is put before the audience and you see how they react. Fitz: So, you and I are talking just hours before you and Bryan and Susie are headlining at the Cremorne Orpheum, for the films premiere, which Ill be attending. Will you tell me, with your usual honesty, afterwards, whether you think it has the magic or not? BB: I will. Fitz: (At the after-party, of the premiere.) Bruce? The cinema was packed, the response seemed strong, but what do you think? Does The Traveller have the magic, or not?
Chal gadi mein beth, the officer said. It was 2 am in Ulhasnagar. The streets were deserted, the shops shuttered, and even stray dogs had gone quiet. The eerie stillness made their guerrilla shoot feel almost illicit. Inside that silence, every footstep, every whisper, sounded too loud. Then a police van pulled up, its headlights slicing through the dark. The cameraman froze, camera still in hand. When the cop asked what we were up to, we nervously said it was a college project, writerdirector Divesh Nainani, 28, recalls. But the officer stayed firm: Chal gadi mein beth, he repeated. Heart hammering, Nainani climbed quietly into the car, convinced the night  and the shoot  were over. For a long moment, no one spoke. Then, with an exasperated sigh, the officer turned to them and said, Get in your own car and go home. That moment captures the chaotic spirit of Byo Chha Khape (Sindhi for What more do you want?). The film, released on September 12, is now playing in PVR, INOX and Cinepolis  the first Sindhi feature to ever make it to multiplexes. Shot within a budget of around Rs 50 lakh, it was put together with borrowed clothes, unpaid favours and pure faith. It began with a singlescreen run in Ulhasnagar and now has even screened in Dubai and the Netherlands. But more than a film, its the story of a collective  a group of under-30s who decided to keep a fading language alive with wit, risk and ingenuity. From a kirana to a camera Nainani grew up in Ulhasnagar surrounded by his grandfathers Sindhi folk records  songs of home, migration and loss. His father runs a kirana; his mother is a homemaker; his brother works at Deloitte, and he learned filmmaking through YouTube tutorials and through the ad work hes done over the years. At 26, he made Hali Pai Aa (Youre sorted), which ran for 22 days at Ashok Anil Multiplex. And I realised Sindhi cinema needed to be taken seriously, he says. Typically, in Sindhi films, some random salesman would be cast as lead. There was no professionalism. I wanted to change that. Dirven Hazari, 29, came from another lane of Ulhasnagar. A pharmacist by training, he began making short comedy sketches for his YT platform Sindhionism. I realised youngsters dont speak Sindhi anymore, he says. This was my way of entertaining and preserving the language. The two met in 2016, when Nainani edited Hazaris web series Two Nights, Three Days. When Byo Chha Khape took shape years later, Hazari paused everything and invested. We pooled our savings, he says. Spectrum Studios, a Sindhi-led finance outfit, joined in to formalise the numbers. Hustle and heart Mohit Sharma, 29, who plays Goldie, the antagonist, sums it up, with a laugh: We didnt steal, but we did beg and borrow. Professional actors came together with social-media talent to form the crew. Behind the camera, DOP Ashutosh Pandey (he isnt Sindhi) from Benaras, joined through network calls. The music  by Karan Khemani and Abhishek Raina  featured singers from the community circuit: wedding vocalists, event performers, and professional singers, and the film was dubbed in offices, not studios. We asked actors to bring stuff from their own wardrobes to supplement what the wardrobe agency provided, says Nainani. Sharma, who dropped a casting gig to join the team, says his parents, a transport worker and a tax accountant, backed him. My mum has always wanted me to work in cinema, he says, unlike many parents who want conventional steady careers for their kids. He co-wrote the script with Nainani and lawgraduate-turned-MC Nikhil Jagiasi, 26, who plays the lead. Jagiasi says the goal was relatability. People want apnapan  to see themselves and their families onscreen, he says. The route to multiplexes For Spectrum Studios founder, Rahul Shivnani, this was what made the risk worth it. Dirven already had a loyal audience, he says. And Divesh made a genuinely good film. Word of mouth made it unstoppable. Shivnani eventually became co-producer, taking over finances so the team could focus on the film. Distribution was its own odyssey. Distributor Vijay Jaswani came in late but crucially, helping unlock multiplex slots. Some theatres demanded rent upfront, Hazari says. They told us Sindhis wont pay for tickets, that theyd only watch if its for free, he adds with a laugh. But they did pay, and they did fill the seats. The first show played on a single screen but sold out all 300 seats in Ulhasnagar. Soon, word of mouth sparked demand for screenings in Sindhi diaspora circles across Odisha, Dubai, and the Netherlands. Costs are already on the way to being recovered  which is an unheard-of outcome for a Sindhi film, even one made with such a modest budget. Cultural rescue mission Saaz Aggarwal, author of Sindh: Stories from a Vanished Homeland, frames the film as cultural work as much as entertainment though she admits she hasnt seen the film yet. Hazaris work is remarkable. His comedy videos are hilarious but never mocking  they are rooted in family life and the everyday rhythms of the community, she says, adding that shes been following his work for a while. Films like this pull a language out of private homes and into public space. It is a significant step toward building a high-quality body of Sindhi cultural work. Hazari admits the road wasnt romantic. People told us Sindhis would only watch films if tickets were free. There are no government grants because Sindhi isnt a state language  we have no state. But we wanted to prove that Sindhi stories deserve screens all the same. Improvised survival and an unstoppable spirit Every scene, Nainani says, was a gamble. Restaurants, stations, streets  all shot on the fly. The police incident was only the most dramatic; but there were other challenges: they had to scramble for wardrobes and for props, dubbing was done in offices not studios, and favours were called in from friends and families. Someone once told me to stick to ad films, Nainani says. But, for me, that was even more reason to keep going. Now Hazari wants to take Sindhi cinema online  to build an archive, a living space for a language that refuses to fade. For the moment, though, this feels like enough. A film made on nerve and nostalgia has brought Sindhi to the multiplex. And, as theyve said in the title of their film: Byo Chha Khape? What else could they possibly want
In dramatic video of the gunmans arrest about 9.30pm, police can be heard yelling at the man not to move and to place his hands out of the shattered glass window. Stay down  hands out the window, police yelled. Numerous victims suffered facial injuries caused by glass broken in the shooting that started about 7.30pm at Croydon Park. A .30-calibre rifle was allegedly seized from the property after tactical police stormed the building and arrested the man two hours after the alleged shooting spree began. Mintzas has two adult children and works as a customer service attendant for Sydney Trains.

Acting Superintendent Stephen Parry said on Monday police had very few recorded interactions over the past 20 years with the man, whom they allege triggered a highly dangerous operation in which emergency responders were at serious risk of death or injury. One shot was fired through the window [of] one of the police cars  if the police vehicle was occupied, that police officer in all likelihood would have sustained fatal injuries, Parry said. Artemios Mintzas has two adult children and works as a customer service attendant for Sydney Trains. Credit: Facebook/Artie Mintzas Its incredible that nobody has died or received significant injuries in relation to this. Parry said that, following initial calls from residents who could hear gun shots, police rushed to the apartment building on Georges River Road, with the gunman continuing to fire.

The bullets narrowly missed them, but their police car was struck, Parry alleged.



The police were actually outside their vehicle when they were first shot at. Theyve retreated tactically and safely, he said. Parry said there were two active crime scenes, including the apartment and an adjacent business on Georges River Road. He said examination of the crime scenes would determine the number of gunshots, but said an estimated 50 bullets were fired, including those fired by police. Police initially estimated 100 rounds might have been discharged. Artemios Mintzas was charged on Monday night. Credit: Nine News Locals said more than 30 police vehicles arrived in the area, and special tactical police were also deployed. Officers developed a plan to storm the building and arrested the man two hours later, seizing the weapon. A long arm, high-calibre rifle has been seized from the scene. At this stage, there are a number of vehicles, a number of premises, which have seen sustained gunshot damage, Parry said.

A motive for the accused is yet to be determined, though Parry said the alleged attack was not motivated against police. Police have not found any manifestos or documentation that would point to a motive, and Mintzas had no reported mental health history with police. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said it was a serious and terrifying incident for those involved, and the attack had no known link to terrorism or gang activity. Some guys windshield blew up, then the bus stop glass shattered. Witness Joe Azar Ive seen body-worn footage where police were forced to take cover while trying to assist members of the public, Lanyon told 2GB on Monday morning. To show that sort of bravery, to put their lives in danger to assist members of the public is probably the greatest honour we can do as police officers.

Lanyon was joined by Premier Chris Minns at Burwood police station on Sunday night. Minns visited the responders after the NRL grand final. Minns praised the police and emergency services who faced the confronting and dangerous situation, saying they responded without hesitation to protect the community. There is no place for this sort of violence in our state, Minns said. A man is taken away from the scene after the Croydon Park shooting. Credit: Nine News Acting Assistant Commissioner Trent King said police were investigating how the accused may have procured the firearm and ammunition allegedly used in the shooting, calling it a horrific situation that was almost unprecedented in Sydney.

Im certainly proud in terms of the police response, King told Nines Today program on Monday. It could have been far worse. NSW Ambulance Superintendent John Millevoi said one alleged victim in their 50s went to Canterbury Hospital with gunshot wounds to their neck and chest, and was then taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The person underwent surgery on Sunday night. NSW Police Acting Superintendent Stephen Parry speaks outside Burwood police station on Sunday night to give an update on the Croydon Park shooting. Credit: Staff From the information I heard, [they were] in a critical condition, Millevoi said. Three patients with less serious injuries went to Campsie police station, he said. Two of those had facial injuries caused by broken glass and were taken to Canterbury Hospital.

Paramedics treated 20 people at the scene, ranging from minor injuries to shock. Of those, five were taken to hospital for further treatment. Michelle, a local, said she was walking along the street when bullets started flying, hitting concrete within a metre of her. Croydon Park local Michelle said a bullet narrowly missed her. Credit: Nine News I saw the bullets had hit, and the cement had actually sprayed out, she said. Office worker Joe Azar said he was working in the Citywide Lending mortgage broker across the road when he heard what he thought were fireworks or rocks being thrown at the windows.

He said his group tried to leave the building before realising they were gunshots. The window the shots were allegedly fired from. Credit: Nine News Some guys windshield blew up, then the bus stop glass shattered, Azar said. The surreal feeling kicked in like, Oh, this is whats happening.  Azar said the group ran back inside, lay on the ground and called police who told them to stay on the floor. It was frantic  it all happened so quick, so I couldnt comprehend what was going on, he said.

Azar said about one hour after the shooting stopped, police gave them the all-clear to exit the building. Local Matt Iocco said he heard loud bangs on Georges River Road. People ducked behind cars and hid, Iocco said. During the chaos, text messages were sent to residents as a police helicopter circled overhead. The public is urged to shelter in place, the text read. Motorists were also urged to stay away.
Peter Costellos baby bonus encouraged Australians to have extra children, particularly among women on low or no incomes, the first research of its kind has confirmed, with each extra child costing taxpayers $86,000.

While the research, by the independent e61 think tank, suggests that in its first year of operation the bonus delivered an extra 16,250 babies, those behind the work cautioned such a generous handout may not work as well today given other financial supports in place for families.

Former treasurer Peter Costello unveiled the baby bonus in 2004. New research it increased births by 1300 a month. Credit: Sandy Scheltema

And the research has already come under fire for ignoring long-term demographic trends and the failure of similar and even more generous pro-baby payment policies across the rest of the world.

The decade-long bonus started in mid-2004 when Costello famously encouraged Australians to have more children, declaring couples should have one for your husband and one for your wife and one for the country.
I think hell thrive as slightly older than younger, she said. Early childhood education expert Kay Margetts estimates the number of children repeating kindergarten has jumped from 3 per cent to 10 per cent in recent years. I think parents these days have a greater awareness of the importance of children being ready to move into school to respond positively to the challenges that school can bring about for children, said Margetts, an associate professor at the University of Melbourne. Early childhood teachers assess childrens transition plan to school from four-year-old kinder, and a funded second year of four-year-old kindergarten is free for children who have delays in two or more developmental areas. Schools can accept students who turn five in prep during April, but any later is a cut-off.

A joint survey of 226 parents by the University of Wollongong and Macquarie University found two-thirds intended to hold back their children from entering school for a year. Their reasons included the childs gender, their socio-emotional and behavioural readiness, concerns about child and family milestones, parents work plans and childcare costs. One survey found two-thirds of parents intended to hold their children back from entering school for a year. Credit: iStock Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that in 2024 there were more than 4000 children in Victoria and 8000 in NSW who repeated a year of state-funded preschool. Peter Hurley, the director of the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University, said the increase in vulnerability for children assessed in the Australian Early Development Census could be due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased stress on families, resulted in increased screen time and meant fewer opportunities for socialising, as well as cost-of-living pressures.

Hurley said families needed to make these decisions based on what was right for them. Loading Overall, student cohorts that start school behind can stay behind, he said. But if students started behind in some areas, he said, with the right support, they could catch up later. Mornington Peninsula mother of three Miranda Foster said each of her children needed different approaches when it came to starting school. After her son repeated, the family was concerned their second child, a daughter, might also need a second year of four-year-old kindergarten.

Our gut feeling was that she wasnt going to be ready. So we raised it really early on with her kinder teacher that we had concerns that she may not be ready for school, and she was very socially anxious, Foster said. We found that a lot of my daughters social anxiety resolved during the extra year of kinder. So we have no regrets repeating her and know that for our daughter it was the right decision. Foster was one of the younger children at school when she was a student. I actually repeated a grade at school and it was very obvious early on that I wasnt coping with school, she said. Fosters daughter began prep this year, and found the transition relatively easy. Her third child, also a daughter, will be going straight to school.

Loading I think it is definitely whats right for your family and whats right for your child, she said. Margetts said that occasionally it was the parents who werent ready to send their child to school. It can be the family  maybe not really wanting to start school, not wanting a child to grow up, she said. I think also its about parents being open to changing their own lifestyles in a way. It can mean changing your daily timetable and habits and making sure you get up early and get prepared and so forth.
BIHAR POLLS: Hold Assembly polls soon afterChhat in minimal phases: Parties to EC





NEW DELHI/PATNA :

POLITICAL parties in Bihar told the Election Commission on Saturday to hold Assembly elections immediately after the Chhat festival toensureincreased voter participation and in as few phases as possible,the poll body said. Chhat, an important festival in Bihar that is celebrated six days after Diwali, will fall on October 25-28 this year. Representatives of six nationalandasmanyStatepartiesinteracted with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar andElectionCommissionersS S Sandhu andVivek JoshiinPatna, officials said. The poll authority is in Patna for two days to take stock of poll preparedness in the state. The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly ends on November 22. The first phase of elections is likely to be held at the end of October, soon after Chhat.

DuringDiwaliandChhat,people employed outside Bihar return home for festivities, and it is considered the best time to hold polls to ensure greater voter participation. To maximise the participation of voters in the elections, political parties suggested that the elections be scheduled immediately after the Chhath festival and for the elections to be completed in as few phases as possible, EC said in a statement. The parties, EC said, thankedit forsuccessfullycompleting the historic special intensive revision (SIR) exercise andpurifying theelectoralrolls and reiterated their faith and trust in the electoral processes. The parties also appreciated the move to reduce the number ofvotersperpolling station from 1500 to 1200 as part of rationalisation. This will ensure less crowded polling stations onvoting day. After Bihar, the polling stationrationalisation exerciseis being held across all states. In2020, thelast assemblypolls in the state were held in three phases under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following theinteractionwith politicalparties,theCommission held a detailed review with administration and police officials on every aspect of election planning, EVM management, seizures, law and order, voter awareness and outreach activities. District officials concerned wereinstructed tomonitorsocial media for fake news and to respond swiftly with appropriate legal action, if required, the EC said. In Patna, Bihar Chief Minister NitishKumarsJD(U)saiditurgedtheElectionCommission toconsider holding assembly polls ina single phase, citing the example of Maharashtra which has alargernumberofconstituencies.

We urged the EC to holdassembly elections in a singlephase. It is possible. The state has nolaw and order problem, nor is itin the throes of Naxal violence.If elections could be held in a single phase in Maharashtra, whynot here? JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha toldreporters after meeting the visiting EC team. TheBJPalsourged theElectionCommission tohold theupcoming Bihar Assembly elections inone or twophases, and to ensurethat women in burqas are properly verified against their voterID photographs at the pollingbooths.
Cgarhs new war doctrineFrom Combat to Control





Staff Reporter :

RaipuR

CHHATTISGARHS latest anti-Maoist strategy marks a clear shift from combat operations to long-term consolidation. A confidential 11-page police dossier, accessed by The Hitavada, outlines a coordinated push across legal, operational, and infrastructural fronts to permanently dismantle insurgent networks, not just contain them. The document stresses precision over numbers. Surrendered Maoist cadres are to be registered, tracked, and assessed for potential use as guides or improvised explosive device (IED) neutralizers under strict supervision. Each district must maintain a live database, complete with biometric records, to prevent reentry of former fighters under false identities. The policy strictly bars minors from the surrender process and insists that once processed, no cadre can slip back into insurgency. The goal is to extract actionable intelligence while ensuring lawful rehabilitation.

On the legal front, prosecution is now integrated into real-time operations. Police have been instructed to prepare arrest memos, seizure lists, and digital evidence during action itself, so that prosecutors can directly align charge-sheets with field intelligence. Special emphasis is laid on the Narayanpur district, where cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) are being fast-tracked with support from the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The focus is to ensure that every encounter or arrest converts into a legally sustainable conviction. Force deployment forms the structural backbone of the dossier. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been asked to redeploy units from stabilized zones into vulnerable regions. Atthe same time, theBorder SecurityForce (BSF) andIndoTibetanBorderPolice(ITBP)are tasked with setting up smaller, mobile posts in potential Maoist revival pockets. This flexible model aims to close escaperoutes andreduce thedangersofcrossfire through tighter coordination between units. Infrastructure planning is being synchronized with security expansion.

The Border Roads Organization (BRO)andPublic WorksDepartment (PWD)have been directed to construct access roads and culverts to forward posts. Bore wells are to be drilled in advance, starting with the Idvaya-Ader axis, to ensure water security at camps.Reliance JioInfocomm Limited (RJIL)hasbeenpressed to activate pending telecom towers since delaysin network coveragehavehamperedcoordination. New road and camp projects under SpecialCentral Assistance (SCA) are being launched simultaneously to guarantee troop mobility regardless of weather conditions.Foroversight, thedossier mandates that every district submit weekly composite reports detailing recoveries of IEDsandliterature,arrests,surrenders, and civic outreach operations, supported by photographs.

This integrated reporting grid ensures that intelligence, prosecution, and field operations move in syncturning Chhattisgarhs anti-Maoist campaign fromacycleofoffensives into a sustained strategy for stability. The report concludes starklystating that troopmovements are shrinking rebel space, new infrastructure is breaking isolation,andUAPAcasesare turningmere associationintopunishment. Controlled surrenders, it adds, use insider knowledge forstate advantage. Theoverallstrategy,thedossier says,isnotjust tocontaininsurgency but to eliminateit denyingrebels time,ground,and the chance to regroup, and ensuring every clash ends decisively throughmilitary action,legal pressure, or psychological control
MISSION SUDARSHAN CHAKRA India buys high-firing air defence guns





By Ajit Dubey

NEW DELHi

IN A step towards providing protection to population centres and centres of faith close to the border with Pakistan, the Indian Army has issued a tender to buy six AK-630 30mm guns from a State-owned firm, which is being seen as one of the pillars of the Mission Sudarshan Chakra. The tender for buying the air defence system has been issued as part of lessons learnt during Operation Sindoor, where the Pakistan Army carried out direct attacks on civilians and religious buildings in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Mission Sudarshan Chakra is Indias plan to create a comprehensive, multi-layered, indigenous security shield by 2035, integrating surveillance, cyber security, and air defence systems to protect key installations from various enemy attacks.

Launched on Indias Independence Day in 2025 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mission aims to provide both a defensive barrier and a potential offensive capability, aligning with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative to enhance self-reliance in defence technology. Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday had warned Pakistan against terrorist activities in India and asserted that India would not show any restraint in Operation Sindoor 2.0. Indian Army Air Defence has floated an RFP for the procurement of six AK630 Air Defence Gun Systems* with Advanced Weapon and Equipment India Ltd (AWEIL). The system sought is a 30mm multi-barrel mobile air defence gun system with a high rate of fire, defence officials told ANI.

The gun system will be mounted on a trailer and towed by a high mobility vehicle. AK630 will be utilised to thwart the threat from URAM (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Rocket, Artillery and Mortar) and will be used for the protection of key population centres and Centres of Faith* in close proximity to the international border and Line of Control, they said. The Gun systems will have a range of up upto 4km* with a cyclic rate of fire of up upto 3000 rounds per minute. The system will also form one of the essential pillars of the Sudarshan Chakra shield being developed and will be *integrated in the overall air defence architecture. The Indian Armys Army Air Defence played a key role in thwarting Pakistani aerial attacks using drones and aircraft.
Pakistan under fire for systematic persecution of Ahmadis, Hindus, Christians





CHENAB NAGAR :

PAKISTAN continues to face global condemnation for its deep-rooted religious intolerance, as highlighted in a recent country update, citing the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The report denounces Pakistans systematic persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and the alarming increase in forced conversions andblasphemy-relatedviolence across the country, as reported by Rabwah Times. According toRabwahTimes, Pakistans Penal Code openly discriminates againstAhmadis, barring them from identifying as Muslims or practising their faith publicly.

The USCIRF report documented a disturbing surge in violence against Ahmadis in 2025, including the demolition of three Ahmadi mosques in Punjab within a span of ten days in February. In April, a mob of over 400 attacked another Ahmadi mosque and brutally lynched Laeeq Cheema, an Ahmadi activist who had been documenting previous assaults. Police later arrested 13 individuals linked to the killing. In Karachi, two Ahmadi men were attacked inside a courtroom in March, leading to the death of one, Tahir Mahmood. In another tragic case, an Ahmadi named Sheikh Mahmoodwas gunneddownin Sargodhaafterreceivingrepeated death threats.

The report further revealed how authorities in Punjab excluded Ahmadis from property auctions and even registeredcases against 42members for praying in a private home. During Eid, courts ordered police to stop Ahmadis from congregating, resulting in the arrest of 22 worshippers in Sialkot. Forced conversions of Hindu and Christian girls persist in Sindh and Punjab, often involving abduction, coercion, and forced marriage. Legal reforms remain limited to Islamabad, with conservative religiousbodiesdismissingnew laws asun-Islamic, as citedby Rabwah Times.

Hindu youth brutally beaten for eating at a dhaba in Paks Sindh

KOTRI,

Oct 4 (ANI)

A DISTURBING incident of caste-based discrimination has surfaced in Kotri, Sindh, whereayoung man from the Hindu Bagri community was brutally assaulted for dining at a local dhaba, as reported by The Express Tribune. According to The Express Tribune,the victim,identified as Dolat Bagri, had gone to a roadsideeatery forlunchwhen the hotel owner and several others objected to his presence.Thegroupreportedly tied Dolats hands and feet withrope,beathimmercilessly, and looted Rs 60,000 from his pockets. Despite his pleas for mercy, the assailants continued to attack him for daring to eat there.Avideo of the assaultlaterwentviralonsocial media,promptingoutrageand calls for justice. Following the uproar, Kotri police registered a case on Dolats complaint against seven accused,Fayyaz Ali,ArshadAli,MoeenAli,Shafi Muhammad, Niaz, Dar Muhammad,andIkram,along with the hotel owner.

4 men found executed in Balochistan

BALOCHISTAN,

Oct 4 (ANI)

THE discovery of four bodies across Balochistan this week has reignited outrage over the ongoing wave of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the province. Families and rights groups have blamed Pakistani security forces and state-backed militias forwhat theydescribe as systematic violence against civilians. The victims had been missing for several days before theirbodieswere recovered, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, three men identified asQuddousBaloch, son of Umaid; Neik Saal Baloch, son of Dilwash; and Nazar ArzMuhammad, son of Arz Muhammad, were found dead in the Sorap Dam area of Buleda in Kech district. All three were drivers engagedincross-border trade. Their families stated that on September 30,Pakistani security forces and members of a pro-government militia, locally known as a death squad, detained them. The next day, on October 1, their bullet-riddledbodieswerediscovered.
Sailing Beyond Shores: Capt Gaurav Gautam inspires audience with The Reeva Project







By Shashwat Bhuskute :

WHEN you live on the ocean, every litre of water and every bolt on your boat matters. You learn to repair, conserve, and respect what the sea gives you. With this simple but powerful reflection, Captain Gaurav Gautam (Retd) opened his talk, immediately drawing the audience into the uncharted life he and his family have chosen aboard their sailboat Reeva. Hosted on Saturday evening at the Institute of Engineers, the event was organised by Rotary Club of Nagpur Fort in association with Rotary Club of Nagpur South East. The hall was packed to capacity, with listeners following every story and image in his presentation with rapt attention. The turnout was excellent, and the mood throughout remained one of excitement and wonder.

From the outset, Captain Gautam made clear that his familys choice was not about escape but about embracing a life of meaning through minimalism, conservation, and courage. After serving the Indian Navy for 25 years, Captain Gautam decided in 2022 to step away from the structured routines of service and land life. Together with his wife, Vaidehi Chitnavis, and their daughter Kaeya, he embarked on an unconventional voyage: selling nearly everything they owned and reducing their possessions from 6,000 kilograms to a mere 120 kilograms to fit into their new floating home,a42-foot sailboat named Reeva. Explaining the important Ws - Why, When, Where, and till When, he shared that the familys choice was born of a desire to live freely, to learn continuously, and to contribute to ocean awareness. They bought Reeva in Southeast Asia and have since travelled across Thailand, Malaysia, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, often spending long stretches away from marinas.

Central to his message was the art of minimalism. When you live at sea, everything has to be pared down to the essential, he explained, describing the tough choices involved in giving up possessions, including family heirlooms, for the sake of mobility and purpose. This minimalism, however, is coupled with responsibility: the family advocates for ocean conservation and sustainable practices, sharing stories of marine life, plastic pollution, and the fragile ecosystems they encounter. He also addressed why very few Indian families take to such a lifestyle. Cultural habits, financial concerns, and lack of familiarity with sailing traditions in India, he suggested, often discourage people from seeing life at sea as a viable option. One of the most striking aspects of the talk was the way the family has chosen to raise their 15 year old daughter, Kaeya, on board.

Home-schooled with online resources, she also receives a living education from the sea itself: learning about navigation, marine biology, and diverse cultures encountered along the way. Education is not confined to classrooms, Gautam said, as the audience listened with admiration. The presentation blended technical details, such as specifications of Reeva and the mechanics of longterm sailing, with deeply personal reflections on resilience, adaptability, and family life. Every story carried a message of hope and possibility. Audience members were visibly energised, many expressing awe at the familys courage and curiosity. Jayant Warankar, President congratulated Capt Gautam with a bouquet and Devayani Tak, Secretary proposed the vote of thanks. As the evening closed, Captain Gautam left the gathering with a thought that summed up his familys voyage: The ocean teaches you to be humble, resourceful, and alive to every moment. We are not just sailing seas, we are sailing life itself.
TOUGH WORD





F OR the first time, a Chief of Staff of the Indian Army has used the tough word against Pakistan. If it does not stop its indulgence in terrorism, then India will wipe out Pakistan, he thundered as he addressed soldiers in a cantonment. The reference was, obviously, to Operation Sindoor and its success, but General Upendra Dwivedi went a step forward and said that Indias next response would be far more tough and decisive if Pakistan continued its indulgence in terrorism in any manner. India would not mind taking the extreme step to wipe out Pakistan. This assertion did not catch the nation by surprise because the Army chief was only reflecting the national mood. In the past some time, statements about Pakistan from Indian leadership -- whether political or military -- have been getting stronger in tone and tenor.

There is a complete unanimity among the leaders that Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir would one day merge in India as part of natural flow of history. This sentiment is visible in public mood as well -- so much so that the common people in the street wondered why the Government did not snatch back PoK as part of Operation Sindoor. On many occasions in the past couple of years, many Indian leaders -- political or military -- have stated that taking back Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir is only a matter of time and choice. However, the tough word about wiping out Pakistan if it did not stop its indulgence in terrorism peaks the Indian sentiment about Pakistan. General Upendra Dwivedi was deliberate in making that statement obviously because he has been authorised by the Government to say so in unequivocal terms. The Army chief knows every nuance of what he said.

He also knows that wiping out a country from the map is a very big challenge with innumerable practical difficulties (that may sound impossible at times). Despite that, General Dwivedi chose to make the statement -- not just for optics but with a clear purpose of telling the world how Pakistan is pushing India to a point of precipitation. As Army chief, it is General Dwivedis duty to assure the soldiers of the countrys intrinsic military strength, political will, and national resolve. But it is clear that the General did not make the statement for cosmetic purpose. Much to the contrary, he wished to communicate to his soldiers -- and also to the nation (and the world) -- that if pushed hard beyond its limit of patience, India would not mind going for Pakistans jugular vein.

The nation cherishes such resolve.It is necessary to understand that when an Army chief makes such a statement, he is conscious of the intrinsic military strength the country has amassed over time. It is common knowledge that in the past some time, Indias military preparedness has been on an ascendency in several ways. Backed by a strong economy and stronger popular resolve and political will, the Indian Armed Forces -- Army, Navy, and Air Force -- and its multiple extensions have become strong enough to undertake a full scale war required to wipe out a militarily strong country like Pakistan. The question is not just about the countrys military strength, but also of the nations will to go through the dirty rigours of war that may take a long time to get over. General Upendra Dwivedi also is fully conscious of all these dimensions, and yet chose to utter the tough word. That points to the direction that the thinking is taking in corridors of power in India.
Innovation at the Service of Fashion

PARIS, Oct. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On 29 September 2025, Shenzhen Futian Fashion Day returned to Paris for its second edition, as part of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode's "Welcome to Paris" program. Organized by the Bay Area Sustainable Fashion Alliance (BASFA), with support from the Futian District Government in Shenzhen, the event featured collections by three womenswear companies: NEXY.CO, YINER, and LAUREL (Ellassay Group). The aim was to promote cultural exchange and showcase the creativity of Chinese fashion on the international stage.

Three Distinct Visions of Modern Femininity

NEXY.CO, a high-end brand under EEKA Fashion Group, blends European refinement with Oriental heritage. Its Spring-Summer 2026 collection, The Time of MULAN, pays tribute to modern womenresilient and graceful like the magnolia flower.

YINER, the flagship brand of YINGER Fashion Group, merges Eastern and Western influences with subtle elegance. Its new collection, The Order of Nature, uses fruit as a metaphor for growth, guided by the golden spiral as a visual theme.

LAUREL, originally founded in Munich and now under Ellassay Group, draws from Bauhaus aesthetics and German craftsmanship. Its latest collection, The Eternity of Order, emphasizes geometric structure and timeless femininity through bold tailoring and natural materials.

Futian: China's Rising Fashion Hub

Located in central Shenzhen, Futian District is emerging as a strategic pillar of China's fashion industry, alongside finance and tech. In 2024, the added value of the fashion industry accounted for 15% of regional GDP, with over 1,700 significant enterprises generating more than 524 billion yuan in annual revenue. Anchored by the Bay Area Fashion Center, home to 30+ top brands, Futian is now an innovation-driven fashion cluster with global influence.

Partnerships and Innovation

This edition featured an MOU signing between BASFA and Luxurynsight, a French SaaS platform supporting global expansion for luxury brands. Futian's brands and designers will now gain access to top-tier analytics tools.

The event also integrated emerging technologies, with an AI-generated soundtrack accompanying the runway blending tradition with digital artistry.

The district is also making advancements in smart wearables, digital avatars, and AI-powered fashion.

With initiatives like the Istituto Marangoni's new China campus in Futian, the district cements its role as a future-forward fashion epicenter.

Shenzhen Futian Fashion Day in Paris 2025 celebrated design, innovation, and cross-cultural collaborationredefining China's place in global fashion.

SOURCE Shenzhen Futian Fashion Day during the Spring/Summer 2026 Paris Fashion Week
DESAM urges

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IMPHAL, Oct 4 : The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has urged the relevant authorities to address the issues regarding the implementation of the fourth-year undergraduate programme in the State.

In a statement, DESAM announced that the organization will hold a meeting with representatives of college students' unions on October 6 to discuss the issue.

Two orders were issued on August 26 and 29, 2025, concerning the fee structure and admission process for the programme, but no initiatives have been taken to address the needs of teachers, DESAM claimed.

Alleging that the Government instructed college Principals to independently arrange teachers for the programme, DESAM ques- tioned how Principals are expected to manage this responsibility without adequate support.

Alleging that some college Principals are issuing advertisements for teacher recruitment, it urged them to halt the practice.

DESAM suggested that the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) should handle the recruitment process if there is a shortage of teaching staff.

Implementing a 4-year undergraduate programme in every college would be impractical, DESAM said and suggested that the programme be introduced in select colleges that can offer honors and research facilities.

The Organisation also called for a mass rationalisation of teachers to address shortage of teaching staff.
Meitei man rescued

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Imphal, Sep 4 : Central paramilitary personnel, in a special operation, rescued a 35-year-old man, a Meitei who had strayed into Kangpokpi district, where the Kuki-Zo tribal community observed Separation Day at the Martyrs Cemetery on Friday.

According to Manipur police reports issued on Saturday, security forces rescued Soyam Sanayamba Thomas (35), a resident of Thamnapokpi village under Yaingangpokpi police station in Imphal East district.

He had strayed into Twinomjang village in Kangpokpi district.

The police reported that the rescued individual has been safely handed over to his family.

North East Now
Beneath the toughness of the dura lies a layer called the arachnoid mater. Transparent and delicate, it drapes the brain like the finest of veils. One of my favourite writers, Maria Popova, once wrote that the brain is a cathedral built of gossamer threads, and nowhere is that truer than in the arachnoid. Under the microscope, it looks less like a membrane and more like spun sugar, or a spiders web catching morning dew. It is beautiful, but it is also treacherous. When blood seeps into it, the cathedral darkens.

One evening, a woman in her fifties was rushed in with the sudden, thunderclap headache that makes every doctor move faster. It felt like something exploded in my head, she whispered on meeting me. She wasnt exaggerating. A CT scan confirmed a subarachnoid haemorrhageblood flooding into the delicate space beneath the arachnoid membrane. The culprit was a ruptured aneurysm at the junction of the anterior communicating artery, a tiny outpouching of vessel wall that had finally given way.

The thing about subarachnoid haemorrhage is its drama. Patients go from reading the newspaper to collapsing on the bathroom floor in minutes. Families describe it as she was fine, and then she wasnt. The arachnoid space, meant to cradle cerebrospinal fluid in quiet suspension, suddenly becomes a pool of bloodirritating, inflaming, threatening. It is one of the few neurosurgical emergencies that unites every departmentthe ER, radiology, the ICU, and the operating theatrein a single collective gasp.

Surgery in these cases is not for the faint-hearted. Under the microscope, I opened the dura and began to peel back the arachnoid. It shimmered under the light, so fine you feared a breath could tear it. As the microscope magnified, you could see its filaments stretch across the sulci like tiny suspension bridges. To cut them is both delicate and dramatic, each incision revealing the anatomy beneath with the satisfaction of lifting tissue paper from a fragile relic.

The blood had matted down the arachnoid, staining its transparency and sticking it to the brain. I irrigated gently, teasing apart its folds. Every movement was slow, deliberate, reverent. And then, nestled in its web, the aneurysm revealed itselfa fragile blister on a vital artery, still oozing faintly.

Clipping an aneurysm is a test of nerve and humility. You dissect along vessels that supply thought, memory, speech, and movement, knowing that one wrong tug could silence them forever. The arachnoid is your guide and your obstacle, its translucent threads leading you toward danger but demanding that you not rush. Once the aneurysms neck was isolated, I placed a titanium clip across it, a tiny clothespin that would stop the bleeding but preserve the vessel. The moment the clip locked, the theatre seemed to exhale.

She woke the next morning drowsy but intact, her first words being, The pain is gone. Her family wept with relief, and one of them asked if the clip would set off airport security scanners. I assured them it wouldnt. Neurosurgery has enough drama; we try to avoid comedy at immigration!

The arachnoid space, once bathed in blood, would take weeks to clear, but her recovery was underway. She walked out of hospital lighter than when she had been carried in.

The arachnoid is often overlooked in anatomy classes, sandwiched between the duras toughness and the pias intimacy. But it is where life can turn in an instant. It is the lace veil that can be lifted to reveal beauty or torn to reveal catastrophe. In surgery, it teaches patience: the art of not rushing through the delicate in search of the dramatic.

There are many curves in a surgeons careerof learning, of judgment, of humility. The arachnoid, with its shimmering transparency, adds another: the curve of reverence. It reminds us that within this gossamer veil lies the difference between a mind extinguished and a mind preserved.

And sometimes, amid all the solemnity, you find humour too. When she visited me weeks later, the woman said, Doctor, I survived an explosion in my head. Now my husband cant complain when I shop for fireworks at Diwali.

The arachnoid may be spun like a spiders web, but its lessons are anything but fragile.

The author is consultant neurosurgeon at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai.
AFTER YOU READ MY LETTER, I would appreciate it if you would turn to Page 9 and read 16-year-old Chris Rennie Dominics note to Resident Editor R. Prasannan. The Bengaluru boy disagrees with Prasannans column in the last issue, and argues his case wellwithout the name-calling and often illogically emotional outbursts that inhabit comment boxes online.

Well done, Chris. You care enough about issues to respond. As a senior citizen, I am often dejected when young people say they do not care about politics. May your tribe continue to reject broken systems handed down to you, and together build a world better than the one I inherited and live in.

I am sure Prasannan will write to you personally and argue his case. He is a judges son, after all. And, if I may add, THE WEEKs first trainee, too. In 1982, THE WEEK began with just him and editor V.K.B. Nair sitting at the farthest ends of a long desk. Thanks again for writing, Chris, and accept the warm wishes of an editor and grandfather who has grandchildren older than you.

Imaging: Binesh Sreedharan

This weeks cover on the toothless Right to Information Act highlights the anger that birthed the Act and the storm that could eventually brew if governments withhold the publics right to know. Senior Correspondent Nirmal Jovial notes that more than 100 transparency activists have lost their lives in the pursuit of truth. He begins with the murder of Satish Shetty on January 13, 2010, in Talegaon Dabhade, Maharashtra.

Nirmal also travelled to Beawar in Rajasthan, where the demand for the RTI Act was first raised in September 1995, during a 40-day dharna organised by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS). He interviewed MKSS co-founder Aruna Roy to provide context to the movement. In Devdungari, Rajasthan, he met Sushila, who gave us the famous and earthy answer to why we need RTI: Hamara paisa, hamara hisaab (our money, our accounts).

In other political stories, we look at the developments in Ladakh. The developments are special to us as Sonam Wangchuk was our Man of the Year 25 years ago. Former deputy chief of bureau Vijaya Pushkarna met him for that cover story. He shared the bitter tale of being whipped in school at Nubra Valley150km from his home in Uleytopkoand then being called a dunce at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Srinagar. But he had relatively happy memories of his time in Vishesh Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi, where he joined in Class 7.

When people see only Wangchuks present anger, I cannot help but see the boy from the bleak mountains who has always yearned for better days for his people.

In other political news, Chief of Bureau (Mumbai) Dnyanesh Jathar interviews Maharashtras Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on the Maratha reservation issue. Senior Assistant Editor Pratul Sharma marks the 100th anniversary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The RSS is trying to present itself as more inclusive, Pratul says, even as the assertion of Hindutva identity remains prominent in the political environment.

In @leisure, Special Correspondent Anjuly Mathai interviews Kiran Desai on her new book. Desai admits that she sees the dark side of loneliness, but also sees the worth of being alone as an artist, a writer and a woman. I re-read the line a few times, but fail to see the bright side of being lonely.

But then, that is me. And I have not won a Booker.
Two Sonam Wangchuks have done India proud in recent timesone a soldier, the other a civilian. Both have fought, or been fighting, battles to save their native Ladakh for India. One got a Maha Vir Chakra and retired as a colonel. The other got a Magsaysay and is in jail.

First about the soldier. Sonam joined the Army in 1987, fought insurgents in the northeast and the LTTE in Sri Lanka, and was posted to Ladakh Scouts as a major when the Kargil war broke out. There he scored the first victory for the Indian Army by capturing Chorbat La, earning an MVC.

The Kargil war was all about saving Ladakh. Pakistanis had occupied the heights in the winter of 1998-99, and were firing at Indian convoys carrying food, fuel and firearms up the highway to Ladakh. Their plan, which was to cut Indias main supply line and capture Ladakh, was foiled because two Ladakhi yak-herds alerted the Army about the intrusion. The timely alert enabled India to launch operations before the enemy came in force.

Imaging: Deni Lal

The other Sonam too had been working to save Ladakhnot only from the Chinese and Pakistanis, but also from perdition. Ragged in his Srinagar school for his rustic accent and mountain ways, he ran away to Delhi where he worked his way to a BTech, and an architecture degree from France. Then he returned to serve his people, improve their lives, reform their schools, innovate ways to store stream water as ice stupas (how natively innovative!), save glaciers, and preserve their fragile culture and frigid environment.

He had also been ticking the right boxes of patriotism. When the Chinese came into Galvan in 2020, he mobilised his people against them and got them to boycott Chinese goods. When he heard that our troops in Ladakh were freezing at their icy posts, he innovated heat-trapping solar-powered tents for them. When rulers in Delhi scrapped the special status of Jammu & Kashmir and separated Buddhist-majority Ladakh, he hailed the decision which, he and his co-Ladakhis thought, would free them from the misrule of Srinagar, get them jobs, and give them a free hand to preserve their culture, promote their language, and let them live their lives their way.

Sadly Delhi rule was found to be worse than Srinagars. It didnt give them jobs, it let outsiders into Ladakh causing fears of a cultural invasion and an environment disaster, and it hasnt given them a representative government. Sonam launched protests; Delhi has thrown the man from snowland into a jail in blazing-hot Rajasthan.

As the two yak-herds proved in Kargil, as have several tribes in the northeast over the decades, the natives on the frontiers are the eyes and ears of the army. Winning their hearts and minds is not the job of the army alone, but also of the nations rulers in Delhi. Delhis bold move to scrap J&Ks special status has brought peace to the valley; in the process it has kindled unrest among a most loyal people on a fragile frontier.

Delhi sees the trees, but misses the woods. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi, Indias rulers have been mistaking border security for national security. A boundary is a line; a border is the land up to the line; a frontier is the vast marches on both sides of the line. Boundaries are manned by the paramilitary. Borders are guarded by the military. Frontiers need strategists and statesmen to manage.

We guard the borders and boundaries, but neglect the frontiers. In the process, we also turn loyal frontiersmen into resentful rebelson the Naga hills, in the Manipur valley, and now on the Ladakh mountains!

prasannan@theweek.in
The speculations that Russia was planning to supply RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for integration into the JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets had turned into a political issue, with Congress hitting out at the Centre for the failure of Prime Minister Modis personalised brand of diplomacy. However, the latest reports hint that Russia has no such plans.

According to a Russian official, there is no confirmation on such a development. It looks illogical for serious and professional observers, who trace big deals ahead between Russia and India. Dont have such a level of cooperation with Pakistan, which would make India feel uncomfortable, the unnamed source told WiON.

The source added that someone was trying to compromise exceptionally promising and forward-looking cooperation, in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putins impending visit to India in December.

Though there was no official confirmation in this regard, the Congress had weaponised the rumours against the Centre. The report was that Moscow was moving ahead with plans to supply advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistans fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. The deal was moving forward despite direct interventions by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in June 2025, according to the post by Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh.

However, BJP leader Amit Malviya hit back at the reports, stating there was no official confirmation or credible source to support the claims of engine supply. Russia has dismissed reports of Moscow proceeding with the supply of RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for integration into the JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets. Jairam Ramesh relied on a story published by NBT, which in turn quoted a little-known website notorious for pushing pro-Pakistan propaganda, Malviya said, calling it reckless information warfare.

The Congresss communication head, yet again, choosing to side with the enemy instead of standing with India, the post read.
Sharing details of the meeting on X, Goyal said, "Met Manish Pant, Executive Vice President, International Operations, and Mr. Devinder Kishore, Senior Vice President, Marketing, International Operations, @SchneiderElec. Had a productive discussion on strengthening Schneider Electric's engagement in India and expanding collaboration across sectors such as energy efficiency, automation, and digital solutions."

Schneider Electric, a multinational specialising in energy management and automation, has had a long-standing presence in India, focusing on advancing smart manufacturing and green energy solutions.

At the same time, Goyal also interacted with other members of the Indian business community during the "India-Singapore @60: Partnership for Growth & Engagement" business session, marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

In another post on X, he said, "Very engaging interaction with the visiting Indian business delegation in Singapore. Encouraged them to tap into opportunities, build partnerships, and showcase India's strengths as a trusted global investment destination."

According to a government release, the event was co-organised by FICCI, CII, and ASSOCHAM on October 4, 2025, and saw the participation of senior government officials, business leaders, and representatives from both countries.

Goyal delivered the keynote address, highlighting the steady progress made in India-Singapore relations over the past six decades and the potential for deeper cooperation in areas such as sustainability, digitalisation, skills development, and advanced manufacturing.

Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Republic of Singapore, reaffirmed the close economic ties between the two countries and emphasized strengthening innovation-driven collaboration.

The session also included bilateral meetings with global investors and CEOs, aimed at exploring future areas of partnership. The event concluded with a networking lunch that encouraged business-to-business engagement and laid the groundwork for new collaborative ventures. (ANI)
As Bihar braces for the Assembly elections, most surveys are hinting at a favourable outcome for the ruling NDA coalition. While the Mahagathbandhan initially showed signs of resurgence, opinion polls and political analysts are placing their bets on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, despite an anti-incumbency factor at play.

Preparations are in full swing with the JDU taking the lead, hoping to retain power. The chatter is that the JD(U) wants a good number of seats so that there isnt any leadership talk from the BJP camp. As per surveys, Nitish clearly enjoys a strong local support, and the public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi will translate into votes for him.

All the while, issues plague the Mahagathbandhan, especially on seat sharing. The going is likely to get tough for the Opposition coalition led by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, according to political analysts.

These are some of the factors that could influence the outcome for the Opposition coalition.

1) Nitish Kumar-Narendra Modi combo: The Opposition still hasnt got a face that is strong enough to take on either Nitish Kumar or Narendra Modi. Modis popularity and Nitish Kumar's administrative acumen have changed the electoral equation. Surveys show that Nitish's experience and Modi's charisma are strengthening the NDA. Though Tejashwi is seen as a popular face, there is still no confirmation from the Congress or allies in the Mahagathbandhan about him being the Chief Minister face of the alliance.

According to a recent survey, Nitish Kumar still leads the preferred CM race with 27% people backing him. Only 25 per cent think Tejashwi Yadav makes a good chief minister.

2) Dissent within Mahagathbandhan: Cracks are showing within the grand alliance, especially over seat sharing. Recently, the Left parties came out publicly seeking their share of the seats and publicly attacking the leaders for the delay in announcing the seat-sharing formula. The CPM and CPI state this could lead to 'confusion' and highlight the weakness in the grand alliance. The Congress also wants to follow the Maharashtra formula in Bihar, where it faced the elections without a CM face. The RJD is dismayed by this approach and fears the debacle in Maharashtra will repeat in Bihar.

3) Failure to connect with people: A recent survey had hinted that Rahul Gandhis vote chori claims didnt seem to have the desired effect, as 52 per cent of the population believes his allegations are baseless. The survey also reveals that the Biharis are most worried about law, identity, and jobs.

As for the NDA, the BJP is announcing sops to lure voters, including the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, under which 75 lakh domiciled women in Bihar will get a one-time payment of Rs 10,000 for starting self-reliant work. The PM has also targeted the RJD and Congress for wrecking the education system in Bihar.

4) A weak Congress dragging down RJD: Congress is currently not in a position of strength in Bihar, though it is the second largest party in the Grand Alliance after RJD. But, many feel Rahul wasted Tejashwis time by dragging him to the Vote Chori issue, which failed to resonate among voters. Many in the RJD feel Congress isnt doing its part as Rahul Gandhi is on a foreign trip and Mallikarjun Kharge is unwell and on rest.

Though Congress has its reasons for not naming Tejashwi as CM face - his court cases along with Lalu Prasad Yadav - the partys stance of never compromising on leadership in past alliances is not working in its favour in Bihar.

5) Entry of Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj: Political analysts believe Prashant Kishors entry could eat into the vote base of both NDA and Mahagathbandhan. Kishor is simultaneously challenging both dominant coalitions in Bihar, though his strategy has been mostly against the ruling party. But, he minced no words, attacking the Yadav family. What is there to say about the RJD? Tejashwi said his party would come out with a list of corrupt politicians. He will have to start with his parents, Kishor recently said.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has said that the Bihar Assembly elections will be completed before November 22, when the term of the 17th Bihar Assembly ends.

The CEC was talking to reporters from Patna after completing the two-day tour of the state, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sindhu and Vivek Joshi.

Gyanesh Kumar said most political parties were in favour of the polls being held "immediately after Chhath", the most popular festival of Bihar, which falls later this month. The EC statement added that the process will be completed "in as few phases as possible".

There are 243 general constituencies in Bihar. Elections will be held before November 22. The EC team has been in Bihar for the past two days and held discussions with police administration and heads of enforcement agencies, Kumar said.

The EC statement also thanked the political parties for the "successful completion" of the "historic" Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. Kumar also asked political parties to remember that, as "significant stakeholder in a strong democracy", they were supposed to "fully participate" in the election "at every stage".
The Odisha government has suspended internet services in Cuttack for 24 hours following fresh incidents of violence in the city. The Odisha police have reportedly arrested six rioters in connection with the case.

Cuttack remained tense on Sunday following fresh incidents of violence linked to a group clash two days ago during a Durga idol immersion procession. Defying prohibitory orders, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members organised a motorcycle rally in the evening in Cuttack.

According to authorities, internet services have been suspended in areas under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Development Authority (CDA), and the adjoining 42 Mauza region, from 7pm on Sunday to 7pm on Monday to prevent the spread of misinformation.

According to police, shops in the Gourishankar Park area were allegedly set on fire after police stopped the procession. CCTV cameras on the route have also been damaged.

The VHP rally began at Bidyadharpur on the eastern outskirts of the city and moved through key areas. The rally also passed through Dargah Bazar locality - the epicentre of the violence that took place on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday - before ending at Sector 11 of CDA on the city's western fringe.

Clashes broke out in the Daraghabazar area on Saturday when an immersion procession was heading towards Debigara on the banks of the Kathajodi river. According to officials, the clash broke out after some locals objected to high-decibel music played during the procession.

Allegedly, a mob started pelting stones and glass bottles from rooftops on the processions, injuring several revellers. Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo also suffered injuries.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik urged citizens to maintain communal harmony. Majhi warned that strict action will be taken against violators.

In a statement, the chief minister urged the public to maintain peace.

"Cuttack is a thousand-year-old city known for its brotherhood. Due to the actions of some miscreants, the peace of the city has been disturbed in recent days," he stated.

Expressing concern, former CM Patnaik said Odisha has the reputation of being a peace-loving state.
As the Socio-economic and Educational Survey, also referred to as caste survey, is currently underway in Karnataka amid strong objections from the opposition parties, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has directed officials to avoid asking questions that are personal in nature.

The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes at a cost of Rs 420 crore, began on September 22 and is scheduled to continue until October 7.

"I have told officials not to ask people in Bengaluru about how many chicken, sheep and goat people are rearing, and how much gold they have. They are personal matters. There is no need to ask about how many watches or fridge they have. I have advised them that there is no need to ask such questions. I don't know what they will do, because it is an independent commission, Shivakumar said while talking to reporters in Bengaluru.

VIDEO | Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar says, "The socio-educational survey will continue, no matter who opposes it."#Karnataka #SocioEducationalSurvey



(Full video available on PTI Videos  https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/qVUmXlnBRu  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 5, 2025

The survey, which is being carried out amid boycott calls from various organisations, uses a 60-question questionnaire, according to officials.

Last week, the Karnataka High Court rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a stay on the caste enumeration. The court, however, clarified that participation in the survey is not mandatory and directed the government to make a public announcement stating that providing information is voluntary.

Shivakumar said there is no meaning in opposing the survey as he called for peoples participation in the exercise.

"Let anyone raise any objection, it (survey) has to be done. Court has said that the survey is voluntary and people can answer what they want and not bother if they don't want to answer any question," he said.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leaders Bussy N. Anand and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar have moved the Supreme Court seeking anticipatory bail amid probe over the tragic stampede during TVK leader Vijay's campaign in Karur recently.

Two key functionaries of the party have moved the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail after the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court dismissed their plea. According to reports, the petitioners are planning to urge the top court to consider their plea urgently as it resumes regular hearing after puja holidays from Monday.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu police have formed special teams to nab the key leaders of TVK in connection with the probe into the tragic stampede. The leaders have been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

As many as 41 people died during TVK's rally in Karur on September 27. Over 50 people suffered injuries in the incident. The Madras High Court has ordered a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) over the tragic incident. The SIT led by senior police officer Asra Garg visited Karur on Sunday and began its probe.

The Madras High Court came down heavily on TVK and the Tamil Nadu government over the incident. The High Court observed actor-politician Vijay fled the scene after the incident and lacked "remorse". "Unfortunate to record that such a leadership is of poor quality, the Court observed.
The first international flight from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to take off sometime in November-December this year, despite the airport's inauguration on October 8 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after several false starts.

#WATCH | Mumbai | On PM Modi to inaugurate Navi Mumbai Airport, CIDCO Vice Chairman & Managing Director Vijay Singhal says, "The second airport of Navi Mumbai International Airport will be inaugurated by our PM Modi on October 8. He will land at Navi Mumbai International Airport pic.twitter.com/kSTDazo6V1  ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2025

This is because after the inauguration, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will take 45-60 days to deploy security arrangements here. This includes installing and testing security equipment, screening machines, metal detectors, and security protocols.

A Loksatta report also points out that in a few years, the airport will be connected to Mumbai via road (Atal Setu, or Mumbai's trans harbour link), water (proposed water taxi connection), metro (proposed Metro Line 8, also called the Gold Line), and rail (proposed Mumbai-Hyderabad bullet train project).

Spanning an area of 1,160 hectares (2866.4 acres), Mumbai Metropolitan Region's second airport is expected to open in five phases.

#NaviMumbaiAirport carried out a Departure Trial as part of the #ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) programme, an important step in assessing operational preparedness.



The simulation involved cross-functional stakeholders working together to test key processes pic.twitter.com/tI3O7B0Tcd  Navi Mumbai International Airport (@navimumairport) July 8, 2025

The first phase will begin with one runway and a terminal building to facilitate 20 million passengers annually. By the fifth phase, it will feature four terminals and two runways, handling a combined capacity (with Mumbai's other airport) of 155 million passengers per year.

The airport projectjointly owned by Adani Airport Holdings (74 per cent) and CIDCO (26 per cent)is also expected to generate 2 lakh jobs across various sectors, a Moneycontrol report said.

However, netizens have also highlighted concerns with the airport's inauguration being rushed.

"Just like many other projects, forced inauguration leading to shoddy work and waste of taxpayers' money," a Redditor wrote.

Comment

byu/Legion7k from discussion

inmumbai

"Not saying the airport is bad but theres not enough planning for someone staying in northern suburbs and beyond," another Redditor pointed out.
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrashekar accused both the Congress and CPI (M) in the state of looting from the people in the backdrop of the ongoing Sabarimala gold theft row.

" Cong and CPM have for decades in Kerala, looted from poor, from business, from farmers, from SC/St schemes and list is non-stop. Now its coming out that their corruption doesnt stop even in temples and devaswoms boards. #Unforgivable. I say again - Cong and CPM are twins, united by their corruption and exploitation," mentioned a tweet by the minister on X (formerly Twitter).

Cong and CPM have for decades in Kerala, looted from poor, from business, from farmers, from SC/St schemes and list is non-stop.



Now its coming out that their corruption doesnt stop even in temples and devaswoms boards. #Unforgivable



I say again - Cong and CPM are twins, https://t.co/gY16DOzy9O  Rajeev Chandrasekhar  (@RajeevRC_X) October 5, 2025

He even questioned why both the Congress and the left government have not allowed temples to be managed by the devotees.

" If this loot is happening in Sabarimala, then an important question is how many other temples are being looted and hubs of political corruption ?" the minister pointed out.

What is the Sabarimala gold theft controversy?

The row involves the Dwarapalaka idols and pedestals, which have been reported by the 2019 mahazars (inventories) as merely "copper plates". It was reported that they were gold-plated in 1999, using a portion of the gold and copper donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya.

The theft came to light during recent court proceedings, with documents revealing that the plates weighed 42.8 kg in 2019 (including gold cladding) but, upon return, showed a shortfall of 4.54 kg of gold after re-plating in the same year by a sponsor named Unnikrishnan Potty.

However, as the controversy intensified, Advocate K.B. Pradeep, representing Smart Creations  the Chennai-based firm where the re-plating took place in 2019  stated that the Dwarapalaka plate sent to the company that year was not gold-plated but entirely made of copper.
Tamil Nadu Police have formed two special teams to trace N. Satish Kumar, the Namakkal district secretary of the Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), who went underground after his bail plea was rejected by the Madras High Court.

Kumar has been booked for vandalism during TVK chief and actor-politician Vijays campaign stop in the district on September 27, hours before the deadly stampede in Karur.

According to police, thousands of TVK cadres had gathered in Namakkal town to welcome Vijay, leading to a chaotic situation. Some party workers allegedly climbed onto the signboard of a private dental hospital, causing it to collapse and shatter glass walls and CCTV cameras.

The hospital management lodged a complaint at Namakkal Town police station, following which an FIR was filed against Kumar and other party leaders. He has been at large after the high court rejected his anticipatory bail plea.

Two dedicated teams are relentlessly pursuing Satish Kumar, and more arrests will follow. Public safety cannot be compromised for political events, a senior officer said.

#WATCH | Karur, Tamil Nadu: Kishor Makwana, Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), today visited the site at Velusamy area in Karur, where the stampede occurred on the 27th. The District Collector accompanied him during the visit. pic.twitter.com/CaWfSE585G  ANI (@ANI) October 4, 2025

According to reports, Vijay was scheduled to speak at Namakkal at 8.45 am and later at Karurs Velusamypuram at 12.45 pm. However, the TVK chief reached Namakkal only at 2 pm, and after delivering the speech, proceeded to Karur around 3 pm.

The stampede, which claimed 41 lives and left over 100 injured, took place after the crowd swelled beyond expectation and surged uncontrollably on the actor's arrival.

Police have already arrested TVK Karur district secretary Mathiyazhagan for his alleged failure to enforce safety measures and control the crowd.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday justified the Election Commission's decision not to accept the Aadhaar for special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Kumar said while they are complying with the Supreme Court's directions, Aadhaar is not considered as proof of citizenship.

Addressing presspersons on arrangements for Bihar polls, CEC Kumar said Aadhaar card details were sought as part of the enumeration forms for Bihar SIR. However, it was optional, he added.

"According to the Supreme Court's orders and under the Aadhaar Act, Aadhaar cannot be considered proof of date of birth, proof of residence, or proof of citizenship. The Election Commission requested the Aadhaar card within the enumeration form itself. Providing your Aadhaar number is not mandatory under the Aadhaar Act, nor under Section 26 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950," the CEC said.

"If anyone got Aadhaar card after 2023 or downloaded it after 2023, the Aadhaar card itself, under several orders of the Supreme Court, states that the Aadhaar card is not proof of date of birth. The Supreme Court did say, and we are following that order, that Aadhaar cards should be accepted. We were also accepting Aadhaar cards in the enumeration form and still are...," Kumar said.

Saying Aadhaar cannot be treated as proof of citizenship, Kumar said other documents may be required for eligibility.

The poll body chief held discussions with political parties regarding conducting the Bihar assembly polls on Sunday. Kumar said the entire election process will be completed by November 22, when the term of the 17th Bihar Assembly ends.

Kumar said most political parties were in favour of the polls being held "immediately after Chhath", the most popular festival of Bihar, which falls later this month. The EC stated that the Bihar elections will be completed "in as few phases as possible".
US President Donald Trump is accelerating efforts to finalise a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, following what he described as a partial acceptance of his 20-point proposal by the militant group. Trump has made clear he wants the deal to take effect immediately, pending full confirmation from Hamas. If agreed, the ceasefire would begin at once, with a prisoner and hostage exchange starting straight away.

The US administration is exerting intense pressure on Hamas to move quickly, with Trump warning that all bets will be off if they delay. He said he will not tolerate delay and has urged both sides to act fast to prevent further escalation. Trump insists the plan is aimed at ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat, calling it a historic opportunity to bring the conflict to a close. He has expressed confidence that the sides are close to an agreement and described the positive responses so far as unprecedented.

To give peace efforts a push, Trump publicly demanded on Saturday that Israel stop bombing Gaza immediately, stating that continued airstrikes could jeopardise the ceasefire. He later praised Israel for what he claimed was a pause in its bombing campaign, saying this gave the proposed deal a genuine chance of success. Trump also confirmed that Israel has accepted the initial withdrawal line outlined in his proposal, which has already been shared with Hamas.

To push the process forward, Trump has dispatched his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Egypt for further talks. Trump has also made efforts to reassure Israel of continued American support, promising to help repair its international standing once the conflict ends. According to Trump, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bibi, this is your chance for victory, adding that the Israeli leader has no choice but to support the deal given the circumstances.

In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu is navigating a delicate balance between military restraint, diplomatic engagement, and political survival. The Israel Defence Forces has been ordered by the political leadership to scale down its operations in Gaza to a minimum. The IDF confirmed it had been asked to prepare for the implementation of the first phase of the US plan, focused on the release of hostages.

Despite these instructions, Israeli forces continued to carry out strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday and maintained a siege on Gaza City, raising questions about the coherence of the military orders and the governments commitment to de-escalation. Netanyahu has publicly backed the US proposal and acknowledged that Israel has accepted the initial withdrawal line, but stressed that the army would retain control over key strategic areas inside the Strip.

The proposed ceasefire consists of two main phases. In the first, Hamas is expected to release all hostages while Israel redeploys forces but maintains a military presence in dominant areas within Gaza. In the second phase, Hamas is to be fully disarmed and Gaza demilitarised. Netanyahu said this outcome would be achieved either through diplomacy under the Trump plan or, if necessary, through continued military pressure.

Diplomatically, Netanyahu has expressed optimism, stating he is hopeful the hostages will be freed within days, potentially before the Sukkot holiday. He has instructed his negotiating team, led by close adviser Ron Dermer, to prepare for renewed indirect talks, with discussions expected to take place in Egypt. The Israeli delegation aims to finalise the technical aspects of the exchange, with Netanyahu pushing to keep negotiations limited to just a few days.

While Netanyahu has praised his coordination with Trump and claimed the joint effort has shifted the diplomatic balance, he faces significant internal resistance. Far-right coalition partners Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have threatened to bring down the government if the war ends before Hamas is defeated or if talks take place while the group remains armed. Both ministers have strongly criticised the ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu has summoned them for urgent discussions to try to prevent a coalition collapse.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has expressed full support for Netanyahus ceasefire efforts, calling for unity at a critical moment. However, with both military activity continuing on the ground and political instability looming at home, the Prime Ministers room to manoeuvre remains limited as the Trump-led initiative enters a decisive phase.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has received several complaints against e-commerce platforms for charging extra fees under various names, a practice that the government has classified as a "dark pattern" that misleads and exploits consumers. Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, shared the information on X, saying that the ministry has started a detailed investigation into the matter. He said, "The Department of Consumer Affairs has received complaints against e-commerce platforms charging extra for Cash-on-Delivery, a practice classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers. A detailed investigation has been initiated and steps are being taken to scrutinize these platforms closely. Strict action will be taken against those violating consumer rights to ensure transparency and uphold fair practices in India's growing e-commerce sector." The post followed a user on X sharing a screenshot from an e-commerce website that listed multiple additional fees, including "Offer Handling Fee," "Payment Handling Fee," and "Protect Promise Fee." These charges comparatively increased the total cost of the item, even after discounts were applied, resulting in customers paying more than the displayed price. Following the minister's response, several users joined the discussion, expressing their dissatisfaction and sharing similar experiences. Many pointed out that such extra charges were becoming common across different platforms, making online shopping more expensive and confusing. Some users also questioned the transparency of these practices, calling for stricter monitoring and regulation. Dark patterns refer to manipulative design strategies or pricing tactics employed by digital platforms to deceive consumers into making unintended purchases or incurring hidden fees. The Department of Consumer Affairs has been actively identifying and warning against such practices in recent months, with a focus on protecting users in India's rapidly expanding digital market. As consumers increasingly rely on online shopping, the ministry's move is expected to bring more scrutiny to digital platforms and reinforce fair trade standards. (ANI)
Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was reportedly poisoned in an assassination attempt in Moscow, where he is currently in hiding. The ex-dictator was hospitalised recently at the Russian capital, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on September 20.

Assad, 60, was admitted to the hospital till last Monday and was discharged after recovery.

The poisoning happened while he was staying at home in a villa that was heavily guarded by Russian authorities. Compared to other Syrian figures who are also in hiding in Moscow, Assads movement is restricted.

The human rights watchdog reported that authorities didn't know who was responsible but knew that it was a poisoning attempt.

Only the party that carried out the operation knows whether it was to kill Bashar al-Assad or to embarrass the Russian government, the report adds.

A source who spoke to the Human Rights group said that the Russian government had nothing to do with the matter and said that it may have been intended to implicate the Russian government, which is sheltering him, and to suggest that President Putin is incapable of protecting him.

The report also said that the actors were neither the US nor the Syrian government.

Despite his movements being restricted at the villa, his brother, Maher al-Assad, visits him often. His brother and Mansour Azzam also visited him in the Hospital.

Russian officials have not yet made a statement on the matter. There is also no direct independent source that confirmed that Assad was poisoned.

Assad was deposed from the government in December after an offensive by rebel groups ended the 13-year civil war and six decades of his autocratic rule. He and his British wife, Asma al-Assad, and their three children were granted political asylum in Russia.

Many other figures of the former Syrian government, including all of the first rank security and military figures, are based in Moscow, such as Suhail Hassan, Ghiath Bala, Rami Makhlouf, Kifah Melhem, and Ali Abbas, the Minister of Defence.
As the trial of Tyler Robinsonthe alleged killer of conservative activist and Donald Trump ally Charlie Kirkcontinues, criminal lawyers have warned that the defence feestaken from Utah taxpayers' moneymay go "north of $10 million".

Kirk was killed by a single gunshot wound to the neck while speaking at the Utah Valley University on September 10.

Although Utah County approved $1 million in initial funding for Tyler Robinson's case defence, criminal defence lawyers told Fox News Digital that the costs will go higher, primarily because Robinson was facing a potential death penalty.

ALSO READ | How Tyler Robinson could get away with Charlie Kirk's murder if prosecution messes up the timeline

Neama Rahmani, a criminal defence attorney, predicted that the defence costs would be upwards of $500,000.

"We're talking about seven or even eight figures ... But if Tyler Robinson is sentenced to death, and he has to go through the mandatory Utah state and federal appeals, we're talking about millions of dollars, potentially even north of $10 million," she pointed out.

According to Greg Skordas, a Utah-based criminal defence attorney, this was because Robinson's defence lawyers would have to be "death qualified" as per Rule 8 of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure (URCP).

ALSO READ | Tyler Robinson can avoid death row if his defence team can prove Charlie Kirk killing is not 'aggravated murder': Expert

"In order to be court-appointed on a death penalty case, you have to accomplish certain things. In other words, you've done so many criminal cases. You've gone to trial on murder cases. You've taken classes in death penalty representation," he said.

Skordas added that there was a contract that spoke of defence costs, but placed no limit on it.

ALSO READ | Michigan church shooting: Is Thomas Sanford a Republican? THIS was spotted at alleged shooter's house; netizens react

This comes after Skye Lazaro, another Utah-based criminal defence attorney, recently pointed out that if the prosecution's timeline did not make sense logically, it could be their biggest flaw.

"There's just so much we don't know yet as this case develops," she added.
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the public relations wing of the country's armed forces, came out with a response to the statements made by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Air and Army chiefs in connection with Operation Sindoor.

Declaring the statements made by New Delhi's political and military leadership "highly provocative", the ISPR in an official statement on Saturday said that Pakistan will not show any restraint in future conflicts and will strike the farthest reaches of the Indian territory.

READ HERE | Indias reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography: 5 Rajnath Singh quotes from Gujarat amidst Sir Creek row

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had issued a warning to the neighbouring nation, saying any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a "decisive response" that could be strong enough to change both "history and geography". It was followed by Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Amar Preet Singh claiming that India downed five Pakistani fighter jets of the F-16 and JF-17 class during Operation Sindoor. Pakistan's losses included Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), radars, command and control centres, runways and hangars, he said.

A day later, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi gave a stern warning to Pakistan, saying India will not show the restraint it showed during Operation Sindoor the next time. Speaking at Anupgarh in Rajasthan, he said, "This time we will not maintain the restraint that we did in Operation Sindoor 1.0... this time we will do something that Pakistan will have to think whether it wants to be in geography or not."

The statement released by the ISPR was a response to these comments, Pakistani media reports said. It labelled the statements to be delusional, provocative and jingoistic statements coming from the highest levels of the Indian security establishment.

Earlier this year, the Indian aggression against Pakistan brought two nuclear powers to the brink of a major war. However, India seems to have forgotten the wreckage of its fighter jets and the wrath of Pakistans long-range vectors. Suffering from collective amnesia, India now seems to be aching for the next round of confrontation," it reportedly said.

In the face of highly provocative statements of the Indian defence minister and its army and air chiefs, we caution that a future conflict might lead to cataclysmic devastation. In case a fresh round of hostilities is triggered, Pakistan shall not hold back. We shall resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint," The Dawn quoted it as saying.

In case of future altercations the Pak military reportedly vouched to "shatter the myth of geographic immunity, hitting the farthest reaches of the Indian territory," it reportedly said, before adding that: As for the talk of erasing Pakistan from the map, India must know that if the situation comes, the erasure will be mutual.

For decades, India has benefited from playing the victim card and painting Pakistan in a negative light and Pakistan now, "has established a new normal of response, which will be swift, decisive and destructive. The world recognises India as a player perpetrating terrorism in South Asia and beyond apart from being the true face of cross-border terrorism and the epicentre of regional instability, The Dawn quoted the statement as saying.
Sandeep Shetty was checking his email when he heard the news that would change his life. It was January 13, 2010, and he was at home in Talegaon Dabhade in Pune, Maharashtra. His brother Satish had gone for his usual morning walk 15 minutes earlier. There was a knock at the door. Then a young man from the neighbourhood burst through, breathless. Your brother... hes been attacked, he said.

IPS officer Bhagyashree Navtake has filed more than 50 RTI applications that have been repeatedly denied. Interestingly, allegations arose that 81 RTI requests filed by an accused in the case she was probing were promptly granted.

Even as Sandeep sprinted after the messenger, his mind clung to normalcy. A scuffle? A fistfight? I wasnt expecting what I was about to see, he said. The spot was around 500 metres from his house, on a main road that connected Talegaon Dabhade to National Highway 4. There lay Satish, in a pool of blood. He had been attacked with sharp weapons by masked men on a bike. The onlookers did not aid him and when he was eventually taken to a hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In the last five years of his life, 2005-2010, Satish had exposed a string of land scams in Talegaon Dabhade, Lonavala and Pimpri-Chinchwadall prime real estate hubs in Maharashtra. But the very tool that fuelled his fight for transparency also sealed his fatehe was the first RTI activist to be killed in India.

As the Right to Information Act, 2005, marks its 20th anniversary, the milestone is overshadowed by the stories of people like Satish who sacrificed their life in pursuit of accountability.

Enduring fight: Sandeep Shetty next to a photo of his elder brother Satish, an activist who was killed in 2010 in Punes Talegaon Dabhade | Amey Mansabdar

Sandeep often questioned his brother inviting trouble through activism. But seeing his brothers mutilated body changed everything. Since then, Sandeep has been relentlessly fighting for justice.

Crime reporter Prasannakumar Keskar at his home in Pune | Amey Mansabdar

He first approached the local police and then the CBI. Both failed to find the culprits. The CBI filed closure reports twice, in 2014 and 2018, citing lack of evidence. But, Sandeep kept the case alive by taking the battle to courtfrom the trial court to the Bombay High Court and finally the Supreme Court.

The motive for murder is never linked to the victims efforts to uncover truth.... If an investigative officer suggests that the victim might have blackmailed someone, the media reports itand just like that, the narrative shifts? Prasannakumar Keskar, Crime reporter

In 2023, the Supreme Court asked the Bombay High Court to revisit Sandeeps plea for an impartial probe. Even now, 15 years after the death of his brother, Sandeep is continuing the fight. He has sacrificed his time, career and resources.

The killers of my brother may never be convicted, Sandeep told THE WEEK. But I wont give them a free pass. As long as I have the strength and resources, I wont give up.

Satish got into social activism in the early 1990s. On November 24, 2009, a month and a half before his death, he filed for protection for the first time. He spelt out the threats he faced, particularly from the people behind a controversial infrastructure firm and explained why they wanted to eliminate him. But, Sandeep alleges that the investigating agencies did not go in that direction, and some arrests were made only as an eyewash.

Even before Satishs murder, transparency activists in India faced threats and assaults. But his brutal killing marked a turning point, exposing the growing dangers faced by those using the RTI to expose corruption and systemic rot. As per the Hall of Shame web page maintained by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), a Delhi-based non-profit tracking attacks on RTI users, at least 107 activists have been killed so far for seeking information through RTI. And, at least seven have been driven to suicide.

Armed with the law: Senior journalist Vinita Deshmukh used Section 4 of the RTI Act to find irregularities in an American chemical manufacturers research centre near Pune | Amey Mansabdar

Venkatesh Nayak, director, CHRI, told THE WEEK that there was originally a page on Wikipedia, documenting media reports of attacks on RTI activists. But, we saw that many of the links were going deadstories were archived, URLs changed or the content was removed altogether, he said. We realised that if this continued, there would be no reasonably permanent record of the heavy price these concerned citizens paid. The Hall of Shame, he added, is to keep alive the memories of the martyrs of Indias transparency movement.

Driving change: Activist Vijay Kumbhar has made several efforts to strengthen the community of transparency seekers, from organising a seminar to spearheading the creation of an RTI library.

We have been compiling online links to stories and working to preserve this crucial documentation, he said. The Hall of Shame has state-wise data on activists who have been killed, assaulted, harassed/threatened or pushed to committing suicide.

Vijay Kumbhars discussions with the late journalist Prakash Kardale led to him being the first person in India to utilise the nuances in Section 4 of the RTI Act to get access to documents in public offices.

The first attack on an RTI user that has been documented by the CHRI was in April 2006, just months after the RTI Act was implemented. Since then, not a single year has passed without attacks on RTI users. The violence escalated following the first recorded murder, that of Satish. In 2010, 49 attacks were reported. That number rose to 85 in 2011.

Nayak said that before setting up the website, his team had tried to understand how the criminal justice system had responded to these attacks. They found that a majority of these cases were not followed up. That is when we realised we had to take action, he said.

In 2018, the CHRI commissioned a three-month investigative study into the murders of RTI users from Maharashtra and how the criminal justice system had responded. The study was done by senior journalist Vinita Deshmukh, who has exposed several irregularitiesincluding those related to the post-retirement home of a former presidentand crime reporter Prasannakumar Keskar.

Document deep-dive: RTI activist and educator Vivek Velankar inspecting documents at Pune Municipal Corporation. The inspection is a routine for him, every Monday between 3pm and 5pm.

Maharashtra has consistently topped the list in terms of volume of RTI requests. It also has the dubious distinction of reporting the highest number of attacks on activists using RTI. At the time of the Deshmukh-Keskar study, at least 16 murders in Maharashtra had been linked to RTI activism, of which the duo examined 13.

One major insight was that RTI users came from all strata, and irrespective of their backgrounds the threat was constant, said Deshmukh. She said she did most of the desk work for the study while Keskar undertook field trips. They observed that none of the killed activists were seeking information relating to national security or trade secrets of a private firm or anything for a personal need. Mostly, they sought information that would make local public authorities accountable.

When THE WEEK met Keskar at his houseGyan Deep (Light of Knowledge)in Dhayari Gaon, Pune, he was recovering from surgery necessitated by a major road accident. Despite his condition, he agreed to speak, emphasising the importance of honouring the legacy of those who gave their lives for transparency and the power of the people. Corruption functions as an ecosystem, he said. Those accused by RTI activists were not isolated figures, but part of a larger network. By [posing questions] about this system, the activist became its enemy. And, the activist is a lone crusadermore often than not.

Keskar noted that in all of the 13 cases studies by him and Deshmukh, investigating agencies diverted attention and shifted narratives. The motive for murder is never linked to the victims efforts to uncover truth, he said. Instead, many cases were attributed to domestic disputes rather than RTI-related activity. The police come up with theories and release them to the media, which is rarely in a position to demand evidence. For instance, if an investigative officer suggests that the victim might have blackmailed someone, the media reports itand just like that, the narrative shifts.

The portrayal of RTI activists as blackmailers, which also happens during trials, leads to media trials that traumatise the families of slain activists. From what I have seen, most families show little inclination to seek justice, said Keskar. Many I spoke to were marginalised and economically disadvantaged; their struggle for survival was much more pressing. Additionally, many were illiterate and there was a complete lack of support system. The pursuit of justice can drag on for years. There are obstacles at every stage.

Some families allowed Keskar to visit, but were hesitant to open up. Others refused to meet him. Keskar recounts his attempt to speak to the kin of Abrar Ahmad Jamil Ansari, a shopkeeper from Bhiwandi, Maharashtra. Ansari exposed large-scale irregularities in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporations building permission department. He was killed on December 17, 2013. Keskar located Ansaris family in a dimly lit building in the crowded Barf Gallia lane dominated by a community of goat slaughterers. They refused to meet, he said. No one opened the door at first. Later, a woman told us to leave. I called his brother; he said: It is over for us. We do not want to meet anybody. We do not want anyone coming and asking about Ansari. Please leave us.

Keskar said that there have been instances of him being stalked. Once, while he was making inquiries at the residence of a slain activist, a couple of men came and clicked photographs. During his return journey, when he halted at a dhaba at a considerable distance from the place, a group of young men questioned him about the purpose of his travel; they had his photos. There was also an incident where his car was chased by a group. My driver got scared and quit after that incident, said Keskar.

He added that the families of the murdered RTI activists often dispose of the documents their loved ones had gathered as a way to cope with trauma. He cites the case of Datta Patil from Ichalkaranji, a power loom town in Kolhapur. Patil exposed irregularities in scheduled caste cooperative power loom societies and land-grabbing before he was murdered on May 22, 2010. His brother felt that constantly discussing the case and keeping [Patils] documents at home was affecting Patils wife and children and got rid of the documents, said Keskar. Similarly, Raju Ubale, son of the activist Ramdas Bapuji Ubale-Gadegaonkar, who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Naya Monda, Nanded, in August 2010, gathered all the documents his father had left behind and burned them. But, Raju later realised the importance of his fathers work and turned to social activism.

After Satish Shettys murder, there was a realisation among RTI activists, especially those in Pune, that lone crusades were dangerous. After Satish Shetty was murdered, senior social activist Vijay Kumbhar launched a website, said Deshmukh. The aim was to encourage people accessing sensitive information, especially related to the land mafia or cooperative societies, to upload it so that it became widely known. This way, if multiple people [sought] the same information, the risk to an individual would reduce. The initiative continued for some time, but eventually stopped.

Kumbhar has made several such efforts to strengthen the community of transparency seekers. In 2007, I organised a seminar for transparency activists from across India in Pune, bringing together 132 participants from 27 states, he told THE WEEK. He spearheaded the creation of an RTI library in Pune and runs an RTI katta (discussion) on Sundays, where people from different neighbourhoods gather, ask questions, voice opinions and discuss issues related to RTI. Kumbhar insists that RTI activists are not a distinct group. They come from all sort of backgrounds. He also said that today one could find significant RTI activity in rural belts. He credits the late journalist Prakash Kardale for making Pune a stronghold of RTI activism and pioneering several unique transparency initiatives. In fact, Kumbhars discussions with Kardale led to him being the first person in India to utilise the nuances in Section 4 of the RTI Act to get access to documents in public offices.

Section 4 emphasises proactive disclosure by public authorities to reduce the need for individual RTI applications. Notably, this includes inspection at public offices. After thorough deliberation, we approached the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) about transferable development rights, a significant matter in Pune involving development rights granted in exchange for land, said Kumbhar. Our objective was not to expose any wrongdoing, but to demonstrate the right to inspect public records.

Significantly, the PMC was the first public body in the country to introduce a walk-in system allowing citizens to visit any civic department3pm to 5pm on Mondaysto see public documents. For more than a decade, this Monday visit to the PMC has been a routine for Vivek Velankar, who transitioned from corporate employment to being an RTI educator. Velankar said that even before the RTI Act, there was a notification that allowed the inspection of documents in the PMC by the public.

Nevertheless, Deshmukh calls Section 4 the crux of the act, while pointing out that 20 years since the law came into existence, this provision is not effectively used. Under Section 6, you have to wait 30 days for a response, she said. For the first appellate authority, you wait another 45 days. If that does not work, by the time you escalate to the information commissioner, the information may become irrelevant. That is why, she said, they train people to use Section 4. You can go to any public office during [the specified] hours and demand access, she said.

Deshmukh utilised Section 4 to investigate a research centre near Pune that was established by a controversial American chemical manufacturer. The company had advertised its Pune facility as an R&D centre and promised to enhance the social environment and employ around 600 scientists. But, Deshmukh got documents from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) showing the company had received permission to set up a manufacturing unit. A list of 60-70 chemicals meant for research had more than 20 hazardous substances. Deshmukh found that regulations were bent to grant the company land and permissions.

During the course of her investigation, she went to government offices with a copy of Section 4 and had to explain its provisions to officials. At the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, she found the officials cooperative, while at the MPCB and the Mantralaya environment secretariat, she had to educate them about the law.

It is ridiculous; they are still learning, said Velankar, who has trained thousands of government officials on RTI. When will they be in a deliverable situation?

Former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi noted in RTI: Authentic Interpretation of the Statute that Indian law is rated among the best in the world as far as provisions go, but in terms of implementation and actual transparency the country lags far behind. A recent report by the citizens group Satark Nagrik Sangathan highlights that, as of June 30, 2024, around 4.06 lakh appeals and complaints were pending across 29 information commissions. Moreover, as of October 10, 2024, four commissionsGoa, Jharkhand, Tripura and Telanganawere defunct because of the absence of commissioners. Five other commissions had no chief, exacerbating delays.

Maharashtra, which has the largest backlog (more than 1.08 lakh), also offers a case of information being withheld even from an IPS officer. Between 2020 and 2022, IPS officer Bhagyashree Navtake probed a Rs1,200-crore scam involving a credit society that was allegedly linked to top political figures. Her probe led to the recovery of more than Rs250 crore. Navtake now faces forgery and conspiracy chargesinitially registered by the Maharashtra Police and later transferred to the CBI. Since November 2022, she has filed more than 50 RTI applications that have been repeatedly denied. Interestingly, allegations arose that 81 RTI requests filed by Sunil Devakinandan Zawar, an accused in the credit society case, were promptly grantedincluding requests for documents otherwise exempt under Section 8 of the RTI Act.

RTI is a demand to share democratic power, and has given us the right to question and get answers from the government and its various formations, said Aruna Roy, who was the key leader of the right to information movement. The right to question and get answers is a constitutional right and it is feared by the people who wield power unethically. It is to be expected that they would leave no stone unturned to reduce the efficacy of the act. Roy criticised the efforts of successive regimes to weaken the law. She calls the provisions dealing with personal data protection in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, as the most heinous effort to further weaken the RTI Act.

Meanwhile, those like Deshmukh point out that civil society must come together to protect whistleblowers. The first thing a whistleblower must understand is that government support is unlikely, she said. The Whistleblower Protection Act exists, but it also has been weakened. Take Satish Shettys casehe filed a police complaint requesting protection. The police dismissed it. This leaves citizens helpless, forced to fend for themselves. It is, therefore, up to society to step in. RTI activists must unite and support those who expose critical information.

But Sandeep Shetty knows all too well how quickly that support fades. Interest from transparency activists and the media in his brothers case waned after the CBI filed its first closure report in 2014. For the past decade, it has been a lone-wolf journey for himjust as it was for his brother.
In September 1995, a mass meeting organised by the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan in Rajasthans Beawar town marked the first public demand for the right to information in law. Nearly six months later, a larger dharna unfolded at Beawars historic Chang Gate, with rural women forming the largest contingent. Lasting 40 days, the dharna spurred the National Campaign for Peoples Right to Information, ultimately paving the way for the RTI Act.

Lakshmi Narayan, a 49-year-old vegetable vendor at Chang Gate, recalls, The place bustled with journalists and others from Jaipur, Delhi and beyond. Protesters came from nearby villages and local traders provided accommodation, food and drinks throughout the dharna.

For the men and women who formed the backbone of this struggle, their battles are more than just memories. In hindsight, they see the real change their generation set in motion.

While Beawar was a crucial site for the movement, its driving force was in a small hut in Devdungari, a village in Rajsamand district, nearly 60km away.

In 1987, three outsidersAruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh, along with his familymoved into this hut. Singhs relative owned it. They wanted to work with marginalised communities to find solutions for their struggles.

Roy, a former civil servant, had quit her job in 1975 to work with the Social Work and Research Centre (SWRC), a voluntary organisation founded by her husband, Bunker Roy. Dey was an American-educated activist, while Singh was a skilled communicator and an SWRC volunteer. The idea was to live with the people, like them, recalls Roy.

It was through Lal Singh, a police constable dismissed for protesting the alleged misuse of constables as domestic servants, that they encountered one of their first major issues. I met them within months of their arrival. We used to roam around on bicycles, remembers Lal Singh, now secretary of the School for DemocracyLoktantrashala, a non-profit in Rajasthan.

Lal Singhs village, Sohangarh, was under the feudal grip of Hari Singh, who illegally controlled over 1,500 acres and fined villagers for grazing cattle or collecting firewood on his land. The Devdungari team exposed his illegal holdings. They accessed government records and reclaimed a piece of land. They then transferred it to a womens cooperative in the village, marking an early victory in their fight for justice.

The small hut with its courtyardnow shaded by a bougainvillea planted by MKSS foundersbecame a hub to strategise and mobilise workers.

In the drought-prone districts of Ajmer, Bhilwara, Pali and Rajsamand, survival depended on famine relief and rural development programmes. The team saw hardships first-hand at relief worksites, especially at Dadi Rapat. People wanted work, but opportunities were scarce, recalls Roy. Even when they worked, they werent paid fully. To test the system, a group of 20 workers completed their task meticulously, unlike others who barely scraped the surface, knowing theyd be underpaid anyway.

The 20 workers dug holes and requested the government engineer to measure their work, but he never showed up. When wages were paid, those who had worked diligently got less than those who hadnt completed their tasks. We demanded to see the muster roll, but the government dismissed us saying the records didnt support our claims, recalls Bhawar Singh, one of the workers.

The workers realised that to secure fair wages, they needed access to government records. However, authorities blocked their efforts, citing the Official Secrets Act of 1923.

The battles at Dadi Rapat and Sohangarh laid MKSSs foundation. On May 1, 1990, during a rally of 1,000 people from 27 villages, MKSS was formally established. The group initially pushed for public access to muster rolls and financial records, verifying data through Jan Sunwais (public hearings). These hearings exposed corruption, drawing media attention that put pressure on the government.

On April 5, 1995, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat pledged in the assembly that the government would grant public access to development records. No action followed. A year later, the Beawar dharna began and Rajasthan passed the RTI Act in 2000.

Shankar Singh spearheaded the movements communication strategies, using art, puppetry, theatre, dance and music to engage the public. His Ghotala Rath Yatra (scam chariot march)a parody of BJP leader L.K. Advanis rath yatrahighlighted corruption scandals and gained traction in Jaipur and Delhi. Puppets and props from the 1990s are still preserved in Devdungari.

A movement must stay connected to peoples lives to remain alive, says Singh. Since ours was non-violent, we had to carry it forward differently. The group abandoned hunger strikes after an incident in Bhim village. By the fifth day, police would intervene and break our fast, he says. So, we vowed never to do it again. Instead, we fought through music and theatre. Performing in local languages ensured everyone understood our message.

Says Roy: When people shape a campaign, their voices define its expression. Rural women have been at the heart of this struggle, though they were mocked as the dholki party and ghaghra paltan (drummers and skirt platoon).

Sushila, a semi-literate but articulate woman, was one of those leaders. In 1996, when the Press Council of India released the first RTI draft, she travelled to Delhi with the MKSS core team. Among the attendees were former prime ministers and top editors. A journalist, noticing her traditional attire, asked, How educated are you? She replied, Class four. Dismissing her, he said, RTI is for the educated. Why are you involved?

She responded, Educated people read papers, but the uneducated know a lot. When I give my son Rs10, I ask for an exact account. This government spends billions in our name; shouldnt we ask for accounts? Hamara paisa, hamara hisaab (our money, our accounts).

Her words became a defining slogan of the movement. Looking back, Sushilanow working in rural developmentsays they came naturally. The law empowered people and instilled fear in those withholding information, she says. Today, key data, like ration and free medicine details, is shared voluntarily.

But the biggest change she sees is in womens education in the region. Many women in the movement made sure their daughters got an education, Sushila says with pride, standing next to a bougainvillea, which holds huge symbolic value in the fight for transparency.
India is actively exploring the possibility of increasing its textile exports to Russia, and possibly to other CIS countries, as it understandably intensifies its diversification efforts. On an official three-day visit to Russia this week, Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, underlined India's intent to deepen engagement with the Russian textile industry across trade, technology, and manpower, among others. India currently exports textiles worth USD 37.4 billion, and the government is aiming for a threefold increase by 2030. "We are trying to diversify our markets and also exploring new markets," the minister told ANI over the phone after concluding his three-day visit. Russia imports about USD 12 billion worth of textiles from global markets annually, and India's share is negligible. During his visit, Margherita met Russian Deputy Ministers for Trade and Commerce and held high-level talks focused on future collaboration. "We discussed the way forward in deepening our cooperation in the textile industry by enhancing industrial, R&D, investment and academic cooperation. Invited Russian companies to our flagship PM MITRA parks to benefit from its world-class integrated infrastructure and leverage the manpower available in Bharat," he wrote on X. A major highlight of the visit was his interaction with officials and industry stakeholders in the Ivanovo region, which has historically been the hub of Russia's vibrant textile industry. "I had a discussion with a strong delegation, including officials of that province. We had discussed about our possible future collaboration, technology exchange, joint ventures, and investments. They also indicated that, along with the import of textiles from India, they also want more skilled Indian workers for their textiles industry," Margherita said. He also took time to visit Indian workers employed at a textile factory in the region, acknowledging their vital role. "Had the opportunity to interact with Indian workers employed at a textile factory in the Ivanovo region of Russia. Appreciated their contributions, and reiterated our commitment to supporting safe, legal and orderly mobility of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled Indian workers abroad facilitated through the e-Migrate system," he said. The Ivanovo textile industry is understandably prepared to absorb at least 2,500 Indian workers this year. "Russia has a good working condition with good remuneration, and skilled Indian workers have immense opportunities there," Margherita noted. Continuing the cultural and trade synergy, Russia is set to showcase Indian handlooms at one of its prestigious venues, more details about which would be available at a later stage. That particular museum has a 2 million annual footfall, which will enable rich Indian textiles to meet many eyeballs. The Tsaritsyno Museum in Moscow will host 'Fabric of Time: India' in December 2025, an exhibition that will display a range of Indian textile products curated by the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy. The initiative marks "a new chapter in mutual exploration of our rich textile traditions." The Minister also inaugurated the Best of India - Indian Apparel and Textile Fair in Moscow, held from October 1-3. "More than 100 exhibitors and producers took part in that three-day event. There must have been several B2B meetings during all three days, besides an estimated footfall of over 10000 visitors," he said. Organised by the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), the event aimed to strengthen India's textile exports to Russia and unlock opportunities in the wider CIS region. The Best of India - Indian Apparels and Textile Fair in Moscow showcased the strength of India's handloom and textile sector. On the sidelines, Margherita also met with representatives of Russian textile companies. "I apprised them about India's textiles value chain (from man-made fibre to exports), and related infrastructure, among other advantages. I also talked about the upcoming PM Mitra parks, wherein companies will get end-to-end facilities - right from yarn to apparel. Like many other sectors, India is also a preferred destination for textiles," he added. These developments also come at a time when Indian textiles are facing Trump tariffs of 50%, making exports to the key destination, the US, difficult. (ANI)
Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has recently approved the setting up of the 'NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory' at IIT Bhubaneswar. The project will be funded under the MPLAD Scheme, with an estimated cost of Rs. 4.95 crore, as per a press release from the Ministry of Electronics & IT. The semiconductor lab is expected to aid the youth of India in indigenous chip manufacturing and packaging. "The NaMo Semiconductor Lab will contribute to Bharat's deep talent pool by equipping the youth with industry-ready skills. The lab will position IIT Bhubaneswar as a hub for semiconductor research and skilling. It will help in developing talent for the chip manufacturing and packaging units coming up across Bharat," the release said. The new lab will further boost the 'Make in India' and 'Design in India' initiatives. It will act as a catalyst for the fast-growing semiconductor ecosystem of India. The release highlighted that India is home to 20 per cent of global chip design talent. Students of 295 universities across the country are using the latest EDA tools provided by the industry. Twenty-eight student-designed chips from 20 institutes have been taped out at SCL Mohali. "Odisha has recently received approval for two semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission. One of these is an integrated facility for Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based compound semiconductors. The second is an advanced 3D glass packaging facility," the release said. IIT Bhubaneswar already hosts the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Centre (SiCRIC). The new lab will add to the institute's existing cleanroom facilities. It will provide R&D facilities to support the semiconductor industry in India. As per the release, the proposed lab will have essential equipment and software required for semiconductor training, design, and fabrication. The estimated cost is Rs. 4.6 crore for equipment and Rs. 35 lakh for software. (ANI)
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Milestone event honors Korean War veterans of the historic Battle of the Chosin Reservoir with remembrance, recognition, and reflection

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, StarKist Co. of Reston, VA, along with its parent company, Dongwon of Seoul, South Korea, proudly sponsored the 75th Anniversary Chosin Few Gala, honoring the legacy of heroic Korean War veterans who fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. The commemorative event was held at the Hilton Arlington National Landing in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual National Chosin Few Reunion.

(Credit: Chip McCrea) Members of The Chosin Few, joined by Edward Min, President and CEO of StarKist Co., and the StarKist leadership team, at 75th Anniversary Chosin Few Gala (PRNewsfoto/StarKist Co.)

"On this 75th anniversary, we are humbled to honor the extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and spirit of The Chosin Few," said Edward Min, President and CEO of StarKist Co. "Because of their heroism, South Korea survived and flourished into the strong, democratic nation it is today, allowing families like mine to live in freedom. At StarKist, it is both our duty and our privilege to stand alongside the Korean War veterans in remembrance and gratitude. We remain committed to honoring their service and ensuring that their legacy will never be forgotten."

For the past 15 years, Dongwon and StarKist have proudly honored and thanked Korean War veterans through ongoing programs and partnerships. As part of this commitment, StarKist has, for more than four years, partnered with The Chosin Few, a national organization of veterans who fought the grueling 17-day battle in brutal winter conditions. Each year, the reunion brings together decorated veterans and their families from across the country, with the Gala serving as a highlight of the gatheringan evening of remembrance, recognition, and storytelling.

This year's milestone event included opening remarks from StarKist leadership and reflections from Colonel Warren H. Wiedhahn, USMC (Ret), Chairman/CEO of The Chosin Few, who served in the Korean War. Guests also enjoyed musical performances and the presence of Charlie The Tuna, StarKist's beloved mascot, who greeted attendees and their families.

"The 75th anniversary of the Chosin Reservoir battle is a profound milestone for our organization," said Colonel Wiedhahn. "We are grateful for the steadfast support from StarKist and Dongwon, whose commitment ensures that the courage and sacrifice of The Chosin Few will continue to be honored and remembered for generations to come."

Through its sponsorship, StarKist continues its ongoing mission to honor Korean War veterans and their families, recognizing their enduring legacy of resilience and sacrifice.

About StarKist Co.

StarKist Co. is a socially responsible company that empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle by providing convenient nutritious proteins. An industry innovator, StarKist was the first brand to introduce convenient single-serve pouch products, which include StarKist Tuna Creations, Salmon Creations, and Chicken Creations in over 40 varieties. As America's favorite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust and a commitment to sustainability. StarKist's charismatic brand icon, Charlie The Tuna, swam into the hearts of tuna fans in 1961 and is still a fan favorite today. StarKist Co. is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday expressed the need to have a trade understanding with the United States (US), adding that not only because it's the world's largest market, but also because much of the world already has such arrangements. In a panel discussion at the Kautliya Economic Forum in New Delhi, Jaishankar stated that India and the United States had yet to "reach a landing ground" in ongoing trade negotiations. He also addressed the volatile global environment, describing the coming years as a test of resilience for all nations. "Today, we have issues with the United States ... that we haven't yet arrived at a landing ground in our trade discussions. In addition there is a certain tariffs being levied on us, which we have publicly said are unfair," said Jaishankar. "In addition there is a a second tariff .... which has picked on us. for sourcing energy from Russia. And of course there are other countries who have done so including countries who right now have a far more antagonistic relationship with Russia then we do. I'm not minimizing the issues. But I don't think we should take it to a point as though this is going to percolate to every dimension of the relationship. "There are problems, there are issues, nobody is in denial of it. Those issues need to be negotiated and discussed and resolved, which is exactly what we are trying to do. But I would really sort of hesitate to read very much more into it," Jaishankar said in his remarks while responding to questions from the moderator, N K Singh. "I deal in a world of realities, and my reality right now is at 25 per cent and 25 per cent of a 50 per cent tariff, and that is what right now we are negotiating. So, whatever happens at the end of the day there has got to be a trade understanding with the United States. There has to be one because it is the world's largest market but also because much of the world has reached those understandings. But it has to be an understanding where our bottom lines, our red lines are respected." Terming the trade relations "one-sided", President Donald Trump slapped 50 per cent tariffs on India, citing the country's crude oil import from Russia, which is fueling the war in Ukraine. The new reciprocal tariff rates by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are in effect from August 27. Emphasising the need to have a common consensus, Jaishankar stated, "In any agreement, you know, there are things you can negotiate and there are things you can't. And I think we are pretty clear about that and we have to find that landing ground. And that's been the conversation really which has been going on since March." In addition, last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal concluded his high-level trade visit, which the ministry described as 'positive.' The Ministry stated that both sides have agreed to accelerate efforts toward an "early and mutually beneficial conclusion" of the proposed trade pact. Jaishankar Going further, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the conversation around diversifying trade has been ongoing, with a clear focus on shifting more towards Asia. "On diversifying trade moving towards Asia. Most of our initial free trade agreements were actually almost all with Asia. They were with ASEAN, they were with Japan, and Korea. They were individually with some ASEAN members," he added. However, he acknowledged a significant challenge: many of these Asian economies are India's direct competitors and, through integrated supply chains, have inadvertently facilitated greater market access for China. "The challenge today which we face is that in many ways these are economies which are competitive.And in many cases because of the supply chain nature, they've also provided a pathway for China," he noted. To counter this, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of targeting free trade agreements with economies that are not directly competitive, but instead offer deep, stable, and predictable markets. "I would very honestly say our focus should be on FTAs with economies that are not competitive, where there is uh really a deep, sustainable, predictable and real market economy at work, which is why we are very pleased with the UK FTA, which is why we are very serious about an EU FTA, and which is why we are striving for an understanding with the United States," he said, underlining a strategic pivot in India's global trade priorities. (ANI)
Gardai are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the death of a man following a fatal assault in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, on Saturday night.

Emergency services were alerted to an incident at around 11pm on October 4th. A man was discovered unresponsive in a domestic residence and was later pronounced dead.

A woman in her 20s has been arrested in connection with the incident and is currently being detained at a Garda station in Tipperary under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

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The scene remains sealed off to allow for a full forensic examination. The body of the deceased remains at the location, and the Coroner has been notified. The Garda Technical Bureau and the Office of the State Pathologist have also been requested to assist with the investigation, and a post-mortem examination will be arranged.

Investigating Gardai are appealing to anyone with information to come forward. Those with details can contact Clonmel Garda Station on 052 617 7640, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station
Fianna Fail presidential candidate Jim Gavin says he does not know if he owes a former tenant thousands of euro and acknowledged he had not registered the property.

Mr Gavin said he is looking into reports he owes a former tenant 3,000 euro, adding he did not have all the information about the matter.

It relates to a dispute with a former tenant, initially reported in the Irish Independent, around the time his own family came into financial difficulty and lost the apartment.

Speaking during RTEs The Week in Politics presidential debate, Mr Gavin said: That matter was over 16 years ago. It was a very stressful time for myself and my family and Jennifer.

Like a lot of families and couples, we came into financial difficulty at that time.

Mr Gavin said: If it happened, Im very sorry that it happened. Im looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.

Asked if he accepted he was in breach of rental law by not registering the property with the Residential Tenancies Board, Mr Gavin told reporters after the debate: Yeah, I didnt register it.

He said it was new legislation and like a majority of people we didnt register the property at the time.

Pressed on how many tenants he had at the time and when he surrendered the property to the banks, he said: It happened a number of years ago, 16 years ago, Im still gathering the data on it.

Its a part of my life that Ive left behind, so I still need to do a lot of research and when I have that information Ill come back to you.

He said he did not remember the exact number of tenants he had.

We all have struggles in life. This is a public one for me that Im sharing with people. And as I said, once you get all the information, I will deal with it comprehensively.
Malayalam actor Mohanlal has expressed immense gratitude after being honoured by the Kerala government for his Dadasaheb Phalke Award win. Taking to his X handle, Mohanlal shared pictures from the event, including the ones where the actor received the honour from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "Moments like these fill me with profound gratitude. My sincere thanks to the Government of Kerala for the honour and warmth shown during the felicitation held in celebration of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. I remain deeply grateful to the Hon'ble Chief Minister, the Ministers, and all esteemed dignitaries who graced the occasion," he wrote. https://x.com/Mohanlal/status/1974529010257535140 Mohanlal also thanked every person who showered him with love, blessings and unwavering support, adding that it will be his "greatest reward". On Saturday, Mohanlal was honoured by the Kerala government for his achievement at the 'Malayalam Vanolam Lalsalam' event in Thiruvananthapuram. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, presented the actor with a citation written by poet Prabha Varma on behalf of the state government. The 'Drishyam' actor was seen getting emotional as he recalled his early years of life when he used to "dream of making films". While addressing the gathering, Mohanlal said, "I am indebted to Dadasaheb Phalke. I stand here with even greater emotional weight than the moment I received the award because Thiruvananthapuram is my hometown, the place where I was born and raised. When I think back to those early days when a few friends and I, knowing nothing about cinema, dreamt of making films, it now fills me with awe. The actor also expressed gratitude to his peers for supporting him in his tough time, saying that "someone always lifted him up" when he faced difficulties in life. The South superstar was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the President Droupadi Murmu, at the 71st National Awards ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on September 23. The actor received a standing ovation from the attendees at the Vigyan Bhawan as he accepted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. (ANI)
The leader of Sinn Fein and the Northern Ireland Secretary are among those who have criticised Tory calls to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said every party candidate must sign up to leaving the ECHR or face being barred from standing at the next election.

She kicked off the annual Tory conference in Manchester with a pledge to leave the ECHR as part of a plan to deport 150,000 people a year from the UK.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald described Ms Badenochs comments as very worrying while Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said the stance was utterly irresponsible.

Reform has also advocated for a withdrawal from the ECHR.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Sunday, Ms McDonald said the ECHR is an essential building block of the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed as part of the peace process to end the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

She added: Everybody in British public life should know that.

So that is a very worrying statement and just to be clear: the British state, whoever is in government, cannot walk away from the commitments that have been solemnly undertaken with Ireland in respect of the six counties.

Mr Benn Benn accused the Conservative Party of advocating a policy that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

In a statement on social media, Mr Benn said: When the Northern Ireland Bill to implement the Good Friday Agreement was debated in the House of Commons on July 20 1998, the then Conservative opposition gave it its full support.

The GFA has resulted in over 27 years of peace after the trauma of the Troubles.

And yet the Conservative Party has now joined Reform in advocating a policy that could undermine the Good Friday Agreement  namely by proposing to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Until recently, it was completely unthinkable that a party aspiring to govern the United Kingdom would countenance putting that agreement at risk, given that ECHR membership is one of the GFAs founding pillars.

Or that they would seek to put the UK in the same group as Belarus and Russia as the only three countries in Europe which would not be signatories to the convention. Utterly irresponsible.
A quick tribute to the angels again and then another peek at our reading by way of pop culture, community reporting and top headlines.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Urban Revival Underway

Trailblazer on Troost among honored innovators for UMKC's Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Earning the top social entrepreneurship award from UMKC is more than just the greatest recognition Father Justin Mathews has ever received, the faith leader-turned-community innovator said; it's validation that work to heal Kansas City's racial and economic divide is as critical as wealth creation elsewhere in the metro.

Kansas City Cold Case Cont'd

'Somebody did it': criminal investigation continues into '84 missing person case Kimberly Carter, Vera Owsley's second daughter, remembers her mother as quiet. The mom of three went missing in 1984.

Local Justice In Action

Kansas City's unique domestic violence court handles nearly 200 cases daily, driving change to stop violence Kansas City Municipal Court leaders have created an unusual approach to handling domestic violence cases. One judge oversees thousands of domestic violence violations each month.

Small Biz Saves Planet

Local, Sustainable Kitchen Towels from Absorb-Lumen Absorb-Lumen Director of Sales Celly Bakley joins Shane and Kerrigan to chat about their women-owned and family business that creates locally designed kitchen towels.

Good Deeds Abound

Fill the Fridge | Trinity Temple Church of God in Christ distributes over 8,700 pounds of food Last week, KSHB 41's Lindsay Shively went to a Harvesters food distribution at Trinity Temple Church of God in Christ in Grandview. There was a long line of cars waiting for the monthly pantry.

Angel Endures On Global Stage

Heidi Klum Brings Back Victoria's Secret Angel Energy to Paris Fashion Week Heidi Klum proves her Angel wings never faded as she lights up Paris Fashion Week.

MAGA Vs. Windy City Round II

Trump authorises National Guard deployment to Chicago The controversial move follows protests over ramped-up immigration enforcement and the shooting of a woman during unrest on Saturday.

Progressively Bad News

The shutdown exposes 3 critical weaknesses for Democrats Trump has warned Democrats that he may take advantage of the current shutdown to terminate a sizeable number of federal employees. Just think: AOC may have set in motion the biggest downsizing of the federal government in history.

MAGA Sinks Honcho

Hegseth Fires Navy Chief Of Staff Secretary of War Pete Hegseth fired Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison on Friday, the Department of War confirmed.

Holy Land Suffers Hard Times

PTSD and suicides spike among Israeli troops amid devastation of Gaza war Returning soldiers are confronting PTSD in record numbers, mental health professional say, and the army is scrambling to address an issue once taboo in Israel.

Vlad Offers Another Warning

Putin says Tomahawk supply to Ukraine would destroy U.S. relations He said any supply of such missiles would trigger a 'qualitatively new stage of escalation.'

Conservatives Against El Papa

Pope Leo faces MAGA ire after immigration and climate change remarks | CNN Pope Leo XIV has adopted a more low-key, less combative style to his predecessor in the early months of his papacy. Pope Francis's openness to the LGBTQ community, advocacy for migrants and critiques of unrestrained capitalism saw him run up against strong conservative opposition inside and outside the church.

Newspaper Pens YET ANOTHER Love Letter

Chappell Roan's emotional message in Kansas City: 'All I ask is that you listen' Chappell Roan gave an emotional speech about LGBTQ rights at 2 KC concerts, asking fans to listen and promising to make queer people feel safe, heard and seen.

Forecast For Now . . .

First Warn Forecast: Warm, dry, and breezy weekend underway A break in the unseasonably high temperatures is on the horizon.

Sunday Kind Of Love by Etta James is our de facto Sunday song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Recently . . .

The commander-in-Chief has garnered a great many laughs by sharing AI memes of his opposition in sombreros . . . SOME Latino groups have objected to the trolling . . . Others are forced to quietly giggle.

TKC has been using sombrero humor for about 20 years on this blog so we can't cast any stones.

Meanwhile . . .

THIS WEEK KANSAS GOP SHARES AN EPIC ROAST OF GUV KELLY OVER THE SNAP DATA BEEF!!!

Special thanks to THE MOST AWESOME TKC READERS for sending a note of the social media burn that had to sting . . . We'll start with the quote . . . Check-it:

"Laura Kelly refuses to turn over SNAP data to the feds because she doesnt want the feds to know exactly how much money in food stamps Kansas is giving to illegal aliens. Time to turn it over, Laura. Kansans first."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com screenshot . . .

Update . . .

We didn't notice that that the newspaper noticed and OF COURSE . . . Posts accusations of racism:

KS GOPs fake post of Gov. Kelly in sombrero crosses the line to blatant racism | Opinion

Developing . . .
Social media suggestion from one of the BEST & BRIGHTEST TKC READERS . . .

This week, world renowned biz speaker Diana Kander recently highlighted a milestone for her family and how they started moving forward beyond local politics . . . Here's a triumphant quote that deserves attention for those who didn't see it . . .

"Jason finally decided to stop running as ask for help from his untreated ptsd and associated symptoms.



"It was the day he walked away from a very promising political career to save his own life and protect his family.



"I couldnt imagine a life any better than the one were living now. And its all thanks to his decision to walk away to focus on what was most important."

The aftermath . . .

Eventually Jason Kander moved back into the public spotlight and hosts a successful podcast, has continued to author books and has garnered one of the greatest political social media presences of any Kansas City pundit.

However . . .

Locals still pressure him to return to politics after all these years and especially amid the recent debate over redistricting.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .The throwback report for context . . .

Rising Democratic star Jason Kander, former Army officer, exits Kansas City mayor race for depression, PTSD treatment Jason Kander was running for mayor in Kansas City.

A recent military quote from this year that kinda speaks to events this week . . .

Veteran Gives Pete Hegseth An Absolute 'Problem' Over His Pride Month 'Troll' Job Former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) smacked down the defense secretary's "pretty immature" order against a late LGBTQ+ rights icon.

Developing . . .
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Today marks five years since the city of Ganja was subjected to a second rocket attack by Armenian armed forces during the Patriotic War.

On the morning of October 5, 2020, Azerbaijan's second-largest city came under fire from Armenia's Berd district.

The rockets fell near the Ganja International Hospital, Secondary School No. 34, a furniture factory on Shah Ismail Khatai Street, an area called the Yevlakh Bus Station, and the Central Market. As a result, three civilians were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity, and significant damage was caused to civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, on October 5, Armenian armed forces fired two missiles at the city of Beylagan. One of the shells fell in the courtyard of a kindergarten, and the other in a vacant lot within the city limits. On this day, the military-political leadership of the aggressor country, Armenia, continued terrorist attacks against civilians, grossly violating the norms and principles of international law.

Thus, on the morning of October 5, 2020, enemy armed forces opened fire on densely populated areas of the Goranboy, Goygol, Terter, Zardab and Barda districts, as well as on Ganja and Beylagan.

As a result of yet another heavy artillery attack by the occupying country's armed forces on areas densely populated by Azerbaijani civilians, rockets fell on the central streets of the city of Barda and near the Central District Hospital. Mehdiyeva Shahriyar Isa gizi was killed by rocket fragments, and three others were hospitalized with injuries of varying severity. Significant damage was also caused to infrastructure. A criminal case has been opened under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

As a result of Armenia's military aggression, 93 civilians were killed, including 12 children and 27 women, 454 civilians were injured, a total of 12,292 residential and non-residential buildings, 288 vehicles were damaged, and 1,018 farms were damaged during the Second Karabakh War.

The Barda district and the center of the city of Barda were subjected to rocket and artillery shelling by Armenian armed forces three times (on October 5, 27, and 28) during the Second Karabakh War. As a result, 29 people were killed, 112 were injured, and significant damage was caused to civilian infrastructure and vehicles in the district.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6. The Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist", on September 27, 2020, in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces along the frontline, Trend reports.

The erupted 44-day Second Karabakh War ended with the liberation of Azerbaijans territories from nearly 30-year Armenian occupation.

Trend presents the chronicle of the 11th day of the Second Karabakh war:

- President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev gave an interview to Russian "Perviy Kanal" TV channel.

- President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Mevlut Cavusoglu.

- The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan reported that as a result of a precise fire strike by the Azerbaijani army, the central ammunition depot located in the Ballija settlement was destroyed. In addition, two BM-21 combat vehicles as part of the Grad field reactive system and D-20 artillery units, belonging to the Armenian armed forces, were destroyed in battles in different directions of the front.

- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, stated that the duty of every respected state is to support the struggle of Azerbaijan for the liberation of its occupied territories.

- The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan shared footage from Chakhyrly village, Jabrayil district, liberated from Armenian occupation.

- The Defense Ministry published a video of the armored vehicles of the Armenian armed forces captured as trophies.

- As a result of the shelling of the Aghdam district by the Armenian armed forces, an employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan was injured.

- The Parliament of Azerbaijan approved the return of the historical name Sugovushan to the Madagiz village recently liberated from Armenian occupation.

- Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov said at a special meeting that if Armenia uses Iskander complexes, adequate retaliatory measures will be taken.

- The State Security Service carried out radio interception of the negotiations of terrorists participating in military operations against Azerbaijan.

- During the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani army, two more terrorists - mercenaries who fought on the side of the armed forces of Armenia - were neutralized.

- The Armenian armed forces fired on the territory of Yevlakh, Goranboy and Beylagan districts.

- The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has shared footage of armored vehicles of the armed forces of Armenia, captured by the Azerbaijani army.

- The ammunition depot located in the Ballija settlement was destroyed together with the manpower. Unable to withstand the onslaught of the counter-offensive operation of the Azerbaijani army, the Armenian soldiers left their combat positions and fled.

- The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has published new footage of the captured Armenian post and trophies.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Azerbaijans State Water Resources Agency has thrown its hat in the ring with plans to breathe new life into the Banovsha Lake reservoir near the nation's Gusar district, Trend reports.

The Directorate of Ongoing Construction Projects under the agency has initiated preliminary operations and is currently engaged in the contractor selection process to execute the necessary remediation efforts. The initiative, with a financial allocation of 1.1 million manat ($646,700), is designed to enhance the operational efficacy of the reservoir.

The Banovsha Lake reservoir, constructed in 1982, once served as a vital source of drinking and household water for the city of Gusar and nearby villages. Over the years, however, it fell into neglect and gradually dried up, rendering it largely unusable. The deteriorating condition of the reservoir has drawn growing attention, with members of Parliament, including MP Azer Badamov, stressing that climate change is diminishing Azerbaijans freshwater reserves and that restoring reservoirs like Banovsha is essential to ensuring the countrys long-term water security.

The Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency (ADSEA) was instituted via a presidential decree on March 30, 2023, with the objective of optimizing hydrological resource governance and mitigating the challenges associated with water scarcity within the national context. The agency was established through the amalgamation of antecedent hydrological governance bodies into a singular, cohesive framework.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. On October 4, a photo exhibition dedicated to Azerbaijan's mine victims was held in the central "Grote Marktstraat" street of The Hague, the capital of the Netherlands, Trend reports.

The exhibition was organized within the framework of the "European Photo Exhibitions of Mine Victims" project, implemented by the "Gilavar" Photo Club Public Union with the sponsorship of the State Support Agency for NGOs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The local partner of the project in the Netherlands is the "Motherland" European Azerbaijani Women's Union.

Rashad Mehdiyev, Chairman of the "Gilavar" Photo Club Public Union, stated that The Hague is recognized worldwide as the "capital of international law," hosting the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and several important tribunals: "Therefore, after Germany, France, and Belgium, we are concluding our exhibition in this symbolic city. Over nine days, the crowded photo exhibitions we held in five European cities showcased the tragedies and scars caused by Armenia's mine war on the lives of peaceful, innocent people. Accurate mine maps for the Azerbaijani side have still not been provided. We desire a mine-free, peaceful South Caucasus and demand justice for mine victims. It is no coincidence that this exhibition took place on October 4the anniversary of the day when peaceful civilians in Ganja came under rocket attacks from Armenia. The attack on Ganja was another attempt at the Khodjaly genocide. We concluded this exhibition by planting an olive treea symbol of security and peacein the area of the Khodjaly monument in The Hague. This olive tree expresses our deepest respect for the cherished memory of those who lost their lives and were injured due to the explosions of mines planted by Armenia in Azerbaijani territories."

The photo exhibition reflected the painful stories, losses, and life wills of mine victims. Residents of The Hague read these words on the photo of mine victim Elchin Guliyev: "A mine makes no distinction between nation or profession. It only counts our steps. My profession was mine detection, and while searching with the desire to save lives, I lost my right leg in a mine explosion." Mine victim Elvin Gafarov addressed the residents of The Hague through his photo with these words: "I was a villager, neither a soldier nor an officer. While engaged in my daily chores, I stepped on a mine and lost my left leg. Although my life was very simple, the pains inflicted on me by the mine tragedy made it complex and unbearable."

After Munich, Nuremberg, Paris, and Brussels, this time The Hague listened to the voices of Azerbaijan's mine victims. With this, the "Gilavar" Photo Club has concluded the "European Photo Exhibitions of Mine Victims" project.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has released the official exchange rates for foreign currencies as of October 5, Trend reports.

According to the rates announced by the CBI, the value of 45 currencies went up, while 1 currencies dropped compared to October 4.

The official rate for $1 is 586,466 rials, while one euro is valued at 679,139 rials. On October 4, the euro was priced at 679,139 rials.

Currency Rial on October 5 Rial on October 4 1 US dollar USD 586,466 578,138 1 British pound GBP 790,149 779,345 1 Swiss franc CHF 737,132 727,326 1 Swedish krona SEK 62,562 61,820 1 Norwegian krone NOK 58,833 58,215 1 Danish krone DKK 92,196 90,944 1 Indian rupee INR 6,608 6,516 1 UAE Dirham AED 159,691 157,424 1 Kuwaiti dinar KWD 1,918,468 1,890,420 100 Pakistani rupees PKR 207,742 204,623 100 Japanese yen JPY 397,762 392,395 1 Hong Kong dollar HKD 75,387 74,303 1 Omani rial OMR 1,524,317 1,502,438 1 Canadian dollar CAD 420,024 414,516 1 New Zealand dollar NZD 342,083 337,448 1 South African rand ZAR 34,048 33,595 1 Turkish lira TRY 14,065 13,869 1 Russian ruble RUB 7,151 7,026 1 Qatari riyal QAR 161,117 158,829 100 Iraqi dinars IQD 44,761 44,133 1 Syrian pound SYP 45 44 1 Australian dollar AUD 387,153 382,331 1 Saudi riyal SAR 156,391 154,170 1 Bahraini dinar BHD 1,559,750 1,537,601 1 Singapore dollar SGD 454,863 448,723 100 Bangladeshi takas BDT 480,843 474,895 10 Sri Lankan rupees LKR 19,398 19,108 1 Myanmar kyat MMK 279 275 100 Nepalese rupees NPR 412,810 407,053 1 Libyan dinar LYD 108,407 106,969 1 Chinese yuan CNY 82,367 81,205 100 Thai baht THB 1,810,307 1,789,141 1 Malaysian ringgit MYR 139,319 137,375 1,000 South Korean won KRW 416,929 410,990 1 Jordanian dinar JOD 827,173 815,427 1 euro EUR 688,497 679,139 100 Kazakh tenge KZT 107,144 105,734 1 Georgian lari GEL 215,703 212,282 1,000 Indonesian rupiahs IDR 35,349 34,842 1 Afghan afghani AFN 8,754 8,612 1 Belarusian ruble BYN 173,088 170,300 1 Azerbaijani manat AZN 344,796 340,070 100 Philippine pesos PHP 1,012,822 998,000 1 Tajik somoni TJS 63,231 62,044 1 Turkmen manat TMT 167,379 165,302 Venezuelan bolivar VES 3,167 3,168

The CBI adopted the SANA system for currency exchange offices, where one euro costs 849,835 rials and $1 costs 723,895 rials.

NIMA is a scheme for selling a percentage of the foreign money earned from exports.

The price of one euro in this system amounted to 825,083 rials, and the price of $1 totaled 702,811 rials.

On the black market, $1 is worth about 1,12 -1,15 million rials, while one euro is worth 1.32-1.35 million rials.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, a senior official told ANI. The airport is set to place Mumbai among the world's elite twin-airport cities, alongside London, New York, and Tokyo, giving a major boost to India's global aviation stature. Spanning 1,160 hectares, NMIA is being developed under a public-private partnership between Adani Airport Holdings (74%) and CIDCO (26%). Its lotus-inspired design blends Indian heritage with state-of-the-art sustainable engineering, making it one of Asia's most advanced airports. Phase 1 will handle 20 million passengers annually with one runway and terminal. At full capacity, NMIA will feature four terminals and two runways, raising Mumbai's combined capacity with CSMIA to 155 million passengers per year. The airport will also become a major cargo hub, scaling from 0.5 million to 3.2 million tonnes annually, supported by a fully automated, AI-enabled terminal. The project is expected to generate over 2 lakh jobs across aviation, logistics, IT, hospitality, and real estate, with sustainability features including renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, and passive cooling. The DGCA granted its aerodrome license on October 1. India's aviation sector is witnessing unprecedented growth. Operational airports have increased from 74 in 2014 to 163 in 2025, with a target of 400+ by 2047. Passenger traffic is projected to double to 500 million by 2030, while cargo volumes are expected to triple to 10 million tonnes, positioning India as a global aviation hub. Adding to its international credentials, India was re-elected to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council, securing more votes than in 2022. A founding member since 1944, India has maintained an unbroken presence for 81 years, playing a leading role in shaping global aviation safety, security, sustainability, and inclusive growth. The Civil Aviation Secretary represented India at the Assembly, highlighting the country's leadership in international civil aviation. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has ushered in an era of transformative growth and innovation in India's aviation sector. Driven by groundbreaking legislative reforms, extensive infrastructure expansion, and an unwavering commitment to connectivity, safety, and sustainability, the Ministry has achieved landmark milestones, positioning India among the world's leading aviation markets. (ANI)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. The Iranian parliament adopted today a resolution to remove four zeros from the national currency (Rial) in a draft amendment to the country's monetary and banking law, Trend reports.

In the plenary session of the parliament, 144 deputies voted in favor, 108 deputies voted against, and 3 deputies abstained. The draft eliminated the shortcomings raised by the Iranian Constitutional Supervisory Council.

According to the decision, the Central Bank of Iran must take necessary measures to begin a transitional period for the implementation of this law within 2 years from the date of its entry into force.

The decision states that the Central Bank of Iran will prepare the implementation mechanism of the law within three months and it will be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The Iranian parliament has passed a resolution on the denomination of the Iranian currency in 2020. According to the resolution, it is planned to remove 4 zeros from the national currency of Iran and change the name "rial" to "toman". However, the draft law in question has not been approved by Iran's Constitutional Supervisory Council.
Photo: Press-service of the President of Tajikistan

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 5. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a telephone conversation with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Akorda's press service says, Trend reports.

During the conversation, the presidents reportedly noted the progressive development of Kazakh-Tajik relations, demonstrating positive dynamics in all areas of cooperation.

"The heads of state discussed further steps to expand cooperation in the trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev congratulated Emomali Rahmon on his birthday, wishing him continued success in his responsible public service for the benefit of the fraternal Tajik people.

The head of state emphasized that he highly values the personal contribution of the President of Tajikistan to strengthening the strategic partnership and allied relations between our countries.

The interlocutors also reviewed the schedule of upcoming contacts," the report says.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a telephone conversation with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the Uzbek presidential press service says, Trend reports.

According to information, during the telephone conversation, Shavkat Mirziyoyev warmly congratulated Emomali Rahmon on his birthday, sincerely wishing him good health, family happiness, well-being, and further prosperity for the people of brotherly Tajikistan.

The press service reported that Mirziyoyev particularly noted the role of the President of Tajikistan in strengthening independence, ensuring sustainable development, and enhancing the country's international prestige, and also emphasized his personal contribution to strengthening Uzbek-Tajik relations of friendship, good-neighborliness, and alliance.

"Current issues related to the further expansion of multifaceted partnership in the context of implementing high-level agreements were discussed. Particular attention was paid to continuing joint work to develop a new agenda for practical cooperation, covering priority areas such as trade, industrial cooperation, transport, energy, agriculture, tourism, and cultural and humanitarian exchanges. The schedule and agenda of upcoming high-level bilateral and multilateral events planned in our countries were also discussed," the report says.
Photo: Press service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 5. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a working visit to Azerbaijan on October 6-7, the press service of the President of Uzbekistan says, Trend reports.

According to information, Mirziyoyev will participate in the events of the next summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which will be held in the city of Gabala.

It is reported that the agenda of the meeting, held under the theme "Regional Peace and Security," includes current issues of further development and deepening of multilateral cooperation within the Organization.

"Prospects for practical cooperation in political, trade and economic, innovation, investment, energy, transport and communications, humanitarian and other priority areas will be considered," the press service noted.

The OTS is an international organization of cooperation among Turkic states, bringing together Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan. Its main objective is to foster comprehensive cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Experience proves that there is no solution to Iran's nuclear program other than diplomacy and discussion, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in a statement to journalists after a meeting with heads of diplomatic missions of foreign countries in Tehran today, Trend reports.

According to him, over the past years, Iran has been repeatedly threatened with a military attack. However, this method could not solve the problem. The European parties also threatened to activate the "Snapback" mechanism. But, as with a military attack, this step was not an effective solution. It only made the negotiation process more complicated and difficult.

The Iranian foreign minister said that the European Troika (Great Britain, France, and Germany) thought that they would achieve results with the "Snapback" pressure lever. However, this pressure lever was not enough and made diplomacy difficult.

Aragchi added that diplomacy will continue. However, in the current circumstances, the parties and format of the negotiations have changed. Naturally, the role of European countries in the future negotiations has decreased and their justification for the negotiations has decreased.

On September 26, the UN Security Council convened to review the draft resolution submitted by Russia and China aimed at extending the term of Resolution 2231 and blocking the activation of the Snapback mechanism. The vote saw four members in favor, nine opposed, and two abstentions. As a result, starting September 28, the Security Councils resolutions targeting Iran have been reinstated.

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.

The five rounds of indirect talks on Iran's nuclear program took place between Iran and the U.S. on April 12, 19, and 26, and May 11 and 23. Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi acted as mediator in the indirect talks, with the Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Sayed Abbas Araghchi and the U.S. delegation led by U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. The first, third, and fourth rounds of negotiations took place in Muscat, the capital of Oman, and the second and fifth rounds took place in Rome, the capital of Italy.

On June 22, the U.S. launched military airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. It is reported that the airstrikes destroyed the Iranian nuclear facilities.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 5. Georgias ruling party Georgian Dream  Democratic Georgia is leading decisively in the countrys local elections, securing 80.79% of votes according to preliminary results released on October 5, Trend reports.

Vote counts from 2,283 out of 3,061 polling stations have been tallied so far, the Central Election Commission reported. Voter turnout across Georgia stood at 40.93%, with 1,438,116 citizens casting their ballots.

The elections were held on Saturday in all 64 municipalities, where voters elected mayors and members of local representative councils (sakrebulo). A total of 3.5 million eligible voters were registered to participate, with 3,061 polling stations open nationwide.

According to early data, Georgian Dream is leading across all municipalities. The opposition party Strong Georgia  Lelo ranks second with 6.77%, followed by Giorgi Gakharia for Georgia with 3.87% and Girchi with 3.29%.

Other parties, including Conservatives for Georgia (2.76%), Alliance of Patriots (0.84%), and Homeland, Language, Faith (0.37%), gained less than 3% of the vote each.

The election process was monitored by 28 international and 27 domestic observer organizations, while more than 73 media outlets covered the event across the country.

The Central Election Commission is expected to release final results in the coming days.
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CEC dodges question on presence of infiltrators in Bihar

Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday October 05, 2025 once again chose not to respond to the question about the presence of foreign nationals, infiltrators and ghuspaithiya in Bihar

Monday October 6, 2025 0:08 AM , ummid.com News Network

Patna: Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday October 05, 2025 once again chose not to respond to the question about the presence of foreign nationals, infiltrators and ghuspaithiya in Bihar.

Gyanesh Kumar was in Patna to review the preparedness of the 2025 Bihar Assembly Election. On Saturday, he met the leaders of different political parties and took feedback from them.

On the second day of his visit to Bihar Sunday, Kumar addressed a press conference where reporters asked him different questions.

A number of reporters asked Gyanesh Kumar how many infiltrators or ghuspaithiya the Poll Panel found after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

The Chief Election Commission did not respond to the repeated questions on the subject.

Reporters asked the question because the BJP leaders, including PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had on multiple occasions said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls was conducted in Bihar to trace the ghuspaithiyas and remove their names from the voter lists.

The CEC however evaded the question.

The same question was asked to the CEC when he had addressed the press conference on August 17, 2025 after the publication of draft voter list.

Some reporters wanted to know from Gyanesh Kumar how many Bangladeshi, Rohingya or Nepali nationals the Election Commission found in Bihar during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Kumar tried to dodge the question. When pressed, he said the details of this will be out when the Final Electoral List is published on September 30, 2025.

However, Gyanesh Kumar again failed to respond to this question.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that "extremely sad news" has been received of the martyrdom of Rifleman Suraj Singh Negi, while serving Mother India in the Baramulla region of Jammu-Kashmir In a post shared on X, CM Dhami said, "The extremely sad news has been received of the martyrdom of Rifleman Suraj Singh Negi, a brave son of Kotdwar, while serving Mother India in the Baramulla region of Jammu-Kashmir. We salute your bravery and sacrifice; your saga of valor will always remain alive in our memories. Humble tributes!" https://x.com/pushkardhami/status/1974525296151019938 Earlier, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami paid floral tributes to the deceased activists at the Shaheed Sthal, Rampur Tiraha in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar on Thursday. A ceremony was held in memory of the activists who sacrificed their lives during the Uttarakhand statehood movement. On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced that a master plan for the redevelopment of the Rampur Tiraha Shaheed Sthal will be prepared. Efforts will be made to enhance the grandeur of the museum at the site. Additionally, a canteen will be constructed, and a stoppage point will be developed for Uttarakhand buses. The Chief Minister said that the Rampur Tiraha firing incident of October 2, 1994, remains one of the darkest and most painful chapters in the history of the Uttarakhand statehood movement. "Even today, the memories of the brutal firing and the inhuman atrocities committed against women send shivers down the spine of every Uttarakhandi. Those responsible for protecting the public had themselves crossed all limits of violence and barbarity. A peaceful movement was ruthlessly crushed. He said that this day will always remind us that the foundation of Uttarakhand was nurtured with the blood of our deceased activists," he said. He further said that it was because of the sacrifice, dedication, and struggle of the movement's participants that Uttarakhand was granted statehood. "The state government is committed to building the Uttarakhand envisioned by the movement's leaders. A 10 per cent horizontal reservation in government jobs has been implemented for statehood activists and their dependents. Families of deceased activists are provided with a monthly pension of Rs 3,000. Injured activists and those who were jailed receive a pension of Rs 6,000 per month, while active participants receive Rs 4,500 per month. The government has also issued identity cards to recognised statehood activists and appointed 93 activists to government service. In addition, they are provided free travel in state-run buses," CM Dhami said. (ANI)
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is set to take strict action against Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Coldrif cough syrup, after several children died from consuming the syrup. The CDSCO will write to the Tamil Nadu Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take stringent measures against the company. "CDSCO to write to Tamil Nadu-FDA to take strictest action against 'Coldrif' Syrup Manufacturer Sresan Pharmaceuticals," said the official sources. The affected children are from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra, while states like Kerala and Telangana have issued public alerts banning the use of Coldrif syrup. Another company supplying cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh, Nextro DS, whose sample results are still pending. "The Nextro DS syrups sample results are still pending, a total of 19 samples were collected that include samples of syrup, antibiotics, antipyretics and ondansetron, consumed by the Children who fell ill in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh," said official sources. "The cough syrup 'Coldrif' tested to have beyond permissible limits of DEG/EG by Tamil Nadu-FDA was also sampled for analysis by Madhya Pradesh, Drug Regulatory Authority, whose final results are still awaited," official sources said further. The Madhya Pradesh government has imposed an immediate ban on the sale of Coldrif and Nextro DS syrups along with along with the ban on the sale of other products manufactured by the same company. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, announced the ban on X. The Union Health Ministry has advised that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed or dispensed to children below two years of age. The Ministry has written a letter to the Director of Health Services of all states and Union Territories in this regard. The drug authorities will take further action against Nextro DS syrups after the findings. (ANI)
Dunmore Road

Becoming Conscious evening

The renowned psychotherapist Dr Brendan Harding is presenting a special evening on Becoming Conscious, Living Your Best Life, based on the psychology of Carl Jung. His topics will cover healing, managing depression, inner awakening and becoming your best self.

The talk takes place on Thursday, October 9, at 7.30pm in the Woodlands Hotel, Waterford. 16 per person, 30 for two. Contact: jungatheart65@gmail.com For bookings phone Mary at 086 0631912. For further information: https://www.sandplayireland.com/about-brendan/

Bereavement

The death sadly occurred on Thursday, September 25, of Mr. Gerald Luckhurst Shorewood, Ballinakill Downs, Dunmore Road, Waterford. Formerly of Groombridge, Kent, UK. Predeceased by his loving father Arthur, mother Dora, brothers Tony and Michael and sister Glenis. He is survived by his loving wife Elizabeth, daughter Stephanie, son-in-law Richard, grandchildren Barnaby, Marlow and Rufus, brother Ted, sister Carol, brothers-in-law Brian Declan, Anthony and Kevin, sisters-in-law Shirley, Margaret, Edwina, Martina and Barbara, nephews, nieces, extended family, relatives, neighbours and friends. Gerald will be sadly missed by all his relatives, extended family, neighbours and friends. Funeral Service took place on Saturday, October 4, at 10:30am in St. Andrew's Church, Park Road, Dunmore East, followed by cremation in the Island Crematorium, Ringaskiddy, Cork. Condolences are extended to Gerald's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.

Bereavement

The death sadly occurred on Saturday, September 27, of Mr. Anthony (Tony) Delicato, Quarrymount, John's Hill, Waterford City. Formerly of John Street, Waterford, he is survived by his loving wife Ursula, sons Dominic and Angelo, daughters Antonia and Paula, granddaughter Jade, great grandson Louis, sister Gina, sisters-in-law Girlie, Letty, Theresa and Elena, brother-in-law Paul, his nieces, nephews, extended family, neighbours and friends. Anthony will be sadly missed by all his relatives, extended family, neighbours and friends. Requiem Mass took place on Tuesday, September 30, in St. John's Church, Parnell Street, Waterford at 1:00pm, followed by burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Ballygunner, Waterford. Condolences are extended to Anthony's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.

Bereavement

The death sadly occurred on Saturday, September 27, of Mr. Desmond Miller of Woodstown, Co. Waterford and formerly of Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow and Winton Road, Dublin 6 and, former partner KPMG and past president Dublin Chamber of Commerce. Loving father of his and Anna's children, Angus, Rebecca, Samantha, Marcus, Jonathan and the late Jason. Missed terribly by his 19 adored grandchildren Annabella, Lucy, Finn, Eva, Alanna, Alexandra, Amelie, Cian, Archie, Beatrice, Ronan, Darach, Tessa-May, Louis, Zara, Leonora, Maia, Benjamin and Matthew. Loving brother of Elizabeth, brother-in-law of the late Garry and uncle of Philippa and Gavin. Devoted father-in-law of Dana, Sandra, Miguel, John, Bina and the late Stephanie. Fondly remembered by his cousins and many special friends and neighbours.

Desmond will be sadly missed by all his relatives, extended family, neighbours and friends. Funeral Service took place on Saturday, October 4, at 2.00pm in St. Patricks Church, Powerscourt, Enniskerry. Condolences are extended to Desmond's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.

Bereavement

The death has sadly occurred on Wednesday, October 1, of Mr. Oliver Flynn, late of Bishop's Court, Grantstown, Waterford. Predeceased by his loving parents Nicholas and Nora, his sisters Una, Geraldine and Carmel and brother-in-law Michael. He is survived by his loving niece Martina, nephews Alan, Kevin and Brian, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, neighbours and a large circle of friends. Oliver will be sadly missed by all his relatives, extended family, neighbours and friends. Requiem Mass took place on Saturday, October 4, in St Marys Church, Ballygunner, at 11 oclock. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Condolences are extended to Oliver's family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.

Church Visit of St Teresas Parish Choir

On Sunday, October 12, at the 12 noon Mass in St Joseph & St Benildus Church, we will be joined by St Teresas Parish Choir from St Johns, Newfoundland. They will sing together with our own Parish Choir, and we look forward to a joyful celebration of faith and music. We warmly welcome our visitors from Canada and invite all parishioners to join us for this special occasion.

A warm word of thanks

A warm word of thanks to the children who began their ministry as altar servers. Their commitment and willingness to serve at the altar is a great joy for our parish community. We are grateful to them and to their families for supporting them in this important role. May their service help them grow in faith and deepen their love for the Mass.

Cuppa Agus Comhra

Cuppa Agus Comhra - chat as gaeilge over tea/coffee, on Thursdays from 11am12noon, in Benildus Parish Centre. All levels welcome, from liofa to cupla focal. Facilitated by Angeline. Book via Parish Office: 051 348077 or parishofficejbm@gmail.com

Solas Cancer Support Centre Festive Tea Dates

Lots have been in touch enquiring about this year's Festive Tea dates at the Granville Hotel on Saturday, November 29, and Sunday 30. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, October 16, more details released nearer to the time.

Ardkeen Library

Science Workshops: Thursday, October 9 at 3:30pm. Book your child's place.

Rhyme & Sign Storytime: Monday, October 20, at 10:30am. A fun and interactive storytime for babies and toddlers led by Claire Glynn, founder of Clever Little Handies. Claire is visiting five of our libraries for a fun Rhyme & Sign Storytime. Claire's library sessions will show babies, toddlers and their carers how to sign their names and then sign along to an enjoyable rhyming story. Register your child's place in advance.

Volunteer with Age Action: Wednesdays from 2.30pm  4.30pm. Passionate about helping others, become a volunteer tutor with Age Actions 'Getting Started' programme and make a real difference in someones life! Help older people learn vital digital skills like sending emails, booking flights and shopping online and much more. Location: Ardkeen Library Waterford. For more info: volunteering@ageaction.ie

Eating Well for Mental Wellness: Wednesday, October 8 at 2pm. A free talk with community food and nutrition worker Maria Chester. Booking required 051 849755 or email ardkeenlibrary@waterfordcouncil.ie

Active Ageing and Fall Prevention: Thursday, October 9 at 11am. A free talk on fall risk, how to prevent them and staying active as we age with physiotherapist Mairead Power. Booking required.

To book events at Ardkeen Library contact 051 849755 or email ardkeenlibrary@waterfordcouncil.ie

Farronshoneen Youth Centre

If you are living on the Williamstown or Dunmore Road Area we have an all boys group running every Tuesday in Farronshoneen Youth Centre. If you are interested please don't hesitate to contact Nina on 086 7816269.

Blood Donation Clinic

Your next blood donation clinics are as follows: Woodlands Hotel, Waterford: from Tuesday, October 14 to Thursday, October 16 (incl.) 3:50-8:10pm; Sunday, October 19, 12 noon - 3.30pm and Monday, October 20, and Thursday, October 23 (incl.) 3:50-8:10pm. This is an appointment based clinic only. Please contact 1800 222 111 to book your appointment. Check your eligibility at giveblood.ie

Service of Remembrance

University Hospital Waterford Maternity Service would like to invite you to a service of remembrance. All who have experienced pregnancy, infant or child loss are welcome to attend on Sunday, October 19, at 4pm in Christchurch Cathedral.

Benefit Night in aid of Waterford Hospice

There will be a Benefit Night held in aid of Waterford Hospice on Saturday, October 25, in the Tower Hotel. Admission 15, doors will open at 7.30pm. Benefit night from 8pm  12pm. Auction and raffle on the night followed by Mike Kennys 60s and 90s disco. Tickets on sale in Ardkeen Stores or for more information contact Frankie on 087 3734398.

Toastmasters at Granville

Toastmasters International bus tour around Ireland 'Campaign of Connection' arrives at the Granville Hotel on October 10 from 7.30-9pm. Make connections, inspire growth, share stories and improve communication skills.

Happy 65th Birthday

To Angela Westwood, Rice Park, Waterford who celebrates her birthday on October 13. Hope she has a good day. Happy Birthday from all the Westwoods in Rice Park, her friends and neighbours. Angela is also a great fan of WLR.
A substantial cheque was handed over by Cllr John Hearne on behalf of St. Pauls Parish Frank Leahy Run to Waterford Inclusivity Network, a vibrant new youth group doing community projects in Waterford.

They are the youth branch of Waterford Disability Network, another great community organisation.

It is a fantastic organisation that aims to raise awareness about disability issues in Waterford.

They provide a welcoming and accessible office where people can visit, call or contact them through social media.

For further information phone: 051 873854.
A number of Ukrainian refugees are to be moved out of their accommodation in Waterford City to make way for a new hub for homeless service users.

A councillor raised a question about the status of the Ukrainian refugees at a recent meeting in City Hall.

Independent Councillor Joe Kelly asked at the meeting: "Virginia Crescent on Hennessey's Road where Ukrainian refugees are going to be moved out of shortly. I understand the centre will be turned into a homeless hub or a homeless support base. I'm wondering if there are any details available on that."

Removal

A number of women and children, displaced by the ongoing war in their home country, are understood to be living at the centre. Russia's war on Ukraine has claimed thousands of lives, and hostilities are unlikely to end any time soon.

It is understood that the refugees will be moved to other parts of Waterford City.

Cllr Kelly later spoke with Waterford News and Star about the situation. He expressed concern over the lack of confirmation and information for the people who have made a home for themselves in Waterford, as well as the local community.

He said: "We can't have Council doing things and communities being the last to find out."

In recent months, refugees in other parts of Waterford, mainly women and children, have faced attempts at being moved from their current address to a faraway part of the country, like Donegal and Sligo.
The 50th Jubilee of Ballybeg and St Saviour's Parish was celebrated with a special mass celebrated by Bishop Cullinan and concelebrated by Fr Robert Grant PP.

It was lovely to see so many of the parishioners old and new attend and nice to see our public representatives, David Cullinane TD and Cllr. Donal Barry, in attendance.

Some of the clubs in the area also attended.

It was great to see the Good Shepard Nuns represented, including Sr. Vera, who was the last serving member of her community in Ballybeg where they worked for many years.

The choir, under the direction of our long serving organist Barry Murphy, sang during the mass and the readings and prayers of the faithful were read by members of the community and school.

The gifts were brought to the altar by children from the school.

Tea, coffee and cakes were served in the community room by our parish nuns and everyone had a lovely time catching up.

The school also had their special mass on the Wednesday and it was lovely to see a lot of former school teachers in attendance.

The church of St Saviour's was opened in 1981, four years after the parish was formed and the Parish priest was Fr Lucy OP.

The childrens choir sang at the opening mass and the organist was Greg Scanlon.
It is utterly distressing to watch news reports of the war in Gaza and the West Bank. Like so many others, the feelings of outrage coupled with powerlessness and sometimes despair are overwhelming as I watch footage of emaciated, starving children with distended stomachs and bones protruding.

They are being held by their despairing ,mothers crying out for some form of nutrition.

Viewers are subjected to the barbarity of indiscriminate bombing, which destroys dwellings, hospitals, schools, shops, etc. According to the Gaza Health Authority, over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war to date.

It is estimated that half a million Palestinians are starving, even though we are reliably informed that hundreds of trucks laden with supplies are stationed just outside the Israeli border. But they are obstructed from entering Gaza and the West Bank, though Israel, of course, denies this, claiming that there is a food supply getting through.

The statistics are supplied by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an organisation backed by the United Nations, which monitors hunger internationally. It reports that over half a million Palestinians are facing famine conditions of starvation, destitution and death.

And it emphasises that the crisis is entirely man-made.

Israel is weaponising hunger as a military strategy, which is contrary to all international conventions on warfare. The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said it was "a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of wilful killing".

The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that Israel, as the occupying power, "has unequivocal obligations under international law  including the duty of ensuring food and medical supplies of the population. We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity."

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has authorised the ground invasion of Gaza city, which would forcibly displace over one million Palestinians. This will have very serious consequences for many people who are sick and malnourished as they may not be able to evacuate.

The barbarity can have a numbing effect, giving a kind of protective shield to isolate us from the horrors. But we can't escape the feeling that we should be doing something.

It is heartening to see well-attended protest marches throughout the country in support of Palestine. Our Government must be commended for its official recognition of the State of Palestine. (Most experts agree that the Two-State Solution, which involves the creation of a Palestinian state separate from the state of Israel, is the only viable proposal for peace in the area.)

The US has shamefully refused to recognise the State of Palestine.

Lately, I was very encouraged to discover that we can do something as a local Church, to challenge the barbarity of the Israeli occupation. The Association of Catholic Priests has called for the Church in Ireland to divest from its main insurer, Allianz, because the company is the principal shareholder in Elbit Systems, one of the main suppliers of drones to the Israeli military. (The use of drones has had a devastating impact on infrastructure in Gaza, killing many thousands of Palestinians.)

All church property and Catholic schools in Ireland are insured by Allianz. The company is also one of the major sponsors for the GAA.

Our parish property is, of course, insured by Allianz. I ask myself, am I cooperating with evil if I continue our contractual arrangement with Allianz?

We were always taught that to cooperate with evil in a formal and immediate manner implies moral culpability. For example, if you drive the getaway car from a robbery or supply a gun to a murderer or launder money for a drug cartel, you are complicit in the evil intent and therefore morally guilty.

Now my association with Allianz morally offensive investment is not formal as such and not immediate. It could be classified as material cooperation. Nevertheless, I feel strongly that we should not be supporting a company with such deep financial links with a totally corrupt regime. The Church and the GAA must take a moral stance on this issue and divest.

Dr Michael Malone, of the Christians for Palestine organisation, has emphasised how effective such a boycott of companies like Allianz can be. He is also associated with a movement called the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement. He is emphatic that financial pressure, created by such movements, may ultimately force the Israeli government to cease the genocide.

I have no hesitation in calling on the Irish Church and the GAA to sever all links with Allianz, regardless of the cost, unless, of course, the company divests from Elbit Systems.

As I write, a peace proposal has just been announced by President Trump. Im somewhat sceptical as none of the warring parties (the Israeli Government or the Hamas terrorists) were party to the negotiations. It demands a significant climbdown by Netanyahu, reversing as it does the attempt to force Palestinians in Gaza into exile and to agree to the withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from Gaza.

However, the fact that Tony Blair, who has been active in the Middle East peace process for several years, will have a leading role in the plan is cause for hope.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

People in the Republic of Ireland have a lot of work to do to get to know neighbours in Northern Ireland, presidential candidate Jim Gavin has said, as he questioned whether the time is right for a poll on unification.

Mr Gavin made the comments while participating in a live television debate on RTEs The Week in Politics with Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who is supported by left-wing parties including Sinn Fein, and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.

He said: Im not sure if the time is right. Weve a lot of work to do with the north of Ireland.

Ms Connolly said she would like to see a referendum during her tenure if elected president, commenting: It has to be done by consent, with respect for all communities and all traditions.

Ms Humphreys, a Presbyterian from Ulster, said she had a unique understanding of both traditions in Northern Ireland.

Nobody knows better than me there are deep divisions in Northern Ireland, we have to deepen the understanding  that takes work.

The Aras has been a safe place for those conversations and I will continue the work of others, of Mary McAleese.

The candidates took part in a debate at RTE studios (Conor MMearain/PA)

The debate comes after the publication of the Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll which put Ms Connolly leading the race for the Aras.

The independent candidate was on 32 per cent, nine points ahead of Ms Humphreys (23 per cent), and Mr Gavin trailing on 15 per cent.

When the 31 per cent of undecided voters are excluded, Ms Connolly holds 46 per cent, Ms Humphreys had 33 per cent of the vote and Mr Gavin was on 21 per cent.

The poll also reveals the second preference intentions of those surveyed, with 60 per cent of Mr Gavins second preference votes going to Ms Humphreys, compared to just 24 per cent of his second preference votes going to Ms Connolly.

During the debate, the candidates were also pressed on various controversies which have emerged through the campaign.

Mr Gavin has said he is looking into reports he owes a former tenant 3,000, but that he did not have all the information about the matter.

It relates to a dispute with a former tenant around the time his own family came into financial difficulty.

He said: That matter was over 16 years ago. It was a very stressful time for myself and my family.

Like a lot of families and couples, we came into financial difficulty at that time.

Mr Gavin said: If it happened, Im very sorry that it happened. Im looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.

Ms Connolly said she did not know anything about reported garda surveillance of a woman she worked with who had previously been convicted of firearms offences.

She sought the help of a woman who was sentenced to several years in jail after being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court for possession of firearms and ammunition more than 10 years ago.

After serving more than four years, the former Eirigi member was shortly thereafter recruited by Ms Connolly upon her release to work on a committee on the Irish language.

Ms Connolly criticised media coverage by saying the womans privacy had been transgressed as she reiterated her support: I absolutely admire this person. This person was one of the small success stories of the prison system, full rehabilitation, a change in her life completely.

She said no rules were broken here and that the woman had made a full declaration.

Fianna Fail presidential candidate Jim Gavin said he would look into the dispute with a former tenant (Niall Carson/PA)

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin said he accepted that people were entitled to a second chance but said Ms Connolly showed a lack of judgment by signing the woman in to Leinster House with day passes.

Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys has said she did not oppose drink-driving reform at Cabinet.

It comes after former transport minister Shane Ross said Ms Humphreys opposed the measures before Cabinet agreed to the proposals and they were voted into law.

Speaking during the RTE debate, she said: I did not oppose it at Cabinet  and Cabinet is confidential  and thats the bottom line here, and Im not going to breach that confidentiality.

I did not oppose the legislation. I voted for it, as I said, not once but twice.

She added: You should not be drinking and driving, and that is it. End of story.
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LifestyleFashionMeghan Markle Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, makes surprise debut at Paris Fashion Week Damien Woolnough October 5, 2025  6:33am 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

Who was that figure in a white cape taking her seat at the very last moment before the Balenciaga show began at Paris Fashion Week? Was it a supermodel, Meryl Streep or an HRH? No, it was Meghan, Duchess of Sussex making her front-row debut in the fashion capital. The former Suits actor upstaged front-row companions Lauren Sanchez-Bezos, Anne Hathaway and PinkPantheress with her unexpected appearance at the debut of former Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli as creative director of Balenciaga. During her acting days as Meghan Markle, she was a regular fixture at New York Fashion Week, with her most recent fashion show RSVP to a runway at Toronto Fashion Week way back in 2015. A front-row seat in Paris is a right royal step up. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attended the Balenciaga show in Paris on Saturday night in support of Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently assumed the role of creative director for the house, a representative for the duchess said.

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This marks her first time back to the shows in over a decade. Over the years, the duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo. They have worked closely together collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage. She has long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different. This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.

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Heidi Klum modelling for Vivienne Westwood at Paris Fashion Week. AP Hours before Meghans fashion moment, supermodel Heidi Klum must have thought the days headlines belonged to her, returning to the runway for Vivienne Westwood. Like Meghan, the Project Runway host was dressed in an all-white ensemble, but the German fashion veteran had less fabric to work with, wearing an embellished bridal bodysuit. For her efforts Klum received a bouquet of sunflowers from designer Andreas Kronthaler at the end of the show. Now the paparazzi will wait and see whether Meghan will stay in Paris for designer Matthieu Blazys debut at Chanel before heading to New York on October 9 with Prince Harry to accept Project Healthy Minds Humanitarians of the Year Award. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers held protests in Jaipur outside the Kaysons Pharma over the deaths of two children who allegedly consumed the company's cough syrup. Several other children are in serious condition, admitted to hospitals and ICUs, after consuming the same syrup. Party worker Amit Dadhich demanded that the company be shut down immediately, citing corruption and negligence. He criticised the government for allowing fake medicines to be sold, saying it's an injustice to the country and its people. "Several children have lost their lives, and several children are in a serious condition, admitted in hospital and ICU after consuming the cough syrup manufactured by Kaysons Pharma...When the doctor consumed the same syrup, he fainted and had to be admitted..." Dadhich told ANI. He further described the government as "dictatorial" and stated that the protests would continue unless action was taken against the company. "If the government is killing people by selling these fake medicines, then it is an injustice to the country and public...This is the root of corruption...If this company is not shut down, then we will take to the roads and protest...The government is being dictatorial..." he added. Ashutosh Ranka, another party worker, raised questions on the clean chit given to the company, claiming that it had been shut down two years ago. "This company had been banned two years ago, yet the cough syrup manufactured by them is still being sold... how is it possible that a clean chit was given to the company..." Ranka challenged the government to take medicines manufactured by the company. "I challenge the government to come on camera and take medicines manufactured by the company.... If the government is sensible, they must resign.... If this company is not shut down within 48 hours, we will continue protesting...." He further added. A total of 11 children have also died in Madhya Pradesh's Chindwara district due to the consumption of the Coldrif cough syrup. The Rajasthan government has taken swift action, suspending the state drug controller and halting the distribution of all medicines manufactured by Kaysons Pharma. An expert committee is being formed to investigate the issue, and warning labels will be added to potentially harmful drugs. The Union Health Ministry has issued a nationwide advisory on the rational use of cough syrups in children, highlighting the risks associated with their use. In an advisory, the Ministry said, these are generally not recommended for children below five years, and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision. The Ministry has written a letter to the Director of Health Services of all States and Union Territories in this regard. The advisory has been issued in view of child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that were linked to the consumption of cough syrups. Union Health Ministry has said that the multidisciplinary team is continuing its analysis of samples and other factors to ascertain the cause of deaths reported in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma and halted the distribution of all 19 medicines supplied by Kayson Pharma. The action was taken after two children died and several fell ill, allegedly due to the consumption of cough syrups distributed under the Chief Minister's Free Medicine Scheme. According to Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited, 10 thousand 119 samples of Kayson Pharma's medicines have been tested since 2012, with 42 found to be substandard. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has ordered a detailed investigation into the issue. (ANI)
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LifestyleHealth & wellnessIVF Opinion Single and aged 31, I froze my eggs through IVF. Now Im faced with a difficult choice Hannah Bambra Contributor October 5, 2025  1:00pm

October 5, 2025  1:00pm 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 54 View all comments

Nearly three years ago, I made the decision to take my fertility into my own hands at 31 and began IVF by myself. Freezing my eggs while I was not in a relationship felt empowering  it helped me feel as though I wasnt working to someone elses timeline. One of the earliest questions I had to consider after beginning the process was what I wanted to do in the event of having an excess of eggs. That is, if the retrieval was so successful that even after using the number of eggs required to start a family, there might be some left over. In Australia, there are three options for surplus eggs and embryos: destroy them, donate them to science or donate them to another person or couple. Invented in the 1990s, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI, was designed for couples with severe male infertility. Istock While there is a lot of talk about low supplies of donor sperm in Australia, we also have a critical shortage of donor eggs. And because egg retrieval is invasive, expensive and protracted, supply remains low. For people who need a donor egg, this is an understandably devastating reality, and donating excess eggs could be a solution for helping with this issue. And yet, when it came time to decide what I wanted to do, I found myself having unexpected feelings about donation. In many ways, giving my eggs to someone on a long waitlist so they can start their own family feels like the ultimate gift. But at the same time, it feels like a weighty and complicated decision.

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Legal changes introduced in Victoria in 2017 mean that when a donor-conceived child turns 18 they can access identifying information about their donor, even if the donation was originally under the agreement of anonymity. In NSW, if a donor-conceived child is born after January 1, 2010, they can access identifying information about their donor from a government-controlled Central Register when they turn 18. Related Article Opinion

Women's health A doctor said I was too skinny to have PCOS. Five years later, I received a diagnosis Hannah Bambra Contributor While many donor-conceived people felt they were finally getting the missing piece of the puzzle for their genetic history, some donors felt they had been misled and that the legal change went against their wishes and the context of their donation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there has been an added strain on shortages of sperm and eggs since anonymity was removed and online DNA testing has become more common. A Deakin University study in 2021 on the question of why donor-conceived people wanted to meet their donor parents found that most viewed it as a way of expanding their identity.

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While this makes sense to me, the idea of a donor being a parent is at odds with many of my personal beliefs. I am pro-choice, do not think life begins at conception, and because people are not eggs and sperm, I dont believe simply donating my biological matter makes me a parent in any real sense of the word. The idea of being the missing part of someones puzzle is also a terrifying prospect for me. If I havent raised them, what could I have to offer them? And why cant that contact be partially my decision? Related Article Exclusive

Healthcare The unusual plan to reverse the long-running sperm and egg drought While many want the choice, the desire for a relationship with a donor is not universal. For those who do reach out, some say its because they want to know where certain traits come from and what characteristics they might be able to attribute to their donor. Its testing the nature versus nurture debate. But research shows that donor-conceived people can have different expectations about the importance of genetics and what role a biological link can play in shaping who they are or who they become compared with donors.

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The decision to contact a donor is surely a difficult one for parents and their child. But as a potential donor, the weight of expectations also feels heavy. How would I navigate someone elses search for answers? What if they expected something different from what Im able to provide? Zoe Nico, who has embryos in storage after the birth of her first child, tells me she thinks about this conundrum all the time. Related Article Opinion

IVF Everything I wish I had known before deciding to freeze my eggs As I start thinking more about baby number two, I find myself thinking about my five little frozen embryos, she says. At some point, if they do have a successful second pregnancy, Nico will need to decide if she wants to keep the remaining embryos frozen, destroy them or donate them. At one point I was leaning toward altruistic donation, but now Im not so sure, she says. What freaks me out is the control of outcome you relinquish when donating your embryo, over the environment they grow up in, who raises that child.

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Going into a clinic with the intent to have your own family is an all-consuming focus. What will happen after that is achieved is often an afterthought; a quickly ticked box. But with a 1500 per cent rise in egg freezing in Australia in the past 10 years, the question of donating or destroying is only going to become more common. For now, Ive ticked the box to donate any unused eggs to scientific research, which feels like a happy medium. But when I finally hold the child Ive long dreamed of, I might see the gift Ive been given, and be compelled to pass that on to someone else. I know the pain of waiting. Hannah Bambra is a writer, peer support worker and sexual reproductive health advocate. The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up here.
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LifestyleLife & relationshipsSunday Life Fancy an island break without a long-haul flight? These five destinations tick the box Craig Tansley October 5, 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 6 View all comments

This story is part of the October 5 edition of Sunday Life. See all stories .

PAPUA NEW GUINEA Just three hours from Brisbane, PNG is our closest neighbour: at its closest point its less than four kilometres away. The reported dangers of its capital Port Moresby has likely put many off visiting  but this city is merely the stepping-off point to somewhere safer. Tourism is still gloriously simple on the islands off PNGs east coast. Fly to Kavieng on New Ireland and stay in eco-resorts set on stunning beaches, among coastal rainforest. Theres WWII wrecks in the jungles for hikers, and in the waters for divers and snorkellers. Surfers will find perfect waves. At its closest point, Papua New Guinea is less than four kilometres away from Australia. Getty Images NEW CALEDONIA At just a 2.5-hour flight from Sydney, New Caledonia is Australias closest international neighbour off our east coast, but little about it is known beyond what those who have stepped onto one of its outlying islands on a cruise to Vanuatu have found. Civil unrest last year stopped tourism in its tracks, but a truce in the conflict means now is a good time to explore one of the South Pacifics most diverse archipelagos. The worlds second-longest reef creates a heck of a 24,000 square-kilometre marine playground  ideal for divers, sailors and beach lovers. Youve also got cosmopolitan capital and foodie hot-spot, Noumea, and 140 mostly uninhabited islands in warm, blue ocean.

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SOLOMON ISLANDS Related Article Sunday Life The under-the-radar island getaways that are only a short flight away Solomon Airlines resumed flying direct to Munda in the Solomons Western Province last year, making this unheralded paradise even easier to access from Australia - and its just three hours from Brisbane. This part of the Solomons is home to some of the best diving and snorkelling on Earth, in waters teeming with WWII wrecks. Island-hop by boat or small plane  there are several airports, but almost no roads - between eco-friendly, small-scale retreats often set on their own islands. Tourism is still emerging, but theres so much to see  from the worlds largest saltwater lagoon and one of the biggest conservation islands, to adventure activities set among volcanic calderas and within exotic bird sanctuaries. The fishing and surfing are also world-class. NORFOLK ISLAND Its technically not a foreign country, but Norfolk Island has its own language (called Norfk, its derived from 18th-century English and Tahitian and was introduced by descendants of the Bounty mutineers of Pitcairn Island who moved there in the mid-19th century). Just a 2.5 hour flight from Sydney, and one of our oldest external territories, Norfolk Island has a history as a penal colony dating back to Australias first year of European settlement in 1788. But whats understated is its sheer natural beauty: here youll find one of the Pacifics most pristine marine environments, teeming with fish and bright, colourful reef, and a plethora of white-sand beaches with no one on them.

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TIMOR-LESTE For years considered unstable, Timor-Leste is emerging as the new it destination for adventure-seeking travellers seeking the next big thing. Located within the world-renowned Coral Triangle and just under 1.5 hours flight time from Darwin, its home to some of the most pristine and ecologically diverse reefs on Earth: a haven for divers and snorkellers. Accommodation options are limited, but there are rustic retreats and home-stays available, and more luxurious options are opening. Its location as a major migration highway between the Pacific and Indian oceans makes it perfect for travellers seeking interactions with whales and dolphins. Get the best of Sunday Life magazine delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning. Sign up here for our free newsletter.
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In 1978, a young and very pregnant school teacher named Jo Vallentine was listening to the radio while doing the dishes in her Mt Lawley home when Liberal WA premier Charles Court came on to announce he would build Australias first nuclear reactor. Vallentine jumped on her scooter and rode to the Environment Centre in Wellington Street, kicking off a life-long battle against nuclear proliferation that saw her elected to the Australian Senate in 1985, first as a member of the Nuclear Disarmament Party, then an independent (1985-90) and then a Green (1990-92). The Project Iceberg protest in July 1983 on the USS Worden. Jane Hammond I was a Quaker and had long been concerned about nuclear weapons. But when Charlie talked about nuclear power something clicked. I realised that nuclear energy was as big a threat to humanity as nuclear war, she says. Vallentine was not alone in her alarm at the prospect of WA joining the nuclear club. When word of Courts atomic ambitions spread activists got busy, most famously marching on Ledge Point, north of Perth, where the government had secured land for the nuclear power plant. During the next decade, the fight shifted to Fremantle, where activists, jolted into action by rising tension between American and the Soviet Union, embarked on a decade-long battle against nuclear-powered and armed US warships arriving at Australian shores.

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The aircraft carriers were anchored in Gage Roads, Vallentine remembers. But their support vessels were tied up on the harbour. So people were climbing on board with banners in our bags or under our shirts and unfurling them. While memories of the protests has faded from the memory, a significant legacy of the era  the declaration of Fremantle as a nuclear-free zone  has re-emerged in conversations along the Cappuccino Strip since it was announced the Henderson Defence Precinct to the citys south would soon host nuclear-powered submarines as part of the $368 billion AUKUS pact. Related Article AUKUS Scott Morrison thinks this beachside port should house Australias next joint US base The government last month pledged $12 billion to build up the precinct  which sits in the City of Cockburn, just to the south of Fremantle  including docks for nuclear submarine maintenance. Defence Minister Richard Marles said at the time the US government would choose where its submarines were maintained  but we absolutely anticipate that this will be a facility which is available for them. With its long history of anti-nuclear pushback, it was not surprising that representatives of the Australian Submarine Agency endured a hostile reception when they rocked up to Fremantle Town Hall for an AUKUS information session days after the governments funding announcement.

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Locals are concerned the presence of nuclear submarines would make Fremantle a target in any future conflict, are uneasy about the storage of nuclear waste and possible accidents, and worry a defence facility involving American warships would mean heightened levels of security and cut off access to areas along the coast that have been a part of their worlds for generations. There is also a disquiet that such a large foreign military presence will change the laid-back, anti-establishment character of a city that was recently celebrated as Australias best tourist destination. Protesters outside Fremantle Town Hall ahead of a recent AUKUS information session. Cason Ho/ABC Perth I cannot believe we are doing this again, long-time Fremantle resident Rosslyn De Souza says. We marched against the American warships coming in in the 1980s and now they are back again. Unfortunately, the generation who marched against the ships are older and dont have the energy they once did. And the young ones are too consumed with their busy lives to do what we did.

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De Souzas friend and fellow Fremantle resident Liesbeth Goedhart, 66, fears the US and UK military personnel and their families who will start arriving over the next few years will permanently alter the character of the area. Im not worried about thousands of new people moving into the area, unless it happens the way it happened in Exmouth, which is a US enclave, she said. If they are willing to lead a Fremantle lifestyle, then I will have no problems. But is that going to happen? City of Fremantle council candidate Melanie Clark. Mark Naglazas While AUKUS will not play a large part in the looming local council elections  despite the port citys nuclear-free status  North Ward candidate Melanie Clark is one of the loudest voices in the pushback against the alliance, which will begin with nuclear submarines docking for maintenance from 2027 and eventually give Australia its own submarines. Submarines sitting in our backyard very much makes us a target in any future conflict, Clark says. So lets be honest about it and call it a military base.

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There are always accidents ... we saw what happened when Rio Tinto lost that tiny capsule out in the middle of nowhere. Imagine that happening in a highly populated area. Clark also flagged concerns an influx of people moving to the region from the US and UK would exacerbate an already severe housing crisis. For WA Greens MLC Sophie McNeill the issue of AUKUS is more pressing than future scenarios and projected changes to Fremantle. McNeill, a Walkley Award-winning former Middle East correspondent, believes AUKUS will bind Australia into the US military empire, which she accuses of funding Israels war in Gaza. My boys want to be tradies. I dont want them working for an American defence contractor, McNeill says. While the baton has been passed to a younger generation of anti-nuclear campaigners, elder statesperson Vallentine maintains the rage, using her stature to lean on the likes of federal Fremantle MP Josh Wilson, who she urged to resign from the ALP so he could act forcefully on his anti-AUKUS position.

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Updated NationalWAGuns Perth lawyer says police have got this 100 per cent right on sovereign citizens gun raids Hannah Murphy Updated October 6, 2025  3:46pm ,first published October 5, 2025  2:53pm 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 5 View all comments

A leading Perth lawyer has backed in WA Polices move to seize more than 100 guns from sovereign citizens across the state, adding he did not believe there would be much sympathy for people who did not acknowledge the law having weapons taken from them. Police have laid a string of charges stemming from a series of raids conducted last week in an operation sparked by the shooting deaths of two Victorian officers. Loading This masthead revealed on Saturday police had conducted raids throughout suburban Perth and regional WA for five days, on people who had expressed sovereign citizen ideologies in line with that of Victorian man Dezi Freeman. A sovereign citizen believes they are not subject to the law or government authority, and Freeman had previously expressed sovereign citizen beliefs before allegedly shooting two police officers dead in August.

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Police said 70 searches were done on properties around WA throughout the week, which resulted in the seizure of 135 firearms and the suspension of more than 40 gun licenses. Police confirmed on Sunday they had laid a number of charges over the seizures, and many involved breaches of WAs strict new gun laws. A cross bow. Police Media All up, police have issued charges of failing to store a firearm in a compliant cabinet, three counts of unlawfully possessing ammunition, two counts of possessing prohibited accessory  that is, suppressors  one count of failing to secure ammunition, one count of possessing cannabis and one count of cultivating cannabis. Police also issued one charge of possessing a controlled weapon  namely, a crossbow.

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Officers also revealed out of the 135 firearms seized, 125 were long arm firearms, 10 were handguns and two were suppressor barrels. The raids have been met with a mixed reaction from the community, with some identifying with sovereign citizen ideologies referring to the seizures as an attempt to disarm the population. However, Perth legal expert John Hammond told Radio 6PR he believed the government has got this 100 per cent right. I dont think theres going to be very much sympathy in Western Australia for sovereign citizens who do not acknowledge the law ... to be running around with guns, thats the last thing we need, Hammond said.

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The police commissioner has formed the view that sovereign citizens are not fit and proper people to hold firearms, and given whats happened in the eastern states, hes got every right in my opinion to be concerned. Related Article Exclusive

Guns More than 100 guns seized in police raids on sovereign citizens WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the operation had been sparked by Freeman, who has been on the run in Victoria since August 26 after he allegedly shot two officers at his remote property with his wifes firearms. Freeman has eluded capture and hundreds of police who have been searching the bushland in Mount Buffalo National Park in Victorias north-east. Sympathisers have been warned they could face jail if they harboured Freeman. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
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NationalWASpace The WA monastic town reaching out across the solar system Rebecca Peppiatt October 5, 2025  7:52am 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 new deep-space antenna launched in Western Australia at the weekend will communicate with spacecraft across the solar system. The European Space Agency has incorporated the 35-metre antenna at its New Norcia station to help meet increasing data download needs. European Space Agencys New Norcia 3 deep space antenna an hour north of Perth. This strategic investment reinforces ESAs deep-space communication capabilities and maximises the return of our missions most valuable asset: data delivered from spacecraft voyaging far from Earth, ESA director general Josef Aschbacher said. New and exciting opportunities between the European and Australian space sectors are opening up with Australia announcing this week a mandate to begin negotiations on a cooperative agreement with ESA.

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When the new deep space antenna enters service in 2026, it will support ESAs current flagship missions flown as part of the agencys scientific, exploration and space safety fleets. Related Article Visual Story

Space Its weird, super-fast and one Harvard professor thinks it could be hostile aliens New Norcia 3 will improve communication with scientific, exploration and space safety missions across the solar system and is the fourth antenna for Estrack, ESAs deep space tracking network. The new antenna will also improve efforts towards international collaboration, supporting other space agencies including as NASA, Japans JAXA, and Indias ISRO as well as commercial space missions. ESAs fourth deep space antenna  the second one on the site at the monastic town of New Norcia, about 130 kilometres north-west of Perth  is the agencys most technologically sophisticated antenna to date.

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It incorporates advanced deep space communication capabilities, including components cryogenically cooled to around -263 degrees, close to absolute zero. This sensitivity allows it to detect extremely weak signals from distant spacecraft and to maximise data return. Opened in New Norcia in 2003, ESAs Estrack station has been part of the long-term cooperation between ESA and Australia in the space domain. The new antenna will improve communication with spacecraft in the solar system. Australia is well known as a trusted, experienced and capable operator in deep-space communications, said Enrico Palermo, the head of the Australian Space Agency.

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Its another chapter in the story of Australian and European partnership in space, which we will grow further as we begin to negotiate a new cooperation agreement between Australia and ESA. Related Article Space Trumps golden dome a golden opportunity for AUKUS in space, says Morrison The new antenna has an estimated construction cost of 62.3 million ($110.6 million), with a contribution of 3 million ($5.3 million) from the Australian Space Agency allocated to the evolution of the New Norcia station. Construction was led by European industry, with Thales Alenia Space (France) and Schwartz Hautmont Construcciones Metalicas (Spain) as co-prime contractors. A significant portion of the budget was spent in Australia with the involvement of several Australian companies including TIAM Solutions, Thales Australia, Fredon and Westforce Construction.

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This new deep-space antenna is a cornerstone for European and Australian space industries, Thales Alenia Space chief executive Herve Derrey said. Its inauguration demonstrates our capacity to build strategic, world-class space infrastructure anywhere. It required implementing advanced technologies and shows we are able to deliver the mission operations infrastructure that enables European scientists to go where they wish to explore.
Balmains grandest estate, Ewenton House, is set to hit the market for the first time in more than three decades with a price guide of $27.5 million, as cardiologist John Yiannikas and his wife Susan look to downsize from their landmark residence.

The private harbourfront estate is the largest landholding in the suburb at 2206 square metres and the four-level sandstone home, which dates back to 1854 to 1872, is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.

The grand estate Ewenton House in Balmain East. Credit:

The home is an amalgamation of Georgian, Victorian, post-Colonial and Italianate influences, and the Yiannikas family undertook a major restoration after they purchased the property for $1.3 million from The Australian Centre for Languages in 1992.

The five-bedroom, four-bathroom property, which also has 10 car spaces, has had more renovations since and park-like gardens designed by Myles Baldwin and maintained by Amiel Van Ewyk.
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Updated WorldNorth AmericaTrump's White House Rhetorical Whac-A-Mole: Judge blocks Trump from sending National Guard to Oregon Updated October 6, 2025  1:18pm ,first published October 5, 2025  1:35pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

Los Angeles/New Orleans: A federal judge on Sunday (Monday AEDT) temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying any National Guard units to Oregon, after a legal whirlwind that began hours earlier when the US president sent California troops to Portland to protect federal buildings from ongoing protests. During a hastily called evening telephone hearing, US District Judge Karin Immergut granted the temporary restraining order sought by California and Oregon. A day earlier, the same judge had temporarily blocked the administration from deploying Oregon National Guard troops to Portland. But on Sunday, Donald Trump moved to send National Guard troops to the state from neighbouring California and then Texas. Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest in Portland on Saturday. AP Immergut, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, issued her second, more sweeping order late on Sunday after she upbraided the federal governments lawyer and questioned how the move to send the California and Texas troops to Oregon was not in direct contravention of the order that was issued yesterday.

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The White House did not immediately comment on the judges decision. Small protests have been going on nightly outside Portlands immigration processing facility since Trumps second term began in January. There have been occasional flare-ups, including in June, but for weeks the demonstrations attracted only a few dozen people  until the Trump administration mobilised the Oregon National Guard on September 28 over Oregon Governor Tina Koteks wishes. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. AP Earlier, a Pentagon spokesman said in a statement that about 200 federalised members of the California National Guard who had been on duty around Los Angeles were being reassigned to Portland. Kotek said about 100 arrived on Saturday and around 100 more were en route on Sunday. The two states originally requested a narrower order that would have blocked only California National Guard troops from being sent to Oregon, but they asked for the order to apply to all National Guard troops after a memo written by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was submitted to the court that said up to 400 Texas National Guard personnel were being activated for deployment to Oregon, Illinois and possibly elsewhere.

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In Sundays emergency hearing, Immergut told one federal government lawyer that conditions on the ground in Oregon had not changed and that she saw no legal basis or need for the military to assist local law enforcement. Lawyers for the federal government tried to argue that Oregon and Portland did not have standing and that California could show no harm by having some of its National Guard dispatched to another state. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the deployment of Californias Guard a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. AP Scott Kennedy, the lawyer representing Oregon, said he learned of the Texas National Guard mobilisation just 24 minutes beforehand. It feels a little bit like were playing a game of rhetorical Whac-A-Mole here, he told Immergut. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a post on X Sunday night that he had authorised the call-up of guard troops from his state. You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it, he wrote.

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Kotek said the latest move by federal officials was an attempt to circumvent Saturdays court ruling. Theres no need for military intervention in Oregon. Theres no insurrection in Portland. Theres no threat to national security, Kotek said during a news conference. Federal officers hold down a protester in Chicago on Saturday. Chicago Sun-Times via AP The events in Oregon come a day after the governor of Illinois made a similar announcement about troops in his state being activated. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, on Sunday called the deployment of Californias Guard a breathtaking abuse of the law and power. He said these troops had been federalised and put under the presidents control months ago over his objections, in response to unrest in Los Angeles.

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The commander-in-chief is using the US military as a political weapon against American citizens, Newsom said. In a related court filing, a lawyer in the California Military Department said the US Army Northern Command advised the department on Sunday that an order would be issued keeping the 300 guard personnel federalised through to the end of January. Protesters stand and chant in the Brighton Park neighbourhood of Chicago on Saturday. Chicago Sun-Times via AP The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland has recently been the site of nightly protests. A small number of demonstrators gathered on Sunday evening cheered when they learned about the judges order. The protest was relatively small and localised to just one block of the city of 650,000 residents, Kotek said.

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Immergut issued Saturdays order pending further arguments in a lawsuit brought by the state and city. She said the relatively small protests did not justify the use of federalised forces and allowing the deployment could harm Oregons state sovereignty. California Attorney-General Rob Bonta said Trumps move to deploy the National Guard of one state to another is well outside of the norms or practices of any president. Chicago police officers stand in front of federal officers in Chicagos Brighton Park neighbourhood on Saturday. Chicago Sun-Times via AP But this president is determined to take as much power as the courts will give him. This fight isnt over, but todays rebuke of the presidents illegal actions is a step in the right direction, Bonta said after Sunday nights ruling. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson on Sunday said he saw federal agents engaged in what he described as unjustified use of force and indiscriminately using pepper spray and impact munitions during a protest outside the ICE facility.

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This is an aggressive approach trying to inflame the situation that has otherwise been peaceful, Wilson said. Related Article Analysis

Israeli-Palestinian conflict Hopes soar for peace in Gaza. This is a problem for Netanyahu Portland had alerted the civil rights division of the Department of Justice to the agents actions, Wilson said. Trump has characterised both Portland and Chicago as cities rife with crime and unrest, calling the former war-ravaged. Since the start of his second term, he has sent or talked about sending troops to 10 cities. Trump authorised the deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard troops to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago on Saturday.

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Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzkers office said the situation in Chicago does not require the use of the military and, as a result, the governor opposes the deployment of the National Guard under any status. Pritzker didnt receive any calls from federal officials about the deployment, his office said. 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.
The law and order situation in Manipur remained normal over the past few hours, even as security forces intensified search operations across the state, resulting in significant recoveries of arms, ammunition, and narcotics, along with multiple arrests of insurgent cadres involved in extortion and criminal activities. According to an official press note issued by the Manipur Police, coordinated search and area domination operations were carried out in several fringe and vulnerable areas on Saturday. On Saturday, from the Kanglatombi area under the Sekmai police station, Imphal West, the security forces recovered one 9 mm Carbine Sub Machine Gun along with one magazine; one .303 Rifle along with one magazine; one 9 mm Pistol along with one magazine loaded with three rounds; one .32 pistol along with one magazine; seven local made bolt action single barrel guns; one local made single barrel gun; three BAOFENG hand held sets; ten rounds of .303 ammunition; six barrel cartridges; one BP Patka; three helmets; two BP vests; one magazine pouch; four fibre plates and two bags. On Saturday, from the general area of Kotzim, near COB Kotlen under New Keithelmanbi police station, Kangpokpi, the security forces recovered one Heckler & Koch G4 with magazine; two bolt action rifles; two pull mechanism rifles; two improvised mortars; two 36 hand grenades; two pairs of jungle shoes and one Tube Launcher. According to the press note, intelligence-based combing operations and cordon and search operations were carried out extensively to nab those involved in extortion and criminal activities in the state. During these operations, the Manipur Police arrested an active cadre of the KCP (PWG) from the Porompat area in Imphal East on Saturday. The arrested individual was identified as Soibam Malemnganba Meitei (44), a resident of Yumnam Patlou Mayai Leikai, Sagolmang, Imphal East. He was involved in extortion from the public, including government officials. The Manipur Police arrested an active cadre of the KCP (PWG), Shamurailatpam Prakash Sharma (44), alias Bungo, from his residence in Laipham Khunou, Maning Leikai, under Heingang Police Station, Imphal East, on Saturday. He was involved in extortion from hospitals and the public in the valley area. A mobile phone and an Aadhaar card were seized from him. On Friday, Manipur Police arrested two active cadres of RPF/PLA from Chingmeirong Mamang Leikai area under Lamphel-PS, Imphal West: Thangjam Abung Meetei (31) of Leirongthel Pitra, Thoubal a/p Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal, Imphal East district and Naorem Priyobarta Singh alias Tamo (27) of Kakching Wairi Sabal Leikai, Kakching. They were involved in extortion from the public in the valley area and mediation through intimidation between parties in cases of loan recovery. From their possession, the following were recovered: one .45 GLOCK pistol along with one magazine loaded with 11 (eleven) rounds; three mobile phones; two wallets and two Aadhaar cards; one four-wheeler; Rs. 1,26,900; one Arm Licence and one side bag. On Friday, security forces arrested an active cadre of RPF/PLA, Wangkhem SantikumarSingh alias Sushil (44) of Ithai Wapokpi Maning Leikai, Bishnupur, from his locality alongKumbi-Khordrak Road under Kumbi-PS, Bishnupur. From his possession, a mobile phonealong with a SIM card was seized. Moreover, on Friday, Manipur Police arrested an active cadre of RPF/PLA, Leimapokpam Marjit Singh alias Khaba (23) of Hiyanglam Makha Leikai under Hiyanglam-PS, Kakching, from his residence. He was involved in recruiting youths for RPF/PLA. A mobile phone was seized from him. In a separate operation, security forces seized 2,000 WY tablets worth approximately Rs 16.66 lakh from a house in Tuibong, Churachandpur district. On Friday, security forces handed safely to their families two persons who were found lingering at Yaingangpokpi Bazar, Imphal East: Lalminlun (45) of H. Ihangjol village and Sesem (45) of Sangran village. The drive against motor vehicle violations also continued. On Friday, Manipur Police issued 50 challans to motor vehicle offenders, amounting to a total of Rs. 88,000. On Thursday, Manipur Police removed tinted films from three vehicles. To ensure the smooth transport of essential goods, 34 vehicles moved safely along NH-37 under strict security escort. A total of 114 checkpoints were set up across the state, with no detentions reported. Authorities have urged citizens not to believe in rumours and to be vigilant about false videos on social media. Moreover, there is a possibility that many fake posts will be circulated on social media. "It is hereby cautioned that uploading and circulation of such fake posts on social mediawill attract legal action with consequences," the press note said. "Further, appeal is made to public to return the looted arms, ammunition and explosives to the police or nearest security forces immediately," the statement read. (ANI)
Guests could tour the museum for free and enjoy games and interactive activities.
A pilot survived after crashing a plane into a wooded area of southern Indiana on Oct. 4, 2025. (Photo provided by Indiana State Police)
While little is known of the early years of William Brown, there is no doubt that his first breath was filled with the heather-scented air that drifted down from the Ox Mountains and that his first games were played along the banks of the River Moy in Foxford.

Like many sons of Ireland who departed our shores, Brown took advantage of the opportunities that came his way and through good timing, good fortune, and good judgement, he soon achieved notoriety and fame. William Brown was to become a distinguished naval officer and one of the most celebrated figures in the history of maritime warfare, particularly on the seas that surrounded South America.

Early life

Brown was born in Foxford, on June 22, 1777. At the age of nine he emigrated with his father to America, eventually arriving in Philadelphia. A short time after their arrival, the friend who had invited them to America died of yellow fever. Several days later, William's father also suffered the same fate.

The story goes that one morning shortly afterwards, while he was wandering along the banks of the Delaware River, William met the captain of a ship docked nearby. The captain asked if he wanted employment and young Brown said he did. The captain took him on as a cabin boy, and that simple act set Brown on the path to a distinguished naval career. His time as a sailor took him around the world, providing him with some very valuable experience. He developed skills that marked him out as a naval strategist and eventual commander.

Over the following years, Browns early career took him to many places around the oceans of the world. Initially, he joined the Royal Navy, and served in its Atlantic Division for over a decade. He was captured and imprisoned, more than once, but eventually escaped and made his way to England.

After a short while in England he soon took to the waves again, this time employed by the Merchant Navy. While there, he became friends with a man called Walter Chitty. Brown later married Chittys sister in Bromley in Middlesex. Depending on which information source one consults, dates get a little muddled at this stage. Nonetheless, Browns story forges ahead and shortly after their marriage, Brown and his new wife sailed to Buenos Aires in Argentina.

The Argentine War of Independence was fought between 1810 and 1818, beginning with the May Revolution which ousted the Spanish. The formal declaration of independence occurred in 1816 at the Congress of Tucuman. Despite this, the Argentine navy force was weak and had been repeatedly undone in the early years of the war. Very soon however, and in the aftermath of some early successes, Brown accepted an offer to command the navy. This involved organising and rebuilding the fleet and then re-engaging the Spanish in a final push for independence.

Admiral William Brown is revered in Argentina for his role in founding the country's navy.

Shared connection

The website, admiralbrownsoc.com, dedicated to Admiral William Brown, is a platform run by the Admiral Brown Society. The site celebrates the rich connections between Ireland and Argentina, two nations bonded by maritime legacy and shared cultural threads. In their chronology of Browns life, they continue his story.

Brown's life took a significant turn when he joined the Argentine Navy. His expertise and leadership abilities quickly earned him recognition, and he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the first Admiral of the Argentine Navy. Under Brown's command, the Argentine Navy achieved several decisive victories against the Spanish Royal Navy during the Argentine War of Independence.

In the same way that John Barry, from County Wexford, became known as the Father of the American Navy, William Brown, from County Mayo, become known as The Father of the Argentine Navy.

The National Museum of Ireland in an information section, Our Irish Heritage, features William Brown in a lengthy contribution provided by Oliver Murphy of the above-mentioned Brown Society. His information is that at one stage, during their War of Independence, Brown returns to Argentine to be honoured.

On his return to Buenos Aires, Brown was received like a hero. In recognition of his valour and honourable services during the naval campaign of 1814, the government promoted him to the rank of Colonel, and transferred the ownership of the frigate the Hercules to him. Following a large banquet which was held in his honour, Brown was given the privilege of hoisting the national flag for the first time on the town hall of Buenos Aires.

Murphy concludes his biographical piece with a summary of the various commemorations that have taken place in Browns memory in recent years. It is heartening to see that Admiral Brown is seen as a hero in both Argentina and Ireland.

On the centenary of Browns death in 1957, the Argentine nation donated a bronze bust of Admiral William Brown to the people of Foxford, and commemorations to mark his death are held in the town annually on the 3rd of March. The Irish Naval Flagship, the L.E. Eithne travelled to Argentina in 2007 at the invitation of the Argentine government, as part of the 150th anniversary commemorations of Admiral Browns death. On its return to Ireland, it transported a life size statue of Admiral Brown which was erected on Sir John Rodgersons Quay in Dublin.

Promenade

The website Visit Foxford explains the origins of the Admiral Brown Promenade in Foxford and its significance in the ongoing relationship between Foxford and Buenos Aires. The idea of a memorial promenade was first mooted by members of the Brown Society and, in particular, the late JJ O'Hara, who did more than any other person to promote the legacy of Admiral Brown in his native town. The promenade depicts Browns life story in 20 bronze plaques and it also includes a statue of Admiral Brown.

The promenade is situated alongside the River Moy in the shape of a ship with stunning views of the river. It was designed by Kevin Keegan, Senior Architect, Mayo County Council. The statue of Brown occupies a prominent place in the centre, was created in Rosario, Argentina and was donated to the Admiral Brown Society by William (Bill) Durkan a native of nearby Bohola.

I have walked along this promenade a few times in recent years and it never fails to remind me of the many ordinary people who left Ireland over the centuries, many who became national heroes in other parts of the world. I like the stance of Admiral Brown, standing proud with his spyglass in hand and his trusty sword slung behind him. The white flag poles standing tall behind his statue and the blue Foxford sky remind me of the flag of Argentina.

These final words, from the Admiral Brown Society, sum up very nicely the legacy of a man who spent his childhood under the shadow of the Ox Mountains.

Throughout his career, Admiral William Brown of Foxford played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of South America, earning him the admiration of countless individuals across the continent. His legacy continues to be celebrated in Foxford, County Mayo, Argentina and beyond, serving as a symbol of courage, leadership, and determination in the face of adversity.
Mayo County Council is launching an initiative to help try and shield local businesses from the impact of online Black Friday sales.

On Saturday, November 29th, the councils Local Enterprise Office will run Small Business Saturday'.

The council's Head of Enterprise, John Magee, told a meeting of its Economic and Enterprise Development Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) that Black Friday and Cyber Monday sees Irish consumers spend 1.4 billion online with half of that leaving the country.

Its a call to action to people for this one day, Saturday, November 29, to support your local small businesses, said Mr Magee.

On that day go to your local business in your town. Support your small business community because they are the lifeblood of our communities, our towns and villages. These are the people who pay for the sponsorship of the local GAA jersey and make so much happen. Lets divert some of that 700m back into our towns, villages, and communities, he added.

Cllr Michael Loftus asked Mr Magee if any particular trends have developed in the county when it comes to the type of business that operate in Mayo.

"Mayo is a little bit different to many other counties. First of all there are more IDA jobs in Mayo than there are in Sligo and Donegal combined. There are 17 FDI companies employing 7,000 people. That's a very significant cohort of well-paid international jobs," explained Mr Magee.

He said the county also has a host of globally trading indigenous companies.
Unnikrishnan Potty, who is under investigation for the alleged irregularities in the gold plating of the Dwarapalaka idols at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala, appeared before the Devaswom Board Vigilance for questioning on Sunday. This is the second consecutive day he has appeared before the investigators. Yesterday, the Devaswom Vigilance team interrogated him for four hours. The investigators reportedly asked him about the money he collected from others as a sponsorship for gold plating the Dwarapalaka idols. According to the officials, he took out the Dwarapalaka idols for gold plating in 2019. Unnikrishnan Potty had alleged on live television that the plaques he had gifted to the temple as an offering in 2019 were missing. The allegation prompted the Kerala High Court to order an investigation by the Vigilance wing of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Subsequently, the unit recovered the artefacts from Potty's sister's house in Thiruvananthapuram in September. There are also allegations surrounding the more than 30 kg of gold donated to the temple by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998. The TDB Vigilance has reported that key records related to Mallya's donations had gone missing from the Sabarimala Executive Office. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Kerala Assembly Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan strongly condemned the alleged irregularities in the gold-plating of Sabarimala idols and demanded action against those who are involved. The leader of the Opposition called it a "robbery of Swami Ayyappa's gold" and said that if action is not taken, they would start agitation. Satheesan held the former and current Devaswom Board Presidents, along with the former and present Devaswom Ministers, responsible for the controversy. On Thursday, the state Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan said a detailed probe was underway under the supervision of the High Court. "The pedestal was recovered from the residence of Unnikrishnan Potty, who himself raised the complaint, which reveals who the culprit is. More facts will emerge as the investigation progresses," the minister said. In response to opposition charges of negligence by the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board, the minister stated that the allegations were aimed at diverting attention. "When the very item in question was found in the complainant's house, the facts became evident," Vasavan added, while confirming that Unnikrishnan Potty's influence was under scrutiny. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malviya on Sunday rubbished reports of Russia supplying RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for its JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets. In a post on X, Malviya emphasised that there is no official confirmation or credible source to support the claims of engine supply. He accused Congress leader Jairam Ramesh of spreading reckless information warfare by relying on a story published by a media outlet, which cited a little-known website known for pushing pro-Pakistan propaganda. Malviya accused Ramesh of siding with the enemy and choosing not to stand with India after Russia dismissed reports of supplying RD-93MA engines to Pakistan. https://x.com/amitmalviya/status/1974708655074549802 In a post on X, Amit Malviya wrote, "Russia has dismissed reports of Moscow proceeding with the supply of RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for integration into the JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets. Jairam Ramesh relied on a story published by NBT, which in turn quoted a little-known website notorious for pushing pro-Pakistan propaganda." "No official confirmation. No credible source. Just another round of reckless information warfare -- and the Congress's communication head, yet again, choosing to side with the enemy instead of standing with India," the post read. A day earlier, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Russia, once considered India's close ally, is reportedly supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan's fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. "The Modi government must explain why Russia - once India's most reliable strategic ally - has chosen to ignore New Delhi's appeals and proceed with supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan's fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. The latest Block III variant of this aircraft will feature the upgraded engine and the same PL-15 missiles believed to have been used against our country during Operation Sindoor. The IAF Chief has also stated that the JF-17 may be among the Pakistani fighters that were used against us," Jairam Ramesh wrote on X. "According to multiple news reports, this deal is moving forward despite direct interventions by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in June 2025. The government owes the nation an explanation as to why a long-time and trusted partner like Russia is now providing military support to Pakistan, even as India continues to purchase S-400 missile systems and negotiates for Su-57 stealth fighters from Moscow," the post read. (ANI)
The Israeli regimes criminal interception of the Sumud flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza provoked protests around the world over the weekend. Millions of people, including one million in Rome, took to the streets in opposition to the genocide against the Palestinians and Israels deportation of over 400 flotilla activists after their ships and cargoes were violently seized.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather in Rome's San Giovanni Square, at the end of a march calling for an end to the war in Gaza, October 4, 2025 [AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino]

The protest in Rome took place the day after a one-day national strike involving 2 million workers was organised across Italy by the General Confederation of Labour (CGIL) and other trade unions.

Italys fascistic government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared the strike illegal and threatened participants with fines. However, the mass support for the Palestinians, which has included the repeated blocking of ports by dockworkers to prevent ships destined for Israel from loading cargo and departing, has given vent to widespread hatred of US President Donald Trumps closest European ally.

Another 250,000 marched through Amsterdam Sunday to denounce the seizure of the flotillas ships and the Dutch governments complicity in arms shipments to Israel.

In Spain, major protests were held Saturday in Barcelona and Madrid, fuelled by Israels detention of over 40 Spanish activists in the flotilla. Demonstrators in Barcelona, where police underestimated a total of 70,000 participants, carried signs including Stop the genocide and hands off the flotilla.

One protestor said, How is it possible that we are witnessing a genocide happening live after what we [as Europe] experienced in the 1940s? Now nobody can say they didnt know what was happening.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are sprayed by police as they protest in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025 in solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla after ships were intercepted by the Israeli navy. [AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti]

Over 3,000 people joined a demonstration in Lisbon, Portugal, three of whose citizens were detained by Israel. Organisers had expected only 500 to participate.

Major protests denouncing the interception of the flotilla were also reported from Kolkata, India, and Lahore, Pakistan. In Dublin, Ireland, the 17th national march for Palestine since October 2023when Israels imperialist-backed genocide in Gaza begandrew some 25,000 people to the streets. Among those detained by Israel, 16 came from Ireland.

In Sofia, Bulgaria, protesters carried placards declaring, Gaza: starvation is a weapon of war and Gaza is the biggest graveyard of children. Thousands of people also took part in marches in Turkey, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Thousands protested on Sunday in Athens, Greece, following a 24-hour strike on Friday in solidarity with the Gaza flotilla at the port of Piraeus.

In London, police arrested close to 500 people because they declared their support for the proscribed group Palestine Action. Defend Our Juries, which organised the protest, said that over 1,000 participated in the demonstration, the latest in a series of protests since Keir Starmers Labour government used anti-terror legislation to criminalise the activist group and make even a declaration of support for it a criminal offence.

Over a thousand people gathered in London's Trafalgar Square to oppose genocide and the Palestine Action ban, October 4, 2025 [Photo: Defend Our Juries/X]

The global demonstrations reflect the outrage among billions of people over the Zionist regimes barbaric slaughter of the Palestinians in Gaza and the collusion of their governments in this historic crime. While the official death toll since October 2023 stands at just over 65,000, estimates project that the real number of fatalities is many multiples of this, running into the hundreds of thousands. Famine is rampant in the enclave, and upwards of half a million people have been ethnically cleansed from Gaza City in the past six weeks alone.

A contributing factor to the widespread protests this weekend was the brutal treatment meted out by the Israel Defense Forces to the captured flotilla activists. Some of the 137 people already deported from Israel to Turkey reported systematic abuse, denial of water, and threats with weapons. Reports indicated that activists were forced to drink from toilets to avoid dehydration and had heard how other inmates at the prison were subject to torture.

Some boats were also hit by water cannon. All of the boats were taken by very heavily armed people and brought to shore, an Italian local councillor who was part of the flotilla told AFP. They put us on our knees, facing down. And if we moved, they hit us. They were laughing at us, insulting us and hitting us. They were using both psychological and physical violence.

Describing the prison where they were held after reaching land, he added, They were opening the door during the night and shouting at us with guns to scare us. We were treated like animals.

Prominent climate and anti-genocide activist Greta Thunberg told Swedish authorities that she was dehydrated and left with inadequate food. She had developed rashes, which she suspects were caused by bedbugs.

Turkish activist Ersin Celik said that at the detention centre They dragged little Greta by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others. She was paraded like a trophy, wrapped in the Israeli flag, said journalist Lorenzo DAgostino.

The radicalisation of millions of workers and young people throughout the world produced by two years of genocide has sharply exposed the gulf separating the sentiments of the vast majority of the population from all major governments.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators pass in front of Rome's Colosseum, during a march calling for an end to the war in Gaza, October 4, 2025, [AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino]

Israel has only been able to act so aggressively because it enjoys the unrestrained support of the American and European imperialists, who have sent the Zionist regime unlimited supplies of weaponry and defended its war crimes. Now, Trump has proposed a peace plan that robs the Palestinians of their democratic rights and proposes setting up a colonial regime in Gaza that will facilitate the ethnic cleansing or extermination of those Palestinians who remain.

As the World Socialist Web Site emphasised in a recent perspective, everything depends on the independent political intervention of the working class to stop the genocide.

What workers need are new organisations under their controlrank-and-file committeesso they can plan and direct a mass movement capable of stopping the machinery of imperialist war and genocide in its tracks. Workers in logistics, transportation, and manufacturing, as well as others throughout all economic sectors, should take up this fight with the following demands:  An immediate halt to shipment of all weapons to Israel.  The boycott of all trade and other economic activity with Israel.  US, European and other corporations assisting Israel in carrying out the genocide must be indicted and prosecuted.  The arrest of Israeli officials for war crimes.  The end of repression of the opposition to the Gaza genocide.  The immediate and unhindered access to Gaza for the supply of aid via all available land crossings and the ending of the 18-year-old naval blockade. These demands must be linked with the broader movement already developing in the working class internationally against austerity, war, and the destruction of jobs. The same criminal governments that funnel weapons of death to the Zionist regime are erecting dictatorial forms of rule at home to suppress popular opposition to oligarchic rule, military rearmament, and world war. The fight to stop the genocide necessarily requires a movement committed to ousting the financial oligarchy from power and the overturn of capitalism, the root cause of imperialist barbarism that finds its most appalling expression in Gaza. This means setting out to establish workers power to carry through the socialist transformation of society.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday visited the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam, where he expressed his admiration for the sanctuary's conservation efforts. During his visit, he highlighted the successful relocation of over 70 elephants to Bandhavgarh and other sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh over the past two years. CM Yadav praised the relocation efforts, stating that the management is excellent and that Madhya Pradesh can learn from Assam's experience. He expressed interest in bringing some of Assam's wildlife to Madhya Pradesh, emphasising the potential for mutual benefit. CM Yadav appreciated Kaziranga's rich rhino population, with over 3,000 rhinos, and is expected to discuss potential collaborations with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. visited the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on Sunday, where he went on a jeep safari and lauded its exemplary wildlife by saying, "Kaziranga is very rich, especially in terms of rhinos." Elephants have now arrived in Madhya Pradesh as well. Previously, there were no elephants. For the past two years, over 70 elephants have been relocated to Bandhavgarh and other sanctuaries. I visited here with my officials and was delighted to see it. The management is excellent. We will learn many things from here. We will also bring some of our wildlife here. I will speak to the Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, regarding this. Kaziranga is very rich, especially in terms of rhinos. There are more than 3,000 rhinos here...," he said to reporters. Madhya Pradesh has been working on developing its elephant conservation efforts, with a focus on creating an environment that is friendly to elephants. The state has approved a Rs 47.11 crore plan to manage human-elephant conflicts and promote conservation. Meanwhile, the Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), a large wading bird belonging to the stork family Ciconiidae, returned to Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve after a gap of 4 years, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday. The bird is easily recognisable by its striking plumage with rose-pink tertial feathers, black and white markings, and a long yellow-orange bill. In a post on X, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared, "Kaziranga welcomes an old guest after 4 years. The elegant migratory Painted Storks (Mycteria leucocephala) have made a comeback to @kaziranga's skies, soaring once again over our wetlands-A proof that nature heals when we protect it. Another win for our conservation efforts." Classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to habitat loss, wetland degradation, and disturbances in breeding colonies, the species is widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. In the context of Kaziranga National Park, sightings of Painted Stork are extremely rare. (ANI)
This World Mental Health Day, ASICS invites everyone to take an Everyday Escape, showing you don't need to travel far or spend big to take your body and mind to a happier place.

ASICS enlists Natasha Rothwell to champion movement as a more accessible and effective alternative to wellness holidays.

Global study of 11,000 people shows wellness holiday benefits often fade quickly, with travel and costs adding stress.

In a new Everyday Escape trial, participants who took a simple daily 15-minute movement break reported a 21% greater uplift in their overall mental state compared to their wellness holiday.

What's more, 71% said daily exercise was more effective at reducing stress than their wellness holiday, while 65% found it more mood-enhancing.

LONDON, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As stress levels rise, wellness travel is boomingbut it often comes with long flights, hefty price tags, and treatments that don't always deliver lasting results. This World Mental Health Day, ASICS and its newest wellbeing ambassador, Natasha Rothwell, are inviting the world to take an Everyday Escape  a simple 15 minute movement break - that is proven to transport you to a happier place and deliver more lasting benefits than a week at a wellness retreat.[1]

Natasha Rothwell is encouraging fans to ditch the wellness fads and take an Everyday Escape for their mind and body in new campaign for ASICS Natasha Rothwell is encouraging fans to ditch the wellness fads and take an Everyday Escape for their mind and body in new campaign for ASICS

According to Euromonitor, the global demand for wellness holidays has surged by 33% in the last year [2], with the Global Wellness Institute finding that people spend an average of $1,764 for a week away, 41% more than standard travel.[3] However, new global research by ASICS[4], surveying 11,000 people who recently took a wellness holiday, reveals that whilst people travel on average 1,920km for their wellness holidays[4], they don't always deliver. Two-thirds (67%) said their wellness holiday failed to meet all expectations, and an equal number (67%) reported that any wellness benefits faded as soon as they left the retreat or shortly after returning home. For some, the experience even added to their stress levels, nearly a third (32%) cited cost, and a quarter (25%) said long travel distances were stress-inducing.

In contrast, ASICS' research highlights the transformative power of movement on mental wellbeing, showing that just 15 minutes and 9 seconds of exercise can trigger a measurable mental uplift.[5] In a new Everyday Escape trial, overseen by Dr Brendon Stubbs of King's College London, participants who took a simple daily 15-minute movement break reported a 21% greater uplift in their overall mental state compared to their wellness holiday. In fact, 71% said daily movement was more effective at reducing stress, 65% found it more mood-enhancing and 73% experienced longer-lasting mental wellbeing benefits than after their recent wellness holiday.

To help more people to find their happy place through movement, ASICS has enlisted Natasha Rothwell, actor, writer, and wellness advocate, as its Everyday Escape Concierge. Rothwell will share inspiration to help people weave small but meaningful moments of movement into their daily routines, making wellness accessible and affordable for all.

Natasha Rothwell, ASICS' Everyday Escape Concierge, said: "I truly believe in the power of movement, not just for our bodies, but for our minds. Sure, you can spend thousands of dollars or fly halfway across the world to feel better, or you can just step outside and move your body. Your Everyday Escape could be a walk, a stretch, a dance in your kitchen. It's free, it's simple, and it's yours. Wellness shouldn't be a luxury. It should be something we can all access, every day. When we move, we feel better. And that's the kind of escape everyone deserves."

Across the world, ASICS is encouraging people to take an #EverydayEscape and feel the benefits. People who take a 15-minute movement break are encouraged to share their Everyday Escape and help raise funds for mental wellbeing charities around the world.

Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in exercise and mental health from King's College London, said: "It's incredible to see the impact 15 minutes of movement can have on mental wellbeing. The Everyday Escape trial shows that small movement breaks can boost mood and reduce stress more effectively than a wellness holiday. All the participants said they'd be continuing to take movement breaks moving forward, and 81% said they're now prioritising movement for their wellbeing over attending another retreat. A week away may give a short-term boost, but exercise delivers long-term benefits."

Gary Raucher, Head of Global Marketing for ASICS comments : "At ASICS, we believe that you don't need to go far to leave it all behind. That's why we're inviting everyone to take an Everyday Escape, a simple 15-minute movement break, to take their body and mind to a happier place. At ASICS, we've always championed the power of movement, however small, to help people feel better. It's the reason we were founded and why we're called ASICS  an acronym for the Latin 'Anima Sana in Corpore Sano' or 'Sound Mind In A Sound Body'. We hope people will join us on World Mental Health Day and take an Everyday Escape, because when you move your body, you move your mind. "

To take your Everyday Escape, visit: asics.com/everydayescape.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1 The ASICS Everyday Escape Trial ran from the 4th to 18th August 2025, led by Dr Brendon Stubbs of King's College London & University of Vienna. The trial studied 17 people from the UK, US and Australia who had attended a wellness holiday/retreat in the last year. All completed consent forms before taking part.

The Everyday Escape trial (n=17) should be seen as an early proof-of-concept study, reinforced by a global survey of 11,000 people and aligned with external scientific evidence.

2 Euromonitor International: Traveller Segmentation 2024. Available here:

Traveler Segmentation: Unlocking Innovation and Value in Wellness Tourism - Euromonitor.com

3 Global Wellness Institute : A Decade of Wellness Tourism. Available here:

https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/global-wellness-institute-blog/2024/03/25/a-decade-of-wellness-tourism-first-ever-compilation-of-10-years-of-market-data/

4 The Everyday Escape Research was conducted in August 2025 and explored the experiences and perceptions of those who had taken a wellness holiday/retreat in the past year. 11,000 people were surveyed across 16 markets including the UK, the US, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, France, Germany, UAE, Italy, Brazil, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Indonesia, Spain and Sweden. Each market was nationally representative by age and gender.

5 The ASICS State of Mind score is out of 100, calculated based on the accumulative mean scores across ten cognitive and emotional traits  positive, content, relaxed, focused, composed, resilient, confident, alert, calm, energized.

About ASICS

At ASICS, our five letters have meaning. ASICS is an acronym for the Latin Anima Sana In Corpore Sano or a Sound Mind in a Sound Body. And since our founding in 1949, our purpose has been to help people achieve a Sound Mind in a Sound Body.

Right from the very start, our founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, saw that sport and movement had the power to lift spirits, project positivity, and propel people and whole communities forward. We still believe this.

And we believe our purpose is more relevant today than ever before. Stress and anxiety are at record levels, yet we know sport and movement can have a positive impact. Which is why we remain focused on supporting more people to move for positive mental health.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDZZHImE8WM

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2788441/ASICS_1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2788442/ASICS_2.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2788443/ASICS_Logo.jpg

SOURCE ASICS
Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Sunday urged the Central government to take strong action to protect Indian citizens living abroad after a student, Pole Chandrashekar from the state, was reportedly shot dead in Texas. He said the External Affairs Minister should "react strongly" and ensure the safety and security of Indians wherever they are. Speaking to ANI, Ponnam Prabhakar said, "...External Affairs Minister should react very strongly. It is the responsibility of the government of this country to ensure that Indian citizens, wherever they are, are protected... Wherever our citizens are, we must ensure their safety and security. We express our condolences to the family." Pole Chandrashekar, a student from BN Reddy Nagar in Rangareddy district, Telangana, was reportedly shot dead in Denton, Texas, according to his family members. Chandrashekar had completed his BDS in India before moving to Dallas for higher studies. His brother confirmed the incident and appealed for government assistance in bringing back the mortal remains. "My younger brother went to the United States in 2023. We have received information that he has been shot and killed. We spent a lot of money sending him to the United States. We request the Central government to bring the mortal remains of my brother to India," he said. His other brother provided further details, explaining that Chandrashekar had gone abroad for higher studies and was working part-time to support himself. "He went to the US to pursue a master's in 2023. He did a part-time job at a gas station. We received information that he was shot dead by unknown persons at the gas station. We request the central and state governments to bring the mortal remains of my brother to India and take action against the person who shot my brother." His mother, Sunitha, also shared her grief and appealed for government support. She told ANI, "My son went to the US two years ago. He became a dental doctor here and went there to complete his post-graduation, which he has finished. Two years have passed since he started his PG. We learned about his death from his friend's parents who visited us and shared our grief. We've come to know that he was shot dead by black people last night. We request the Central and state governments to ensure the safety of Indians and bring my son's body back home as soon as possible." (ANI)
It has been a rocky few months for museums, as they struggle to navigate mounting political pressures: The director of the National Portrait Gallery was forced out over her support of D.E.I.; celebrated artist Amy Sherald pulled her midcareer survey (a 2025 Best of the Best winner) from the same museum because it reportedly asked her to withdraw a painting of a transgender Statue of Liberty; and the Whitney Museum of American Art canceled a pro-Palestinian performance after learning one of the artists involved had demanded members of a previous audience leave if they believed in Israels or Americas right to exist.

If there were a perfect show for this moment, it just might be Tavares Strachan: The Day Tomorrow Began, running October 12 to March 29 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Strachan, a conceptual artist and MacArthur Foundation genius grant recipient who divides his time between New York City and his native Nassau, Bahamas, uses a wide range of mediums to consider who and what belong in a museumand how they end up there.

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The question of what history we choose to hold, what we choose to subsume, and what we choose to bring to a public forum is literally whats being litigated right now, says Diana Nawi, curator of contemporary art at LACMA. Tavaress practice gets to the very heart of that.

For instance, his best-known work, Encyclopedia of Invisibility, which will be on view in the new show, is a compendium of over 17,000 entries of people, places, and events often overlooked by mainstream historical accounts. Among the groundbreaking figures highlighted is Matthew Henson, the Black explorer who most likely reached the North Pole before Richard Peary, the white leader of the expedition who was credited with the feat. To not know that story, to not know that he looks like mewhat does that do? Strachan asks. What could it have done if I knew it earlier?

Strachans keen interest in scientific explorationhe also trained as a cosmonaut in Star City, Russia, and founded an art-meets-science project called the Bahamas Aerospace and Sea Exploration Center (BASEC)might best be viewed in the broader context of his focus on the dissemination of knowledge. You put the rubric of science with the openness of artits how hes trying to create meaning in the world, says Nawi, who organized the exhibition. Its incredibly rigorous. Theres such an imagination, such ambition in the work.

The show, which features more than 35 pieces in a series of disparate environments, evolved out of a long-standing relationship between Strachan and LACMA. Museums, I think, have this thing where they adopt artists, he says with a laugh. You become a part of a museums family. In 2014, he received LACMAs Art + Technology Lab Artist Grant, which led to his sculpture Enoch (2018) being launched into space and orbiting the Earth for three years. The gilded portrait, resembling an Egyptian canopic jar, pays tribute to Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first Black astronaut, as does a second sculpture in the LACMA show, which Strachan describes as a neon portrait of the innards of his body.

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Several pieces contemplate the role of monuments in our culture. One pairs lengthy quotes from James Baldwin and Mark Twain, both of which touch on our shared humanity. Re-created in neon, Baldwins words sit atop Twains, which are flipped upside down like a mirror image. Strachan cites the rapper Nas as one inspiration for the work. He says, Its a dirty game, is any man worthy of fame? in one song. I think about that all the time, especially when confronted by the marble statue of Queen Victoriawho reigned over Britains colonial expansionin Nassaus Parliament Square. When you grow up with that kind of thing in a country thats probably 85 percent Black, theres something about the presence of that image thats signaling to you that you are maybe less than. The power of aesthetics, right?

But Strachan expresses optimism about where society is headed, insisting that part of an artists role is to manifest a more positive future. Ultimately, he says, I think art has the final say.

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Meghan Markle surprised fans when she showed up to Paris Fashion Week for her first-ever appearance at the event, looking stunning in two elegant monochromatic looks, the first an all-white outfit and the second a sleek black dress.

Markle attended the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show on Oct. 4 in support of Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently became the new creative director for the high-fashion brand. Her appearance was a total surprise to people in attendance and fans at home, but a welcome one.

She looked chic and sophisticated in her first look of the day, wearing an all-white ensemble with a button-up shirt, long pants, and a white cape on top. She accessorized with a black clutch purse and pointed-toe black heels, while her hair was slicked back into an updo.

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 04: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 04, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Balenciaga)

But her second look of the day was equally stylish, as the Duchess of Sussex changed into a simple yet gorgeous black dress with a similar cape draped over her left shoulder. She wore her hair slicked back again and added what was likely the same pair of black heels.

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 04: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2026 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on October 04, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Balenciaga)

This was Markle's first time ever attending Paris Fashion Week, and it was her first fashion week in about a decade.

Related: Meghan Markle Reveals Who Said "I Love You" First in Relationship With Prince Harry

Markle Attended the Show in Support of Balenciaga's New Creative Director

A spokesperson for Markle confirmed to People that her reason for attending was to support Piccioli and his big Balenciaga debut.

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In a statement to the publication, the spokesperson said, "Over the years, the Duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo. They have worked closely together, collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage."

Elaborating on Markle's admiration for Piccioli, they went on, saying, "She has long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different. This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga."

Before moving to Balenciaga, Piccioli was at Valentino for over 20 years, and Markle has worn many looks designed by him over the years. For example, she wore a stunning red Valentino dress designed by Piccioli during a trip to Morocco with Prince Harry when she was pregnant with their first child, Prince Archie.

It's unclear if Markle plans to attend any other events before Paris Fashion Week ends. The 2025 edition of Paris Fashion Week has already included many memorable moments, such as when Paris Jackson and her aunt, Janet Jackson, hugged while attending a show, and big stars like Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda walked the runway in glam looks.

Related: Madonna and Daughter Lourdes Leon Twin in Body-Hugging Black Dresses

This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Travelers who rely on taxis and ridesharing, you can enjoy some smug satisfaction for the next 1,500 words. As for those of you who are willing to face terrible foreign driving experiences, the risk of a traffic ticket is legitimate and can become an undelightful headache down the line. The consequences may not be immediate, but you could get a letter in the mail, even a year after the fact, detailing the charges you owe.

Unfortunately for the speed-obsessed and violation-prone traveler, there's no blanket answer for how long you have to pay a fine, the consequences for non-payment, which transgressions the offended country will take most seriously, and whether you can escape consquences by just never going to that country again (that last one isn't the best course of action). If you crumple up that citation and push it to the back of your mind, you might still face holds on your credit card accounts, points on your license, license suspension, and even a warrant issued that would mean immediate arrest and possible jail time if you reentered that country.

Let's just say that most of the time, paying the fine makes your problems disappear, so don't let the worst-case scenarios scare you. Plus, if you rent a car, the authorities will usually send the fine to your rental company, which will just charge your card on file.

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Read more: These Are The Cars You Love Getting As Ubers And Lyfts

Canadian convictions and Mexican mindfulness

A woman pulled over to the side of the road by the shoreline in Banff - Oleh_slobodeniuk/Getty Images

If you're driving to Canada (and you're almost certainly driving if the 70% reduction in Canada-U.S. air travel is accurate), exercise caution. Improperly converting kilometers per hour (kph) to miles per hour (mph) could mean trouble, and if your speeding's particularly egregious, you might be refused entry to Canada or even face jail time for your driving misdeeds. Then your own state may get on your case. Drunk- or drugged-driving cases in Canada, for instance, can cost you your New York driver's license for 90 days. If you're under 21, that could be a year or more.

Travelers driving in Mexico may get confused by some local customs, such as how drivers may flip on the left turn signal and then move right. This is to indicate, "You can go around me on the left, I'm driving slowly." But if you get pulled over, the process with the cops will be familiar. Show your proof of insurance and remain calm, just make sure you get a physical ticket you can pay via mail or by visiting the police station. If the officer takes your license after issuing a ticket, don't worry, it's not gone. You have permission to drive until the fine is paid. Remember, laws aren't more or less relaxed in Mexico, regardless of what your coworker's cousin's boyfriend's aunt said, just a little different. But if you decide to mouth off to the police or you're intoxicated/stoned, expect to be taken to jail.

Britain's bothersome, Europe's user-friendly

A blurry Mini drives across the London Bridge with city buildings in the background - Shomos Uddin/Getty Images

The UK famously rejects automatic transmissions, those blessed people. But even the stick-shift-familiar will still contend with driving on the left, unfamiliar traffic signs, narrow lanes, and kph speed limits. When caught speeding, pay the 100-pound fine within 28 days and get three points on your license. Well, not your actual license, but a "ghost license" created by the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority. This ghost license can haunt you; 12-plus points in three years might mean a U.K. driving ban. Even worse, if you're caught speeding by camera, authorities might not be able to find and ticket you. Unless you somehow check for ghost-license points, you might not know they exist.

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If you get ticketed in European Union countries, some things are simpler. Payments are commonly in euro, most European countries give you 60 days to appeal fines, and you can even request a fine reduction (it sometimes works!). Tickets start at 68 euros in France, 100 in Spain, and 40 in Greece, though running Greek red lights can cost 700 euros.

Poland's an outlier as it doesn't use the Euro, but rather the zoty. Speeding fines start at 50 zlotys, but there are also fines for using phones while driving and for failing to observe the minimum required distance behind the leading car. Switzerland and Norway both issue income-based penalties, though Finland's arguably more famous for that thanks to a businessman's six-figure ticket.

Finnish fines and German generosity (but be careful on the Autobahn)

A red car driving over a bridge in Finland with water and green trees surrounding the road - nblx/Shutterstock

In Finland, tickets are calculated as "violation severity" (based on speed) times daily disposable income (monthly net divided by 60). A $12,000-a-month salary equals $200 daily disposable income, and 1 to 15 mph over is a severity multiplier of 12 (16 to 25 mph is 22, 26 to 35 mph is 32, and 36-plus mph is 42). So, a 15-mph ticket is $2,400. And yes, a Finnish businessman once got a $130,000 speeding fine. That said, non-Finnish-registered cars caught by speeding camera carry little chance of getting citations because technology isn't in place to send penalties abroad.

Germany's speeding tickets start at a bargain 35 euros, but speed cameras are triggered at 3% past the limit, and fines climb as speeds rise. You might think you're safe on the Autobahn, but nope. Sure, on the German-American Community Office traffic ticket page, the first two sentences are, "Whether you have just arrived in Germany or you have been here for a while, there is nothing quite like driving on the Autobahn. With frequent stretches without speed limits, driving in Germany brings out the lead-footed racecar driver in many of us." But the rest is rules and consequences.

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The final line is, "Failure to pay your ticket may result in the German Court ordering jail time to induce payment of an overdue fine. Jail time is not a substitute for the fine!" So look for speed limit signs, and obey them.

Italian infractions and Japanese judiciousness

A yellow Fiat Topolino with two women standing through the sunroof parked on cobblestone in front of a concrete wall overlooking old, gorgeous Italian homes on a mountainside - Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

Fear the "Zona a Traffico Limitato," or ZTL. These are restricted traffic zones in historic Italian areas that are for local residents and their registered vehicles. The U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy website says, "Although most of the automated verification stations are clearly marked, if a driver passes one it is impossible to know at the time that a violation occurred or has been recorded. Violators are not pulled over or stopped, and there is no personal contact with a police officer. The fines imposed for these violations should be forwarded to the U.S. citizen's residence abroad within 360 days from the date of the violation." Yes, you might get a letter in the mail a year later. Even if the statute of limitations runs out, Italian authorities still expect you to pay or contest your charge.

In Japan, you'll notice that, in addition to having blue traffic lights instead of green, the police are stupendously friendly and might apologize for pulling you over. Oh, you'll still get a ticket, which will be white, blue, red, or yellow. White is for minor stuff like not wearing seat belts. Blue is worse, like running a red light. Red is serious, like going 40 kph over a highway speed limit. Yellow is for parking violations. Going from white to red increases fines and demerits, which are like points. Japan expects you to pay in cash in full, which you can do at banks or post offices.

Be cool, it's only a ticket

A woman driving a right-hand-drive car looks confused as a police officer writes her a ticket - Peopleimages/Getty Images

While we could detail all ticket structures, costs, fines, wrist-slaps, stern looks, and "tsk-tsks" of every country, the gist is simple: If you're caught by camera, expect a letter in the mail telling you to pay a fine or a notice from your rental car agency that you already did. If you're pulled over by a cop, be polite, scrutinize your ticket to make sure it's legit, and pay the fine in the manner they expect. If you think the ticket's unfair, research how you can contest it and how long you have to do so. Adhere to deadlines.

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Depending on what country you visit, you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to even be allowed to drive. If you're in doubt, look up your country of choice on the U.S. Department of State website. Some countries only require an IDP for specific vehicles. In Norway, you need an IDP for a motor home or caravan, and in New Zealand, you need an IDP if you're driving a vehicle registered outside the country.

Getting an IDP is easy; just visit your local AAA office or passport agency. Depending on where you live, the cost is between free and $25. If you're a sovereign citizen visiting us here in reality, you'll need licensing to drive, too, which requires you to interact with government institutions. If you don't, that's okay  the court system will be more than happy to interact with you.

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If you're in a Mexican market or bodega, and you happen to see a small, black dried pepper for sale called chilhuacle negro, check its price tag. If it costs under $100 per pound, you might consider buying some, because that's one seriously good deal. Mexican-grown dried chilhuacle chiles are often priced at over $200 per pound, though you can find solid discounts if you buy in bulk. You may think this is a pretty steep price, and you'd be right. Chilhuacle is currently the most expensive chile in Mexico and is, in fact, one of the most expensive spices in the world.

This pepper is used in traditional Oaxacan cooking, including a dish called mole negro, which is often eaten on the Day of the Dead. The chile's flavor has been described as smoky and spicy, with an initially sweet and tart taste. Mole negro is one of those Mexican foods you should try at least once in your life, but that's easier said than done. The chilhuacle pepper is not just pricy, but extremely rare as it's only grown in a select few areas of the Canada region, Mexico. That prime chilhuacle territory isn't really flourishing, putting the pepper's future in danger.

Read more: 15 Vegetables People Don't Really Eat Anymore

Why chilhuacle peppers are worth their weight in gold

Dried chilhuacle negro peppers in a basket at a market, labeled with a white sign - liamwood_shots/Shutterstock

When exploring the world of chiles, you'll find that there are several types of chilhuacle, including rojo and amarillo varieties. Negro is the rarest. In the Canada valley, where it's cultivated using ancient ancestral methods, the people consider the chile sacred and use it in numerous celebratory dishes. However, in the past few decades, the number of farmers producing chilhuacles has dwindled, leaving only seven remaining.

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These farmers are faced with constant hardship because of environmental changes and particular cultivation methods. The chilhuacle negro is only grown in small plots, generally without modern fertilizers or pesticides, the farmers instead relying on growing techniques that are thousands of years old. Unfortunately, these methods don't account for massive increases in aphids, whiteflies, fungus, and other plant diseases that now plague the area. This means that, even under watchful care, it's hard not to lose large portions of the crop. Demand is still high, but yield is low, at only one tonne per planted hectare of land annually. The results are sky-high prices for locals and foreign foodies alike.

So, why don't more farmers grow this super lucrative crop? The fact is that it's easier and cheaper to grow other things. Mangoes in particular have become incredibly popular to grow in Oaxaca, a practice that has only brought more insect pests to the region, further isolating the peppers. Since they are mostly grown in one small area, they have decreased genetic diversity, making them susceptible to disaster.

Chilhuacle peppers have a flavor worth fighting for

A Oaxacan marketplace with dried peppers, nuts, and grains in large baskets or hanging - NYCKellyWilliams/Shutterstock

While this pepper is in decline, that doesn't mean people aren't trying to combat its gradual disappearance. Some of the remaining farmers have begun learning from modern farming methods. Others give out chilhuacle seeds to farm visitors, in an attempt to spread the breed and keep it from dying out. There have been multiple studies about bacterial and fungal impacts on the chile, as well as which tending methods yield the best results. The chilhuacle negro may be a rare delicacy with a steep price tag, but the battle to save it goes on.

For those who want to help, be thoughtful with your purchasing. Some farms in the United States and Spain have begun to grow chilhuacles, but the resulting peppers are less flavorful and don't support the ancestral origins of the chile. If you do buy chilhuacle negros, try to purchase those grown in Oaxaca, so they can keep their traditional heritage alive.

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If you don't have any direct access to them, you could try getting seeds from the region online and planting a few yourself. Seeds sold from Mexico often come at a reasonable $5-or-less price tag, so if you have the time and patience, consider giving them a shot. If you're looking to introduce yourself to Oaxacan food but you don't have a green thumb, just keep an eye open for this chile in markets or on menus, and be mindful of the price tag.

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TOOELE, Utah (ABC4)  The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flash Flood Warning in Tooele County as thunderstorms hit northern Utah on Saturday. Tooele County and Salt Lake City residents are currently experiencing heavy flooding.

This storm has the potential characteristics of a 100-year storm, bringing heavy rainfall, Tooele County said in a statement Saturday morning. Emergency response crews from Tooele County, Tooele City, and the Stansbury Park Service Agency are actively responding to multiple reports of flooding and storm-related impacts.

Those who are experiencing flooding and need sandbags can fill bags at the Salt Shed that is located at the Tooele City Public Works Campus 1015 S. Colman or approximately 1000 South Main Street (SR 36), Tooele City posted on Facebook. Please only take what is necessary. If active flooding begins and you are in danger please call 911.

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See video of flooding in Tooele County below:

The NWS issued a Flash Flood Warning Saturday morning for the Jacob City Burn Scar and eastern Tooele County. The warning is in effect until noon.

At local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Jacob City Burn Scar. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is already occurring, the NWS stated. Excessive rainfall over the Jacob City burn scar will result in debris flow moving through Soldier Canyon, impacting the county road and water treatment plant. Impacts may be seen downstream along Soldier Creek to SR-36 and the UPR rail line near mile marker 47.

The debris flow can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials.

Flash flooding and debris flows are expected to impact the county road near the water treatment plant in Soldier Canyon and potentially point downstream along Soldier Creek to SR-36.

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Flash flooding of areas in and around the Jacob City Burn Scar can be life threatening, officials said. Stockton, Loafer Canyon, and Soldier Canyon will reportedly experience flash flooding.

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Flooding in Tooele County, Oct. 4, 2025. (Courtesy of KTVX/Brandon Gilbert)

This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause extensive and severe flash flooding of creeksstreamsand ditches in the Jacob City Burn Scar. Severe debris flows can also be

anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away in places. If you encounter flood watersclimb to safety, the NWS said.

Tooele City Fire has stated that they are officially out of sandbags. If you need sandbags, go to North Tooele Fire District Station 64, located at 1753 2000 N Pine Canyon, UT 84074.

Retention ponds in several areas have reached capacity, Tooele County officials said. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution, avoid driving through flooded roadways, and remain alert to changing conditions.

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Residents are asked to self-report flooding or other storm concerns here.

Flooding has also been reported in Salt Lake City near 1968 West 800 North. One local resident told ABC4 hes lived in the area for 40 years and has never seen anything like this before.

Salt Lake City Fire said the water system is overrun as too much water is flooding in from the valley. Public Works is on scene helping with sandbags while more pumps are being requested to deal with the overflow.

Councilmember Victoria Petro said shes working to help families impacted by the flooding: This is a neighborhood of blue collar working class families, she said. Their homes are their assets. Im not going to leave them here when the water recedes.

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See photos below:

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Flooding in Salt Lake City, Oct. 4, 2025. (Courtesy of KTVX/Brandon Gilbert)

Please avoid the area if possible until conditions improve, Salt Lake City Fire said. City and County departments are actively responding to contain the flooding and minimize further impact.

Latest headlines:

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Two Massachusetts men have died and another was arrested following a rollover crash on the highway in Wethersfield, Connecticut, on Friday night.

An Infiniti was traveling north on Route 5/15 near exit 85 in Wethersfield when the vehicle veered from the left lane into the metal beam guard on the right shoulder, according to a release from Connecticut State Police. The car rolled over and came to a stop at an embankment below the rail.

The two passengers, identified as Joshua Gonzalez, 25, of Springfield, and Edwin Guzman, 21, of Chicopee, suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to Hartford Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to the release.

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The driver, identified as Alexis Garcia, 22, of Springfield, received minor injuries and was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs after failing a field sobriety test, according to the release. Garcia was not able to post the cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, Oct. 6.

The crash is still under investigation and anyone with more information can contact TFC Victor Mejias #1067 at 860-534-1000 or through email at victor.mejias@ct.gov.

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Up to 5,000 Cuban fighters are actively participating in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reported Oct. 5, citing an internal U.S. State Department cable seen by the outlet.

"After North Korea, Cuba is the largest contributor of foreign troops to Russia's aggression, with an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 Cubans fighting in Ukraine," the cable said.

The U.S. circulated an unclassified cable, sharing details about Cuba's support for Russia's war in Ukraine, as part of its campaign to counter a United Nations resolution calling for Washington to lift its embargo on the Caribbean nation, which has been in place since 1960.

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The Oct. 2 unclassified cable, sent to dozens of U.S. missions, directs diplomats to urge foreign governments to oppose the resolution, which has passed the U.N. General Assembly every year since 1992.

While the U.N. resolution holds symbolic value, only the U.S. Congress can ultimately lift the decades-long embargo.

According to Reuters, the U.S. State Department declined to provide additional details on the Cuban fighters, but said it was aware of reports that they were serving alongside Russian troops.

Moscow has been recruiting foreign fighters from countries such as Nepal, Somalia, India, and Cuba since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. Last year, Bloomberg reported that Russia was offering generous payments and the promise of citizenship to Cuban fighters, despite Havana's attempts to curb recruitment. At the time, the number of Cuban recruits was reported to be in the low hundreds.

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That figure has since grown to the thousands, as Ukrainian officials have recently warned U.S. lawmakers about an uptick in Russia's recruitment of Cuban mercenaries.

Cuba and Russia have maintained close ties since the Cold War. Most recently, Cuba joined the Russian-led BRICS group as a partner country in October 2024.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Massive Russian attack on Ukraine kills 6, injures 18

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A federal judge has concluded that the Department of Justice's prosecution of Kilmar Abrego Garcia on human smuggling charges may be an illegal retaliation after he successfully sued the Trump administration over his deportation to El Salvador.

The case of Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who was a construction worker in Maryland, has become a proxy for the partisan struggle over President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration policy and mass deportation agenda.

U.S. District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw late Friday granted a request by lawyers for Abrego Garcia and ordered discovery and an evidentiary hearing in Abrego Garcia's effort to show that the federal human smuggling case against him in Tennessee is illegally retaliatory.

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Crenshaw said Abrego Garcia had shown that there is some evidence that the prosecution against him may be vindictive. That evidence included statements by various Trump administration officials and the timeline of the charges being filed.

The Department of Homeland Security referred questions to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the case Saturday.

In his 16-page ruling, Crenshaw said many statements by Trump administration officials raise cause for concern, but one stood out.

That statement by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, on a Fox News program after Abrego Garcia was charged in June, seemed to suggest that the Department of Justice charged Abrego Garcia because he won his wrongful deportation case, Crenshaw wrote.

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Blanches remarkable statements could directly establish that the motivations for (Abrego Garcia's) criminal charges stem from his exercise of his constitutional and statutory rights" to sue over his deportation "rather than a genuine desire to prosecute him for alleged criminal misconduct, Crenshaw wrote.

Likewise, Crenshaw noted that the Department of Homeland Security reopened an investigation into Abrego Garcia days after the U.S. Supreme Court said in April that the Trump administration must work to bring back Abrego Garcia.

Abrego Garcia was indicted on May 21 and charged June 6, the day the U.S. brought him from a prison in El Salvador back to the U.S. He pleaded not guilty and is now being held in Pennsylvania.

If convicted in the Tennessee case, Abrego Garcia will be deported, federal officials have said. A U.S. immigration judge has denied Abrego Garcia's bid for asylum, although he can appeal.

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The Salvadoran national has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years, but he immigrated to the United States illegally as a teenager.

In 2019, he was arrested by immigration agents. He requested asylum but was not eligible because he had been in the U.S. for more than a year. But the judge ruled he could not be deported to El Salvador, where he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family.

The human smuggling charges in Tennessee stem from a 2022 traffic stop. He was not charged at the time.

Trump administration officials have waged a relentless public relations campaign against Abrego Garcia, repeatedly referring to him as a member of the MS-13 gang, among other things, despite the fact he has not been convicted of any crimes.

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Abrego Garcia's attorneys have denounced the criminal charges and the deportation efforts, saying they are an attempt to punish him for standing up to the administration.

Abrego Garcia contends that, while imprisoned in El Salvador, he suffered beatings, sleep deprivation and psychological torture. El Salvadors president, Nayib Bukele, has denied those allegations.

___

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He directed the concerned officials to ensure timely completion and maintain high-quality standards. Before the inspection, the District Magistrate also held discussions on various relevant issues with the ITBP Commanding Officer and other officials.

The border village of Jadong, situated along the India-China frontier in Uttarkashi district, is on its way to becoming a new tourism destination under the Vibrant Village Programme, according to a release.

Along with linking local residents to social and economic development opportunities and employment, various development projects are progressing rapidly in the area.

The District Magistrate informed that in the first phase of the plan, six homestays are being constructed in the traditional architectural style, while eight more will be built in the second phase, making a total of 14 homestays.

Once completed, these homestays will offer modern accommodation facilities for tourists visiting Jadong.

This would not only give a significant boost to tourism but also create new employment opportunities for local youth.

He further highlighted that Jadong village was evacuated during the 1962 India-China war. However, local residents have continued to visit the village to worship at their traditional temples.

Now, under the Vibrant Village Programme, work is underway to develop infrastructure, expand tourism facilities, and make the village self-reliant. He expressed confidence that in the near future, Jadong would emerge as a key border tourism hub, strengthening not only national security but also local culture and the regional economy. (ANI)
Bavarian Premier Markus Soder has urged swift legal action to strengthen Germany's ability to intercept and defend against drones.

Speaking on public broadacaster ARD on Sunday, the influential conservative politician said existing regulations must be reinforced and many laws would need to be amended.

Drone incidents have increased sharply across Germany and Europe, including two consecutive days of disruptions at Munich Airport last week.

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Soder has already proposed a fast-track Bavarian law for drone defence, which is expected to be introduced at the state Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He said the plan could be summed up as: "Shoot instead of wait."

Soder also suggested involving countries with significant experience in drone defence, specifically naming Ukraine and Israel, in advisory discussions.

Regarding potential federal military assistance, he noted two scenarios for involving the German Armed Forces or Bundeswehr: in cases involving very large drones or very high-altitude incursions.
A recent study by the Buckley Institute at Yale University found college students across the United States are equally divided on whether they want to live in a socialist or capitalistic society.

Humanities and education majors were the most likely of their peers to favor socialism, advocate for government-run grocery stores and say political comments they disagree with can be harmful to their mental health.

Almost half of college students believe its sometimes appropriate to shout down or disrupt a campus speaker they disagree with. Split down ideological lines, 60% of liberal college students agreed it was OK, while 35% of conservatives agreed.

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About 40% of students agreed that physical violence can be justified to prevent someone from using hate speech or racially charged comments.

It is clear that despite support for free speech in theory, Americas undergraduates dont support it in practice, said Lauren Noble, Buckley Institute founder and executive director, according to a press release. Americas college students support shout downs and violence to stop offensive speech at an alarming rate, particularly worrying in the wake of Charlie Kirks assassination. And they have a concerning predilection for the Cuban and Soviet economies. American higher education is in trouble.

Why do young people think their peers like socialism?

Over a third of students said political comments they disagree with can be harmful to their mental health. Broken down, 48% of progressive students, 27% of conservative students and 53% of education majors agreed.

Caleigh Kerr, a senior studying family life at Brigham Young University, told the Deseret News she sees that statistic as a sad reality.

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Kerr referenced recent political and religious violence. I think people feel unheard and unseen, and ideas are harder to get across because people dont feel safe, whether thats social safety, mental safety or physical safety, she said.

About a quarter of university students surveyed said socialist countries like Cuba and the Soviet Union offer a better economic model than capitalist countries like the United States.

In my very ignorant understanding of both of them, I feel like people in general want to help other people, and socialism feels like its giving help to people in need, she said.

On the other hand, Kerr referenced socialist governments that have turned totalitarian, and also referenced Communist China. Thirty million people died in a few years from starvation, even though he (Mao) said he was feeding them and the government was providing. That system also feels broken, just based on history. But then capitalism also seems broken. And so its like, where is the sweet spot?

Compassion and a functioning economy

Jaxon Thurman, a BYU student and vice president of a Turning Point USA off-campus chapter, told the Deseret News that young people advocating for government-run grocery stores is evidence that young people are trying to address hard societal issues.

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Its trying to answer a question that people are going hungry and that theres a problem with it, he said. There are children, and there are families that need food.

Thurman outlined two possible solutions: people willingly help the poor under a capitalistic society, or the government uses taxpayer money to help pay for the poors food.

But I think people dont really understand the philosophy of capitalism, he continued. In capitalism, all your interactions with others are voluntary. With socialism, its a bit extreme, and all your interactions with men are restricted and controlled and forced.

Thurman referenced the slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirks take on the issue. Kirk believed the focus should be put on individuals donating to churches and communities that offer help to the less fortunate rather than building up big government.

The idea of socialism vs its implementation

Christian Andersen, a BYU student and TPUSAs event coordinator, told the Deseret News he thinks its important for people to have real world interactions with people who have lived in socialist societies.

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During his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Andersen met several Cuban and Venezuelan emigrants who shared horror stories with him about growing up under socialist governments.

Venezuela and Cuba are some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Theyre gorgeous. Like, theres no reason to leave except for if youre being oppressed, he said.

Andersen said misinformation is the biggest reason his classmates support socialism. Go talk to Cubans. Talk to Venezuelans, he said. And ask them, How was your experience with socialism? I think we should do it here. And theyre going to tell you right away, Dont do it. It is the worst thing you could do.

Are words violence?

Left-leaning students are more likely to agree that physical violence can be justified to prevent a person from using hate speech.

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Rob Jenkins, an associate professor of English at Georgia State University/Perimeter College and a higher education fellow at Campus Reform, said the origin of the belief that words are violence is found in Marxist critical theory.

Deconstructionism basically says that words dont have any inherent meaning. We interpret them. We come up with the meaning for them. Its another way of saying there really isnt any such thing as absolute truth; theres only narrative, Jenkins said.

In this kind of a world view, words have incredible power, because they have the ability to create an alternate universe.

In a world constructed just by words, words are everything, Jenkins said. And if you understand that, its not that much of a stretch to say, Well, hurtful words are therefore the equivalent of physical harm.

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Jenkins added that he was dismayed when Attorney General Pam Bondi denounced hate speech following Kirks assassination. Under the American system of law, theres no such thing as hate speech, he said.

Why are humanities majors particularly keen on socialism?

Dr. Jason Kerr, an English professor at Brigham Young University, told the Deseret News that humanities majors are more attuned to see the limitations of capitalism and want to think about some alternative structure than other students.

I think its healthy for any economic system to have structures within it where people question it and challenge what they see as its limitations and weaknesses, he said.

Jenkins added that humanities departments across the U.S. dedicate much time teaching students the positives of socialism and Marxism.

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But while the European ideals of Marxism have been present in schools and universities for well over a century, most Americans are free marketers at heart, Jenkins said. If you drill down with these kids who say, Oh, yeah, we love socialism, you can ask them what they want to do with their lives.

They respond, Oh, you know, I want to start a company on the internet and become a billionaire, Jenkins said, adding, OK, thats, you know, thats capitalism, dude.

The algorithm issue

After Kirks assassination on Utah Valley University campus, Andersen said he compared his social media feed with his friends. They were showing completely different things, he said. His own feed showed posts commemorating Kirk, and other feeds on the same application showed him as some racist that deserved to get shot.

For people stuck chronically in their own social media echo chambers, encountering genuine representations of different points of views can be rare.

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Nathan Neuhaus, a freshman at BYU and TPUSA outreach coordinator, said he sees a correlation with the rise of social media and a rise of violence.

We have to talk about our (societal) problems, Neuhaus said. We have to hit it head on and be like, what is it here that is messing with people?

Neuhaus encouraged students and young people to engage in meaningful conversation, offline.

Referencing the recent death of President Russell M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Neuhaus said, One of the things he said before he died was for us to each become peacemakers.

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Engaging in dialogue with people you disagree with is an opportunity to become a peacemaker, to bring people together, to discuss our problems and to find solutions, he said.

And at the end of the day, whether were Republicans or Democrats, were all Americans, and more importantly, were all children of God, Neuhaus said.
A wave of young Americans, particularly college students and millennials, is returning to churches across the country in what some are calling the Charlie Kirk effect, following the assassination of the conservative Christian activist on September 10. Many pastors say Kirks unapologetic faith and courage in public life have inspired young believers to take their faith more seriously.

The spike in attendance, reported in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Colorado, comes against a backdrop of declining church participation, with an estimated 15,000 U.S. churches projected to close this year.

Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA and TPUSA Faith, was fatally shot during a Q&A at Utah Valley University by 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson. His death has sparked a surge in worship attendance, especially among young adults who had not attended services in years.

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[There has been] a lot of anecdotal feedback from churches in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Douglas County, Colorado, reporting that theyve seen an increase [in attendance] over the last two Sundays, said JP De Gance, founder of Communio, a ministry supporting 400 churches nationwide, per the Christian Post. Theres one church in Michigan that said a number of young adults who were raised in the church [but] who hadnt been there, and people hadnt seen them for years, showed back up.

Matt Zerrusen, co-founder of Newman Ministry, a Catholic nonprofit that operates on 250 college campuses, reported a notable increase in Mass attendance at some schools.

I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance, Zerrusen said, according to Catholic News Agency. Some schools are reporting increases of 15%.

He noted students seeking spiritual direction: So many people are asking, What do I do? What is evil? How does God allow this?

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Social media reflects the trend, with posts on X, TikTok, and Instagram showing renewed interest in churchgoing.

X user @TONYxTWO, with over half a million followers, shared a TikTok video of a young man saying he had to park five blocks away from church because everyone wants to come now! Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Charlie.

A Catholic X user, @TexitDarling, said her non-churchgoing son requested to attend Mass with her, citing the Charlie Kirk effect.

De Gance suggested Kirks death prompted introspection among young people.

And I think that causes a level of introspection, he told The Christian Post. I think that causes people to ask, What am I living for right now? He urged churches to build on that momentum through fellowship and outreach to sustain engagement.

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The broader context of church attendance paints a grim picture. The Pew Research Center reports 29% of Americans are religiously unaffiliated, up from 2007, while only 20% attend church weekly, down from 32% in 2000, per Gallup data.

Millennials, however, show a surprising uptick, with 39% attending weekly, compared to 21% in 2019, according to Barnas State of the Church report. Non-denominational churches have driven recent growth, adding 6.5 million attendees since 2010, per the US Religion Census.

Meanwhile, mainline Protestant denominations like Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran face steep declines, with the National Council of Churches estimating 100,000 closures in coming years. Catholic churches are also shrinking, with Baltimores archdiocese cutting two-thirds of its parishes due to falling attendance and aging infrastructure, per the AP.

I think the only ones who have shown some dynamism lately on the American Christian landscape are these non-denominational, usually charismatic megachurches, said Andrew Chesnut of Virginia Commonwealth University, Axios reported.

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Kirks death has stirred reflection and debate within Americas churches. Evangelical leaders, like those from the Southern Baptist Convention, praised his courageous defense of the dignity of the unborn, while others, like Texas pastor Dwight McKissic, criticized the SBCs endorsement as racially divisive.

The gap between Black and White evangelicals surrounding this issue is widening, McKissic posted on social media.

Virginia pastor Howard John-Wesley condemned Kirks politics, saying, per USA Today, There is nowhere in the Bible where we are taught to honor evil, and how you die does not redeem how you lived.

Despite these divisions, faith leaders across denominations denounced violence.

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Political violence is wrong. It might not be un-American, given our history, but it should be, wrote Episcopal priest Nathan Empsall.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints echoed this, stating, We condemn violence and lawless behavior, and calling for greater kindness.
Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The Dominican Republic is preparing to welcome hemispheric leaders to the 10th Summit of the Americas on Dec. 4 to 5 in Punta Cana. But the Cuban, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan governments have been excluded.

The Dominican Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision in an official statement. The Caribbean nation holds the rotating presidency of the regional forum, and it invited 32 countries to participate.

According to Dominican officials, the exclusions were made because those three countries are not active members of the Organization of American States and did not participate in the previous summit. The measure is aimed at avoiding ideological tensions and ensuring effective participation by member states.

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The event, convened by the Dominican government, will seek to build a common agenda on democracy, sustainable development and regional cooperation in a context marked by diplomatic exclusions and high-stakes political gestures.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced the exclusion as a "decision imposed by the United States government" and said the summit "is doomed to fail."

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Cuba was willing to engage in a "respectful and constructive dialogue," but argued that the exclusion reveals a policy of hemispheric coercion.

One of the most discussed moves has been Dominican President Luis Abinader's push to invite U.S. President Donald Trump, whose attendance has not yet been confirmed. Trump's participation could set the political tone of the summit and reshape regional priorities.

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Key issues expected on the agenda include post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change with an emphasis on joint strategies to address natural disasters and energy transitions. Other issues at the meeting could include migration, the rise of authoritarian regimes and digital disinformation.

The Summit of the Americas is a multilateral forum that brings together heads of state and government from across the continent to debate and coordinate policies on democracy, human rights, trade, migration, the environment and security.

Since its first gathering in 1994, it has been led by the Organization of American States as an opportunity for hemispheric dialogue.
Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Billionaire Andrej Babis is poised to return to power as prime minister in the Czech Republic in a four-year comeback that mirrors U.S. President Donald Trump.

Known as "Czech Trump," Babis earned a decisive victory Saturday in a parliamentary election after being voted out of office. Elections took place on Friday and Saturday.

Babis' populist ANO party, which means yes in Czech, took 36% of the vote, which is the party's best-ever result, according to Czech Statistics Office with about 95% of precincts counted.

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Prime Minister Petr Fiala conceded defeat as head of the Spolu (Together) Party with 23% followed by the STAN liberal, centrist party. There was a turnout of 68.9% in a nation of 10 million residents.

"I'm surprised they received so many votes," Babi said in Prague. "I didn't believe it at first. I hoped we would reach 30%, as our poll suggested 26."

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis in the Oval Office at the White House on March 7, 2019. File Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI

No major Czech party will outright majority in the 200-seat lower house of Parliament. Only parties that win at least 5% of the votes can enter parliament.

Czech President Petr Pavel, who largely is in a ceremonial role, has said will begin forming a coalition on Sunday. Babis wants support from the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy coalition and the populist Motorists party.

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The Freedom and Direct Democracy captured 7.9% and Motorists 6.78%.

There could be a "a nightmare scenario for international, European partners" should Babis invite the right-wing parties to join the government, Daniel Hegedus, director for Central Europe at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin, told The New York Times.

"There could be a huge reluctance to continue support to Ukraine, and to play the same constructive role in the European Union and NATO" as the Czech Republic has before, he said.

The 71-year-old former premier backs policies similar to Trump to spur economic growth.

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He wants to cut taxes, increase pensions, cap energy prices, freeze politicians' salaries and end funding for public television.

Babis capitalized on voter frustration with the current government's response to a cost-of-living crisis. He also would promote the country's place in Europe by focusing on transactional politics over values espoused by the EU.

Last year, he co-founded the Patriots for Europe, a right-wing main opposition party in the EU with Hungary's Fidesz party, France's Rassemblement National and Austria's Freedom Party, both far-right groups.

Babis is riding a wave of populist politicians, including Prime Ministers Viktor Orban of Hungary and Robert Fico of Slovakia.

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But unlike Trump and those leaders, Babis has never aligned himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Babis is not an extremist but a dealmaker and populist who wants to have a catch-all party and he believes that he can offer something to everybody," Petr Kolar, a former Czech ambassador to Russia, told the Financial Times before the vote.

"I don't think Babis will be against [more] sanctions" on Russia, adding "I believe that Babis is inspired by Orban, he admires him, but he doesn't want to be perceived as a troublemaker in Brussels so much."

Like those leaders, Babis has vowed to buck the EU on defense spending and immigration.

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Babis became wealthy with an agribusiness with the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in late 1989.

Czechoslovakia dissolved on Jan. 1, 1993, into Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Babis wants to resurrect the so-called Visegrad Four -- the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia -- as a regional force uniting 65 million citizens for a better say in the 27-member EU. Czech Republic joined the bloc in 2004.

Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland at one time were communist nations, like the Soviet Union, which included Russia.

"We will never drag the Czech Republic to the east, never leave the EU or NATO," Babis said in his last televised pre-election appeal to voters.

Pavel, a former NATO general, faced off against Babis in a 2023 presidential election won by Pavel.
WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD)  The Wyoming Police Department has launched a death investigation after a man was found dead along Plaster Creek on Saturday afternoon.

WPD told News 8 that officers were dispatched to the creek around 3:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Buchanan Avenue and Plaster Creek Boulevard. They found the body of a man identified only as a man in his 30s.

A News 8 crew on scene watched police officers investigate for hours before a team from the Wyoming Fire Department arrived to help them take the body away.

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WPD Lt. Andrew Koeller says the investigation is in its early stages. The body has been sent to the medical examiners office for further evaluation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
The persecution of Christians in Nigeria has reached genocidal levels, yet much of the world continues to look away.

For more than a decade, jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and other radical Islamist branches have waged relentless campaigns against Christians in Africa: burning villages, destroying tens of thousands of churches, and wiping out entire communities with senseless violence.

The most recent attack came in early September, when Boko Haram militants killed more than 60 people in the village of Darul Jamal, located in Nigerias northeast Borno State. According to BBC News, Boko Haram terrorists stormed the village overnight, torching homes and buses while massacring reconstruction workers and killing at least five Nigerian soldiers.

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The Nigerian Air Force responded with airstrikes that reportedly killed 30 Boko Haram terrorists, but officials admitted the countrys forces remain stretched too thin. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum warned that the numerical strength of the Nigerian army is not enough to contain the situation.

Since 2009, more than 100,000 Christians have been killed, and at least 18,000 churches destroyed. This statistic was brought up by Bill Maher during a taping of his Real Time show earlier this month alongside U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC).

This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza, Maher said. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire countryWhere are the kids protesting this?

This year marks more than a decade since the infamous Boko Haram kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in April of 2014, many of them Christians. According to Amnesty International, 82 girls still remain missing.

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Others who escaped, or were released, were allegedly later forced to marry Boko Haram fighters under corrupt government reintegration programs. Amnesty has documented at least 1,700 schoolchildren abducted in mass raids since 2014, with many subjected to abuse and sexual violence, let alone murder. Parents in Chibok still hesitate to send their children to school, fearful that history will someday repeat itself.

Despite the continued mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, many media outlets seem to remain mute.

Religious Freedom Institute President David Trimble recently told the Catholic News Agency that Nigeria is the most dangerous place in the world to be a follower of Jesus, but very few government administrations across the world have addressed the crisis.

However, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently spoke out on the mass murders via social media, saying, Christians are being slaughtered by the thousands. The world must awaken to this crisis.

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Abbotts comment was a response to a post from Broadcaster Will Cain asking why the American media ignores what former Ambassador for Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback called a growing and spreading wave of terrorism in Nigeria.

Christians are being slaughtered by the thousands. The world must awaken to this crisis. https://t.co/l5pzVbYPZW  Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 2, 2025

Elon Musk has criticized the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) multiple times on X for labeling conservative Christian organizations as extremist.

The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is is a hate group, Musk posted on September 28.

The ADL hates Christians, therefore it is is a hate group  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 28, 2025

Believers are literally carrying the cross: losing homes, families, and their lives for Christ. As even Bill Maher pointed out, ignoring genocide is no longer an option.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated himself to uplifting the Antyodaya, the poor and the deprived, who had long been neglected by society. CM was addressing the State-Level Grand Convention of Nomedic and Denotified Tribes in Ahmedabad. On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that earlier there used to be a question as to when the Denotified and Nomedic communities would progress, but today, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vision of "Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, and Sauno Prayas" has been realised by taking everyone along. Gujarat CM said he has framed government policies and schemes keeping in mind even the smallest and the poorest person, ensuring that development is centred around the common and middle-class people for building Viksit Bharat. He further stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dedicated himself to uplifting the Antyodaya, the poor and the deprived, who have long been neglected by society. The DNT Foundation organised this convention, which saw the participation of people from Denotified and Nomadic Tribes across the state. Chief Minister emphasised providing education to the children of Nomedic and Denotified Tribes, saying that the government has created very good schemes to ensure that your children can study and progress. In the last three years, scholarship assistance of Rs 297 crore has been paid to more than 27 lakh beneficiaries from the Nomedic and Denotified Tribes, and loan assistance of Rs 105 crore has been provided to 8,448 beneficiaries. He added that, in response to the changing demands of the country and the world, the children of these communities are progressing through education, and wherever needed, the government is ready to stand beside them. He also encouraged women and mothers from these communities to take advantage of self-help group schemes and become self-reliant. The Chief Minister said that as India progresses toward Viksit Bharat, every community must help build an Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government is ensuring inclusive growth through a saturation approach in welfare schemes to bring every citizen into the mainstream. He called for Vocal for Local and the increased use of indigenous goods for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, stating that GST reforms are greatly benefiting the common people. In this context, the Chief Minister urged everyone to accelerate the resolve of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat' by boosting the purchase and sale of indigenous goods during the upcoming festivals. On this occasion, Bhanuben Babariya, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Department, said that the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi initiated the provision of 'Ghar nu Ghar', with the aim of ensuring a permanent address for the people of Nomedic and Denotified Tribes. She further said that about 40 tribes, comprising 28 Nomadic and 12 Denotified Tribes, are socially and educationally backwards, and the state government formed a corporation for such people in 2015. She added that the state government has worried about the education of children from the Nomedic and Denotified Tribes and has made efforts to provide them with scholarships and other educational assistance. At this event, Padma Shri recipient Bhanubhai Chitara was honoured by the Chief Minister. (ANI)
Progressive advocacy group Demand Justice announced it would launch a six-figure advertising campaign criticizing Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin for supporting Trumps judicial nominees.

Last week, Coons joined several Democrats  including Durbin, Amy Klobuchar, Adam Schiff, Peter Welch and Sheldon Whitehouse  in voting to advance Harold Mooty III, a Trump nominee for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, out of committee.

In written responses to the Judiciary Committee, Mooty declined to denounce the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, telling Durbin it would be inappropriate to comment on what he called a political debate.

Sen. Chris Coons speaks at an event marking the opening of West End Neighborhood House's Life Lines South on June 9, 2025. The site is the only supportive housing program of its kind in Sussex County for youth ages 1823 who are homeless or have aged out of foster care.

Demand Justice and other liberal groups have urged Senate Democrats to oppose all of Trumps judicial nominees, arguing that his selections threaten the rule of law.

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Under new president Josh Orton, a former aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Sen. Harry Reid, the group has pledged to hold Democrats accountable when they support Trumps judicial agenda.

Durbin, who serves as the Senate Judiciary Committees top Democrat, has said he will not seek reelection when his term ends in 2026. Coons, also up for reelection that year, has not announced whether he will run again.

You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com. To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Progressive activists target Senator Chris Coons in ad campaign
MADRID (Reuters) -Eight people were arrested and 20 police officers injured in clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and police in Barcelona, police said on Sunday.

Demonstrators vandalised shops, which they claimed had links to Israel, during a mainly peaceful march of 70,000 protesters on Saturday, police said.

Tens of thousands took part in protests in Madrid and scores of other Spanish cities as well as demonstrations in Rome and Lisbon amid anger after the Israeli interception of the Global Sumud aid flotilla that had set sail from Barcelona, trying to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory.

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Out of the 49 Spaniards who were detained by Israeli forces on the aid flotilla, 21 will fly back to Spain from Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spanish television RTVE.

Spain, which recognised a Palestinian state in May 2024 and has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, last month banned ships and aircraft delivering weapons or military-grade jet fuel to Israel.

(Reporting by Graham KeeleyEditing by Tomasz Janowski)
As a student at the University of Akron, I was stunned to learn that Rep. Emilia Sykes, D- Akron, voted against condemning the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Out of 435 members of the U.S. House, only 58 Democrats opposed this resolution ("Honoring the life and legacy of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk")  and Sykes was the only one from a competitive district who did. Her vote speaks volumes.

Even some of the most far-left members of her party voted present. But instead of showing unity and rejecting violence, Sykes deliberately voted no. She sided with radicals like AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and Ilhan Omar who refuse to defend our most basic values.

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Sykes' decision shows she is more interested in pandering to Washingtons fringe than representing the people of Northeast Ohio.

Angel Sobolewski, Akron

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Emilia Sykes' vote on Charlie Kirk resolution is shocking | Opinion
A new two-week training program is expected to help address Northern Michigans shortage of certified nurse aides by offering a faster, more affordable path into the health care field.

North Central Michigan College and Grandvue Medical Care Facility in East Jordan are partnering to launch the Fast Track Certified Nurse Aide program starting Nov. 10, according to a college announcement.

The program includes 34 hours of classroom instruction at NCMC, 16.5 hours of hands-on lab training and 24.5 hours of supervised clinical experience at Grandvue. It is scheduled to run through Nov. 21.

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Tuition is $1,050, but scholarships from the NCMC Foundation are available to help offset costs. Graduates who complete certification testing may also qualify for reimbursement through Grandvue or another Medicaid-eligible employer, according to the announcement.

Not only does this partnership help fill a critical workforce gap, but it also gives students real-world experience in long-term care, said Shannan Butler, director of nursing at Grandvue. Its an investment in both our future caregivers and the well-being of our community.

CNAs play a vital role in health care by assisting residents with daily activities such as bathing, dressing and mobility. They also monitor patient health, provide emotional support and document care.

The new program builds on NCMCs 2023 collaboration with Bay Bluffs Medical Care Facility, which has already helped train more caregivers in the region. That effort has made a measurable difference, said Lisa Ashley, administrator at Bay Bluffs.

NCMC and Grandvue are teaming up to train the next wave of caregivers.

The partnership with NCMC has helped community members step into vital caregiving roles, Ashley said. Strengthening our health care workforce through training partnerships like these is essential to improving care for all.

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Cassandra Hernandez, dean of Workforce and Continuing Education at NCMC, said the program reflects the colleges mission to meet regional workforce needs.

This is about building a stronger health care system by training and empowering our local caregivers, Hernandez said.

Students will also receive career support from NCMCs Career Services department, including resume help, interview prep and job connections through hiring events and clinical partnerships.

Registration is open at bit.ly/CNAFastTrack. More information is available at ncmich.edu/fast-track.

This story was created by David DeMille, ddemille@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Fast-track CNA program launches in Northern Michigan
By Dan Peleschuk

LVIV, Ukraine/KYIV (Reuters) -Russia rained missiles and drones on Ukraine in a mass overnight attack, officials said on Sunday, killing at least five people and damaging civilian infrastructure including energy facilities across numerous regions.

Moscow has stepped up attacks particularly on Ukraine's energy grid and gas production sites in recent weeks as the fourth winter of war approaches, and as diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have stalled.

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Four of the victims in the overnight attacks were family members killed when their residential building in the western region of Lviv bordering Poland was destroyed, local prosecutors said.

An industrial park in Lviv's regional capital was also set ablaze and parts of the city had been left without power, said mayor Andriy Sadovyi, who had urged residents early on Sunday to stay inside as authorities battled multiple fires.

ATTACK LARGEST OF WAR ON LVIV, GOVERNOR SAYS

A Reuters correspondent heard explosions booming across the dark morning sky as air defences engaged targets from several directions.

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The attack on Lviv was the largest of the war on the Lviv region, said governor Maksym Kozytskyi, adding it involved 140 drones and 23 missiles.

In the village outside Lviv where the family members were killed, rescue workers dug through heaps of rubble. Only the foundation of their building remained.

Volodymyr Hutnyk, a local official, said 10 other nearby homes were damaged beyond repair.

In southeastern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, one person was killed and 10 others wounded in a combined strike that left more than 73,000 customers without power, said governor Ivan Fedorov.

Service had been restored to more than 20,000 by early afternoon, he said.

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Civilian infrastructure was also damaged in the regions of Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv and Odesa, said Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

Ukraine's energy ministry said energy facilities had been damaged in Zaporizhzhia and the northern Chernihiv region. Ukrainian state gas and oil company Naftogaz said Russia had struck and damaged gas infrastructure, but did not offer any details.

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Sunday its forces had struck Ukrainian military-industrial facilities as well as gas and energy infrastructure overnight.

"Another deliberate act of terror against civilians," Svyrydenko wrote on X. "Moscow continues to strike homes, schools, and energy facilities  proving that destruction remains its only strategy."

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POLAND SCRAMBLES JETS TO ENSURE AIR SAFETY

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian forces had fired more than 50 missiles and nearly 500 drones.

NATO member Poland said it scrambled aircraft early on Sunday to ensure its air safety.

"Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness," Poland's operational command said in a post on X.

Eastern-flank NATO members are on high alert after Poland shot down suspected Russian drones in its airspace in September and drone sightings and air incursions, including in Copenhagen and Munich, have led to chaos in European aviation.

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Lithuania's airport in Vilnius was closed for several hours overnight after reports of a possible series of balloons heading towards the airport late on Saturday.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne, Andriy Perun in Lviv and Dan Peleschuk in Kyiv; Writing by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Jamie Freed, Lincoln Feast, William Maclean)
ROME (AP)  Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards, claims that Israel denies.

Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israels naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many remain in prison.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it offered voluntary deportation to all of the activists and those that remain in detention chose to stay there in order to go through a legal deportation process.

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On his return at Romes Fiumicino Airport late Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners like monkeys.

Israels Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said the claims of mistreatment were brazen lies.

Among those detained were Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandelas grandson Mandla Mandela and several European lawmakers.

Tommasi said Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.

We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery, he said. Lets say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.

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In a statement on social media, the ministry said all detainees legal rights had been fully upheld, adding that Thunberg had not complained about the ludicrous and baseless allegations  because they never occurred.

The interception of the flotilla came as U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to broker a fresh ceasefire initiative in Gaza, as he ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza. Israel said it had accepted Trump's proposal, and Hamas has said it accepts some aspects. Negotiators are expected in Cairo on Monday.

Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo DAgostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars. They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners to scare us," he said after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.

DAgostino added that his belongings and money had been stolen by the Israelis.

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Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.

Constant stress and humiliation, he said. You werent allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man  came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head. They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours.

Ben-Gvir proud of treatment

In a statement, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was proud of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.

I was proud that we treat the flotilla activists as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists, he said.

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If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets  they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.

The arrests led to criticism from several governments including Turkey, Colombia and Pakistan. Greece, which had 27 of its nationals in Israeli custody, issued a strong written protest to Israel over the unacceptable and inappropriate behavior of an Israeli minister.

The complaint is thought to refer to footage of Ben-Gvir upbraiding the activists for supporting terrorism and mocking their aid initiative after they were brought ashore at the southern port of Ashdod on Friday.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry said it had acted intensively to ensure that the detained Swedes rights are observed.

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The interception of the flotilla also led to large-scale demonstrations in cities across the world.

___

Wilks reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Khalil Hamra in Istanbul contributed.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has reaffirmed Berlin's support for Israel and US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan following a visit to Qatar on Sunday.

"There is no better plan than President Trump's. It must be implemented in principle, even if details still need to be clarified," Wadephul said after meeting Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha.

Qatar has played a central role as mediator between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in efforts to end the Gaza war.

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Wadephul said there is "a realistic chance" for the hostages held by the militants to be released soon, for a ceasefire to be achieved and for humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza.

"That would be a first phase that could be reached fairly quickly," he added, pledging to contribute where possible.

Emphasizing Germany's support, he said, "Everyone knows we stand with Israel, that we have a special responsibility toward Israel, but of course also toward the hostages."

Israel says 48 hostages remain in Hamas custody, including seven who hold German citizenship, of whom 20 are reportedly still alive.

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Germany could also take part in a future "international transitional body, as outlined in Trump's plan for Gaza's governance, but only if agreed by both sides, the minister said.

The plan envisions Gaza initially managed by a transitional technocratic Palestinian committee with international experts, supervised by a "Board of Peace" led by Trump.

Wadephul flew onward to Kuwait to attend an EUGulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers meeting and is scheduled to visit Israel on Monday to discuss implementing the Trump plan.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (L) walks across the tarmac to the plane for his departure to Kuwait. Soeren Stache/dpa
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was travelling to the Gulf region on Sunday amid discussions over US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Wadephul called on partners in the European Union and the Gulf region to make a concerted effort to contribute to the success of the Gaza peace plan.

"To quickly implement the US plan now, decisive international cooperation is needed," he said before his departure. "The signals of recent days give me confidence that Israel's government and Hamas are ready to take the necessary steps. However, the assistance of all those who can exert influence is still needed."

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On Monday, talks are planned in Egypt, likely to be conducted through intermediaries, regarding Trump's peace plan. Representatives from Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas would be received for discussions about exchanging Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

Wadephul said that Trump's peace plan offers a unique opportunity, also because it is supported by Arab states.

"We have never had such a great chance to finally achieve peace and also secure the release of the German hostages," said Wadephul. If Hamas truly cares about the fate of the Palestinians, he said, it must now lay down its arms and agree to the deal.

Germany is ready to provide support, both in reconstruction and in the further political process, the foreign minister said.

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Wadephul plans first to discuss the situation with Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Gulf emirate of Qatar. Qatar is seen as a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians in efforts to end the war in Gaza.

Qatar plays an indispensable role in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Wadephul emphasized. He said he will discuss in the capital Doha with his counterpart Al Thani how Hamas can be persuaded to follow words with actions and release all hostages immediately. At the same time, the fighting in Gaza must stop so that sufficient humanitarian aid can finally reach the people, Wadephul said.

Wadephul is then scheduled to attend a meeting of foreign ministers from the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the emirate of Kuwait, which currently holds the GCC chair.

The Gulf states have a great deal of influence in the region beyond the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf.

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The German government shares many of the Gulf states' interests in peace, security and prosperity, according to a spokesman for the Foreign Office in Berlin.

The agenda also includes strengthening cooperation, which was agreed at the first EUGCC summit of leaders in Brussels in 2024.

Wadephul prepared the partners for a lengthy process. Security in Israel and the Gaza Strip, stabilization in the region, prospects for the Palestinians, and finally the normalization of all states in their relations with Israel  "all this will require a very long breath."

Germany will "decisively engage," he said.

"As a partner for humanitarian aid, stabilization, and reconstruction, we will make concrete offers," Wadephul said. He did not specify what these offers would entail.
The 190th Oktoberfest beer festival is drawing to a close in the southern German city of Munich on Sunday.

"For me, it was a roller coaster Wiesn," Munich's economic adviser Christian Scharpf told dpa, using a local term for the world-famous cultural event. Scharpf's first year as Oktoberfest chief has been a turbulent one, he said.

"A dream start with sunny record temperatures and a smooth first week. Then came the overcrowding situation on the middle Saturday of the Wiesn and the bomb threat on Wednesday, which challenged us greatly," he said.

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Oktoberfest 2025 is likely to go down in history for several reasons. On two separate days, the entire Oktoberfest grounds had to be closed due to overcrowding. One day was almost completely lost because the Theresienwiese venue was searched for hours following a bomb threat and remained closed - and the day of the tapping was the hottest Oktoberfest day ever at 31 degrees Celsius.

"It was important that all parties worked hand in hand, and we managed to reopen at 5:30 pm," Scharpf said about the reopening after the bomb threat. "The most beautiful experience for me was feeling that 'now more than ever' spirit. People returned to the Wiesn immediately after the closure was lifted and celebrated with a good feeling."

There were 300,000 people alone in the late afternoon of Friday, which was a national holiday, German Unity Day, when the grounds had to be closed for the second time this year due to overcrowding.

Scharpf plans to take stock on Sunday and also announce how many visitors attended the Oktoberfest. According to estimates by the festival management, 3.5 million guests had arrived by the halfway point after one week, compared to 3.6 million people last year.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday demanded immediate action over the deaths of children linked to cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh. "Where are they taking this matter (the death of three children in the state from cough syrup) seriously? Immediate action should be taken," Gehlot told reporters while claiming that Sikar and Alwar in Rajasthan are also facing the same problem. Gehlot also recalled the health initiatives taken under his previous tenure, saying, "Today, Rajasthan is number one in the country in terms of medical and health services; there's a discussion across the entire country that when there was a Congress government in Rajasthan before, there was free insurance worth Rs 25 lakh and free medicines, free CT scans, free MRI--there was nothing like this anywhere in the whole of India." "I demand that the Government of India analyse our experiment and how we implemented it," he added. He further urged the Government of India to prioritise education and health as part of social security. Earlier today, Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas launched a sharp attack on the Rajasthan state government, accusing it of shielding pharmaceutical companies allegedly involved in the sale of fake medicines in the cough syrup row. Speaking during a protest held by Congress workers, Khachariyawas said the issue concerns public health and cannot be ignored. "This protest is happening over fake medicines. The government doesn't understand that if fake medicines are sold, how will people survive? The government will have to answer. Poison in the name of medicine will not be tolerated at any cost," he told ANI. He further said that the government was attempting to protect certain pharmaceutical companies for financial gain. "The government wants to save the companies from which it has taken money. The government is committing corruption in the name of medicine. What greater sin can there be than this? Congress has come out on the streets over this, and at any cost, this kind of action by the government will not be accepted," Congress leader said. Khachariyawas held Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and the state health minister responsible for this situation. "Earlier, they were saying it was the company's fault, then they claimed the medicines were banned, and now they are saying that there's no fault of the company. Then, tell me, how much money have you taken?" he asked. Congress workers held protests in Bhopal and in Jaipur over the death of 11 children in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, after allegedly consuming Coldrif Cough syrup. In Madhya Pradesh, Congress workers protested against Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, demanding his resignation. Protesters were seen with posters and banners featuring the slogans "Rajendra Shukla sharam karo, istefaa do" and "Masoom bacche ki maut ke saudagar zimmedari lo". Concurrently, in Jaipur, Congress workers held banners with the slogan, "Nakli dawa band karo, doshiyo ke khilaaf karwayi karo, BJP sarkaar jawaab do". (ANI)
President Donald Trump authorized a historic federalized deployment of 300 National Guard members Saturday to the Chicago area over the objections of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, with the White House saying it was needed to protect federal officers and assets conducting immigration enforcement amid ongoing violent riots and lawlessness.

But Pritzker and the states leading Democrats accused Trump of further escalating chaos and fear by utilizing a military deployment of National Guard members to support the controversial actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers already deployed in its aggressive Operation Midway Blitz.

Ironically, Trump was silent on Saturday about the deployment after months of mocking Chicago and Pritzker, a vehement critic of the president, over the citys crime problems and threatening a federalization and mobilization of National Guard troops to the nations third-largest city. Trump made no statement or comment on his Truth Social social media network about the deployment as of Saturday evening.

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Instead, it was Pritzker who said he had been given an ultimatum from Trumps Department of Defense: Call up your troops, or we will.

It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will, Pritzker said in a statement, adding that he believed it was Illinois National Guard members who were the troops being mobilized.

The governors announcement came just hours after federal immigration agents shot a woman in a disputed incident in Chicagos Brighton Park neighborhood. While a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said on social media that the woman was part of a group of drivers who boxed in and rammed a car carrying federal agents, activists said a car containing ICE agents crashed into a civilian car and the agents then began shooting.

The woman did not appear to be seriously injured but the shooting at the intersection of Pershing Street and South Kedzie Avenue quickly sparked protests nearby, in which federal agents used flash-bang grenades and deployed tear gas at protesters after some had tossed water bottles at the agents.

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A deployment of the Guard was confirmed hours after Pritzkers statement by the White House.

Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.

The White House did not elaborate on whether Illinois National Guard troops will be mobilized or if members of the Guard from out of state would be utilized.

But Pritzker countered that the Trump administrations plans were unnecessary and would pull hardworking Americans out of their regular jobs and away from their families all to participate in a manufactured performance  not a serious effort (to) protect public safety.

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Despite Trumps repeated threats of military intervention, the governor has maintained, There is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois. He said state, county and local law enforcement have been coordinating to ensure the constitutional rights and public safety are preserved around ICEs facility in west suburban Broadview, where sizeable protests have routinely resulted in activists and residents being tear-gassed and shot with pepper balls and other projectiles.

I will not call up our National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people, Pritzker said.

The announcement comes nearly a month after Trumps Department of Homeland Security launched its Operation Midway Blitz surge of immigration enforcement activities on Sept. 8, which DHS said has resulted in more than 800 arrests. A memo sent Sept. 26 by DHS to the Department of Defense, which has been obtained by the Tribune, stated that the troops were needed to protect ICE personnel and facilities.

It also follows one day after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem visited the Broadview ICE facility at 1930 Beach St., where she stood on the roof surrounded by heavily armed agents while observing protests on the ground below.

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Despite the demonstrations, Noem maintained the people of Chicago are grateful you are here and told agents as they prepared to leave the facility for enforcement activities, Were going to go hard.

Noem also spoke of an expansion of ICEs facility by purchasing a nearby building and said it would send a message: Were not just here, were here to stay, and were expanding and were going to make this city safe again.

The federal operations have cast a wide net across the Chicago region, and while Trump officials claim they are arresting the worst of the worst, ICE and federal Border Patrol agents have been accused of repeatedly arresting and detaining American citizens and individuals who did not have criminal backgrounds.

Following the governors announcement, Democratic leaders in Illinois criticized any effort to deploy troops to the state.

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Terrorizing families with midnight raids and military troops in our streets is writing a shameful chapter in our nations history, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement. This President is not intent on fighting crime. He is intent on spreading fear.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth added that federalizing National Guard troops is a dangerous, un-American, and unconstitutional abuse of our military, intended to instill fear and threaten American civil rights.

Our military men and women signed up to defend the Constitution and our rights, not be used as political props or to silence dissent. Illinois does not want or need troops in our cities. Full stop, said Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who is running for Senate to replace Durbin, who is retiring, said in a statement that Trump is playing dictator and abusing his powers.

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President Trump is bringing war to Chicago. Hes called our city violent and out of control, yet he is the one who has endangered our communities, terrorized immigrants, and wreaked chaos, she said.

Another Senate candidate, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, said, Our city is not a sandbox for Donald Trump to play dictator. Its intentional cruelty that will devastate families and scar our communities. While U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said the National Guard should never be used as political props, and Illinois will not stand by while the Trump Administration tries to turn law enforcement into a weapon of fear.

Pritzker has regularly urged residents to utilize peaceful protests to voice opposition to the immigration enforcement push and to avoid contentious interactions with agents  something he said he believed Trump was encouraging to provide the president with a pretext for sending in the Guard.

But Hands Off Chicago, a group supported by a number of nonprofits, advocacy organizations and unions, said simply asking people to know their rights and speak out has already proven insufficient and called for a stronger state response.

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Advocacy organizations, elected leaders, faith leaders, labor, business, community groups, and more have and will continue to peacefully exercise our constitutional rights in protest of military occupation by the Trump Administration, the group said. We urge our state and local elected leaders to think creatively and aggressively about the assets available to warn residents and protect peaceful protesters.

Trump previously federalized Guard troops in Los Angeles after sporadic anti-ICE protests in June and did the same along with law enforcement in Washington, D.C., in August. Early last month, he said he was deploying the Guard to Memphis with the support of Tennessee GOP Gov. Bill Lee, and late last month he said he was authorizing the Guard to go into Portland, Oregon, over the objection of local officials.

Under the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, the Guard is prohibited from conducting law enforcement activities on U.S. soil. A federal judge in California ruled the Guards actions in Los Angeles violated that prohibition, but the case is being appealed. Pritzker also has threatened a lawsuit over the Guards use in Illinois.

Trumps federalization of the National Guard troops, despite the governors objections, is unprecedented in Illinois. State officials have stated that there is no historical record of the National Guard being federalized for an in-state response without the governors request or agreement.

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In August, Trump threatened to send National Guard troops to Chicago. At first, he said it was to tamp down overall crime, following up on his moves to deploy troops in Washington, D.C. The administration later revised that messaging, saying troops were needed to protect immigration officers and buildings.

As the White House has pushed for more deportations, the president has also slammed sanctuary laws across the nation, including in Chicago and Illinois, that prevent local law enforcement from working with federal agents on immigration enforcement. Under Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law in 2017 by a Republican governor, local and state law enforcement agencies are generally prohibited from assisting federal immigration enforcement with deportations or related tasks.

Meanwhile, the federal law enforcement presence has also grown more visible in recent weeks, with agents and officers seen walking through downtown Chicago and driving into numerous Latino neighborhoods and suburbs with significant Latino populations to stop people and make arrests. Multiple videos on social media have shown agents arresting people on the street while being met with jeers and other resistance from passersby and residents.

Thats exactly what happened Saturday at the scene of the shooting in Brighton Park when a tense standoff developed between activists and federal agents.

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In the hours after the agents shot the woman, activists gathered by the intersection where it occurred and began yelling at and mocking federal agents. After some protesters threw water bottles at the agents, the agents responded by deploying tear gas and chemical pepper ball bullets at protesters. The agents also made several arrests before leaving the scene. The protesters then also left.

The DHS spokesperson said the woman who was shot drove herself to the hospital and a spokesperson for Mount Sinai Hospital later said the wounded woman had been treated and released Saturday afternoon.

In the last 60 years, the Illinois National Guard has been called to Chicago largely to deal with rioting and other unrest. As word spread of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jrs assassination in April 1968, for instance, riots and looting took place across the country, including in Chicago. At that time, the National Guard began as a state-active duty mission, but at the request of the governors office, the guardsmen were later placed on federal orders for the remainder of their response.

During the unrest that came during the Democratic National Convention later that year, Democratic Gov. Samuel Shapiro ordered thousands of National Guard troops to assist the almost 12,000 Chicago police officers, 1,000 federal agents and 7,500 U.S. soldiers already on duty to maintain law and order during the convention.

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More recently, the Illinois National Guard was on the ground as the state administered thousands of COVID-19 tests, with nearly 3,000 Guard troops aiding in various missions across the state, including conducting about 233,000 tests. It marked the first time the soldiers and airmen had been mobilized primarily to combat a medical issue in the state of Illinois.

Following a request from then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Pritzker called for 375 Illinois National Guard members to assist local police in quelling civil unrest following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minnesota. The following year, the governor activated 125 members of the National Guard again at Lightfoots request ahead of the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer convicted in Floyds murder.
The victims of the Ramallah lynching, the bus bombing in Kfar Darom, the Ben Yehuda Street bombing in Jerusalem, and the French Hill suicide bombing are among those who will receive compensation.

The Israel Enforcement and Collection Authority (ECA) announced on Sunday that its operational arm, the Execution Office, collected NIS 25 million for families for the families of those killed and wounded in acts of terrorism.

The Execution Office is the official government body responsible for enforcing civil judgments in Israel. The funds collected from the Palestinian Authority (PA) are the result of the lines placed on funds related to terrorist activities.

Funds collected from the Palestinian Authority

The funds are from monies by the Palestinian Authority to families of those who committed acts of terrorism. The ECA is involved in enforcing civil judgments, including collecting damages awarded against individuals involved in terrorist activities. This includes compensation for victims and families affected by acts of terrorism.

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One notable case involves an enforcement file initiated in 2019 by 41 families who are victims of terror. It rests on a civil ruling against the Palestinian Authority handed down in the Jerusalem District Court.

The court had ordered compensation for various terrorist attacks, including the lynching in Ramallah, the bus bombing in Kfar Darom, the Ben Yehuda Street bombing in Jerusalem, the French Hill suicide bombing, the Megiddo junction car bomb, the Alon Moreh infiltration, and other terror incidents.

Israelis attend a memorial ceremony for the victims of the 1948 Ben Yehuda Street bombing in Jerusalem on February 20, 2014. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

In this case, the total debt amounted to NIS 67,636,330. Through enforcement actions, the authority collected 23,698,281 NIS from PA funds held by the State, along with additional amounts for specific families affected by terror attacks in Jerusalem and the Sbarro restaurant bombing.

These actions are part of Israel's broader efforts to ensure that victims of terrorism receive compensation, even when the perpetrators or their affiliates are state actors, said the ECA.




A weak low pressure system has developed across the northern Gulf of Mexico, and it's expected to bring scattered showers and storms for parts of the Gulf Coast, especially in Louisiana and Mississippi.

This system will have to deal with relatively strong wind speeds in the upper atmosphere, so it is not expected to strengthen into a tropical storm or hurricane. However, the system may still bring a few showers, high surf, and an elevated risk of rip currents to Southeast Texas. Here's what you should know.

Where will heavy rain fall?

The heaviest rainfall is expected to fall across Southeast Louisiana and over the southern coasts of Mississippi and Alabama. Cities such as New Orleans, Gulfport, and Gulf Shores are likely to receive 1-3 inches of rain through Monday, with locally higher amounts possible.

Shown are the potential rainfall totals across Louisiana and Mississippi through Monday. Rain totals in Texas will be much lower. (Pivotal Weather)





A coastal flood advisory has been issued for several rural areas of far southeastern Louisiana, where 3 to 6 inches of rain may fall.

Houston's rain chances

The west side of this low pressure system will not have nearly as much moisture to work with, resulting in significantly lower rain chances for the Houston area. That said, a few showers and weak storms are still expected to form, with the highest chances along the coast from Lake Jackson to Galveston and Port Arthur.

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Houston will face about a 20% chance of an isolated shower Sunday afternoon and evening, meaning that 80% of the metro area is likely to stay completely dry. If you are lucky enough to see rain, it would be brief, likely lasting 15 minutes or less.

Temperatures will be quite warm throughout the day. Houston will start with morning lows in the low 70s, rising gradually to the upper 80s to near 90 degrees by the afternoon. That's about 5 degrees above average for early October. Skies will be mostly sunny as winds move in from the east at 10 mph.

Rip current risk

As the center of the low pressure tracks northward, onshore winds will result in an enhanced risk of rip currents on Gulf-facing beaches across Southeast Texas.

Rip currents often catch beachgoers off guard because they're very difficult to spot. However, if you see an area of white sea foam, seaweed, or other debris moving seaward away from the coast, that is a sign that a rip current is active in the area.

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If possible, swim only where a lifeguard is present. If you are caught in a rip current, stay calm and avoid swimming directly against it. Instead, swim parallel to the shore until you're out of the current, then head back to the beach.

This infographic from the National Weather Service shows how to survive a rip current. Some tips include staying calm, not to swim against the current, and call or wave for help if you can't reach shore. (National Weather Service)





The next few days

Atmospheric moisture levels are expected to rise slightly Monday and Tuesday, resulting in slightly higher rain chances (30%) for the Houston area. Still, rainfall totals will be very low, likely less than a tenth of an inch for most.

The air will turn more muggy too, resulting in warmer low temperatures each morning. Houston is likely to bottom out in the mid-70s throughout the week, which is 10 degrees warmer than average for this time of the year. High temps will stay consistent, tipping out in the low 90s each day this week.

This article originally published at Gulf low pressure sits off the Texas coast Sunday. Will Houston see any rain?.
The source also noted that the purpose of the Cairo negotiations is to begin arranging conditions on the ground in preparation for the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

The Hamas delegation arriving in Cairo for hostage negotiation talks will be led by Khalil al-Hayya, a source told Saudi channel Asharq on Sunday.

The source emphasized that Hamas is committed to reaching an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip.

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The source also noted that the purpose of the Cairo negotiations is to begin arranging conditions on the ground in preparation for the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

The source added that the release of the hostages will be carried out gradually over several days and through the International Red Cross. This is the only source that states that the release of the hostages will be spread over several days.

Hayya, a senior Hamas official, has spoken publicly in a prerecorded interview that aired on Sunday morning on Al-Araby for the first time since a failed assassination attempt in Qatar nearly a month ago.

A drone view shows Palestinians and Hamas militants gathering on the day of the release of Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert, hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Nuseirat, cen (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER)

Israeli delegation

The Israeli delegation, which is set to leave for Cairo on Sunday or Monday, is comprised of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Coordinator for Captives and Missing Persons, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, Prime Ministers Political Advisor, Dr. Ophir Falk, two anonymous officials from the Shin Bet and Mossad, and professional staff from the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad.
The terror organization also reportedly requested, through Egyptian mediators, that the IDF cease airstrikes in the Gaza Strip so that it can complete the task.

Senior Hamas political bureau official, Mahmoud al-Mardawi, denied earlier reports of the terror organization's commitment to future disarmament under international supervision in a Sunday night statement.

Al-Mardawi called the claims "fabricated" and "baseless," aiming to "distort the movement's stance and confuse public opinion."

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The matter of Hamas's disarmament is a "Palestinian issue that will be dealt with within the Palestinian framework," Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told London-based, Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday night.

Earlier on Sunday, a Hamas source told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya that the organization had begun collecting the remains of deceased Israeli hostages for a potential handover.

The source, who had also claimed that Hamas expressed willingness to eventually disarm, explained that the return of remains may take some time, but that the handover of living hostages would occur in a single phase.

A drone view shows Palestinians and Hamas gathering on the day of the release of Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, and Omer Wenkert, hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Nuseirat, cen (credit: REUTERS/STRINGER)

The terror organization also reportedly requested, through Egyptian mediators, that the IDF cease airstrikes in the Gaza Strip so that it can complete the task.

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Al Arabiya reported that the source said that "swift and intensive" negotiations are "in the movement's interest."

Hamas's Hayya to arrive in Cairo, set to have heavy security

Separately, senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya is set to arrive in Cairo on Sunday evening ahead of the upcoming ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, according to the London-based, Qatari state-owned outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

In response, an Egyptian source confirmed to the outlet that Egypts General Intelligence Service (GIS) had imposed strict security measures on the movement and location of Hamass delegation.

The measures will reportedly include tight security for delegation members and jamming systems around the delegation's route and meeting places in Cairo, according to Al-Araby.

Israel prepares for Cairo negotiations

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the Israeli hostage negotiation delegation, headed by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to depart for talks in Cairo, the Prime Minister's Office announced on Sunday evening.

Negotiations are set to take place on Monday.

This is a developing story.
A missile fired from Yemen was intercepted by Israel's air defence ahead of talks on US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

The Israeli military stated on Sunday that there had been air-raid alerts in various regions of Israel. According to the civil defence force, this included the area around Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. There were no reports of injuries or property damage.

Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Yemen's Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel with missiles and drones, which they claim is an expression of their solidarity with Hamas.

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The Iranian-backed militia also frequently targets Ben Gurion Airport, and Ramon Airport in the south of the country.

In response, Israel attacks targets in Yemen, 2,000 kilometres away, which they claim are connected to the Houthis' military activities.

During the last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis also temporarily halted their attacks.

On Monday, representatives from Israel and Hamas are expected in Egypt for talks on exchanging hostages held in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners.
A missile fired from Yemen was intercepted by Israel's air defence ahead of talks on US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

The Israeli military stated on Sunday that there had been air-raid alerts in various regions of Israel. According to the civil defence force, this included the area around Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. There were no reports of injuries or property damage.

The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack later Sunday. A rocket with cluster munitions was reportedly fired towards sensitive targets in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The militia announced that they would continue their attacks on Israel until the "aggression" in Gaza was stopped and the siege was completely lifted.

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Since the beginning of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Yemen's Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel with missiles and drones, which they claim is an expression of their solidarity with Hamas.

The Iranian-backed militia also frequently targets Ben Gurion Airport, and Ramon Airport in the south of the country.

In response, Israel attacks targets in Yemen, 2,000 kilometres away, which they claim are connected to the Houthis' military activities.

During the last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis also temporarily halted their attacks.

On Monday, representatives from Israel and Hamas are expected in Egypt for talks on exchanging hostages held in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel needs to be asking itself the long-term question: What danger will Hamas still present to Israel over a more extended period of time?

Almost all of the attention regarding the Hamas peace deal is focused on getting back the 48 Israeli hostages, at least 20 of whom are estimated to still be alive.

That makes sense given that this has always been one of the critical goals of the war, especially for many Israelis.

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But now that it seems that, one way or another, Israel and Hamas are nearing the endgame, the strategic perspective of what the next five to 20 years will look like looms large.

Basically, the long-term question is: What danger will Hamas still present to Israel over a more extended period of time?

The first key to answering this question is to examine the IDFs withdrawal patterns as detailed in US President Donald Trumps conflict-ending proposal to Israel and Hamas.

Eliya Cohen, a hostage held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, is escorted by Hamas militants as he is released as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025. (credit: Ramadan Abed/Reuters)

Will the incremental Israeli retreats and the final withdrawal line enable Israel to maintain systemic pressure on Hamas to keep its head low even after Trump and much of the world have stopped caring about Gaza?

Or will the withdrawals be so fast and the final one so complete that Israel will lose most of its built-in future leverage over Hamas? The next key is to look at what kind of raids the IDF will be permitted to undertake within Gaza, beyond any perimeter that the IDF may hold within the enclaves outskirts at the end of the deal with Hamas.

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Will post-war IDF raids against Hamas be defined more like the reality vs Hezbollah in Lebanon in the October 6, 2023 era? Or, rather, will they resemble the post-November 27, 2024 era?

The reason that Israel needs a security perimeter in Gaza for a long-term period of time, even in a post-war Gaza era, is partially to prevent the next October 7 massacre by putting soldiers further up to block any invasion attempt, certainly before such an attempt reaches civilian communities.

But more importantly, Israel needs such a buffer zone as a way to maintain pressure on Hamas not to try to scramble the board and retake Gaza.

Having soldiers on a frontal perimeter is not the same as having troops deeper inside the Gaza cities. But it does project to Hamas a deterrence message  that the army still has boots on the ground in Gaza and can jump in quickly to prevent the terrorist group from a coup against a new, more Western-friendly Palestinian body governing the enclave. Also, this would make such a physical intervention more possible.

Mistakes from October 7

To be clear, it is the combination of both deterrence and the actual capability to act that makes the difference here, meaning not relying solely on deterrence to save the day  a mistake from the October 7 era that proved to be detrimental.

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Suppose the IDF withdraws from too much of Gaza too quickly and, at the end of the process, has little or no security perimeter. In that case, the military may be no better prepared than it was on October 7 to prevent future invasions and may lack leverage to block a future Hamas takeover.

However, all of this is just about the worst-case scenario if Hamas were to start recovering enough over the upcoming years to consider trying to take over again.

What about blocking Hamas from even getting to a point where, instead of regrading itself as the ragtag group of small guerrilla warfare cells, which is what it has been reduced to, it might start to see itself as having the ability to take on a national governing role?

This is where the IDF raids come in.

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On October 6, 2023, Lebanon had a government that was not ruled by Hezbollah. Still, this terrorist organization was so powerful there that it was pulling all the strings from behind the scenes and could do whatever it wanted in Lebanese territory to threaten Israel.

The world tolerated this because it embraced the failed fiction that Hezbollah  at least officially  was not running Lebanon.

One of the most significant debates concerning a post-war Gaza has been about how to avoid a situation where Hamas says it will allow some other Palestinian body to run Gaza officially, but where, behind the scenes, like Hezbollah in 2023, it too has the most guns and calls the shots

So the question is whether the US and the world will permit IDF raids and surgical strikes against Hamas terrorists who quietly try to break ceasefire rules and attempt to rebuild the groups long-term power.

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Such permission would be akin to the way the globe has permitted the IDF to target Hezbollah since the November 27, 2024, ceasefire between Jerusalem and Beirut.

Since the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire, the IDF no longer strikes dozens or hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure per day, but it does frequently strike one target a few times per week.

This keeps Hezbollah on its heels and has prevented the group from reconstituting its power.

Replicating Hezbollah success easier said than done

Can the IDF replicate the same success in Gaza? Easier said than done

In Lebanon, the IDF cleared all of southern Lebanon and has not allowed the Lebanese to return. Part of the reason the IDF got away with doing this is that there really is no land dispute between Israel and Lebanon. In 2000, the Jewish state withdrew from any remaining areas in dispute, even according to the UN.

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Also, in Lebanon, the IDF killed far fewer civilians compared to in Gaza.

Whatever merits the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas since October 7, it is important to remember that there is a 58-year dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

Any action Israel takes in the enclave will be scrutinized far more than in Lebanon.

Further, even according to former IDF chief Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Herzi Halevi, Israel, has killed or wounded over 200,000 Gazans, and this before subtracting 30%-40% who were Hamas terrorists.

This means that any future action Israel takes in Gaza that harms a civilian, even by mistake, will be treated much more gravely than in Lebanon.

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Finally, if the world mostly dislikes Hamas, there has still been a bizarre and dangerous sympathy with it as an underdog, given Israels two-year invasion of Gaza.

Post-war era just getting started

In contrast, the world unambiguously dislikes Hezbollah and treats it as the bad actor that it is in all respects. So, whatever understandings Trump, the next US administration, and other Western allies like Germany, France, and the UK reach with Israel about the kinds of raids it can conduct into Gaza post-war are as critical as the perimeter debate.

With the hope that all of the hostages will be home soon, the significant chapter of a post-war era is still just getting started.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker warned that President Donald Trumps administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.

Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, Pritzker wrote on X on Saturday, Oct. 4. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.

Pritzker said he would be defying the suggestion.

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I will not call up our National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people, he said. Illinois, we will do everything within our power to look out for our neighbors, uphold the Constitution, and defend the rule of law.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker reacts during a press conference on reports of federal deployments in Chicago on Sept. 2, 2025.

More: ICE wants National Guard troops in Chicago amid 'riots' and arrests. Governor fights back

The president had been saying since August that Chicago would be next in line after he deployed 800 National Guard troops in Washington, DC, on Aug. 11, declaring a public safety emergency.

Chicagos a mess, said Trump during a meeting at the Oval Office with FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Aug. 22. You have an incompetent mayor. Grossly incompetent. Well straighten that one out probably next. Thatll be our next one after this.

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Trumps comments come at a point where Chicago has seen significant reductions in violent crime, according to Mayor Brandon Johnsons office. High-profile mass shootings continue to rock the city. But overall crime has declined, including a 30% drop in homicides, the mayors office said. Deploying the National Guard could potentially undermine the citys progress, Johnson said.

A soldier in the National Guard cleared leaves with a leaf-blower on Aug. 28 at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C. Members of the Louisiana National Guard patrol the perimeter of Union Station in Washington, DC, as President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops and federal takeover of Metro Police Department continues on Aug. 26, 2025. Members of the National Guard stand outside Union Station on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy federal officers and the National Guard to the District and also placed the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control. District of Columbia National Guard members positioned along with United States Capitol Police at Union Station in Washington, DC on Thursday, August 14, 2025. A person yells in protest at members of the National Guard as they stand outside Union Station on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. A cyclist passes a National Guard vehicle near the Lincoln Memorial on August 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard members patrol Washington, DC, on Aug. 14, 2025. National Guard troops patrol the National Mall on Aug. 12, 2025, in Washington, DC. U.S. Army National Guard Humvees park near the Washington Monument after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department under the Home Rule Act to assist with crime prevention in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., August 12, 2025. Members of the Washington DC National Guard pose for photos with a tourist near the Washington Monument on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. National Guard troops are deployed to the Washington Monument as part of President Trump's mobilization of law enforcement on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. National Guard troops walk along the National Mall on August 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers carrying boxers of MREOs (Meals Read to Eat) at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arriving at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arriving at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as itOs reached a 30-year low. Trump in a social media post on Aug. 10 said that the homeless in D.C. "have to move out, IMMEDIATELY," but he did not elaborate on how that will be accomplished. Members of the District of Columbia Army National Guard walk out of the D.C. Armory building on August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as its reached a 30-year low. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive on Aug. 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across Washington, DC. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. Members of the District of Columbia Army National Guard walk out of the D.C. Armory building on August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C.. The president has increasingly criticized crime in Washington even as its reached a 30-year low. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. District of Columbia National Guard soldiers arrive at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. A District of Columbia National Guard soldier arrives at the DC Armory on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, after President Donald Trump ordered an increased federal law enforcement presence across the streets of Washington, D.C. The scene in Washington, DC, as National Guard troops deploy on the streets 1 of 22 A soldier in the National Guard cleared leaves with a leaf-blower on Aug. 28 at McPherson Square in Washington, D.C.

More: Can National Guardsmen deployed to US cities claim conscientious objection?

Chicagoans are screaming for us to come, Trump said.

Theyre wearing red hats just like this one. But theyre wearing red hats, he said. African American ladies, beautiful ladies are saying, please, President Trump, come to Chicago, please.

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Last week, the president announced that he would be sending troops to Portland, Oregon to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, in the latest deployment of forces to a U.S. city.

This story has been updated to include new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump admin. to federalize Illinois National Guard: Gov. Pritzker
Let me be frank: The President of the United States is out of his mind, and nobodys doing a goddamned thing about it. What do I mean? Any number of red flags, really, but in particular right now its the latest five hundred words of blithering lunacy he shared on his bitcoin mining operation social media site Tuesday night. They are not the words of a man elected to lead the worlds most powerful nation. They are, instead, those of a malevolent Don Quixote tilting at a cancer-causing, bird-kill
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Mission Shakti 5.0 on the first day of Navratri, continuing efforts to empower women and daughters across the state, and under the campaign, the Uttar Pradesh Police, led by ADG Padmaja Chauhan, carried out inspections at over 1,08,292 temples and public spaces, checked 9,77,269 individuals, registered more than 2,500 FIRs, and strengthened public trust, said an official statement. According to the ADG Padmaja Chauhan, nodal officer of Mission Shakti, and following the directives of CM Yogi, Anti-Romeo Squads intensified surveillance across public spaces, including temples, markets, malls, and parks. During the campaign, inspections were conducted at 1,08,292 temples and public locations, while 9,77,269 individuals were checked, resulting in the registration of over 2,500 FIRs. The extensive campaign has reinforced Uttar Pradesh's commitment to ensuring safety, respect, and empowerment for women in every sphere of life. To strengthen law and order and instil respect towards women, 2,542 FIRs were registered and 3,972 individuals arrested for antisocial behaviour during the campaign. In addition, 3,13,924 people were issued warnings and counselled on maintaining discipline in public spaces, while 53,237 preventive actions were carried out across Uttar Pradesh under Mission Shakti 5.0. The Anti-Romeo Squad's campaign not only became a symbol of safety during Navratri, but also successfully spread a positive message of respect and security for women in society. Across the state, 55,377 pandals were set up during Navratri. All these pandals were inspected by police and administrative officers to ensure the safety of devotees. During the same period, 4,947 Ramleela and fair venues were also visited, and their security arrangements reviewed. Under the strict supervision of the Yogi government, all religious events across Uttar Pradesh were conducted peacefully. The combined vigilance of the Anti-Romeo Squad, police personnel, and local administration ensured that women and girls experienced no inconvenience during the celebrations. Throughout Navratri, a total of 37,337 officers and employees were deployed to maintain security at temples, religious sites, fairs, and other public areas. This included 411 gazetted officers, 7,999 inspectors and sub-inspectors, 22,547 head constables and constables, and 6,380 home guards, PRD, and SPOs, all of whom carried out continuous patrolling and surveillance to uphold a safe and orderly atmosphere. As a result of this extensive security deployment, both the Navratri and Ramleela festivals were celebrated peacefully and harmoniously throughout the state. Families enjoyed the festivities without concern, while women confidently and actively participated in temple visits and public events. According to the campaign's nodal officer, women's chaupals (public meetings) were organised at 39,911 temples, religious sites, fairs, and other public venues, drawing 20,54,308 participants, including 13,53,903 women and 7,00,405 men. Meanwhile, the women and child safety organisation distributed 1,56,91,080 informational materials, including folders, pamphlets, and posters to raise public awareness about the Yogi government's initiatives and efforts aimed at strengthening women's safety and empowerment across the state. (ANI)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)  The City of Spartanburg hosted the International Festival at Barnet Park, a decades old event where people can showcase and learn about different cultures.

No matter where youre from we have the same blood, we are all the same. Im Samuel from Haiti. I come to tell you that we are all the same. Look at all the different countries, said Samuel, a Haiti volunteer.

Every year on the first Saturday in October, thousands get together at Barnett Park to celebrate different cultures from other countries.

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I love seeing the dancing, love seeing the exposure. I love learning about different cultures, said festival goer Cliff Dewberry.

City leaders said this is a way for people to learn about the neighbors that make hub city their home.

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It just feels so encouraging now to be able to come together with so many people from across the world and experience their cultures in one space at one time, said Kim Brown, Special Events Director for City of Spartanburg Parks and Recreation.

Organizers said the tents scattered throughout the park represent thirty countries. Paraguay is the honored country of this years event.

Im feeling excited and happy. Thank you to the city for giving me the opportunity for us to represent our country, said Paraguay volunteer Cesar Recalde.

Spartanburgs International Festival showcases a multitude of talent, including singing and dancing. Patrons said one of their favorite parts of the festival is the tasty food.

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All walks of life can be found going from tent to tent to learn about the history within each culture, the different languages, and various cultural practices.

I feel like its also interesting to see all the different cultures thats here in Spartanburg. Its like I never really thought how diverse it is, said festival goer Nick.

For others, seeing their culture represented hits home.

Not many people know about Hmong people. We descended from China. I really like that we had more people here to represent, and it really touched my heart, said festival goer Paxton.

The city of Spartanburg said they are already starting to plan for next years event.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
An Iowa hospital nurse who was fired for allegedly informing the family of a teenage patient that the girl was pregnant has been denied unemployment benefits.

State records indicate Erica Hulsing worked for the Waverly Health Center as a registered nurse from September 2016 through May 11, when she was fired for allegedly violating patient privacy regulations and rules concerning professional conduct.

The Waverly Health Center alleged that on April 17, Hulsing received a phone call from a relative of the patient, inquiring about the patients stay at the hospital. The patient was 17 years old and had not given the hospital permission to discuss her personal health care information with her family.

Waverly Health Center

More: Iowa nurse keeps her license, now faces nine felony counts of stealing patient medications

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The hospital alleged Hulsing informed the family member the girl had been pregnant. The patient did not want her family to know of her condition, and the hospital subsequently fielded complaints from both the patient and her family.

After an investigation, the hospital fired Hulsing, concluding she had communicated highly sensitive private patient information to a person who did not have permission to receive that information. Hulsing allegedly told her employer she had not realized the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 prohibited sharing patient information with unauthorized family members.

Hulsing then filed for unemployment benefits and collected $4,214 before a hearing on her unemployment claim was held. Administrative Law Judge Duane Golden ruled recently that Hulsing was ineligible for benefits due to job-related misconduct and ruled that the benefits must be paid back.

Find this story at Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions:kobradovich@iowacapitaldispatch.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa nurse who revealed teen's pregnancy must repay jobless benefits
Iran has executed six fighters accused of waging armed attacks in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, according to state media, as the country continues its accelerated executions of people it says have ties to Israel following the 12-day June conflict with Israel and the United States.

The death sentence for six separatist terrorist elements, who in recent years had carried out a series of armed operations and bombings targeting security in Khuzestan province, was carried out at dawn today, the judiciary said on its Mizan website on Saturday.

The identities of all those executed and details of their arrests and sentencing were not immediately clear.

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But Mizan reported that they were involved in the killings of four security personnel, including two police officers and two members of the Basij paramilitary force, in 2018 and 2019.

The report also said they had confessed to planning and executing acts of sabotage such as making and planting bombs, blowing up the Khorramshahr gas station.

Iran usually links what it calls separatist and terrorist groups to its arch-nemesis, Israel.

In a separate execution on Saturday, authorities hanged Kurdish fighter Saman Mohammadi after convicting him for Moharebeh  waging war against God.

Mohammadi, arrested in 2013, was reportedly involved in the 2009 killing of the Friday prayers imam in the western city of Sanandaj, as well as in armed robberies and kidnappings, including the killing of a conscript.

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The executions came less than a week after Iran said it hanged Bahman Choobiasl, a man it described as one of the most important spies for Israel in Iran.

Mizan reported that Choobiasl was executed over his meeting with officials from the Israeli spy agency, Mossad.

According to Mizan, Choobiasl had worked on sensitive telecommunications projects.

Irans Supreme Court rejected the defendants appeal and confirmed the death sentence on charges of corruption on Earth, it said.

Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, and a full-blown conflict this June, Iran has put to death many individuals it accuses of having links with Mossad and facilitating its operations in the country.

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Israels offensive in June involved 12 days of air attacks, including several that targeted Irans top generals and nuclear scientists, as well as civilians in residential areas, for which Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles and drones. The US also carried out extensive strikes, on Israels behalf, on Iranian nuclear sites during the conflict. According to Amnesty International, Israeli attacks on Iran killed at least 1,100 people.

In response to the June war and protests in recent years over the state of the economy, womens rights and some calls for regime change, Iran has sentenced more people to death.

According to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights and the Washington, DC-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, the number of people executed in 2025 was more than 1,000, but it notes that the number could be higher as Tehran does not report each execution.

Iran is the worlds second most prolific executioner after China, according to human rights groups including Amnesty International.
By Alexander Cornwell

TEL AVIV (Reuters) -The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza on Friday, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.

The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said the Marinette was intercepted some 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza. Israeli army radio said the navy had taken control of the last ship in the flotilla, detained those aboard and that the vessel was being led to Ashdod port in Israel.

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In a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli naval forces had now "illegally intercepted all 42 of our vesselseach carrying humanitarian aid, volunteers, and the determination to break Israels illegal siege on Gaza".

MARINETTE PASSENGERS CLAIM TO SEE A WAR SHIP

A camera broadcasting from the Marinette showed someone holding up a note saying "We see a ship! It's a war ship", before a boat is seen approaching and soldiers boarding. A voice is heard telling the people on board not to move and to put their hands in the air.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the boat's status. The ministry said on Thursday the flotilla's one remaining vessel would be prevented from breaching the blockade if it tried to.

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The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the enclave, almost two years into Israel's siege of Gaza which was sparked by militant group Hamas' October 7 attacks.

Israeli officials have repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt. The foreign ministry had said the flotilla was previously warned that it was approaching an active combat zone and violating a "lawful naval blockade", and asked organisers to change course. It had offered to transfer aid to Gaza.

The Israeli foreign ministry on Friday said that four Italians had been deported. "The rest are in the process of being deported. Israel is keen to end this procedure as quickly as possible," it said in a statement. All the flotilla participants were "safe and in good health", it added.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets in cities across Europe as well as in Karachi, Buenos Aires and Mexico City on Thursday to protest the flotilla's interception.

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On Friday, tens of thousands of Italians demonstrated, as part of a day-long general strike called by unions in support of the flotilla.

BEN-GVIR CALLS ACTIVISTS 'TERRORISTS'

During a visit to Ashdod on Thursday night, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed calling the activists "terrorists" as he stood in front of them.

"These are the terrorists of the flotilla," he said, speaking in Hebrew and pointing at dozens of people sitting on the ground. His spokesperson confirmed the video was filmed at Ashdod port on Thursday night.

Some activists are heard shouting "Free Palestine".

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Cyprus said one of the flotilla boats had docked in Cyprus with 21 foreigners aboard. The vessel had asked to dock in Larnaca for refuelling and humanitarian reasons, a Cypriot government spokesperson said.

The spokesperson did not identify the boat, or say whether it had been among those stopped by the Israeli military.

Israel has faced widespread global condemnation over the war in Gaza, and is defending itself against charges of genocide in the International Court of Justice.

Israel says its actions have been in self-defence and has consistently denied genocide allegations.

Israel's offensive has killed over 66,000 people, Palestinian health authorities say. It began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed during the assault, and 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.

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Israel has accepted a new U.S. proposal announced this week to end the war that demands Hamas surrender. U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he would temporarily oversee governance of Gaza under the plan, has given Hamas a few days to respond, and warned Hamas that Israel would continue its siege of Gaza if the group refused.

(Additional reporting by Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, Angeliki Koutantou in Athens and Alvise Armellini; Angelo Amante in Rome; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alison Williams and Sharon Singleton)
Israel's Foreign Ministry on Sunday sharply rejected allegations that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and other pro-Palestinian activists were harshly treated in detention, calling them "brazen lies."

However, far-right Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that he was "proud that we treat the 'flotilla activists' like supporters of terrorism." In a statement, Ben-Gvir said, "Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions that are appropriate for terrorists."

The Foreign Ministry, in a post on X on Sunday, noted that Thunberg and the other detainees rejected the expedition of their deportation, insisting instead on remaining in custody.

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"Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations - because they never occurred," the post said.

Ben-Gvir claimed that he visited the ships and saw "no aid and no humanity." Instead, he said he found "a packet of baby food and an entire ship full of people pretending to be human rights activists, who in reality came to support terrorism and amuse themselves at our expense."

He said the activisists should "feel the conditions of detention clearly and think twice before approaching Israel again."

On Friday the Israeli Navy intercepted the last of the 42 boats of the Global Sumud Flotilla. More than 400 crew members from dozens of countries were detained, including Thunberg. Israel has already begun deporting the activists back to their home countries.

Claims of insufficient water and bedbug rashes

The Guardian newspaper reported that Thunberg had spoken to Swedish representatives about harsh treatment in Israeli detention. She reportedly claimed she had received insufficient water and food and had developed skin rashes, allegedly caused by bedbugs. She said she had spent long periods sitting "on hard surfaces." The newspaper cited an email from the Swedish Foreign Ministry to individuals close to Thunberg.

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Other activists reportedly claimed that Thunberg had been dragged by her hair and beaten. They also alleged she was forced to kiss an Israeli flag. Similar accusations were made regarding the treatment of other pro-Palestinian activists.

The Swedish Foreign Ministry, according to the TT news agency, stated that its representatives had met with the detainees. The ministry further emphasized to Israeli authorities the importance of addressing medical needs and ensuring "immediate access to food and clean water," as well as the opportunity to meet with legal representatives.

The activists claimed they intended to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel had offered to transport the aid via ports outside Gaza and then deliver it to the Palestinian coastal area. However, the activists rejected this, arguing that Israel's blockade of Gaza violates international law.
A Sept. 30 opinion from a federal judge in Boston that ruled against President Donald Trumps administration began in an unusual way  with a scanned handwritten note that had been sent to his office.

Trump has pardons and tanks  what do you have? reads the note, dated June 19, at the top of U.S. District Judge William Youngs opinion that said Trumps effort to deport foreign-born student protesters was unconstitutional.

Dear Mr. or Ms. Anonymous, reads the start of Young's typed response. Alone, I have nothing but my sense of duty. Together, We the People of the United States  you and me  have our magnificent Constitution. Heres how that works out in a specific case .

A screenshot showing the handwritten note sent to U.S. District Judge William Young and his typed response in his opinion in AAUP v. Rubio.

His 161-page opinion followed, concluding with his finding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, along with their subordinates, misused their authority to target non-citizen pro-Palestinians for deportation primarily on account of their First Amendment protected political speech.

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It was a really monumental ruling, said Knight First Amendment Institute staff attorney George Wang. The organization represented the plaintiffs  the American Association of University Professors and its chapters at several universities, as well as the Middle East Studies Association  in the case.

White House spokesperson Liz Huston told USA TODAY the administration will immediately appeal this errant decision and is confident we will be vindicated on review.

The court said it could not comment on pending cases.

Heres what to know about the case and its First Amendment implications:

Since pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was detained and freed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention center, he has continued to speak out for his beliefs.



An immigration judge ordered Khalil be deported to Algeria or Syria over claims that he omitted information from his green card application, court documents showed on Sept. 17, 2025, according to Reuters. See his journey in pictures, from student protests to the U.S. Capitol, including here after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on June 21, 2025 in Newark, N.J. Khalil and his wife Noor Abdalla on New Year's Eve in 2024. Khalil was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 8, 2025. Noor Abdalla said in a statement that she requested ICE to allow her husband, 30, a legal permanent resident, to attend the birth of their son, who was born on April 21, 2025. She said they denied his temporary release from a Louisiana ICE facility more than 1,000 miles away. Here, Khalil, 29, a graduate student at Columbia University, was notified by the school that he has been suspended. He stood outside the gates of the campus in Manhattan April 30, 2024. Khalil was part of the encampment on campus, but did not take part in occupying Hamilton Hall. Protesters gather for a rally outside of the hearing for detained Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil at U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J. on Friday, March 28, 2025. Mahmoud Khalil walks with his wife Noor Abdalla and their newborn son after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, left, looks on in Newark, N.J., on June 21, 2025. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) speaks to the press next to former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil as he is greeted by family and friends upon arrival at Newark airport in Newark, N.J., June 21, 2025. Khalil, a legal permanent resident in the United States who is married to a US citizen and has a US-born son, was in custody since March facing potential deportation. Khalil marches with supporters after he was released from ICE detention during a rally outside of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Manhattan on June 22, 2025 in New York City. Khalil was released Friday evening from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Jena, Louisiana, after U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz issued an order granting his release on bail. Khalil, accompanied by his wife Noor Abdalla, arrives for a press conference outside the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York on June 22, 2025, two days after his release from custody. Khalil speaks at a Pro-Palestinian "March for Humanity" rally against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on Aug. 16, 2025 in New York City. A coalition of over 200 groups and organizations, including Palestinian diaspora groups, pro-Palestinian solidarity groups, labor unions, anti-war groups, and faith groups organized the march. Khalil shakes hands with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) outside of his office in the Cannon House Office Building on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil waits to meet U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), during a visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 22, 2025. Former Columbia University graduate student and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil meets with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) outside her office in the Longworth House Office Building on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Khalil was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and held for 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention center. From Columbia protests and ICE detention to the US Capitol, see Mahmoud Khalil 1 of 12 Since pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was detained and freed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention center, he has continued to speak out for his beliefs.



An immigration judge ordered Khalil be deported to Algeria or Syria over claims that he omitted information from his green card application, court documents showed on Sept. 17, 2025, according to Reuters. See his journey in pictures, from student protests to the U.S. Capitol, including here after arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on June 21, 2025 in Newark, N.J.

What does the ruling say?

Though his ruling was in the plaintiffs' favor, Young pushed back against their notion of an ideological deportation policy within the Trump administration.

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Rather, he wrote, the secretaries sought to target a few for speaking out and then use the full rigor of the Immigration and Nationality Act  in ways it had never been used before  to have them publicly deported with the goal of tamping down pro-Palestinian student protests and terrorizing similarly situated non-citizen  and other  pro-Palestinians into silence because their views were unwelcome.

Young said Noem and Rubio intentionally and in concert implemented Trumps executive orders in a viewpoint-discriminatory way to chill protected speech.

This conduct violated the First Amendment, he wrote.

What else did the judge say about the First Amendment and noncitizen rights?

Young said the case hinged on whether legal noncitizens had free speech rights, adding that the case was perhaps the most important ever to fall within his courts jurisdiction.

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"No ones freedom of speech is unlimited, of course, but these limits are the same for both citizens and non-citizens alike, Young wrote.

Wang said Youngs ruling was "really significant for understanding First Amendment rights in this country.

It shows just how precious our First Amendment freedoms are and shows that they require vigorous defense, he said.

Huston said Trump is a staunch supporter and defender of First Amendment rights, but violent riots and student harassment are not protected speech.

What else did the Trump administration say about the ruling?

Huston called the ruling outrageous and said it hampers the safety and security of our nation.

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Its stunning that even after the terrorist attack and recent arrests of rioters with guns outside of ICE facilities, this Judge decides to stoke the embers of hatred, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the country is "under no obligation to allow foreign aliens to come to our country, commit acts of anti-American, pro-terrorist and antisemitic hate, or incite violence."

"We will continue to revoke the visas of those who put the safety of our citizens at risk," he said.

Whos Judge William Young?

Young is a Harvard Law School graduate whos been on the bench for 40 years.

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In June, Young blocked the administrations termination of National Institutes of Health grants that slashed funding for research related to minority communities.

I am hesitant to draw this conclusion, but I have an unflinching obligation to draw it: that this represents racial discrimination, Young said, according to The New York Times.

Youngs Sept. 30 opinion ended as it began, with a response to the person whod submitted the handwritten note.

I hope you found this helpful, he wrote. Thanks for writing. It shows you care. You should.

A screenshot showing the handwritten note sent to U.S. District Judge William Young and his typed response in his opinion in AAUP v. Rubio.

BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@usatoday.com.

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USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge includes handwritten note in ruling against Trump. What it said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country had deployed special assets to counter the growing presence of US forces in South Korea.

He also warned that Pyongyang would develop additional military measures in response to what he called Washingtons creation of dangerous scenarios.

Kim has repeatedly responded angrily to joint exercises by the US, Japan and South Korea, branding them preparations for an invasion. The US and its allies in the region say the drills are necessary to maintain their joint defence and deterrence given Pyongyangs unpredictability and the build-up of its UN-sanctioned nuclear arsenal.

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Speaking at a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang on Saturday ahead of the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party of Korea, Mr Kim accused the United States and its allies of intensifying military activities in the region.

In direct proportion to the build-up of US forces in Korea, our strategic interest in the region has also increased, and we have accordingly allocated special assets to key targets of interest, he said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The United States maintains about 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of a longstanding security alliance. Last month, Washington conducted a joint military exercise with Seoul and Tokyo.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang (Reuters)

The USROK nuclear alliance is making rapid progress, and they are conducting various kinds of exercises to execute dangerous scenarios, Mr Kim said, referring to South Korea by its formal name, the Republic of Korea. The enemy  will have to worry about which direction their security environment is moving in, he added, without elaborating on the nature of the special assets.

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KCNA photos showed the North Korean leader walking past missiles and other weaponry displayed indoors, surrounded by senior generals.

Mr Kim said Pyongyang would undoubtedly develop additional military measures to respond to the growing presence of US forces while South Korean officials have said the North has continued to expand its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The remarks come as Pyongyang prepares for a major parade on 10 October to mark the partys founding, where analysts expect it may unveil new weapons systems such as the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the Defence Development 2025 military exhibition event ahead of the 80th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party, in Pyongyang (Reuters)

South Koreas military has reported signs of parade rehearsals involving vehicles, troops and heavy equipment in the capital.

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North Korea has also been strengthening its ties with Russia and China in recent months. According to South Korean intelligence, Pyongyang has supplied artillery and troops to support Russias war in Ukraine.

Mr Kim recently attended a military parade in Beijing alongside Chinese president Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to commemorate the end of the Second World War.

Since the collapse of denuclearisation talks with former US president Donald Trump in 2019, Pyongyang has declared itself an irreversible nuclear state and rejected any possibility of relinquishing its atomic weapons.
Weather conditions began to slightly improve across northern Europe on Sunday after three people were killed over the weekend as Storm Amy raged across with strong winds and rain, impacting critical infrastructure and disrupting power for tens of thousands.

Authorities in the Netherlands lifted their nationwide code yellow warning after Amy led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights and ferry services, while in Scotland, authorities restored power to some 67,000 homes two days after the storm brought damage and disruption.

Earlier, two men were reportedly killed by the storm in France, local officials said on Saturday, while authorities in Ireland reported a man died in Letterkenny on Friday in what police called a weather-related incident.

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Road, rail, and sea travel faced major disruption as the storm on Saturday walloped the UK and Scandinavia with heavy rain and high winds.

Londons famed Royal Parks shut their gates as Britains Met Office weather agency gave updates on the weather after it recorded a gust of 154 kph on Friday on the island of Tiree off Scotlands west coast.

More than 200,000 homes in Ireland and Northern Ireland had been left without power, while in Scotland, many ferry services were suspended, and roads and railway lines were blocked by fallen trees.

Approximately 21,000 houses were without power on Saturday, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), as workers worked in difficult weather.

France

On Saturday afternoon, Storm Amy's powerful gusts, which claimed two lives in France, prompted parts of Northern France to issue an orange alert.

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"Storm Amy is moving across the British Isles, causing strong gusts of wind in the departments near the English Channel coast and in the northern inland departments of the country," French weather service Meteo France said.

France's northern coast recorded its strongest winds since the beginning of the week, with gusts reaching 131 kilometres and up to 110 kph inland.

According to French authorities, two males, ages 18 and 48, went swimming in the water at Etretat on Saturday morning, which is close to Le Havre, despite bad weather.

The older man did not return to land, while later in the afternoon, a large tree branch fell onto a vehicle that had been driving on a road in the northern Aisne region, killing a 25-year-old man.

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Up to 5,000 Normandy homes were without power on Saturday morning due to the storm. According to power supplier Enedis, the number decreased to 2,000 by noon, but since then, more outages have been reported.

Belgium

In Belgium, Storm Amy was also clearly felt, causing some damage with strong winds of speeds reaching over 100 kilometres per hour. As a result, authorities declared a Code Orange weather warning for the entire country on Friday.

As a precaution, the breakwaters in Ostend will be closed for the entire weekend, officials said, while also announcing that telephone number 1722 for non-urgent requests for assistance from the fire brigade had been activated.

People struggle against the wind and rain in Malmo, Sweden, after a storm reached southern Sweden, Saturday Oct. 4, 2025. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP) - Johan Nilsson/TT

Amy also wreaked havoc on Sweden, Denmark, and Norway from late Friday into Saturday. Tens of thousands of homes lost power as strong gusts brought down trees and power lines throughout Scandinavia, as heavy rainfall and high tides pummeled the coastal areas.

Norway

Roofs were blown off houses, trees fell, and over a hundred roads were closed in Norway, where extreme amounts of rainfall are now expected.

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Emergency officials said they expected the Vestfold coast to experience the strongest winds before it calms down. It will continue to blow strongly in Trndelag, Mre og Romsdal, and Nordland throughout the day. In parts of Vestfold and Telemark, it is expected that "Amy" will bring up to 100 millimetres of rain in twelve hours.

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As of Saturday morning, around 120,000 households were left without electricity, mostly in Trndelag, Agder, and Vestland, according to a count by NRK, the Norwegian broadcaster.

Sweden

Strong winds and heavy rain were recorded on Saturday across southern and central Sweden. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issued orange alerts for the West Coast, the southern coast of Skane, and the Skagerrak area.

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Out at sea off northern Halland, hurricane-force gusts have already been recorded. In addition, several yellow warnings are in place for large parts of the country.

Storms with the potential to cause serious disruption or damage are given names jointly by the UK, Irish, and Dutch weather agencies.

The current storm, called Amy, is the remnant of Hurricane Humberto, which formed over the Atlantic Ocean last week.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday urged the Centre to provide immediate relief assistance to the flood-affected States. He also appealed to Congress leaders and workers to reach out to the distressed people and ensure all possible support. Heavy rainfall in Darjeeling and surrounding areas caused landslides, resulting in the collapse of a bridge, seven deaths, two missing and the closure of several roads. In a post on X, Kharge expressed deep concern over the floods in West Bengal and Sikkim, particularly in Darjeeling and North Bengal, where several lives have been lost and a bridge has collapsed. https://x.com/kharge/status/1974776969964163249 "Deeply concerned about the devastating floods in West Bengal and Sikkim, especially in the Darjeeling and North Bengal regions, where several people have lost their lives, and a bridge has also tragically collapsed. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Expect the victims to be adequately and promptly compensated. Urge the Union Government to provide relief assistance to the affected States, including additional teams of NDRF. Congress leaders and workers should reach out to the distressed people and ensure all possible help," Kharge wrote on X. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also expressed grief over the situation, urging the administration to expedite relief and rescue operations. "The news of the deaths of several people and the missing of many others due to heavy rains and landslides in various parts of West Bengal and Sikkim is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the affected families and hope that the missing people are found safe at the earliest. I appeal to the administration to expedite relief and rescue operations. I urge the Central Government to provide necessary assistance to the affected states immediately, keeping in view the seriousness of the situation. I request Congress leaders and workers to cooperate with the administration and provide all possible help to the affected people," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X. The landslide at Dilaram on the Kurseong road has blocked the main route to Darjeeling, while Rohini Road is also affected. Tindharia Road remains open, and authorities are evacuating tourists from Mirik using that route. Rescue teams from the police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on site, and vehicle movement on the Siliguri-Darjeeling SH-12 road has been restricted due to the collapse of a portion of the Dudhia iron bridge. According to Additional SP of Kurseong, Abhishek Roy, the mortal remains have been recovered from the debris. (ANI)
Lithuanias main airport was forced to shut down overnight after balloons flew into its airspace, forcing flights to be diverted.

Around 25 weather balloons  later discovered to be carrying smuggled cigarettes across the border from Belarus  delayed flights at Vilnius airport for hours and affected 6,000 passengers.

Security concerns have heightened across Europe after a series of drone flights and air incursions near airports in Copenhagen, Oslo and Munich threw aviation into chaos.

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While the balloons in Lithuania turned out to be ferrying cigarettes, some European officials have described the other incidents as Moscow testing Natos response and probing its air defences.

Lithuania, an EU and Nato member, has been on high alert for airspace violations after two incidents in July when Russian drones came from Belarus. One was carrying explosives.

In response, the country declared a 60-mile no-fly zone parallel to its border with Belarus, saying this would allow its military to react to violations.

Lithuania, a key backer of Kyiv, shares a 42mile border with Belarus, Moscows main ally in Europe. Vilnius lies just 30 miles from the border.

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Flights at Vilnius airport were disrupted from 22.15pm (8.15pm BST) on Saturday until 4.40am (2.40am BST) on Sunday, Darius Buta, a national crisis management centre representative, told AFP.

He said around 25 helium-filled weather balloons violated Lithuanian airspace, including two near Vilnius airport, the largest and busiest in the Baltic country. Eleven balloons, carrying 18,000 packs of cigarettes, had been discovered by Sunday morning.

Footage showed the strange-looking objects moving through the darkness overnight, while a package tied to a large white balloon was later photographed in a field.

Similar balloons had landed in Lithuania earlier this year, including at the airport. Lithuanian border guards have had the right to shoot them down since last year.

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Smugglers use weather balloons to transport Belarusian cigarette packets that are then sold in the European Union, where tobacco is more expensive. More than 966 such balloons entered into the country last year and 544 this year, said Mr Buta.

The use of drones and weather balloons by smugglers is considered a criminal activity, but not an act of sabotage or a provocation, he added.

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Lithuania's main airport was closed late on Oct. 4 following a sighting of 13 "contraband" balloons flying towards the site, Lithuanian outlet LRT reported.

"Attention: The airspace over Vilnius Airport is closed until 4:30 a.m.," a notice on the airport's online homepage read.

Unidentified drones have violated European airspace several times in recent weeks, prompting airport closures throughout the continent.

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Russia has been increasingly suspected of being behind the drone sightings over NATO territory, following known Russian violations of the defense alliance's Eastern Flank in September.

Flying objects were detected near Baltoji Voke, with disruptions expected to last several hours, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center (NKVC), told LRT.

The airport's airspace was closed as the NKVC determined it was unsafe for aircraft to depart and land in Vilnius, the agency later said.

Baltoji Voke is a town located near Lithuania's capital. Vilnius itself is situated only 25 kilometers (16 miles) from the country's border with Belarus.

The map shows the Baltic Sea Region. (Lisa Kukharska/The Kyiv Independent)

Unidentified drones prompted airport closures several times in Denmark in recent days. Drone sightings have also caused disruptions in several other European countries, including Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. As investigations continue, authorities have not ruled out that the drones may be Russian.

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Moscow violated Polish airspace on Sept. 10, prompting Warsaw to shoot down Russian drones over its territory in a first for any NATO member in over three years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Russian drones again violated EU and NATO airspace, flying over Romanian territory on Sept. 13

Three Russian jets violated Estonian airspace on Sept. 19 in an escalation from drones as Moscow continues its provocations. The breach occurred over the Gulf of Finland, where Russian jets crossed into Estonian territory without permission before departing, the Estonian Defense Forces confirmed.

Read also: As mysterious drone sightings increase, this is what Russia has to gain from them

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (WOOD)  A Hudsonville native and his family are reflecting after their dinner was abruptly interrupted by a gunman earlier this summer.

According to Harrison Friar, on August 6, he and wife, Brielle, their children and his father-in-law were sitting down to dinner at Friars home in Glenwood, Iowa. Thats when the calm turned to chaos.

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We started hearing something. It sounded a bit like fireworks, Friar told News 8. But he quickly realized it was gunshots, and the senior airman with the U.S. Air Force says he knew he had to step in to help.

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We walked down, got behind the cars. She was on the phone with 911. He then popped out of that screened-in porch, Friar said. Then, its almost like we just locked eyes with each other for a second, then he raised his gun up, and I screamed dont, hoping to dissuade him from shooting at us.

His attempts to dissuade the gunman did not work. The gunman fired multiple rounds toward them, with the crossfire all caught on surveillance cameras.

(He shot) upwards of about eight times before I fired back, he said. I fired back two times, striking him once in the leg and once in the wrist.

Harrison and Brielle Friar talk to News 8 about a shooting that happened outside their home in Iowa. (Oct. 1, 2025)

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, the gunman, a 71-year-old man, shot and killed two people, then set his own house on fire while he was inside. The suspect was taken to the hospital for extensive burn injuries. He died two days later.

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As we understand it from police, they believe he intended to kill a lot more people, if given the opportunity. He had like hundreds of rounds, Friar said.

Harrison and Brielle, two Hudsonville High School sweethearts, both went to Grand Valley State University. They both moved to Iowa about a year ago when Harrison was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base on the border between Iowa and Nebraska.

Officials at Friars base called his actions courageous and said his response (revealed) the character and values the Air Force depends on every day.

Surveillance footage shows a neighbor fire shots at Harrison and Brielle Friar outside of their home on Aug. 6, 2025, in Glenwood, Iowa. Harrison Friar returned fire, striking the man twice. (Courtesy)

In that terrifying moment, Friar said his miliary training and instincts kicked in.

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The adrenaline kind of calmed my nerves rather than the opposite. It didnt make me shake or freak out. It kind of made me lock in, he said.

For him, he said his actions were not about being a hero, they were about protecting his family and his community the best way he could.

Making sure that there is nobody in the way in the line of fire, making sure I try to keep everybody safe despite the fact that it is a crazy situation, he said. I think I did what anybody should do if they are confronted with something like this is, keep as many people safe as they can. Be the good guy when bad stuff is happening.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Hundreds of thousands of people poured onto the streets across Europe, demanding an end to Israels two-year war on Gaza that has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and left the enclave on the brink of famine.

The largest protest took place in the Netherlands, where about 250,000 people filled Amsterdams Museum Square on Sunday before marching through the city centre. Draped in Palestinian flags and dressed in red, demonstrators demanded that their government take a harder line against Israel and stop arms exports to the occupying power.

The bloodshed must stop  and that we unfortunately have to stand here because we have such an incredibly weak government that doesnt dare to draw a red line. Thats why we are here, in the hope that it helps, said protester Marieke van Zijl, The Associated Press news agency reported.

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The protest came less than a month before national elections, adding pressure on Dutch leaders who have long backed Israel. Foreign Minister David van Weel said on Friday that it was unlikely the government would approve the export of F-35 jet parts to Israel amid mounting public anger.

Amnesty International, one of the protest organisers, urged European governments to act decisively. All economic and diplomatic means must be used to increase pressure on Israel, said spokesperson Marjon Rozema.

Demonstrators take part in a rally in solidarity with Palestinians and to protest against the interception by the Israeli navy of the Global Sumud Flotilla, with the New Mosque in the background, in Istanbul, Turkiye, on October 5, 2025 [Yasin Akgul/AFP]

Gaza is the biggest graveyard of children

While the Netherlands saw the biggest turnout in Western Europe, Turkiye hosted one of the most striking shows of solidarity.

In Istanbul, vast crowds marched from the Hagia Sophia mosque to the banks of the Golden Horn, where boats decorated with Turkish and Palestinian flags awaited them.

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Demonstrators, many joining after midday prayers at the mosque, called for Muslim unity in confronting Israels assault.

In Ankara, protesters waved flags and held banners denouncing Israels actions. This oppression, which began in 1948, has been continuing for two years, turning into genocide, said Recep Karabal of the Palestine Support Platform in the northern city of Kirikkale.

Support for Palestine runs deep in Turkiye, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of Israels fiercest critics, accusing it of committing war crimes in Gaza.

On Saturday, Turkish journalist and Gaza Sumud Flotilla participant Ersin Celik told local media outlets he witnessed Israeli forces torture Greta Thunberg, describing how the Swedish activist was dragged on the ground and forced to kiss the Israeli flag.

Thousands of people marched through central Barcelona, Spain, in solidarity with Gaza, calling for an end to the arms trade and all relations with Israel on October 4, 2025 [Lorena Sopena/Anadolu]

Similar rallies were held across the region. In Sofia, Bulgarians carried placards reading Gaza: Starvation is a Weapon of War and Gaza is the Biggest Graveyard of Children. Protester Valya Chalamova said, Our society  and the world  needs to hear that we stand with the Palestinian people.

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In Moroccos capital Rabat, crowds burned an Israeli flag and called on their government to reverse its 2020 decision to normalise ties with Israel. Protesters also demanded the release of Moroccan human rights defender Aziz Ghali, detained by Israel after joining the flotilla aiming to break the blockade on Gaza.

Across Spain, smaller rallies followed massive demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona a day earlier, with marchers carrying white bundles symbolising the bodies of Gazas children.

Hamas said it had accepted parts of a ceasefire plan proposed by United States President Donald Trump, though much of Gaza remains in ruins and under siege.
(FOX40.COM)  After months of planning, the Sacramento Zoo announced its bringing a naked mole-rat colony for the first time in the zoos history.

According to the Sacramento Zoo, the colony offers guests a glimpse into these unusual rodents.

The naked moles are now settling into their newly built habitat inside the Kenneth Johnson Reptile house. However, have you ever wondered why theyre naked? Brandson Fuentes, Animal Care Supervisor at Sacramento, said they evolved to be fossorial.

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They really dont need it. So theyve evolved to be fossorial, which means that they live almost their entire life underneath the ground, Fuentes said. Which means, the need for thermoregulating or to shed water or any of those sorts of things that you typically see in haired mammals, they just dont have the need for it. You know, underground there the temperatures stay nice and stable, so theyre not seeing a big temperature fluctuation, like you would with other species so its just really a need, they didnt have the need for it.

DMV welcomes new CA driver license and ID with advanced designing and security features

Funtes said these unusual rodents operate much like an ant colony or beehive and can live surprisingly long, often reaching their 30s.

Zoo officials said naked mole-rats are a nearly hairless, subterranean rodent that is found in parts of eastern Africa, such as Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya.

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According to Zoo authorities, the mole-rats have no external ears and are nearly blind due to their incredibly small eyes. They rely on smell, ground vibrations, and air currents to navigate.

The naked mole-rats also have an incredibly complex social structure within their colony, with designated roles in the colony such as soldiers and caretakers, officials said.

Just like bees, the naked mole-rat colonies are also headed by a queen as the matriarch and only breeding female of the group. Queens grow larger after each of their first eight litters, with established queens able to produce litters of 28 pups.

The naked mole-rat exhibit will remain at the Sacramento Zoo indefinitely.

Naked Mole-rat at the Sacramento Zoo./ Image: Sac Zoo The banner sign The naked mole-rat at the Sacramento Zoo

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday that Germany should pull out of next year's Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna if Israel were to be excluded.

Asked in an interview programme on public broadcaster ARD whether Germany should voluntarily forgo participation in that case, the conservative politician replied: "I would support that. I think it's a scandal that this is even being discussed. Israel belongs there."

The musical extravaganza sees countries from Europe, but also beyond, each submit a song to compete for the title, with performances judged by national juries and public voting.

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Pressure on the song contest's organizers has been growing for weeks, with several broadcasters, including from Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, threatening to withdraw if Israel is not barred from taking part, citing the country's military action in the Gaza Strip.

National broadcasters play a central role in Eurovision, as they are the official representatives of their countries within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), responsible for selecting their entries, coordinating the live broadcasts and overseeing voting procedures.

The EBU said late last month that it will hold an online meeting of all member broadcasters in November to vote on participation in the 2026 contest.

The next Eurovision is scheduled to take place in Vienna in May 2026.

Large public protests against Israel's Eurovision participation occurred this year and last.
GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 28: Emergency services respond to a shooting and fire at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 28, 2025 in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Police said there are multiple victims and the shooter is down. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

On Sunday, a gunman launched a horrifying attack on people at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

Thomas Jacob Sanford allegedly rammed his pickup truck, adorned with American flags, into the doors of the chapel as a service was taking place. Authorities stated he shot at worshippers with an assault weapon, then set fire to the building. Four people died, and police killed Sanford at the scene shortly afterwards.

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Media reports and government spokespeople suggest Sanford was motivated by a pronounced hatred of followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), widely known as Mormons.

According to a childhood friend, Peter Tersigni, Sanford became fixated with the church when he started dating one of its members while living in Utah:

He started dating this girl and then investigated and learned about Mormons because she was a Mormon. And I know that also, he got into meth really hardcore. It messed his life up and it messed his head up. And it just happened to be at the time he was around Mormons.

The language Sanford is reported to have used to describe Mormons  calling them the antichrist and saying they are going to take over the world  taps into a conspiracist suspicion of Mormons that has existed in America since the LDS church was founded in 1830, and which is still widespread in some subcultures today.

Anti-Mormonism in American history

Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, had enemies from the beginning. New Christian sects were proliferating in America, but Smith went further than most. He declared himself a prophet and claimed to have a new religious scripture that was equal to the Bible.

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Many denounced Smith as a fraud, and his neighbours feared the political power he wielded over his growing community of followers. After the Mormons were forced out of Missouri by a state Extermination Order and a subsequent massacre, Smith was assassinated by an anti-Mormon militia in Illinois in 1844.

The Mormons fled to Utah in 1847 under the leadership of Brigham Young. There they endured decades of federal government pressure to abandon the practice of polygamy and submit to the authority of the United States, which sometimes brought in armed forces.

This may seem like remote history, but to this day many evangelical Christians fear the fast-growing but false religion of Mormonism will lure people away from true Christianity. There is a cottage industry of YouTubers, some of them ex-Mormons, dedicated to disproving the teachings of Joseph Smith.

Nor has the violent past been forgotten. Earlier this year Netflix released a series depicting the Mountain Meadows Massacre, perpetrated by a Mormon militia in 1857.

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Jon Krakauers 2003 bestselling book, Under the Banner of Heaven, also made into a streaming series, explored 1980s murders in a Mormon splinter sect. The book emphasised the prevalence of violence in early LDS history.

Anti-Mormonism today

Anti-Mormon violence is relatively rare in America today, but aversion to Mormons is not.

A 2022 YouGov poll of Americans found 39% of respondents held unfavourable views of Mormons, compared to just 17% with favourable views. This net negative approval was comparable to American attitudes towards Muslims, and more negative than American attitudes towards atheists.

I argued in a 2014 study that Mormons face hostility from both sides of Americas culture wars. Many conservative Christians believe Mormons are not real Christians. At the same time, many liberal and secular-minded people associate Mormons with the Christian-right.

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In 2012, the high-profile Mormon Mitt Romney became the Republican candidate for the presidential election. The number of liberal and non-religious people who said they would not vote for a Mormon for president increased significantly between 2007 and 2012, despite the fact Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was also a Mormon.

The LDS church was also prominent in campaigns against same-sex marriage in western states in the late 2000s. This led to protests and some acts of vandalism at LDS houses of worship, prompting expressions of solidarity by other conservative religious groups.

The bipartisan nature of anti-Mormonism arguably makes it one of the more socially acceptable biases in the US. But there is a world of difference between not wanting a Mormon president, or enjoying such mockery as the Book of Mormon musical, and physically attacking Mormons.

From prejudice to violence

Between 2015 and 2024, the FBI counted 160 hate crimes reported against LDS victims. These included 63 acts of vandalism and property destruction and 29 assaults. The states with the most incidents were Utah (25), California (23), Washington (14), Tennessee (12), Georgia (10) and Nevada (10).

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A 2019 report in the LDS-owned Deseret News expressed concern over rising anti-Mormon hate crimes. But it pointed out this was part of a larger trend of rising hate crime in the US, and that anti-LDS incidents were dwarfed by hate crimes targeting Jews and Muslims during the same period.

Immediately after the Grand Blanc killings, President Donald Trump called the incident yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America.

This fits his culture-war framing of Christians being under constant attack. But it glosses over the specific animus Mormons face in American society, often from other Christians and conservatives (the alleged Grand Blanc shooter wore a Trump 2020 shirt in a social media post).

Since 2000, there have been nearly 500 homicides in American places of worship, three quarters of them by firearm. This is a bigger problem than the violence facing any one religious group.

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David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Landslides and floods have caused widespread destruction in several parts of Nepal and the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal, claiming dozens of lives, authorities said on Sunday.

In Nepal, there were more than 40 fatalities, while at least 23 deaths were recorded in West Bengal. The affected regions were hit by heavy monsoon rains.

Nepal police spokesman Binod Ghimire told dpa that most of the deaths occurred in the Ilam district of eastern Nepal, where multiple landslides struck since Saturday night.

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"A total of 37 people were killed from landslides in Ilam alone, while the remaining fatalities were due to lightning and flash floods in other areas," Ghimire said, adding that at least six people are still reported missing across the country.

Elsewhere in the country, fatalities were caused by lightning strikes and flash floods. The Himalayan nation has been experiencing heavy rainfall since Friday. Several roads and bridges have been severely damaged or washed away, according to police.

In the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the capital Kathmandu, riverbanks overflowed and thousands of homes flooded. Many people across the country are still reported missing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described his country as a "friendly neighbour" offered assistance to Nepal.

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"We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult tim," he wrote on X.

Landslides in India

In India's West Bengal, heavy rains triggered floods and landslides, with the northern part of the state being the worst affected. Twelve people died in the Darjeeling district, and 11 in the Mirik district, the Hindu newspaper reported, citing the local Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

In Darjeeling, floodwaters swept away part of a railway bridge over the Balasan River, and many houses and roads were damaged or destroyed, the paper reported. Some remote villages have been cut off, according to the Hindustan Times.

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The monsoon season in South Asia typically lasts from June to September. Each year, hundreds of people die in landslides and floods during this period, and the damage is often extensive. At the same time, the rains are vital for agriculture in the region.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police help reconstruct and clear debris from the Bafal riverside road in Kathmandu, which was damaged by floodwater. Safal Prakash Shrestha/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
As flight operations largely returned to normal at Munich Airport on Sunday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called for calm following repeated sightings of drones over some of the nation's largest and busiest airports.

Drones were sighted on Thursday and Friday evening at Germany's second-largest airport, leading to a temporary suspension of flight operations on both days that affected thousands of travellers.

Numerous flights were diverted or cancelled and nearly 10,000 people were unable to travel as planned, with some forced to spend the night at the airport, where camp beds, blankets and food were provided and shops remained open overnight.

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Of the more than 1,000 take-offs and landings planned for Saturday, airlines cancelled around 170 flights for operational reasons, while other flights experienced delays.

However by Sunday morning the impacts were notably reduced, with flight operations beginning on time, the airport said, but passengers are advised to check their flight status on their airline's website before heading to the airport.

Minister advises calm

The incidents in Munich were the latest in a series of drone sightings in European airspace, raising concerns throughout the region.

Pistorius said he understands the uncertainty, noting in an interview with the Handelsblatt business newspaper published on Sunday that such a debate has not occurred before: "That is why it is all the more important to view the situation soberly and calmly: So far, the observed drones have not posed any concrete threat."

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According to Handelsblatt, the interview was conducted before drones were sighted at Munich Airport on Thursday and Friday evening. It remains unclear who is responsible for the drone flights.

From Pistorius' perspective, Russia is fundamentally aiming to sow uncertainty with airspace violations and drone overflights.

"It's about provoking, instilling fear, and triggering controversial debates. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin knows Germany very, very well, as we all know. He also knows the German instincts and reflexes," Pistorius said.

Minister views plans for drone defence centre sceptically

Pistorius emphasized that Germany is making significant progress in drone defence. At the same time, he tempered expectations of the German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr.

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"The Bundeswehr cannot be everywhere in Germany where drones appear and bring them down," he said. "Much more crucial is that the state and federal police build the capabilities they need to operate up to a certain altitude."

Pistorius is sceptical about the plans of Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt for a drone defence centre. "This centre would then only be responsible for a potential threat from drones. However, we must expect that there could be multiple threat scenarios," said the defence minister. "Therefore, we primarily need a joint 24/7-360-degree situational awareness."

As an example, he mentioned the case where forest fires or power outages occur simultaneously in different parts of Germany.

"All relevant data for assessing Germany's security situation should converge at one point. Only in this way can one determine whether there might be a connection and a common cause behind the apparent isolated incidents," said Pistorius.

Hesse seeks measures, money, coordination

Meanwhile in Hesse, state Premier Boris Rhein outlined further measures - and the need for funding - for drone defence following the uptick in sightings.

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He told VRM media that Hesse is well-prepared when it comes to drones but further capabilities are needed to detect and defend sites from drones, he said. "And for that, we will also invest money."

Rhein also highlighted the necessity for "a coordinated approach between the federal and state governments" regarding responsibilities and technical equipment.

Hesse already plays a pioneering role in legal terms concerning drone defence, having enabled effective anti-drone measures in the police law by 2024, allowing the police to neutralize drones, he said. The defence and combat of military drones must remain the responsibility of the federal government, Rhein added.

A drone was also spotted at Germany's largest airport in Frankfurt, in the state of Hesse, on Friday. A hobby drone pilot triggered a police operation there with a short test flight, but operations were not disturbed.

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Bavaria is also planning a new regulation to allow the state police to shoot down drones if necessary, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said.

"We want to significantly expand the legal possibilities of the Bavarian police so that they can act immediately and effectively against drones. This also means that the police may shoot down drones immediately in case of acute danger," Herrmann said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will undertake a two-day official visit to Australia on October 9-10 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. The visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate five years of the establishment of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). This will also mark the first-ever visit of a Defence Minister to Australia under this government since 2014. The key highlight of the Defence Minister's visit will be the bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart. He will chair a business roundtable in Sydney, which will be attended by industry leaders from both sides. He will also call on other national leaders of Australia. The visit will provide an important opportunity for both sides to explore new & meaningful initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and the defence partnership. During the visit, three agreements are planned to be signed, which will further enhance cooperation in the areas of information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities. Defence engagements have expanded over time to include wide-ranging interactions between the services, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity-building and training programmes, cooperation in the maritime domain, ship visits, and bilateral exercises. India and Australia elevated their bilateral relationship from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020. The two nations share a deep bond rooted in common values - pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, growing economic engagement, and increasing high-level interactions, the statement added. Long-standing people-to-people connections and the presence of Indian students in Australian universities, as well as robust tourism and sporting ties, have further strengthened the enduring partnership between the two countries. Marles last visited India in June and met his counterpart, Rajnath Singh, and also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
Nairobi, Kenya  Shouts of Birdman! Birdman! trail 27-year-old Rodgers Oloo Magutha down a street in the centre of Kenyas capital, Nairobi.

Vendors pause mid-sale, police glance away from traffic, and pedestrians abruptly stop to watch the man crowned with raptors on his head and shoulders. Children burst into giggles or shrink back in fear as crowds gather, phones raised like paparazzi.

Magutha has lived on Nairobis streets for years, one among the many children and youth asking for coins from hurried passersby. He blends in with this marginalised community in every way but one: the wild birds surrounding him.

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Many people feel unsafe when approached by us, they will even hide their phones, Magutha says about the general publics reaction to his street family.

But when they see the birds, everything changes  They come over to pet them, take photos. Someone who looked angry a moment ago is suddenly smiling.

Magutha has been rescuing and caring for birds since childhood, and for years on Nairobis streets. Yet he remained a largely obscure figure until last year, when thousands of young people flooded the central business district to protest against rising costs and government corruption.

Images of Magutha went viral, lifting him to local celebrity status as the Nairobi Birdman.

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Still, few know the story behind the images  one of a life shaped by loss, adversity and an uncanny companionship with the birds he rescues, a connection that has sustained him through more than a decade living on the streets.

Magutha with some of his street family at a grocery store after a well-wisher offered to buy them food [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Bird enthusiast

I never go looking for the birds  they just come to me, says Magutha, his beanie tilted under the weight of a kite perched on his head, another clinging to his shoulder.

He sits on a roadside in Kayole, a low-income neighbourhood on Nairobis edge, where he recently moved after a helpful stranger offered him shelter. Children circle him, brushing the kites wings before darting off, laughing.

Maguthas story began in Nakuru, a city in the Rift Valley known as a birdwatchers paradise.

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I used to sneak into Lake Nakuru National Park and sit by the water, watching flamingos, pelicans and so many other birds, Magutha says. He would sometimes pet them, share food, and felt they trusted him when they stayed calm around him.

Thats when I became a bird enthusiast, he says. While other children hunted with slingshots, he persuaded them to protect birds instead. At home, he raised pigeons, chickens, ducks and even rescued a flamingo.

But at 13, his mother, who was raising him alone, died suddenly. Left without a stable home, he drifted between relatives before ending up on the streets. He survived in Nakuru, Mombasa and Nairobi by asking passersby for help or selling plastic bottles and scrap metal.

In each city, he says, street residents gathered around, drawn to him much like the birds. Over time, they became his family, giving him a sense of belonging.

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But it was in Nairobi, near Kenyas National Archives building in the central business district, a common gathering spot for street residents, that Magutha began to build his world.

Magutha with some of his street family in Nairobi [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Life there, he says, is defined by struggle. Nobody comes to the streets because they want to, Magutha says. Most of them are traumatised; theyve been abandoned or mistreated.

Many of his street family are orphans, others escaped difficult families, and most arrive weighed down by trauma or neglect. Sleeping rough is particularly difficult on cold nights, and drugs are everywhere. Everyone wants an escape. They just sniff it to forget, Magutha says about those who inhale mafta ndege, a cheap petroleum-based solvent.

The community also faces pushback from police. They always chase us away. They beat us because they think we disturb people, he adds.

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Yet he sees a beauty in his street family that they often cannot see in themselves, and tries to guide the younger ones  teaching the children skills including reading and writing  and urging them to imagine a better future.

They have to believe in something better, but when youre on the streets, its hard to imagine anything else.

Governor of the birds

It was about four years ago, while trying to nurture hope where little seemed to grow, that Magutha says a sign appeared. Beneath a tree on Moi Avenue, he and his street family were sharing donated chips and chicken when a wounded baby black kite stumbled into their circle.

Frail and starving, with its parents nowhere in sight, the bird accepted pieces of their meal and climbed onto Maguthas hand. The two quickly formed a bond.

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Months later, he named the bird Johnson, after Nairobis governor, Johnson Sakaja. Because I saw him as the governor of the other birds, he laughs, as pigeons he has since rescued swoop down to rest lightly on his shoulders.

Magutha and his birds getting off a matatu, local microbuses used as cheap shared transportation in Kenya [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Meeting Johnson marked a turning point for Magutha, giving him purpose and easing the depression that often pervades street life. Johnson became my hope, he says. Despite efforts to release him back into the wild, the bird always resisted. So I decided to keep Johnson as a companion because weve been through a lot together, he says, as the kite flutters onto his head  its familiar perch. Hes a big part of me now.

Before long, other injured, sick, or orphaned birds found their way to Magutha. Over the years, he has cared for five black kites, crows, an owl, marabou storks and pigeons  nursing them back to health before releasing them. At Uhuru Park, he teaches them to take their first flights and hunt.

But Nairobi  once celebrated for its lush canopies  is steadily losing its urban forests, and with them, the birds homes. Entire swaths of trees have been felled for roads and office blocks. Authorities frame it as economic progress, but conservationists warn of rising temperatures, worsening air quality and heightened flood risks.

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Each felled tree means nests destroyed and chicks tumbling to the ground. When the nests fall, the babies are just left there, Magutha explains. Their mothers dont come back because they think maybe a predator attacked them. So far, he has rescued four kites from the wreckage of Nairobis disappearing treescape.

The rescued birds, which once also included an owl balanced on one of his shoulders and a broken-winged marabou stork that constantly trailed him, have made Magutha a spectacle on Nairobis streets, drawing a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Many stop to take photos or approach nervously to touch the birds, with Magutha urging them to let go of their fear.

I like to see people smiling, he tells Al Jazeera with a wide grin. At Jamia Mosque  the city centres main mosque  fellow worshippers gave Magutha, who converted to Islam as a child, the nickname Nabi ya Ndege, Swahili for the bird prophet.

The birds made us less invisible to people, Magutha says. And thats my dream: to make our community visible and to show were just as human as anyone else  and not something to be feared.

Children in Kayole follow Magutha around and help him record videos for social media [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Going viral

While Magutha and his birds had long turned heads among passersby, the June 2024 protests brought a new kind of spotlight.

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Kenyas youth had been simmering with anger after President William Ruto swept into power on promises of jobs, lower living costs and small business loans, only to scrap subsidies and raise taxes.

On June 18  the day parliament was to debate a new finance bill  months of online outrage spilled into the very streets Magutha calls home. As police units massed outside and demonstrators began to gather, Magutha woke from his slumber inside an abandoned building near the National Archives.

Though unaware of the planned march, he decided to join. Im an environmentalist and an advocate for street families, so when I learned what was happening, I knew I had to take part. I want a democratic country and a better future for our generation, Magutha says.

When he stepped into the streets with Johnson on his head and two other kites, Jaimie and Jannie, perched on his shoulders, he instantly drew a crowd. Protesters pulled out phones for selfies, while journalists jostled to interview Magutha.

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This quickly drew the attention of the police. When they saw people crowding around me, they assumed I was a leader, he recalls.

During the days-long demonstrations, which were met with a brutal police crackdown, Magutha was beaten with wooden clubs and shot in the head with a rubber bullet, causing lasting vision problems. He thinks the officer aimed at Johnson, but the bullet hit him when he moved to protect the bird.

In another incident, police fired a tear gas canister directly at his leg, knocking him to the ground. Footage shows his raptors clinging fiercely to him, refusing to budge even as rescuers try to push them aside.

Magutha holds the rubber bullet that struck him during the protests last year, which he retrieved from the scene [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Maguthas image from the protests exploded online. His viral fame, however, brought little opportunity.

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Its like I became visible, but remained invisible at the same time, he says with a disheartened shrug.

Despite the attention, the harsh realities of street life remained. After the protests, Maguthas days went back to scavenging for food or coins, with nights spent curled in a hessian bag on footpaths, in parks, or abandoned buildings.

When youre on the streets, you cant be found easily, Magutha says. Its hard to keep a phone because people steal. So if someone wants to give me clothes or help me, they cant find me.

His notoriety also bred tension among his street family. When someone trends in Kenya, people assume there will be goodies, he explains. But none of that happened for me. As a street person, I didnt get the same benefits another person would. Deep down, I feel guilty  my street family thinks I have money, but Im not helping them.

Dreaming big

Earlier this year, a well-wisher invited Magutha to stay at his home in Kayole, lending him a phone and giving him access to Wi-Fi so he could start creating social media content  something he had long hoped to do to inspire others with his passion for birds and the environment.

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He created Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok accounts, where he shares videos of himself with his birds and documents his environmental work  cleaning rubbish from the nearby Ngong River and planting trees along its banks. Neighbourhood children follow behind him like a second flock, all eager to act as his cameraman.

But Magutha remains in the thick of struggle. In the central business district, supporters often donated meat for his birds; in Kayole, he must buy it himself. To earn money, he spends his days at the nearby dumpsite, sifting plastic from heaps of rotting waste  work that rarely brings in more than $2 a day.

The financial strain recently forced him to release the marabou stork, the owl, and several kites before he felt they were ready.

Magutha teaches children about cleaning the Ngong River. He dreams of one day working in environmental conservation [Jaclynn Ashly/Al Jazeera]

Magutha now keeps just one of the kites, Jaimie, as a companion for Johnson, and also tends to three pigeons.

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His hardships, however, have not dimmed his ambitions. He often looks back on the day he rescued Johnson as a reminder.

[Johnson] was so weak, but remained patient, trusting someone would rescue him, Magutha says, gently lifting the bird from his head, stroking it with quiet affection.

Thats how I am today  patient. Johnson was rescued, so maybe one day I will be, too. Im just waiting for the right time, trusting the process. He was the first to show me hope that things in my life could change.

Magutha dreams of one day building a shelter in Nairobi  one that rescues both people and birds.

The birds and the people I meet on the streets  they are all in a similar situation, he explains. Both are in need of support and care. They are in the same struggle.

He imagines a space where children from the streets can find shelter, food and clothing, and a sense of purpose through caring for rescued birds and the environment. I want to instil a passion for the birds in the street children. I will teach them about the ecosystem, about the climate, about the importance of planting trees and cleaning the rivers.

When I bring them together, it will be like a big family.

At the heart of this dream is a simple philosophy: love.

Everyone always asks me how I tame these wild birds. Its just by showing them love and care, Magutha says. When you show them love and make them feel safe, they give love back. Thats true for birds  and its true for people.
On Thursday, Dec. 11, the National Weather Service (NWS) continued issuing winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories across the U.S., so if you think your round of cold and snow is over, take another look at what's ahead. As for Thursday morning, the NWS announced fresh winter storm ...
A Spanish tourist posted videos on Instagram of close encounters with wild animals at the Ol Jogi Conservancy in the central county of Laikipia in Kenya, most notably pouring beer down an elephant's trunk.

According to the BBC, the privately owned wildlife sanctuary said that the behavior was "unacceptable, dangerous, and completely against our values."

The videos have since been removed, and officials are working to identify the man. The Kenya Wildlife Service is investigating the incident.

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The sanctuary stated that it does not allow visitors to get close to wild animals, but the same individual also posted videos of himself feeding carrots to elephants, stating, "We are on beer time."

The Instagram posts received hundreds of critical comments before they were pulled down.

The elephant has been identified by the sanctuary as Bupa, a friendly male who is often seen in photos shared by visitors. The Ol Jogi Conservancy is home to about 500 elephants and is focused on rehabilitating orphaned animals.

The same man also posted photos of himself feeding rhinos at a nearby sanctuary.

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Approaching the animals in this way is typically a direct violation of sanctuary rules and can put both animals and humans at risk.

Wild animals can be unpredictable, even if they seem calm initially. Tourists have been charged by animals and injured when they got too close. The animals may feel threatened by humans who do not respect their space.

Wildlife sanctuaries help to protect animals and their natural habitats, but interacting with them or getting too close may cause them stress.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Maintaining a respectful distance ensures the safety of both visitors and animals, creating an enjoyable experience for all.

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Kenyan biologist and elephant conservationist Dr. Winnie Kiiru was concerned about the man's actions, both because they put him and the elephant in danger and because of the message it sends to future visitors.

"About 95% of elephants in Kenya are wild, and it is wrong to have social media posts that give the impression that you can get close to the elephants and feed them," Dr. Kiiru told the BBC.

"This should never have happened," commented an Ol Jogi staffer named Frank. "We're a conservation, and we can't allow that to happen."

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OKLAHOMA CITY(KFOR)- Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a shooting at 2700 NE 23rd St. late Saturday night.

OKCPD PIO confirmed authorities arrived to the scene to one male with several gunshot wounds.

The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and is listed in critical condition.

No suspect information is available at this time.

The scene of the shooting is under further investigation.

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KFOR will update as more information arrives.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Oct. 4As a political commentator, I have to rely on my hunches.

That is, until Brian Sanderoff's firm releases a poll, at which point I need to shift more to political science than my political faith.

I've come to learn you can bank on Sanderoff's polling numbers. Time and again, his firm is off by only a few percentage points, if that, from actual election results. His polling methodology has been proven solid election after election, and the Journal is fortunate to have his firm's exclusive insight as we write pre-election stories and commentaries.

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Sanderoff's polling of the Albuquerque mayoral race released Sept. 28 was brutal to the field of candidates. One of them, Daniel Chavez, dropped out of the race last week citing his 1% showing in the poll.

Chavez may have been saving face after an alleged groping incident emerged recently, but in any case, he saw the handwriting on the wall and suspended his campaign in the final weeks of the mayoral race. I was a bit disappointed because Chavez was the only candidate with a bold vision for an NBA-level stadium in Albuquerque, but as Flavor Flav says, "That's the way the ball bounces, G."

Former Sandoval County Deputy Manager Mayling Armijo and former Albuquerque Deputy Fire Chief Eddie Varela polled at 1% and 2%, respectively, among the 514 proven and likely voters surveyed. They should follow Chavez's lead and suspend their campaigns, using what time-sensitive influence they have by throwing their support behind more viable candidates.

Chavez, Armijo and Varela (not another local personal injury law firm, but I like the name in concept) weren't the only candidates to have cold water thrown onto their campaigns. They all got a cold chill, with a whopping 37% of respondents saying they were still undecided in late September when the poll was conducted.

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That does not reflect well on two-term incumbent Mayor Tim Keller, who drew 29% support from poll respondents, or on the other candidates for that matter.

No one is catching fire given the real state of the city, which is under a public safety state of emergency declared by the governor. Keller has a 42% approval rating, with a 47% disapproval rating, according to the Journal poll.

Only 13% of poll respondents described the city as very safe, while 46% said somewhat safe, 27% said somewhat unsafe and 13% said very unsafe. Meanwhile, the city's homeless population has doubled since 2021.

If it weren't for international immigration, our state would have had no population growth over the past five years, the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions conceded last month. More Americans are leaving New Mexico than moving here while deaths outpace births. Our pathetic 1.6% state population growth between 2019 and 2024 was entirely driven by international immigration, state officials admitted, with 30% of New Mexico's immigrant population living in the U.S. without legal permission.

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That's a lot to throw on Keller's shoulders, but he has been mayor of the state's largest city the past eight years.

We can all see the malaise on a daily basis with panhandlers in Albuquerque medians and homeless encampments throughout the city. It's little wonder poll respondents found homelessness and crime as the top issues.

With record numbers of homicides in the city, reaching as high as 121 in 2022, and allowing the Coronado Park homeless encampment to devolve into "the most dangerous place in the state of New Mexico" in Keller's own words, that's a tough record to run on.

Another candidate with disappointing polling numbers was former U.S. attorney for New Mexico Alex Uballez, who drew support from only 6% of poll respondents. Uballez's attempts to out-flank Keller's political left and position himself as Keller's top challenger are coming up way short.

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City Councilor Louie Sanchez, who also drew support from only 6% of respondents, also has to be disappointed. The fierce critic of the Keller administration is coming up short in his hopes of being Keller's top rival.

Darren White, the sole Republican in the mayoral race, was the one candidate to exceed my expectations in the Journal poll.

White, who has a built-in base of GOP voters, placed second in the poll at 16% and is best positioned to make it to a runoff election with Keller, assuming Keller doesn't boost his showing to 50% on Election Day.

"I know I woke up pretty damn pleased Sunday morning (when the Journal poll was published)," White told the Journal Editorial Board on Wednesday. "I'm sure (Keller) didn't.

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"So my position is this. I know that I can make it to the runoff. He's not going to get 51%."

Overall though, the poll showed Keller has his challengers on the ropes while the crowded field is narrowing and time is running out. Early voting for the Nov. 4 election begins Tuesday at county clerk offices and absentee ballots will begin being mailed out this week to voters on the permanent absentee voter list.

"I can win this race," White told us, while committing to not running for re-election if he wins. "He's got a financial advantage, but all the money in the world can't change his record."

Journal polling showed White and Sanchez splitting Republican votes. That's a recipe for defeat for both of them. If Sanchez wants to see a new mayor, he should also see the handwriting on the wall and throw his support behind White.

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White needs every vote he can get as Keller's top challenger. He has to relentlessly curry the 37% of undecided voters over the next four weeks to make the runoff. The undecided voters will determine the winner, at least in the first round of voting.

If there is a runoff in December due to the city's dumb election code, voter turnout will be worse than abysmal, and that works to the advantage of the one candidate with near-100% name recognition, to have qualified for public financing, and with the best political machine, which is Keller.

I saw Keller's first TV ad on Tuesday. "We're doing a lot more than the news media is telling you about," he concludes the ad. I expect to see many more self-congratulatory TV ads from Keller in the coming weeks and few, if any, from his challengers.

My hunches and the science are aligning: It's still Keller's race to lose, despite his underwater job approval rating and the general feeling of malaise in the city. Overcoming Keller's overwhelming financial, name recognition and incumbency advantages would require a political earthquake, but they do happen from time to time.
Multiple Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization, recently met in Egypt to discuss cooperation.

A Palestinian official spoke to Arabic media in the UAE to discuss a recent meeting of Palestinian factions in Cairo.

The interview with Al-Ain is significant as it may reveal what Palestinian groups want for the day after in Gaza. This will be an uphill struggle because Gaza is in ruins, and Hamas will want to cling on behind the scenes. In addition, Israel doesnt want the Palestinian Authority to have a role in Gaza. Israel has also backed armed militias.

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Nevertheless, lets learn what we can from the piece. As eyes await the end of the Israeli war on Gaza, a new phase of political action, led by Cairo, is looming on the horizon to shape the day after in the Strip. The Palestinian groups understand that the post-war period will not resemble the pre-war periodin this context, a Palestinian official revealed to Al-Ain News that a meeting of Palestinian factions is expected to take place in the Egyptian capital to discuss the future of Gaza.

PLO involvement in talks

Wasil Abu Yousef, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee and Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Front, said that Egypt will host a meeting of Palestinian factions and discuss "arrangements for the next day in Gaza.

Wasel Abu Yousef has led the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) since 2007. He was elected to the PLO Executive Committee in 2018. He was born in Hebron in 1953 and was previously a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine  General Command (PFLP-GC), according to a website that profiles Palestinian politicians. During the Second Intifada, he was involved with the National and Islamic Forces (NIF), the site ECFR notes.

Members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) stand guard during a parade marking the annual al-Quds Day, (Jerusalem Day), at Burj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon April 14, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)

Abu Yousef indicated that the upcoming meeting in Cairo will include all Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Egypt is the most acceptable country for all the groups involved Egypt has sought to mediate between Hamas and Fatah, which leads the PA, in the past.

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The meetings in Cairo will address the future of Gaza, requirements for reconstruction and also a way to save the Palestinian people by accelerating the entry of urgent relief and humanitarian aid, lifting the siege, and beginning the reconstruction process. These tasks require unifying ranks and putting the Palestinian house in order.

He added that the goal is to affirm that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. The official noted that the US has objected to the displacement of Palestinians. Some extremist officials in Israel have advocated expelling Palestinians or encouraging them to leave.

The report also mentions Dr. Samir Ghattas, President of the Middle East Forum for Strategic Studies, told Al-Ain News that "Cairo will seek to reunite Palestinian factions to ease divisions after a difficult period of internal disagreements." He noted that regional leaders of Arab and Muslim countries have agreed to Trumps plan and also the establishment of an international oversight body for the Gaza Strip (GITA) during the transitional period. Palestinian factions will not be part of this body, and Hamas will have no role in it."

US President Donald Trump has spoken about a Board of Peace that would include prominent figures such as Tony Blair.

Donald Trump's peace plan

Last Monday evening, US President Donald Trump presented his plan to end the two-year-old war in the Gaza Strip, speaking of the establishment of an international oversight body known as the "Peace Council," which would include prominent figures and world leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. ABC news in Australia recently noted that a leaked document has revealed a possible structure for the so-called "Gaza International Transitional Authority" (GITA) which could take temporary control of the strip once the war ends. GITA will be administered by a multilateral international council.

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Ghattas discussed the possibility that the upcoming meeting would yield tangible results, according to the report. Egypt has said it will host delegations from Israel and Hamas on October 6 to discuss the conditions of the Trump plan. The goal is to end the war in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, which has lasted for two consecutive years, Cairo says. The goal is to build up regional momentum. Meanwhile, a Hamas leader revealed to Agence France-Presse that Egypt "will soon begin preparations and invitations to host and sponsor a comprehensive Palestinian dialogue on national unity and the future of Gaza, including the administration of the Strip through an independent committee or body of experts to manage the interim period until authority is unified across all Palestinian territories.

Overall, the report al Al-Ain leaves many questions open about what comes next. Nevertheless, it shows that Cairo and the Palestinian factions are moving fast to see how they can work together. The last time Palestinian factions met so publicly was in China in July 2024 when 14 factions met.

The 14 factions included Fatah, Hamas, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine  General Command (PFLP-GC), Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Palestinian People's Party, Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, Palestinian National Initiative (PNI), Palestinian Democratic Union, Palestinian Liberation Front, Arab Liberation Front, Palestinian Arab Front and Vanguard for the Popular Liberation War - Lightning Forces. It is not clear how many of these are going to Cairo this week.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military said on Sunday it is reassigning about 200 federalized members of the California National Guard from the Los Angeles area to Portland, Oregon, in a new tactic to fulfill plans announced by President Donald Trump.

The announcement followed a ruling by a federal judge late on Saturday that temporarily blocked Trump from deploying 200 Oregon National Guard troops to the city of Portland, citing a lack of evidence that recent protests necessitated the move.

"At the direction of the President, approximately 200 federalized members of the California National Guard are being reassigned from duty in the greater Los Angeles area to Portland, Oregon to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
The audacity of Qatars demand that Israel apologize for its attack, without offering its own apology for its role in the conflict, exposes the hypocrisy of the international community.

The ongoing bloodshed in Gaza and the Israeli hostage crisis have persisted since October 7, 2023, the day on which Hamas unleashed a brutal and unprecedented attack.

In the latest attempt to bring an end to the conflict, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference at the White House following their latest meeting last Monday to announce what has become known as Trumps peace plan.

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Both leaders praised the plan as historic and delivered an ultimatum to Hamas, warning of consequences if it rejected their 20-point ceasefire and hostage deal.

The proposal aims to end Gazas bloodshed, the agony of hostages in Palestinian captivity, and the suffering of their families, who have been at the forefront of the struggle.

The plan, welcomed by many members of the Arab League, would also facilitate the rebuilding of the war-devastated enclave with support from regional partners who would take part in governing post-Hamas Gaza during a transitional period.

Emir Of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of an emergency Arab-Islamic leaders' summit convened to discuss the September 9 Israeli attack on Hamas on Qatari territory, in Doha, Qatar, September 15, 2025. (credit: Amiri Diwan/Reuters)

Amid the optimism expressed by both leaders, with Trump describing the event as one of the greatest days ever in civilization and thanking Netanyahu for his cooperation in promoting peace in the Middle East," it is safe to assume that such enthusiasm would have been impossible without several key factors.

Israel's political dynamics

Chief among them are the internal political dynamics of Israels ruling coalition, which have repeatedly hindered progress on similar proposals in the past. Far-right elements within the government have threatened to quit if the war ends.

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This time, however, Netanyahus compliance has not stemmed from internal pressure but rather externally, driven by US and regional demands that Israel apologize to Qatar for its attempted targeted killing of senior Hamas officials in Doha in early September.

Alongside Egypt, Qatar has played a central role in mediating indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas. When Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Qatari soil in an attempt to target senior Hamas officials in the Gulf monarchy, Doha announced its withdrawal from mediation efforts in response.

The Israeli attack, widely condemned internationally as a violation of international law and harshly criticized within Israel by Netanyahus political rivals and senior figures in the security establishment, further damaged Israels global standing and credibility, deepening its isolation and leaving Netanyahu politically exposed.

The Qataris, wealthy and experienced in wielding influence through diplomacy and propaganda, notably via Al Jazeera, responded harshly, accusing Israel of violating their sovereignty and threatening retaliation for what they described as an attack on their territory.

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It remains unclear whether the main motive behind the Israeli attack was political or professional. However, it is reasonable to assume that if the incident had not been politically convenient for Netanyahu, he would likely not have apologized to the Qatari prime minister, as reportedly occurred during a three-way call with Doha and Washington. Nor would he have embraced a plan to end the war and sign a hostage deal.

The decision to offer an apology, to the principal sponsor not only of Hamas but of political Islam across the region, is telling. That same supremacist and imperialist ideology has for decades fueled bloodshed, targeted minorities, and perpetuated endless wars throughout the Middle East.

Netanyahu strengthened Hamas

Yet despite Qatars well-known record, Netanyahus relationship with the Gulf monarchy is not new. It dates back at least to 2014, when, as part of his policy to weaken the Palestinian Authority and strengthen Hamas, Netanyahu facilitated the transfer of Qatari cash to Gaza. That money ultimately enabled the terror and atrocities Hamas unleashed on innocent Israeli civilians and communities on October 7.

Nonetheless, the announcement of this peace plan, which appears to politically benefit Netanyahu at a time when his government faces possible collapse, likely would not have been possible without his compliance with Qatars demand for an apology.

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The audacity of Qatars demand that Israel apologize for its attack, without offering its own apology for its central role in the rise and empowerment of a regime that has terrorized millions of Palestinians and violated Israeli sovereignty through the October 7 massacre, raises serious questions.

It exposes not only the hypocrisy of the international community but also the moral erosion of the current Israeli premier, who has repeatedly demonstrated that his political survival outweighs Israels national interests.

From his willingness to funnel billions in Qatari cash to Hamas, to the QatarGate scandal, which raises allegations of treason within the Prime Ministers Office, Netanyahus government, the most right-wing in Israels history, has failed to advance Israels core objectives.

It has neither prevented the growing momentum toward a two-state solution, now being recognized internationally over Israels objections, nor protected its citizens, violating one of Israels fundamental principles: never leaving our own behind.

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Through corruption, cynicism, and moral compromise, this government has only strengthened the regional and global standing of the wealthiest sponsor of terrorism and instability in the world.

While it is crucial to hold Israel to basic human and international norms, it is equally essential to restrain the Qatari regime for its unforgivable role in fueling the ongoing bloodshed of both Palestinians and Israelis. Political Islam, a dangerous ideology that uses religion to justify violence, seize power, and persecute minorities, poses not only a threat to Israel but also to global peace and stability. Its main victims are Muslims, and its primary sponsor is not Tehran, Damascus, or Kabul, but Doha.

The State of Qatar, whose hands are stained with blood, the same crimson color reflected in its flag, must finally be held accountable for its crimes. Not only for the sake of Israel or Western interests, but for the sake of the long-awaited global peace that the Trump peace plan claims to seek.

A state cannot be allowed to host and protect representatives of the worlds most brutal regimes, including the Taliban, and simultaneously claim to be the Mother Teresa of the world.

Eden Barzoabi is a freelance writer, speaker, and political and geopolitical commentator. Shes a student of Government and Sustainability at Reichman University in Herzliya. During the Bennett-Lapid government, she worked as an advisor to government MPs. As an Arab Israeli queer activist, Eden was part of creating the first-ever professional Arab LGBTQ forum in the Knesset to promote the rights and needs of the countrys Arab LGBTQ community. She was also an Independent LGBTQ reporter for Ynet, worked in media, and was a recurring panelist on mainstream Israeli channels.
Severe weather roiled Germany on Sunday, causing damage in some states and injuring several people - though on the coast, windsurfers embraced the conditions.

Roads were closed in many parts of Germany with fallen trees and branches hampering traffic over the weekend.

There was a storm surge on the North Sea coast on Sunday, which severely affected ferry services on the coast of Schleswig-Holstein, but there was no major damage.

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In the southern Black Forest, two people were seriously injured when a falling tree hit their minibus during storms. They were brought to hospital.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, a 38-year-old man was seriously injured while fishing on the Lahn River when a falling branch struck him. He had to be freed by firefighters and was airlifted to a hospital by a rescue helicopter, according to local police.

In the Harz Mountains in Saxony-Anhalt, strong winds hampered the rescue of three people who were seriously injured and two who suffered minor injuries in an accident. The weather prevented the rescue helicopter from deploying, police said, and ambulances were called to the scene.

In Baden-Wurttemberg, the police and fire brigade were called out around 50 times due to fallen trees, with only property damage reported in most cases.

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The storm surge reached the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein as expected, with the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency forecasting water levels in parts of the coastal region to reach up to 2 metres above the average high tide on Sunday.

The German Weather Service said to brace for gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour and rain in the afternoon.

Windsurfers welcome storm

The weather apparently offered good conditions for windsurfers with images shared of athletes venturing into the sea on the North Sea island of Sylt despite the storm.

On the island of Norderney, a storm flooded a campsite, overturning beach chairs as waves went surging into the dunes.

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Some ferry services were cancelled in several of the Baltic and North Sea states.

The Weather Service predicted calmer conditions over the Baltic Sea on Monday.

Unusual rescue operation in Munich

Meanwhile in Munich, in the south, a craftsman was trapped in an apartment on the 13th floor of a new building as a violent gust of wind shut the door. He was rescued by emergency services.

The fire brigade said the apartment door of the as yet unfinished high-rise building had slammed shut with such force that it could not be opened from either the inside or the outside.

Even the fire brigade was initially unable to open the high-security door. Finally, the team brought in an aerial rescue platform and rescued the man unharmed from the balcony at a height of around 47 metres.
The ad was straightforward: Sign up for one year to fight on Russias side in the special military operation zone  i.e. the war in Ukraine  and get citizenship, free healthcare, money and land.

It was one of many promotions cropping up on the messaging platform Telegram beginning in 2024, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin decreed foreign nationals fighting in the armys ranks would receive passports for themselves and their families. Since then, travel agencies and brokers have drawn people from all over the world to join what they call Russias elite international battalion, dangling a raft of benefits to attract would-be recruits.

For Raed Hammad, a 54-year-old Jordanian man who worked as a cab driver until a herniated disk made sitting in a car seat all day untenable, it seemed like the opportunity he never found in his home country. He contacted a Russian businesswoman, Polina Alexandrovna, whose number was on the Telegram ad, and sent his passport information. In August, he received a visa and flight ticket and flew to Moscow.

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Read more: Ukrainian nuclear plant's longest power outage since war began is 'critical' moment

(Other media reports put Alexandrovna's last name as Azarnykh. It's unclear if her name is a pseudonym.)

As a 54-year-old who was sick, he had a hard time finding employment here in Jordan. When he found this job, and they accepted him with a very attractive salary and benefits, he didnt think twice, said Lamees Hammad, his wife, in a tearful video address she posted on social media in September. Because of his age, Lamees Hammad added, her husband assumed he would work as a driver or a cook; she insisted he repeatedly confirmed with Alexandrovna that he wouldnt serve on the front line.

"He wanted to provide for our kids, to give them what he couldn't give them in the past," Lamees Hammad said. Hammad is a father of four sons, the youngest of whom is 13.

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But days after signing a 17-page army contract that Hammad couldnt read  he was denied a Russian translator and wasnt given access to WiFi to translate using his phone, according to his wife  he found himself bunkered in a drone-stalked forward position somewhere in Russian-occupied southeastern Ukraine.

Hes facing all kinds of danger ... If a rifle is raised in his face, he cant even run. Theyre being treated like livestock over there, Lamees Hammad said in a recent interview with a Jordanian TV channel, adding that Hammad contacted Alexandrovna and begged to break his contract but was told he would have to pay 500,000 rubles  almost $6,000  to do so.

Russian military personnel, draped in Russian flags, appear after a prisoner swap with Ukraine on June 24. (Russian Defense Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Accurate figures are hard to come by, but its clear that Hammad isnt alone in fighting under Russias banner for benefits, with estimates putting the number of foreign fighters in Russian army ranks in the tens of thousands. Many come from disadvantaged countries in the Middle East, Africa and South and East Asia.

Some 2,000 Iraqis are thought to have enlisted, but press reports indicate thousands joining from Egypt, Algeria, Yemen and Jordan. Fighters from Nepal, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cuba and Syria, who in the past came in significant numbers, are no longer allowed to join, according to the Russian defense ministry.

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Foreigners have also served on the opposing side, with Ukrainian officials stating in the past that roughly 20,000 fighters from 50 countries joined Ukraines International Legion, including around 3,000 Iraqis.

In the Russian military, many of the enlisted foreigners came to Russia first as students, but their visas lapsed and they do not want to return home. A significant number also travel to Moscow on tourist visas after they are approved by the military. Once in Russia, they visit offices of companies like Alexandrovnas and sign a contract with the Russian ministry of defense; others are met by a broker and a Russian officer at the airport.

Offers vary, but recruits can receive a signing bonus of 1.5 million rubles (around $17,000), and depending on where they fight, get a monthly salary ranging between $2,500 to $3,500  a life-changing amount in countries like Egypt, where the average salary barely exceeds $300.

Training lasts four to six weeks and includes language instruction so foreigners can follow basic commands in Russian. They receive citizenship soon after they join, and are given a two-week paid vacation six months into their one-year deployment. If they are killed or wounded, their families can claim the money and citizenship.

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Read more: Ukraines president says the world is in 'the most destructive arms race in history'

Among the recruitment ads, which appear in Arabic and other languages, Alexandrovnas channel keeps up a steady rhythm of posts extolling the Russian armys victories in Ukraine.

Alexandrovna herself appears in several photos taken with recruits when they first land in Russia; others depict foreign soldiers after they receive their citizenship, smiling to the camera and proudly showing off their passports. Her clients appear to be mostly from the Arab world and parts of Africa.

Each of my soldiers is a source of pride, she writes in one post, saying that they add to the victory against the neo-Nazis from Ukraine.

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Every soldier must proudly and steadfastly defend the new homeland of Russia, because Russia becomes a new homeland for each of them! she writes.

Despite the risks, theres no lack of interest: A look on Alexandrovnas Telegram channel, titled Friend of Russia and featuring a picture of Putin, shows more than 22,000 subscribers. Another channel, run by an Iraqi man who calls himself Bahjat, has almost 30,000.

Members of a thousands-strong Telegram community group run by an Iraqi with the nickname Abbass the Supporter  who served in the Russian military for three years but now works as a broker and answers questions about deployments on his TikTok channel  participate in chats asking how quickly they can get their visa and travel.

When contacted by The Times, Alexandrovna denied giving false information to would-be recruits but did not answer detailed questions about Hammad. Nevertheless, its unclear how Hammad concluded he would serve in rear positions: Most ads on Alexandrovnas channel explicitly say foreigners must fight in Ukraine, with no mention of being able to join as a driver or cook, and in any case, those decisions are made by the defense ministry.

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The E-visa form inquires about military experience. Bahjat, who spoke on condition of only giving his first name, said those coming to the Russian army from abroad should expect to go into combat, and that breaking the contract risks imprisonment.

Read more: NATO faces tricky balance after wave of Russian airspace violations near Baltic

What, you think a country is going to give you money and citizenship so you come and cook? he said in a WhatsApp chat.

Ill give it to you straight. Everyone coming here is going to the frontline and to the war. Anyone saying otherwise is speaking nonsense.

The Jordanian ministry did not answer questions about Hammad, but legal experts say governments have little recourse to repatriate their citizens if they signed a contract, unless they can prove they did so under duress.

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Lamees Hammad has been pleading with Jordans King Abdullah and government officials to communicate with the Russian foreign ministry and to bring her husband home. But in the meantime, she said, she hoped the Jordanian government would at least block Telegram channels like Alexandrovnas to prevent others from following in Hammads steps.

People should know if they do this, she said, theyre going to their death.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday recommended renaming the Namma Metro to 'Basava Metro' to honour the 12th-century social reformer Basavanna. Addressing a public gathering, CM Siddaramaiah said that he would forward the proposal to the Central government. In a post on X, CM Siddaramaiah said if it were entirely a state government project, he would have declared it as such immediately. https://x.com/siddaramaiah/status/1974772750729568588 "I will recommend to the central government to name our metro as "Basava Metro." If this were entirely a state government project, I would have announced it as "Basava Metro" today itself. We have many castes and many religions among us. In the Chaturvarna system, we are placed in the fourth position," he said. Stating that he has been an admirer of Basavanna, CM Siddaramaiah said, "My belief is that Basava's principles are eternal and relevant--not just in the past, not just today, but forever. Basavanna preached coexistence and tolerance throughout his life, and I follow this as well. On the day of Basava Jayanti, when I took the oath as Chief Minister, I resolved to fulfil Basavanna's aspirations of providing equal opportunities for all to live." The Chief Minister underlined the government's initiatives inspired by Basavanna's principles. "Through numerous welfare schemes and guarantees, I have ensured opportunities for the poor of all castes and religions. For this very reason, I have made it mandatory to place Basavanna's portrait in all government offices. By declaring him the cultural leader of Karnataka, the entire government has paid tribute to Basavanna," he said. Tracing his personal connection with Basavanna, Siddaramaiah said, "Since my days as a law student, I have been a follower of Basavanna. Dr. Ambedkar, too, reflected Basavanna's aspirations in his Constitution. Thus, the Constitution and the Sharana culture are one and the same. Our government is conducting a campaign to read the preamble of the Constitution." (ANI)
Sedona's City Council unanimously voted on Sept. 9 to sever its contract with Flock Safety and remove 11 automated license plate recognition cameras, intended to aid police investigations, from around the city.

"The public has told us overwhelmingly they don't want them. I have offered to speak with some people and say, 'Is there some middle ground approach that would satisfy you? Fewer cameras? Less data retention?' and the overwhelming response has been, 'No,'" Councilmember Derek Pfaff said.

"Time is money, as they say. I really don't want to throw good money after bad, so I think we should just shut this thing down, take down the cameras," Pfaff added.

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In March 2025, Sedona entered into a two-year contract with Flock Group Inc. for automated license plate recognition services to the city, joining in on a cooperative purchasing agreement with Tempe.

At an Aug. 13 City Council meeting, it was decided that more information regarding data storage, retention, and usage would need to be provided before the license plate recognition technology could be used.

Along with concerns about Flock Security's data policies and use of artificial intelligence, some community members were upset by the lack of public awareness before the decision to install the license plate readers. At the Aug. 13 meeting, they said the city's process had been secretive and a step toward a surveillance state.

A Flock Safety security camera system. Photo Provided by Flock Safety

A few said the license plate readers would not be an issue for them if the public had been notified about the project in advance, but the lack of transparency and encroachment into residential communities made them uncomfortable.

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Others said they believed the license plate readers were a good idea and should have been installed a long time ago.

Sedona receives over 3 million visitors annually, according to police. Supporters of the readers said they would be a valuable asset in investigations, given the large number of people entering and exiting the city.

One resident, Sandy Boyce, organized livefreeaz.com as a way to connect with other Sedona residents and spread information about decisions being made regarding license plate readers in Sedona.

"One day they're not there, and then the next day there are all these poles with these creepy-looking cameras all over," Boyce said. "And I mean, Sedona only has 10,000 people, and the median age is 59. You know, it's not like we have marauding gangs of senior citizens."

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Boyce believed people all over Arizona should call into question their cities' use of Flock Safety license plate readers and highlighted opposition from across the political spectrum.

"We don't have to just look at them and be annoyed; we can actually do something," Boyce said.

What is Flock Safety?

Flock Safety, founded in 2017, specializes in automated license plate recognition, video surveillance, and gunfire locator systems. The company operates these systems under contract with law enforcement agencies, neighborhood associations, and private property owners.

Flock Safety works with over 6,000 law enforcement agencies in 49 states across the United States, according to its website.

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Flock Safety's license plate readers are attached to poles near neighborhoods, schools and shopping centers, taking photos of every car that passes.

The system logs license plate information, vehicle characteristics and timestamps. Police can log into a dashboard and search by plate number, make, model or even bumper stickers.

Why is this technology controversial?

The biggest controversy surrounding Flock Safety centers around allegations that law enforcement agencies have abused the company's technology to target women, immigrants and people engaged in activity.

Debates on mass surveillance were sparked when law enforcement in Texas used Flock Safetys national lookup tool to search cameras across state lines in a missing person case involving a woman who had self-administered an abortion.

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Audit logs showed search terms including had an abortion, search for female.

This triggered an investigation in Illinois, which revealed that Texas officers had used Flock Safety's national lookup tool to pull data from cameras in states where abortion is legal, violating local protections.

Flock Safety denied wrongdoing. However, the company has since blocked certain search terms, cut off blanket access for federal agencies and paused federal pilot programs, including with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Do any other cities use Flock Safety?

Over 65 law enforcement agencies in Arizona currently use automated license plate recognition, including municipal police departments, county sheriffs' offices, universities and tribal agencies.

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According to the Sedona Police Department, the following agencies had contracts with Flock Safety:

Arizona Department of Public Safety

Phoenix Police Department

Tucson Police Department

Scottsdale Police Department

Gila River Police Department

Yavapai, Maricopa, Navajo and Pima county sheriffs' offices

What is Flock Safety's data retention policy?

Data collected by Flock Safety devices is encrypted and stored in the cloud for 30 days before it is deleted, according to the companys website. There is no mechanism for recovering data once it has been deleted, Flock Safety states on its website.

"Data is stored in order to ensure that evidence is preserved, when necessary, for the investigation of a crime. While we, and most public officials, dont believe that this data needs to be stored forever, it is necessary to save it for a period of time so that when crime occurs, investigators can use the Flock system as intended and retrieve objective investigative evidence," Flock Safety's website said.

Who owns the data captured by Flock Security license plate reader cameras?

According to Flock Safetys website, customers retain sole ownership of their data.

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"Flock maintains a limited license to access the customer data for the sole purpose of providing our services. Flock does not own customer data and, as a result, does not maintain records of customer data after the retention period," its website added.

How it started: Short-term rentals have changed Sedona

What information does a Flock license plate reader camera capture?

According to Flock Safety, license plate reader cameras do not collect any personal information related to individuals and only capture the following vehicle data:

Make of the vehicle.

License plate number.

Body type (sedan, SUV, pickup truck, etc.)

Vehicle color.

License plate state.

Whether the vehicle is a resident or nonresident.

Type of plate (standard or temporary).

Missing plates.

Other identifiers (roof rack, window stickers, toolboxes and more).

USA Today reporter Jennifer Jolly contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sedona rejects license plate readers, ends contract with Flock Safety
WASHINGTON  Growing up in a conservative and religious family in Arizona, Matt R. Salmon was desperate not to be gay.

He prayed, fasted, read scripture and pleaded with God to change him.

Even at other kids birthday parties, when they were blowing out their birthday candles, I would try to make my wish before they could, to try and steal it, Salmon, now 37, recounted.

When that didnt work, he agreed at age 18 to see a counselor he was told could help.

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Not only did his attraction to men not go away, but Salmon said he absorbed the therapists message that something was deeply wrong with him. Although hes worked hard to undo those two years of what he called psychological abuse, Salmon said he still feels so hurt and, to this day, broken by the experience.

So he was stunned when the Supreme Court said it would decide whether Colorados ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors violates a counselors free speech rights.

Licensed professionals dont have free speech, said Salmon, now a psychiatrist and counselor himself in Washington, DC. You dont just get to say whatever you want.

More: Supreme Court takes up challenge to Colorado's ban on `conversion therapy' for LGBTQ+ minors

People hold rainbow-colored umbrellas and flags at a demonstration on Dec. 4, 2024, as the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments over a challenge to Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.

A top Supreme Court case this term

In one of their biggest cases of the term, the justices will debate Oct. 7 whether the First Amendment allows states to regulate treatments like talk therapy.

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Kaley Chiles, the licensed counselor challenging Colorados ban, said the law is preventing her from communicating messages that some people  including those who believe they were born in the wrong body  are interested in.

The law, she said, allows her to support adolescents who wants to transition to another gender but not to help them accept their assigned sex at birth.

Clients would like to hear a message of hope that you can have struggles with your body in a variety of ways and you can actually grow in peace and comfort with the body that youre in, Chiles said. She views her work as an outgrowth of her Christian faith.

Colorado licensed counselor Kaley Chiles is challenging the state's ban on "conversion therapy" for minors.

Trump administration backs Christian counselor

Chiles has the backing of the Trump administration.

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The Justice Department has told the Supreme Court that Colorado is muzzling one side of an ongoing debate in the mental-health community about how to discuss questions of gender and sexuality with children.

More: President Trump's winning streak at the Supreme Court is about to get tested

Colorado argues that states have long had the ability to protect patients by regulating health care, and the evidence is clear that trying to change someones sexual orientation or gender identity doesnt work and can lead to depression, anxiety, loss of faith, and suicidality.

So-called conversion therapy is an inhumane and abusive practice overwhelmingly shown to harm young people, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement. We have a compelling interest in protecting children from this dangerous pseudoscience.

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Chiles can use a variety of therapeutic techniques to help minors, including those who dont want to act on same-sex attractions, the state says. But counselors cant seek the predetermined outcome of changing a minors sexual orientation or gender identity.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 05, 2022.

Myth that conversion therapy is an `artifact of history'

The American Psychiatric Association in 1973 stopped classifying homosexuality as a mental illness.

Having same- or multi-gender attractions, behaviors, and desires, as well as transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse identities and expressions, is a healthy feature found in every society and culture, a coalition of major medical and psychological professional associations told the Supreme Court in a brief supporting Colorados law.

Still, in 2023, The Trevor Project  an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ people  said it found more than 600 professional counselors who say they can help alter someones sexual orientation or gender identity. (The group identified hundreds more unlicensed counselors who operate through a religious capacity and are not covered by laws like Colorados.)

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There is a myth out there that conversion therapy is an artifact of history, said Casey Pick, senior director of law and policy at The Trevor Project.

What has changed over time is the approach.

More: From 'hate state' to pioneer, Colorado has another LGBTQ+ case at Supreme Court

Talk therapy most common form of conversion practices

Historically, there were a wide range of inventions. Those included averse techniques, such as using bad smells, electric shocks or other negative feedback to try to train the patient to not have homosexual thoughts.

Today, talk therapy is most common, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, a think tank that researches sexual orientation and gender identity issues.

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Salmon said his counselor suggested his attraction to men was his fathers fault because his job kept him away from home a lot, causing Salmon to identify more with his mother.

He convinced me that my parents were part of the problem, Salmon said. He put a wedge between us.

A transgender male who testified before the Colorado state Legislature said his therapist encouraged him to wear skirts, hose, heels and cosmetics to develop my femininity.

My parents were blamed for not instilling this in my upbringing, Francis Lyon told a legislative committee in 2019.

More: Justice Alito still doesn't like court's gay marriage decision but said it's precedent

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, on June 27, 2023, signs executive orders expanding protections for LGBTQ Arizonans by allowing state employees to access gender-affirming surgery and severing any official involvement with so-called conversion therapy.

About half the states restrict 'conversion therapy'

Starting in 2013, California and New Jersey led the way in trying to prevent conversion therapy.

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More than 20 states have restricted the practice through laws  including some that were backed by Republican governors. A handful of other states have used executive orders or regulatory agencies to attack the issue.

In 2015, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made a case for eliminating the use of conversion therapy among youth.

There is limited research on conversion therapy efforts among children and adolescents; however, none of the existing research supports the premise that mental or behavioral health interventions can alter gender identity or sexual orientation, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in its report.

The Trump administration has since added a disclaimer to the federal website referencing that report, saying a court order required the page be maintained by the Health Department but, This page does not reflect reality and therefore the Administration and this Department reject it.

President Donald Trump gestures, as he signs an executive order banning transgender girls and women from participating in women's sports, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., Feb. 5, 2025.

`Simply practicing speech-only counseling'

Chiles, likewise, argues that issues related to sex and sexuality are not as settled as Colorado claims.

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Her attorney, Jim Campbell, said Colorado is pointing to studies that lump together the kind of counseling Chiles wants to do with shock therapy and other aversive treatments that have been used in the past.

Chiles is simply practicing speech-only counseling, said Cambell, chief legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization that has appeared frequently at the court in recent years in cases involving high-profile social issues.

If you go through the seminal (American Psychological Association) report that they have included, it says over and over again that there is no evidence that this kind of counseling causes harm, he said.

Protestors and supporters gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 8, 2019 in Washington as the justices hear three challenges from New York, Michigan and Georgia involving workers who claim they were fired because they were gay or transgender.

Pyschological association says report being mischaracterized

The American Psychological Association says Chiles is mischaracterizing key aspects of the associations 2009 report on conversion therapy that found its ineffective and can be harmful.

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While the report noted a lack of published research about the effects on minors, thats because of the difficulty of doing clinical studies without harming children by subjecting them to the change efforts, the group told the Supreme Court in a brief supporting Colorados law.

"Our finding in 2009, and subsequently in 2021, is that these sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts have no track record of being effective," said Deanne Ottaviano, the APAs general counsel. "But they do have a good record, based on self-reported evidence, of causing harm  depression, and suicidality and loneliness and other adverse psychological concerns."

Justices could be swayed by debate over evidence

That may not be persuasive to a majority of the justices.

When the Supreme Court in June allowed Tennessee to ban gender affirming care for minors, the conservative majority seemed swayed by what Chief Justice John Roberts called the open questions about the benefits and harms of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth.

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And some legal experts say the court might again worry that a medical issue is being driven by politics, rather than science.

There could well be a concern among a majority of the justices that whats really going on here is a desire to kind of pick a side, said veteran Supreme Court attorney Roman Martinez, and to pick a side in a way thats at odds with First Amendment principles.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The future of conversion therapy may depend on this Supreme Court case
While investigating everything from bizarre coincidences to ghoulish encounters, Sarah Knapton, our Science Editor, and Joe Pinkstone, our Science Correspondent, have found that apparently supernatural experiences tend to have perfectly rational explanations.

Now they want to help you out.

Every Sunday, theyll be demystifying your most bizarre personal stories, using science, psychology and a bit of common sense to find logic behind the madness  although sometimes a bit of mystery remains.

Today, our duo investigate an uncanny moment in Africa...

During the 1980s I had business reasons to visit Nairobi quite regularly. With the BA return flight being very late, I would generally arrange to hire a car and have three-quarters of an hour tripping around the Nairobi game park.

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At Hippo Pools there was a rough car park, and always an askari with a 303 rifle in attendance.Jambo Bwana was always our exchange, before walking about 80m to a pool, where, perhaps luckily, I never encountered a hippo or anything. In fact, during all my visits, I never saw any big cats.

On what turned out to be my last ever visit, it was raining when I reached Hippo Pools  no askari. I hopped out regardless and walked down the track. At about 40m along, every hair on my neck rose. I stopped, turned around, and walked steadily back to my car. Unlocked the car, got in, slammed the door, and shook wildly. A close shave? No idea, however, it was the first time I really thanked the Lord for his timely intervention!

Joe and Sarah answer:

Jambo Bwana, MikeD, and thank you for sharing your story.

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The inexplicable mystery we can tackle here is the reason you, seemingly without stimulus, retreated back to your car after being overwhelmed out of the blue.

But the real cliffhanger (which sadly cant be solved without a time machine) is if there was, in fact, a real and present danger. Was there a lurking big cat? Were hippos at the pool?

This known unknown means we have a couple of investigations to puzzle out here.

Firstly, what could have caused such a visceral reaction in you if there was no threat nearby? And secondly, what if there was a would-be predator in the vicinity?

To get the lay of the land, its clear that you were familiar with the route, destination and terrain. So much so that the length of the drive, the distance to the pool from the car park, and the type of rifle wielded by the guard remain prescient details in your anecdote decades later.

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And Hippo Pools in Kenya is, to this day, a hippo-spotting hotspot. And it is no mystery quite how dangerous hippos are.

Their bite is almost three times as strong as that of a lion and with their large tusks and a jaw able to open 150 degrees, they can cleave a man in half in one bite.

They are for good reason known as Africas most dangerous animal and the area around Hippo Pools is also frequented by lions and other big cats as well as crocodiles.

There is no mystery as to why hippos are considered the most dangerous animal in Africa

With such dangerous animals around, the usual presence of an armed askari was prudent. And, for our purposes, the fact that you know all of this is also very relevant.

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On your fateful visit, the key safety blanket of the askari was not present and this inevitably heightened your anxiety.

Halfway down the path, in the rain and with no doubt reduced visibility, you were approaching the point of no return to the watering hole without the askari nearby.

Subconsciously, you are cognisant of the fact that you are in a dangerous place, alone and vulnerable. It may be familiar surroundings, but its a different proposition on this visit compared to the others.

For the first time on this walk, you are uncertain as to the safety of the trip, and what is out there. This uncertainty can lead to real fear and trigger the fight or flight response.

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Uncertainty has the ability to itself be terrifying. A study by the University of Reading in 2015 proved that some people are more bothered by uncertainty than others and perhaps you are towards the upper end of this spectrum.

In this situation, the ambiguity of the surroundings likely triggered neurons to fire between two regions of the brain  the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC).

The amygdala is responsible for responding to fear and activating fight or flight and the vmPFC is involved in how we learn to turn this alarm off.

Every hair on your neck standing up is a classic sign that the amygdalas fear overruled the vmPFC, which can keep us calm, and fight-or-flight was activated.

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This also aligns with another finding from the Reading study that when this happens, people remain on high alert for a while after the initial fear begins.

People with a high level of intolerance to uncertainty stay in this state for some time, and this marries up with your continued shaking once back in a locked car.

So, it is likely not divine intervention that saved you in Kenya, but a subconscious fear of the unknown triggering your amygdala.

However, that being said, we do not know if there was a hungry big cat or three tonnes of grumpy hippopotamus nearby.

There is contested evidence to suggest that people are able to detect when they are being watched

So, to run the counterfactual, what if there was actually an animal watching you? Could you have somehow detected this and responded accordingly?

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Science has evidence that being watched changes how things behave. Birds eat less when watched by people, for example.

And the famous quantum physics double-slit experiment shows that observation changes behaviour even at a subatomic level.

A stream of electrons, if left unobserved, acts like a wave. But if observed, they behave completely differently and as individual particles.

Some scientists think a similar observer effect exists in animals.

There is some contested evidence which suggests a latent ability in prey animals to detect when they are being watched.

Prof Rupert Sheldrake, a parapsychologist, says this happens in people too, and could explain what happened at Hippo Pools.

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This is just the kind of reaction that someone might have if being watched by a hidden predator, but in this case we dont know if there was one or not, he told The Telegraph when presented with your tale.

The sense of being stared at occurs not only in people but also in many mammal and bird species, and it may well have evolved in the context of predator-prey relations.

A potential prey animal that could feel the look of a predator would stand a better chance of surviving than one that did not.

Either way, something undoubtedly triggered your fight or flight response, and it is unlikely to be a deitys hand at work.

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Whether the response was caused by the fear of the unknown or a subconscious detection of being watched by a predator, we will never know.

Verdict: Explicable

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.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesia revoked a suspension on TikTok's local operating license after the Chinese-owned social media platform shared data requested by the government on its live streaming activity during recent deadly protests.

On Friday Indonesia's Communication and Digital Affairs temporarily suspended TikTok's license, citing a violation of obligations as a private electronic system operator. TikTok had refused to provide complete data on user activity, particularly during protests between Aug. 25-30.

In a letter on Sept. 23, TikTok told the ministry its internal policies prevented it from fully complying with the data request, according to a statement released by the ministry's website on Friday.

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Deadly protests erupted across the worlds third-largest democracy in late August to protest lawmakers privileges and police brutality. Ten people were killed. Escalating violence in Indonesia prompted TikTok to voluntarily suspend its live streaming capacity on Aug. 30 before resuming it several days later when tensions waned, citing measures to keep the platform a safe and civil space.

The suspension of TikToks license raised concerns on social media about protections for free speech under President Prabowo Subiantos administration because of the former generals checkered past during the dark days of Indonesias dictatorship era.

But the ministrys Director General of Digital Space Supervision, Alexander Sabar, said the government need the data to trace accounts tied to online gambling that monetized TikToks live stream feature during the protests. He also said the suspension was an effort to enforce the law and build a trusted digital ecosystem.

Despite the license suspension, TikTok was still accessible in Indonesia on Friday.

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TikTok previously said it would respect the laws and regulations in the countries where it operates, including Indonesia, and was working with the ministry to resolve this issue constructively.

TikTok has submitted data related to traffic escalation and monetization activity of its Live during the requested period, Sabar said in a statement on Saturday, Based on the fulfillment of its obligations, the government ended the temporary suspension and reactivated TikTok's license as a registered electronic system provider.
Following a mini-Covid surge at the end of summer, numbers for the virus, flu and RSV are low, but winters coming and thats when the surging usually begins, said Dr. Scott Roberts, medical director for Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Health.

Levels are good, but its early, said Roberts.

Soon, as colder weather comes, people will be inside more with poor ventilation, low humidity in the air and with added people that holiday gatherings bring, Roberts said.

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Its impossible to predict the sicknesses that could ensue, he said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map that shows Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report Prepared by the Influenza Division on Friday show Connecticut at a minimal rate of flu, but the state was slightly higher than other New England states.

In CDC data last updated on September 25, 2025 and presented through September 20, 2025, the Wastewater Viral Activity Level for covid in Connecticut was list as very high.

Roberts recommends people get vaccinated for covid, which Connecticut has made it easy to do. There are also vaccines for flu and RSV.

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The covid vaccine is FDA approved for people 65 years old and older and for those under that age with co-morbidities, he said.

In Connecticut the recommendation is everyone six months and older be vaccinated, according to a statement from from Gov. Ned Lamonts office.

Lamont recently announced a series of executive actions to ensure any Connecticut resident who wishes to be vaccinated have access to vaccines and that coverage under state-regulated health insurance policies remains uninterrupted.

A statement from Lamonts office announced the measures, In the face of recent actions within the federal government that have created uncertainty in the ability of Americans to access COVID-19 vaccines during the upcoming respiratory virus season.

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He also said, We will not allow gridlock in Washington to put the people of our state at risk.

Connecticuts COVID cases had been rising throughout the summer, reaching levels in August not seen since February, according to the Department of Public Health, CT Mirror reported.

Wastewater surveillance, which tests for COVID-19 concentration in wastewater, saw an increase in late July and at the end of August, otherwise remaining low through the early summer, The Mirror reported.

Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, DPH recently released interim guidance for the 2025-2026 season emphasizing that vaccination remains the most effective defense against severe COVID-19, the statement said.

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The guidance is similar to those issued in previous years, recommending that children six months and older receive the vaccine, as well as adults of all ages.

If youre healthy, youre probably going to be okay, Roberts said of covid.

Roberts said its hard to tell the difference between COVID, RSV and flu without a test because so many of the symptoms overlap.

Aside from covid tests there are combination tests that can be good to keep on hand such as a covid/flu test and even a test for all three that can be more difficult to find, but can be ordered on Amazon. One vaccine finder site is: https://www.easyvax.com/0.
Millions of tourists visit Belgium yearly, many of whom throng to popular cities like Brussels and Bruges. However, people who prefer destinations with fewer crowds often go to a city like Liege instead. Considered one of the liveliest cities in Belgium, Liege is a laid-back and lesser known destination located in Wallonia, a French-speaking region along the Meuse River. And it's easy to reach for travelers flying into Brussels Airport  with just about an hour's journey by train.

Here, you'll find Gothic churches, and one of the country's most famous staircases  the Montagne de Bueren, which contains 374 steps that give you a panoramic view of the city. You may also drift through La Boverie museum as an art lover, or gain an unadulterated feel of the local culture through its festivals or markets such as Marche de la Batte (the largest and most famous market in Liege. Also, the Carre district brims with bars, clubs, and cafes, day and night.

Certainly, both daytime and nighttime bear a promise of excitement for tourists in Liege. But night activities may require caution security-wise. Moving around this city after dark can be quite dangerous, because there's been a growing rate of robberies, assaults, vandalism, and illegal drug activity in recent times, especially with the problem of unemployment bedeviling the city. In fact, the city's crime index currently stands at 60.20, while its safety index is just 39.80 (according to Numbeo). A more specific analysis pegs the safety level when walking alone during the day at 62.57, whereas the figure is only 28.03 for solo walking at night.

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Read more: 10 Dangerous Cities You Should Never Visit Alone

Safety warnings from tourists and locals alike

Criminal snatched a young woman's bag - PeopleImages/Shutterstock

For context, the current crime rate of Liege is surprisingly much higher than that of Belgium as a whole, which has 49.62 and 50.38 crime and safety indexes respectively. Now, not just travelers, but even locals admit the crime situation in Liege is worsening. In an r/belgium thread bluntly titled "Liege is getting worse," one Redditor, Adelaiderevived, who noted that they were born in Liege, confirmed that "it's not a safe city and its really depressing sometimes."

In the same light, the creator of the thread  whose partner is Belgian  also noted: "We couldn't go down most of the streets because junkies were eying up our handbags. Basically was told by Belgians to absolutely avoid liege city center at night for safety."

Even visitors who go to Liege for business purposes are not left out of the conversation. In a Tripadvisor review with the heading "Be a Little More Careful in the Evening," one traveler (twodotlow) noted that they went to Liege on business, only for them to realize the unexpected: "Some of our colleagues have been mugged and some beaten after dark walking back to the hotel." All of these simply go to show why tourists need to be careful when visiting this less-touristy Belgian destination.

How to enjoy Liege while staying safe

Skyline of Liege, Belgium seen from top of staircase -  Allard Schager/Getty Images

The security concerns surrounding Liege don't necessarily make it unworthy of visits. You can still savor its scintillating art, culture, and cuisine without compromising your peace of mind. The best way to feel safer when you travel to Liege? Simply consider the city as a place best enjoyed during the day, but best avoided during the night  and you'd be good to go.

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If for any reason, you have to head out in the evening, make sure you're never alone, and be careful of long conversations with strangers. Also, avoid walking long distances when it's getting dark; instead, use taxis  and always keep valuable items away from plain sight. In case you choose to experience the Carre district's lively nightlife (though it's safer not to), do so with caution, and make sure to pick reputable bars. Generally, it's wise to avoid dim alleyways or backstreets. Needless to say, well-lit areas are your best bet. Since French is the language here, learning a bit of French can also be a security-conscious move.

Regarding accommodations, there's a wide range of options depending on what you want and your budget. But if you'd like to be closer to restaurants, attractions, and public transport, the best would be the ones around well-trafficked areas like Saint-Lambert or Guillemins Station (which is the main train hub connecting the city directly to places like Brussels, Cologne, and Paris). Some highly-rated hotels on TripAdvisor such as Hotel de la Couronne and Lafarques can be as low as $80 or as much as $300.

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets.

Read the original article on Explore.
The Trump administration has authorized the activation of 300 National Guard troops for operations in Chicago, following weeks of immigration raids in the city and threats from the White House to deploy the military.

The announcement came as protests against immigration policies and federal agents continue in Chicago and one person was shot. The National Guard is being called up against the wishes of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. The military will be sent to protect federal personnel and property, according to a statement from a White House spokesperson sent to multiple outlets.

Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets, the statement by White House spokesman Abigail Jackson, released Saturday afternoon, said.

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Pritzker said earlier in the day that the White House had given him an ultimatum to deploy the National Guard to Chicago or they would be federalized. Writing in the early afternoon on social media, Pritzker said that the Trump Administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.

The White House statement did not specify what units the troops would be drawn from or under what authority they would be activated. Task & Purpose reached out to U.S. Northern Command, the Pentagon and the White House about this but has not yet heard back. A spokesperson for U.S. Northern Command directed questions to the Pentagon. The Pentagon directed questions to the White House.If federalized under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, as Trump has done previously with the California and Oregon National Guards, they would be under the federal military control and prohibited from carrying out any law enforcement activity.

The move follows the deployment of the National Guard to other cities around the country, under the mission of protecting federal agents and property. Troops have also been activated and sent to Washington, D.C. and Memphis under the claim they are being sent to help fight crime, even in cities where crime is at a record low.

Trump had repeatedly threatened to send the National Guard and other elements of the military into Chicago for the past several months. In early September, he posted an image inspired by the war film Apocalypse Now, writing that Chicago about to find out why its called the Department of War, referring to the administrations unofficial nickname for the Department of Defense.

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Federal agents have already flooded into Chicago over the last month. On Sept. 8, federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security, including elements of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol, launched Operation Midway Blitz, with many using the nearby Naval Station Great Lakes as a staging area. Theyve arrested more than 1,000 people since then, the department said on Friday. There have been extensive protests against the federal presence, including outside the ICE facility in Broadview, with authorities deploying tear gas and pepper balls at demonstrators.

Top Stories This Week

News Soldiers under misconduct investigation wont see careers stall under new Army policy By Patty Nieberg News Hegseth announces troops in combat jobs have to meet highest male physical standards By Jeff Schogol, Patty Nieberg News Longest-serving active duty Marine to retire after 42 years By Drew F. Lawrence

So far two people have been shot by Department of Homeland Security agents in the Chicago area since it began; one last month and one earlier today. One woman was shot today after allegedly ramming a car into federal vehicles, leading U.S. Border Patrol to open fire. A spokesperson for DHS said the woman drove away and took herself to a hospital; the Chicago Fire Department said that she was found and transported to a hospital by authorities.

Last weekend the administration revealed plans to federalize 200 Oregon National Guard soldiers to deploy to Portland, with the president claiming it was a war ravaged city despite calm and limited protests at one ICE facility. On Saturday afternoon a federal judge granted a 14-day temporary restraining order preventing the deployment of the Guard into the city.
President Donald J. Trumps comprehensive plan for peace in Gaza has galvanized an extraordinary wave of international support, hailed by leaders across the globe as a potential turning point after years of bloodshed.

The 20-point framework, announced October 1, calls for an immediate end to hostilities, the full release of hostages, expanded humanitarian relief, and Gazas transformation into an economic hub under a transitional administration.

Global Leaders Unite Behind the Plan

From Arab nations to Western democracies, world leaders voiced rare unity in welcoming Trumps proposal.

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In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt declared:

The Foreign Ministers  welcome President Donald J. Trumps leadership and his sincere efforts to end the war in Gaza  [and] affirm their readiness to engage positively and constructively with the United States and the parties toward finalizing the agreement.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted: Welcome President @realDonaldTrumps commitment to end the war in Gaza. Encourage all parties to now seize this opportunity.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote: Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the initiative profoundly welcome, urging all sides to come together  and bring it into reality.

Across Asia and the Pacific:

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Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a viable pathway to long term and sustainable peace.

Japans Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it was a significant step toward a two-state solution.

Australias Anthony Albanese: Australia welcomes President Trumps plan to bring peace to Gaza after two years of conflict.

Chinas Foreign Ministry affirmed Beijing welcomes and supports all efforts conducive to easing tensions.

Germanys Johann Wadephul: The fact that President Trump is willing to head and chair the Board of Peace shows how serious he is.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Trumps leadership aimed at halting the bloodshed.

The Palestinian Authority said it welcomes the sincere and determined efforts of President Donald J. Trump  and affirms its confidence in his ability to find a path toward peace.

New Developments and Confirmations

On October 3, Hamas announced it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of U.S. President Donald Trumps Gaza proposal, and expressed readiness to begin mediated negotiations, according to the Associated Press.

In its written reply, Hamas accepted major provisions of the plan  including an end to the war, Israels full withdrawal from Gaza, and protection against Palestinian displacement  but did not explicitly agree to disarmament or international oversight. AP reported that the group would continue discussions through mediators to clarify the next stages.

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President Trump confirmed that Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line, posting, Once Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective. Israeli officials began preparing for a partial drawdown of forces in Gaza City as the first step toward a full ceasefire, according to The Times of Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of hostages in the coming days, as new rounds of mediation continue in Egypt.

Major Challenges Ahead

Despite overwhelming international momentum, key challenges remain:

Partial acceptance: Hamass response leaves disarmament and governance unresolved.

Security risks: Israeli officials warn against a rapid pullout before verification mechanisms are in place.

Implementation logistics: Coordinating aid, reconstruction, and transitional security requires extensive oversight.

Fragile trust: Past ceasefires in Gaza collapsed amid mutual violations.

Even so, Trumps initiative  now endorsed by dozens of governments  represents the most ambitious attempt in years to end the Gaza war and establish lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
A federal district judge blocked the deployment of all federalized National Guard troops to Oregon on Sunday night, after the Trump administration ordered elements of the California nad Texas National Guards to be sent to Portland. It was the latest development in a series of major orders this weekend to send the military to cities inside the United States.

After an emergency hearing, Judge Karin Immergut issued a second temporary restraining order this weekend, barring the federalization or deployment or any National Guard force to Oregon. That came a day after the judge blocked the Trump administration from federalizing 200 soldiers from the Oregon Army National Guard to go to Portland and hours after more than 100 federalized members of the California National Guard flew into the state.

Shortly before, the Pentagon announced it was mobilizing up to 400 members of the Texas National Guard, under Title 10 authority, to deploy to Portland and Chicago. The news, contained in a memo filed with the court and signed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, said that the soldiers from the Texas National Guard were being activated and deployed for an initial period of 60 days.

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On October 4, 2025, the President determined the violent incidents, as well as the credible threat of continued violence, are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States in Illinois, Oregon, and other locations throughout the United States, Hegseth wrote.

The judges order blocks that deployment to Oregon; its unclear how many Texas National Guard members will head to Chicago.

Although protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcements and other elements of the Department of Homeland Security have been ongoing throughout cities around the country for weeks, the Trump administration escalated its response to them this weekend. On Saturday, the administration authorized the deployment of 300 National Guard members to Chicago, after weeks of threatening to send the military to the city. That came a week after Trump ordered the Pentagon to send troops to Portland, which he had called war ravaged. In his order, posted to social media, Trump had authorized the use of full force by the military.

Following Immerguts Saturday night order blocking the federalization of the Oregon National Guard for two weeks, the Trump administration began deploying members of the California National Guard into Oregon. They arrived in Oregon early Sunday, the first wave of the 300 California soldiers ordered to cross state lines to protect federal personnel and property. California joined Oregon in its lawsuit against the administration over the federalization and deployment of the National Guard. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said that the overnight deployment happened without official notification or correspondence by the federal government. A White House spokesperson said earlier on Sunday that President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement.

Top Stories This Week

News Soldiers under misconduct investigation wont see careers stall under new Army policy By Patty Nieberg News Hegseth announces troops in combat jobs have to meet highest male physical standards By Jeff Schogol, Patty Nieberg News New Hegseth shaving rules for military appear to target religious exemptions By Jeff Schogol

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There have been small, daily protests outside of an ICE facility in Portland. Last night protesters gathered peacefully outside of it, per local media, before federal law enforcement fired tear gas and pepper balls at the demonstrators.

Last month a federal judge ruled that the use of the California National Guard by federal authorities violated the Posse Comitatus Act, and ordered the remaining troops released back to the state. An appeal has blocked that for now.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in the presence of Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya on Sunday, attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Executive Member and Deputy Chief Executive Member of the fifth Executive Council of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), led by Hagrama Mohilary, at a function held at the BTC Secretariat premises in Kokrajhar. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister extended his heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) and its chief, Hagrama Mohilary, for returning to power in the BTC following their success in the recently concluded elections. He also expressed gratitude to the people of the BTR for maintaining peace and harmony throughout the electoral process. Paying his homage to Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that Gurudev Brahma had guided the Bodo community to the path of non-violence, peace, and spirituality in their struggle against British colonial rule. His great leadership not only united the Bodo society but also helped forge a collective resistance against the British Empire. The Chief Minister also paid his deep respects to Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, one of the foremost leaders of the Bodo community. Sarma stated that under Bodofa's leadership, the democratic movement for the socio-economic uplift of the Bodos gained momentum and drew the attention of the entire nation toward the legitimate issues faced by the Bodo people. He added that Bodofa's relentless efforts paved the way for the people of the BTR to achieve self-governance. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also remembered former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the visionary architect of the BTC Accord, with reverence. Sarma stated that the formation of a new council through the democratic process and the swearing-in of Hagrama Mohilary as the head of BTC mark an important milestone. He expressed confidence that, with the blessings of the people, Hagrama Mohilary will provide able leadership over the next five years, sustain the ongoing peace process, and open a new chapter of development and progress in the BTR. The Chief Minister assured that the State Government would extend full cooperation to the new BTC government in all areas. He further mentioned that alongside the BTC administration, the Government of Assam has already implemented various welfare schemes in the region, and through joint and coordinated efforts, the aspirations of the people of BTC would soon be realised. Highlighting the multi-ethnic composition of Bodoland, Sarma observed that it is a land of unity among diversity, home to people belonging to 26 different ethnic communities. He expressed optimism that building stronger bridges of harmony among all communities and ensuring equitable participation of every group in the development process would enable the BTR to ascend to a new height of progress. It may be noted that Rihon Daimari took oath as the Deputy Chief of the BTC as Chief Secretary Ravi Kota administered the oath of office to both the CEM and Deputy CEM. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by newly elected Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary, Deputy Chief Executive Member Rihan Daimari, and newly elected Council Members, several Ministers of the Government of Assam; Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma Head of the Royal House of Tripura, representatives from other autonomous councils, senior officials from the Government of Assam and the BTC administration, and a host of other dignitaries. (ANI)
Oct. 5 (UPI) -- At least two people are dead, including a teenager, and 12 more were wounded in a shooting in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday night.

At least five people have life-threatening injuries, according to Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys.

Montgomery Mayor Steve Reed added $20,000 in reward money to a $5,000 reward offered through the Crime Stoppers tip line. The City Council president offered an additional $25,000 in reward money for leading to information about and arrest of the suspect.

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Officials continue to investigate the incident and search for a motive.

"Lot of great fun has been had along these last several days, but, unfortunately, it only took one or two bad people with bad intentions to change not only their fortunes, but the fortunes of many, many other innocent people," Reed said.

Reed said Sunday that thousands of people were in the city over the weekend to attend the Alabama National Fair and related events

Montgomery is also hosting the HBCU Classic Weekend and Alabama State's homecoming weekend.

"As you can imagine, that could be a very chaotic situation, and every weapon has to be accounted for, and every piece of evidence has to be processed," Graboys said.

Officers were called to a shooting around 11:30 p.m. CDT during downtown festivities in Montgomery. They said one of the victims was targeted and that other victims were shot when people nearby who were armed began to draw their weapons.
Days after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Irans nuclear and missile programs, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has moved to dismantle Tehrans global weapons procurement networks  sanctioning 38 individuals and entities accused of helping the regime acquire missile technology, advanced electronics, and military aircraft.

Officials said the designations strike at supply chains operating across Iran, China, Hong Kong, Germany, Turkiye, Portugal, and Uruguay that funnel sensitive dual-use components, radar systems, and even a U.S.-made helicopter to Irans military.

The Iranian regimes support of terrorist proxies and its pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens the security of the Middle East, the United States and our allies around the world, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Under President Trumps leadership, we will deny the regime weapons it would use to further its malign objectives.

Targeting Irans Defense Supply Chains

The sanctions primarily hit procurement operations supporting Irans Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), including missile producer Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group (SBIG) and electronics manufacturer Shiraz Electronics Industries (SEI). These entities build solid-fueled ballistic missiles and radar systems used in surface-to-air defenses  weaknesses exposed during the recent 12-Day War.

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One of the sanctioned networks centers on Beh Joule Pars Commercial Engineering Company, which since 2017 has acquired gyroscopes, accelerometers, and other microelectromechanical systems for missile guidance. Founders Mehdi Farshchi and Mehdi Nili Ahmadabadi manage procurement through offices in Tehran and Isfahan.

Another network involves Khazra Communications Technology Solutions, a defense contractor sourcing U.S.-origin circuit boards for Iranian air-defense radars. Khazra works with several China-based partners, including Liu Baoxia  also known as Emily Liu  a longtime procurement agent wanted by the FBI for allegedly smuggling U.S. electronics to Iran. Liu was first sanctioned in 2017; her mother, Sun Zhaolan, and sister, Liu Baojuan, were newly sanctioned Sunday for continuing to provide material support.

Sanctions Extend to Helicopter Procurement

Treasury also sanctioned a transnational network supporting Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (PANHA), which manufactures helicopters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Iranian-built clones of U.S.-made Bell helicopters.

One scheme involved Portugal-based Business United Unipessoal LDA, which purchased a U.S.-origin helicopter worth nearly 4 million for Iranian buyers. Related companies in Germany, Turkiye, and Uruguay also supplied helicopter parts and components to PANHA.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago is proud to have played a critical role in identifying key members of the Iran-based procurement network designated today, which has enabled Irans ballistic-missile program and posed a significant threat to U.S. and global security. This action underscores HSIs commitment to protecting national security and dismantling illicit supply chains that threaten international stability, said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Scarpino.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alongside our federal partners will remain relentless in preventing weapons and dangerous assets from falling into the hands of foreign and domestic adversaries, said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. I want to thank the dedicated members from our FBI Detroit Field Office, in close partnership with the U.S. Department of the Treasury  OFAC, for their tireless efforts in safeguarding our nation and protecting the American people from those who pose a threat to our nation.

Broader U.S. Response

The sanctions freeze any U.S. assets belonging to the designated individuals and entities and prohibit Americans from engaging in transactions with them. Foreign banks could face secondary sanctions if they conduct significant business with those targeted.

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Tuesdays action was carried out under National Security Presidential Memorandum-2, directing federal agencies to counter Irans weapons programs and deny resources to the IRGC. The State Department simultaneously sanctioned five additional Iranian individuals and one entity for proliferation activities.

The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior, the department noted.

The complete list of the 38 individuals and entities that were sanctioned can be found here.
Key developments on Oct. 4-5:

Massive Russian attack on Ukraine kills 6, injures 18

Ukraine confirms drone strike on one of Russia's biggest, most modern oil refineries near St. Petersburg

Czechia's populist Ano party wins parliamentary elections, threatening future aid to Ukraine

Ukraine's existence is in Hungary's national interest, Orban says as he continues to oppose EU aid to Kyiv

Ukraine hits Russian cruise missile ship on Lake Onega, military says

A large-scale Russian attack across Ukraine killed at least six people and injured at least 18 overnight on Oct. 5, according to authorities.

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Russia launched around 500 drones and more than 50 missiles, including Kinzhal ballistic missiles, targeting at least nine regions  Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad oblasts, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

In Lviv Oblast, four people were killed and another eight were injured. The four dead were from the same family, and included a 15-year-old girl, the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office reported.



It was the largest attack on the region since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, with 140 drones and 23 cruise missiles. Gas transportation infrastructure was one of the main targets as temperatures drop and the heating season approaches, Kozytskyi said.

Chinese reconnaissance satellites also reportedly flew over Lviv during the attack, Militarnyi reported, though the outlet noted that "it is unknown whether these satellites conducted actual reconnaissance during their flights over Ukraine."

In the city of Zaporizhzhia, at least one person was killed and at least 10 were injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.



Russian forces fired drones and aerial bombs at Zaporizhzhia, hitting an industrial enterprise and residential buildings, Fedorov wrote.

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A major energy facility was also damaged, cutting off power to a "significant number" of consumers in the city and surrounding region, the Energy Ministry reported.

In Kherson, a 77-year-old man was killed by Russian shelling, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

Read also: Amid controversial elections, Georgian protestors attempt to storm presidential palace

Ukraine confirms drone strike on one of Russia's biggest, most modern oil refineries near St. Petersburg

Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in Kirishi, in Russia's Leningrad region, overnight on Oct. 4, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed.

Eyewitnesses initially reported seeing a fire break out at the Kirishi refinery. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed the drone attack and fire but did not identify the facility, adding the fire had been extinguished.

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Video and photos published by Astra, an independent Russian news channel, appeared to show a large explosion and flames rising from the refinery. The strike was later confirmed by the General Staff in a post on social media.

The refinery, located more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Ukraine's border, is one of Russia's largest and most modern. It was opened recently, in 2017, and accounts for 6.6% of Russia's total oil refining volumes.

It has been targeted at least three other times  in September and March this year and in March 2024. Ukraine's military also claimed responsibility for the September and March 2025 strikes.

Read also: Lithuanias Vilnius airport closed in response to airspace violation, media reports

Czechia's populist Ano party wins parliamentary elections, threatening future aid to Ukraine

Czechia's populist Ano (Yes) party, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, won the October parliamentary elections with around 35% of the vote.

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With over 98% of ballots counted, Ano led with 34.5% of the vote, while the ruling Spolu (Together) party secured 23.4%. The liberal centrist STAN party followed with about 11%, followed by the liberal Pirates (8.9%) and far-right SPD (7.8%).

Ano has not won an outright majority and will have to cooperate with other factions to form a governing coalition. Current election results indicate the party has earned 81 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, Prague's 200-member lower house of parliament.

The Ano party is opposed to Ukraine's membership in the European Union and does not support aid to Ukraine. The party will have the first opportunity to form a new coalition government and is expected to partner with populist, right-wing, and anti-NATO factions.

Parties needed to clear a 5% threshold to earn seats in parliament. Babis is expected to begin talks with the SPD and another right-wing populist movement, Motorists for Themselves, a Euroskeptic faction founded in 2022 that gained 6.78% of votes.

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Billionaire oligarch Babis previously served as prime minister from 2017-2021. His party was favored to win the elections after he surged in popularity due to concerns over the economy and criticisms of the current government, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

Czechia has been one of Kyiv's staunchest allies since the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion. Prague has supplied tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, and helicopters in military aid packages and hosted hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.

Most significantly, Czechia in 2024 launched its ammunition initiative to provide Ukraine with urgently needed artillery shells during a severe front-line shortage. Czechia served as an intermediary for 15 participating nations buying shells for Ukraine on global markets.

The program has made a significant impact, with President Volodymyr Zelensky crediting the initiative for saving lifes on the battlefield and strengthening Ukrainian troops' positions.

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Czechia plans to provide Ukraine with up to 1.8 million shells by the end of 2025.

Ano's win threatens the future of the ammunition initiative, as Babis has sharply criticized the scheme and pledged to do away with it if his party regains power.

Read also: Ukraine slaps new sanctions on Russian oil industry, drone production

Ukraine's existence is in Hungary's national interest, Orban says as he continues to oppose EU aid to Kyiv

In a recent interview, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Ukraine's existence is important for Hungary's national interest, despite his track record of opposing European Union aid to Kyiv.

"The good thing is that there is a territory between Hungary and Russia that is now called Ukraine. This is a strategic interest of Hungary that Ukraine exists. This is not a geopolitical point of view... But from the point of view of the Hungarian national interest," Orban said.

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Orban's latest remarks contradict an earlier statement from the the Hungarian leader, who on Sept. 29 claimed that Ukraine is not a sovereign state amid allegations from Kyiv that Hungarian drones had violated Ukraine's airspace.

Orban has repeatedly voiced opposition to Ukraine's EU bid and for the bloc's support to Kyiv as it fends off Russia's war. Hungarian authorities are widely considered the most Moscow-friendly within the EU.

"We support a strategic agreement with Ukraine. A strategic agreement between the EU and Ukraine. Not a membership, but an agreement," Orban said in the interview.

On Oct. 3, Orban said that Hungary will oppose Ukraine's accession to the EU, claiming that admitting Kyiv would drag the bloc into war with Russia.

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"Ukraine is a country with a very difficult fate. Why should we share in this difficult fate? We have our own fate, which is much easier than that of the Ukrainians," he said.

Read also: Tomahawk supplies to Kyiv would ruin US-Russian relations, Putin says

Ukraine hits Russian cruise missile ship on Lake Onega, military says

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) struck a Russian Buyan-M-class small missile ship, a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles, in Russia's republic of Karelia, the military reported on Oct. 4.

The Russian missile ship "Grad" was struck on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia at 04:31 a.m. local time on Oct. 4, according to the SSO.

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"The missile carrier was travelling from the Baltic Sea to the Caspian Sea. The damage was to the right side of the ship's power plant compartment. Further details are being clarified," the SSO said in a statement.

"Special Operations Forces continue to conduct asymmetric and sensitive actions to stop the enemy," the statement says. It did not state what weapon was used in the attack.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

The Buyan-M-class ship, also designated Project 21631, is a small but heavily armed corvette capable of operating in shallow waters. The vessel was among the first Russian surface ships used to launch Kalibr missiles which regularly target Ukrainian cities in mass missile strikes.

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Repeated Ukrainian attacks using naval drones, missiles, and long-range drones have forced the Kremlin to reduce its naval presence in occupied Crimea.

To date, Ukraine has destroyed several Russian vessels, including the Caesar Kunikov landing ship, the Sergei Kotov patrol ship, the Ivanovets missile corvette, and multiple high-speed landing crafts.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Having Ukraine separate Hungary from Russia is in Budapest's interest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with Hetek published Oct. 4.

"The good thing is that there is a territory between Hungary and Russia that is now called Ukraine. This is a strategic interest of Hungary that Ukraine exists. This is not a geopolitical point of view... But from the point of view of the Hungarian national interest," Orban said in an interview.

Despite Orban's latest remarks, the Hungarian leader on Sept. 29 claimed that Ukraine is not a sovereign state amid allegations from Kyiv that Hungarian drones had violated Ukraine's airspace.

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Orban has repeatedly voiced opposition to Ukraine's EU bid and for the bloc's support to Kyiv as it fends off Russia's war. Hungarian authorities are widely considered the most Moscow-friendly within the EU.

"We support a strategic agreement with Ukraine. A strategic agreement between the EU and Ukraine. Not a membership, but an agreement," Orban said in the interview.

On Oct. 3, Orban said that Hungary will oppose Ukraine's accession to the EU, claiming that admitting Kyiv would drag the bloc into war with Russia.

"Ukraine is a country with a very difficult fate. Why should we share in this difficult fate? We have our own fate, which is much easier than that of the Ukrainians," he said.

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Orban on Oct. 3 also voiced opposition to the EU providing Ukraine with long-term military and financial aid, calling it "an illusion" based on false assumptions about Russia's economic collapse.

Hungary has repeatedly vetoed EU sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia's war against Ukraine and is currently preventing progress in Ukraine's EU accession.

In response, EU officials are exploring reforms to the bloc's unanimous decision-making process, which would allow accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to continue despite the Hungarian veto, Politico reported on Sept. 29.

Read also: 2 powerful Ukrainian agencies are fighting in the open. Both say only Russia is to win

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

From Gaza Tunnels to New York Hallways

Asharq Al-Awsat, London, September 22

Benjamin Netanyahu rubs his eyes. He cannot believe what he is seeing. He cannot believe what he is hearing. It is as if the world is bombarding him with missiles that cannot be intercepted  missiles striking at his bloody madness, his reckless ambitions, and his delusions rooted in the dark caves of history. The latest blows came from Canada, Australia, and Britain, which recognized the State of Palestine.

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British recognition carries a particular sting; it helps alleviate the historical wound inflicted by the Balfour Declaration. Netanyahu is bewildered. The world cannot be silenced, and fighter jets cannot be dispatched to discipline it. A painful question will haunt his legacy  and Jewish history as well. Did his adventures and crimes hasten the awakening of the worlds conscience, prompting a rush to recognize the Palestinian state?

Never before has powerful Israel endured such a torrent of diplomatic and political rebukes. The world could not endure the endless scenes from Gaza. Towers collapsing into dust. Houses annihilated with their families still inside. Tents set ablaze, with those seeking refuge trapped within them. Tiny bodies lowered into tiny graves. The deadly meals and treacherous bread. The torment of repeated displacements, each step shadowed by funerals.

Despair seems almost permanent, which is why the wounded seek solace in history. No force, however mighty, has ever succeeded in killing every person, erasing every home, or uprooting every tree. The dream of the oppressed burns hotter than the missiles of warplanes. It can hide in a childs eyes, bide its time for a season or for generations, then erupt in defiance.

It is not true that the conscience of the world is made of stone, nor that its slumber will last forever. Here stands the world, from New York to Geneva, defending the principles of the UN and drying the tears of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres waits for the arrival of French Foreign and European Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne before a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the crisis in the Gaza Strip at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., January 23, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EDUARDO MUNOZ)

This story does not belong to Palestine alone; it belongs to the entire Middle East. History shows that the Palestinian question remains the regions deepest, most open wound, even when other crises command attention. Israeli policy has long sought to deny this wound, to erase the Palestinian peoples right to claim their land  or even a fragment of it.

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The Netanyahu government continues to exploit the chaos of Yahya Sinwars Operation Al-Aqsa Flood to dismantle the Palestinian dream, erasing Gaza from the map while destabilizing and hollowing out the West Bank. Israel has used this flood as a pretext to reshape regional dynamics, boasting of toppling Bashar Assad, pushing Iran out of Syria, assassinating Hassan Nasrallah, and sending aircraft unchallenged across neighboring skies.

Israeli arrogance has grown so brazen that it has even dared to raid the residences of Hamas leaders in Doha. Meanwhile, attention in the region turns this week to pivotal developments in New York. The Saudi- and French-sponsored two-state solution conference represents a watershed moment for the Palestinian cause.

The Saudi leadership has thrown its full weight behind the effort, accelerating recognition of a Palestinian state, particularly across Europe and among major powers. This unprecedented momentum stands as an international response to Israels attempt to bury the Palestinian question beneath the rubble of Gaza.

For nations that have traditionally backed Israel or looked away from its crimes, acknowledging that the only path to ending the Israeli-Palestinian wars is the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel is no simple matter. Yet the realization is dawning that the Middle East will never achieve lasting stability without such a state. Stability in this region affects not only its own peoples but also Europe, the US, and the wider world, shaping global interests and the fragile balance of the international economy.

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The two-state solution is the key. It alone can return Israel to itself  restore its borders, confine its aircraft to its own skies, and free it from the intoxication of regional arrogance. It can defuse the triggers of endless wars and remove the pretext for reckless adventures that seek to redraw the regions map.

Despite Washingtons current stance, the combined Arab, Islamic, and international pressure behind the two-state solution will ultimately persuade the US administration, even President Donald Trump, that there is no other way to guarantee Palestinian rights and Israeli security.

This monumental diplomatic battle will demand time and patience, but it is the only path to lead the Middle East out of its dark tunnel. The two-state solution remains the sole window through which the region can escape its wars and horrors. What will unfold in New York is historic, but it is only the beginning. Between recognition of a Palestinian state and its realization on the ground lies a fierce struggle  inside Israel, within Palestinian ranks, and across other capitals, especially in the US.

The world has sent an unmistakable message: Palestinian rights cannot be erased. The future of nations is not determined by airstrikes but by respect for rights and international law. What happens in New York is merely the first stone in the foundation. The Netanyahu government must be compelled to halt the fire, sit at the negotiating table, and discuss borders and guarantees. To achieve this, Washington must be convinced that the time has come to heal the Palestinian wound based on justice.

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Israel has no choice but to abandon Netanyahus suicidal lexicon. Continued killing in Gaza only deepens Israels entrapment in its own tunnel. The Israeli army may have reduced Gaza to a wasteland, but the Palestinian dream rises again from the ashes. Palestinians, too, have no choice but to engage in the battle for a two-state solution according to the principles of international legitimacy. National unity and national ambitions are more important than the fate of individual political factions.

 Ghassan Charbel

New Hope for Diabetics

El Watan, Egypt, September 23

Dr. Osama Hamdy, the acclaimed Egyptian physician at Harvard who consistently educates the public on medical breakthroughs, particularly in diabetes, has delivered a message of hope to Egyptian diabetics, many of whom have long been misled by herbalists and peddlers of false cures. A new revolution is on the horizon for diabetics worldwide, and Dr. Hamdy declares that four groundbreaking drugs are set to completely transform the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

In a fierce global race among pharmaceutical companies, research has been completed on four novel medications that promise to redefine treatment standards. For the first time, we are seeing drugs capable of reducing body weight by up to 30%  surpassing even weight-loss surgery  and lowering cumulative blood sugar levels by 2.2%, a record unmatched by any current therapy. All four are awaiting approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, with authorization expected in early 2026, setting the stage for a new era in diabetes and obesity management.

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The first is retatrutide, a triple-action drug that curbs appetite and boosts calorie burning by stimulating the bodys glucagon receptors. Clinical trials show an average weight loss of 24% in obese patients, reaching 28.5% in women, while diabetic patients experienced reductions in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of up to 2.2%. Remarkably, 70% of obese participants using the drug for 48 weeks shed more than 20% of their weight, nearly half lost over 25%, and a quarter lost more than 30% for the first time  results far beyond those achieved through bariatric surgery.

The second is CagriSema, a dual-hormone treatment combining semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, with an amylin analog secreted by pancreatic cells. Both components suppress appetite and improve blood sugar control, but unlike other medications, CagriSema preserves muscle mass and even supports memory, concentration, and brain function. Obese patients lost an average of 22.7% of their weight, while Type 2 diabetics saw reductions of 15.7%, with a cumulative drop in blood sugar of about 1.5%.

The third is orforglipron, the first nonhormonal oral medication to mimic the effects of the hormones found in drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Its chemical structure allows for low production costs and raises the possibility of combining it with diabetes treatments in a single pill. After 72 weeks, obese patients lost an average of 12.4% of their weight, with 30% shedding more than 15%. Cumulative blood sugar dropped by 1.8%, 75% of patients reached levels below 6.5%, and a quarter achieved levels under 5.7%  the normal range.

The fourth is oral semaglutide, the same hormone used in Ozempic but taken as a high-dose pill rather than an injection. Unlike the current oral version, Rybelsus, which tops out at 14 mg., this new 50 mg. dose delivers a 13.6% reduction in weight for obese patients, with 30% losing more than 20% of their body weight.

Other promising drugs remain in development, including MariTide, a once-monthly injection that could cut weight by up to 20%, and bimagrumab, which uniquely reduces body fat by 20.3% while increasing muscle mass.

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We are on the brink of an unprecedented medical revolution in weight loss and diabetes control, with a relentless scientific race underway to end Type 2 diabetes. While these medications may present unforeseen challenges, clinical studies so far indicate that side effects are generally manageable and well-tolerated.

Industry analysts predict sales of these treatments will soar to $85 billion by 2026 and $150b. by 2030. Welcome to the future of science and the extraordinary possibilities it offers, including in Egypt.  Khaled Montaser

Social Development by Law in Kuwait

Al Qabas, Kuwait, September 23

Since its founding, Kuwait has pursued a legal path that reflects the states commitment to building a society grounded in justice, equality, and human dignity. The principles of social justice have been firmly entrenched in our society, making social legislation a key instrument for translating these ideals into practical reality.

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Over the decades, the legal framework has steadily evolved to address new issues related to education, literacy, women, children, persons with disabilities, and housing while also modernizing labor and social insurance systems to strengthen social stability.

This progress stems from a clear leadership vision that seeks to balance the demands of economic development with the preservation of the social fabric, ensuring that the law mirrors the vitality of society and its aspirations for the future. Social development in Kuwait, driven by laws, has produced tangible positive outcomes, including the expansion of rights, steady developmental progress, and meaningful social change.

Womens participation in public and professional life has grown significantly, and social justice has been advanced by supporting those who are financially or physically vulnerable.

Legislative amendments have also modernized the labor market, creating a more attractive environment for workers. At the same time, reforms to family and childhood laws have brought them closer to international human rights standards.

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These legal transformations have fostered a more just and stable society and elevated Kuwaits standing as a state determined to harmonize national culture with the values of modernity. The law has become an essential tool for strengthening trust between citizens and the state, paving the way for social development through more effective civil institutions.

The next phase calls for forward-looking legal proposals aimed at deepening social justice, expanding civic participation, empowering young women and men, and providing opportunities for them to demonstrate their abilities to drive positive change. Among these proposals are comprehensive laws to combat cyber violence and protect digital rights amid rapid technological transformation, as well as updated labor legislation to incorporate flexible models that reflect the demands of the new economy.

Additional reforms would support transparency and accountability in public institutions while enhancing environmental protection and community health to sustain social development and raise Kuwaits profile in international forums.

Social inclusion laws, similar to those in the European Union, would guarantee equal opportunities for all groups without discrimination based on gender, race, or disability.

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Environmental justice acts, like those in Canada and the Scandinavian countries, would link environmental protection to the quality of social life, with direct benefits for public health and societal stability.

Social economy laws, inspired by Spain and France, could encourage the growth of social and cooperative enterprises, creating sustainable jobs that strengthen social cohesion. Transparency and accountability laws, modeled on the Scandinavian experience, would enforce disclosure and institutional oversight, bolstering citizen confidence in state institutions and limiting corruption.

By adopting such advanced global standards, Kuwait can build a balanced and resilient society where the law serves not only as a mechanism of oversight but also as a driver of innovation and sustainability. This would propel the country toward greater global competitiveness while promoting justice and fostering development in tandem.

If implemented, these proposals would usher Kuwait into a new era of legal and social progress, transforming it into a model of institutionalization capable of protecting individual rights and ensuring collective advancement. Investing in the modernization of social laws is an investment in Kuwaits future  one that enhances its stature among advanced nations and provides its citizens with a fair, adaptable legal environment capable of meeting the challenges of a rapidly changing world.  Ghadeer Mohamed Mahmood Aseeri

Israels Security First Policy

Al-Ittihad, UAE, September 23

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Israel continues to prioritize its security first policy, consistently pushing the prospect of peace to the foreground. Its political thinking and daily concerns have become overwhelmingly centered on ensuring security, sidelining the pursuit of peace. This fixation has placed security at the heart of Israels policies, obscuring and undermining the essential role of peace in achieving lasting stability.

While Israel maintains relationships with certain regional countries under the banner of peace, its dealings with the Palestinians remain rooted in brute force  anchored in the narrow concept of security while excluding peace, the very foundation that serves as the incubator and generator of sustainable security.

A significant portion of Israeli society favors coexistence and a genuine peace with the Palestinians, yet the state takes no real steps toward replacing its security-first mindset with a peace-driven strategy that could build a lasting partnership with its neighbors and the Palestinian people. Instead, it relies on military power as a shield, without securing the long-term stability that only peace can bring.

Several factors could eventually push Israel toward such a shift: the growing internal pressures of human and financial costs, the burden of prolonged wars, the recurring cycle of conflict, the heavy toll on daily life, the weakening of economic security, and the erosion of political stability within the state itself.

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A new dynamic has also entered Israels relations with the Arab world through the Abraham Accords, which open opportunities for tolerance and reconciliation  opportunities that could flourish if Israel were to engage in genuine dialogue and pursue peace with the Palestinians, thereby advancing the long-sought stability of the Middle East.

At the same time, international calls for a two-state solution are intensifying, with successive recognitions of the Palestinian state gaining momentum. Regional shifts are increasingly unfavorable to Israel, which continues to lose ground by squandering diplomatic opportunities, while the Palestinian cause garners growing support from European and global public opinion. This rising international legitimacy strengthens the Palestinians resolve to maintain their legitimate national rights and simultaneously diminishes Israels standing both regionally and globally.

Under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has mismanaged the ongoing conflict, allowing its military strength to blind it to the critical political realities of the region. This shortsightedness was especially evident in its reckless attack on Qatar, a key mediator in delicate negotiations.

By striking at the sovereignty of a negotiating state and its team, Israel committed an act of strategic folly that many consider unforgivable. The Gulf regions atmosphere has since shifted, alliances have become shrouded in uncertainty, and the regional security landscape now demands a clearer reassessment of Israels priorities and external relationships.

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Israel must free itself from illusions of invincibility, from self-admiration, and from the narcissistic outlook that isolates it from its geographic and political environment. As the saying goes, one cannot step into the same river twice  a reminder that opportunities once missed cannot easily be reclaimed.

Israels continued inhumane treatment of the steadfast Palestinian people, who are inseparable from their land and identity, and its persistent attempts to displace them through oppression, killing, torture, relentless bombardment, and systematic humiliation, represent an immoral and profoundly dangerous path. Such actions risk driving Palestinians of all ages toward extremism, a development for which Israel itself will ultimately bear the cost.  Ahmed Al Hosani

Translated by Asaf Zilberfarb. All assertions, opinions, facts, and information presented in these articles are the sole responsibility of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of The Media Line, which assumes no responsibility for their content.
Their crimes  violent and unforgiving  came in the earliest years of adulthood, long before their minds had fully matured. Some were incited by gangs, while others have been described as a monster or natural-born murderer.

All of their choices ended lives and sealed their own fate: life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But decades later, a vast majority of them are getting a second chance at freedom.

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In January 2024, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Mattis that sentencing people, ages 18 through 20 at the time of their offense, to life without the possibility of parole was unconstitutional and amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.

Massachusetts was the first state in the country to transform the law, experts said.

Essentially, the brains of what we are calling late adolescents or emerging adults function very much like juveniles, Northampton attorney Paul Rudof, one of the lawyers who successfully challenged life sentences for individuals aged 18 to 20, told The Republican.

Those under the age of 18 were already not being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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Scholars with Harvard Law School and other criminal defendant advocacy groups have called the SJC decision involving 18- to 20-year-olds a win for emerging adults and neuroscience.

In Mattis cases, the seven-member state parole board weighs four key factors: lack of impulse control, risk-taking behavior, peer influence, and the potential for change as a young adult.

They also reviewed the crime itself, prison records and discipline, program participation, signs of remorse, risk assessments, release plans and input from the victims family.

There were 210 cases that fell into the Mattis decision across Massachusetts. Of those, 137 people immediately became eligible for parole hearings and 32 decisions have been made  giving second chances to 25 people where there once was no hope. And causing some families to relive a nightmare they thought they left behind.

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Heres what the parole process looks like.

Tanzerius Anderson testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

Delayed parole hearings in Mass.

A glimmer of hope followed the courts decision, but it didnt come fast.

In July 2024, nine months after the decision was made, the parole board sent a letter to lawyers stating it had planned to start scheduling hearings in September as time permits.

We hope you will be understanding and patient as this is an unprecedented amount of additional cases to add to the Parole Boards calendar, the board stated.

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Only one person had a hearing prior to September: A man who had been incarcerated for more than 55 years.

On June 3, 1967, 20-year-old Alfred Therrien and a friend traveled from Connecticut to Massachusetts with a handgun and a carbine. While driving through Framingham, Therrien robbed Natolis Market.

Therrien, who was masked and armed, entered the store and ran into Pasqualina Natoli as she was leaving. Therrien told the woman that this is a holdup, the parole board wrote. Natoli asked if it was a joke.

Therrien then shot Natoli in the heart.

Both men fled but returned to take money from the register. Therrien shot a person walking toward Natoli in the groin, seriously injuring him. The men drove away with the cash register, which contained $34.

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Therrien later shot at police officers as they tried to arrest him.

In 2024, because of the courts decision, Therrien was re-sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. This wouldve placed him in front of the parole board in 1985 had it been his original sentence.

Therrien, then 77 years old, appeared before the parole board for the first time on July 16, 2024. And on Dec. 18, 2024, he was granted parole.

But the board wasnt moving quickly on the other cases, and a lawsuit was filed by Robert Francis, Allan Alston, Tanzerius Anderson and others pushing for the hearings to be scheduled.

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While Alston waited, his mother, 79, who he said always pushed him to be a better person, died. When he finally got his parole board hearing, tears rolled down his face at the mention of her name.

Alston is still waiting for a decision, but the board was impressed with the man who has been working to change his life long before the court ever asked him to.

I think that Allan is a perfect example of the Mattis decision, Alstons lawyer, Lisa Newman-Polk, told MassLive. And I think it is a tragedy that we would have been paying as a society to have him incarcerated for decades more until his death rather than out contributing and paying taxes and helping the next generation of youth.

The second Mattis parole hearing took place two months later, on Sept. 12: Charles Brown.

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Brown had been incarcerated for more than 50 years.

During that time, he earned his bachelors degree from Boston University, completed about 50 rehabilitative programs, participated in work release programs in the 1980s, and successfully completed 60 furloughs, which allow incarcerated people to leave the prison for short periods.

Brown also expressed remorse for his actions. And he was granted parole on the same day as Therrien.

As of Thursday, 67 hearings have been held since the 2024 decision. And 13 hearings have been publicly scheduled.

There have also been 23 people who have declined a hearing.

Tyrone Dixon testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

Mattis case individuals granted parole

The Massachusetts Parole Board has released decisions on 32 individuals who presented their cases to the board over the past two years.

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Of those, 25 were granted parole.

This includes some of the men who filed the lawsuit, another man who killed a 16-year-old girl in a shooting in a Lynn dance hall and a man who killed Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons son in 1995.

Two people were granted parole but had to report to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including one man who killed a mother of six during a masked robbery.

Not all of the decisions have been unanimous.

Michael Eagles told the parole board he agreed to be a lookout for Jeffrey Roberio in exchange for drugs to feed his addiction in 1986. On the night 79-year-old Lewis Jennings was killed, Eagles said he participated in the assault but still placed most of the blame on Roberio.

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While in prison, Eagles has maintained sobriety for over three decades, has completed numerous rehabilitative programs and has matured, the parole board stated. Dr. Robert Kinscherff found him to be at low risk of recidivism or violence.

Eagles has worked consistently throughout his commitment, the parole board wrote. He is married and has the support of his wife and community.

Three parole board members voted to deny parole with a review hearing in two years. However, four parole board members voted in favor of parole, and it was granted once he completes six months in lower-security custody, which is expected to end in November.

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He will then be subject to electronic monitoring for six months and must undergo drug testing and mental health counseling for adjustment.

Overall, 14 people (54%) have been released, while 12 more are in the process.

Tyrone Dixon testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

However, they are not leaving their crimes behind.

Tyrone Dixon, 51, who was granted parole on Aug. 6 after 90 days in a lower security center, said he will continue to relive the day in 1992 when he killed a Taunton man until the day he dies.

This is what you did. This is the pain you caused, he said he tells himself. And youre not going to forget it.

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He was 18 when he was convicted.

Mattis decision parole denials

Only seven people who committed their crimes between ages of 18 and 20 have been denied parole since the Mattis decision.

Almost all of the people who were denied had been incarcerated for more than 30 years before their hearings. Many of them did not participate in programming to better themselves, which was a concern for the Massachusetts Parole Board.

Robert Ferreira was 20 when he kidnapped, robbed and murdered George Ouelette, 45, in June 1987.

Ferreira and another man bound Ouelettes hands behind his back and tied his legs with jumper cables connected to a metal toolbox, rendering him unable to swim. His body was found in the Cape Cod Canal.

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While he had visible injuries from when he was alive, his death was ruled a drowning.

Ferreira participated in some rehabilitative programming while in prison, such as addiction treatment, violence prevention and taking college courses through Boston University. However, the board felt he needed more, including Restorative Justice Programming.

The board took into consideration that he was only 20 when he killed Ouelette, but they were also troubled by the facts and circumstances related to this crime.

He will have another chance at parole in two years.

Another man, Charles Dyous, maintains his innocence and refuses to talk about the crime that killed a teenager after a 1991 party.

Dyous appeared before the Massachusetts Parole Board on March 19. During parole board hearings, its common to start with an apology from the person charged, talk about the crime, including answering questions from each of the seven parole board members, and to hear from people who both support and are against the person receiving parole.

However, Dyous, now 52, refused to talk about the crime he was charged with as a teenager.

Mr. Dyous maintains his innocence and requested that the Board not ask any questions relating to the underlying crime, the parole board wrote in its August decision.

One board member voted to grant parole to a Long-Term Residential Program. However, other board members voted against parole.

On Aug. 14, he was denied parole with a review in 2 years.

... evaluating Mr. Dyous empathy and insight is significantly hampered by his refusal to answer questions surrounding the circumstances which led to Mr. Dyous conviction, the board wrote.

One man, Robert Larkin, admitted during his parole board hearing that at the time of his crime, he didnt view the woman he killed as a human being.

Robert Larkin testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

But Larkin went on to tell the parole board he has recently been working to improve himself.

Soon after he was sentenced, Larkin was offered sex offender treatment. But he didnt want to do it.

Because I knew I was doing the rest of my life in prison and I was still not ready to face it, he said. I didnt want to do any work back then on myself.

He continued to make excuses and blame others, he said.

That changed after a couple of Supreme Judicial Court decisions.

Larkin said he became more interested in bettering himself when he heard discussions about life without the possibility of parole becoming unconstitutional for people who were around his age when they committed their crime.

I am now a 50-year-old man who is grateful to have had the capacity to change. I now treat others with courtesy, respect, compassion and empathy. I am now self-aware. I am able to recognize when I am falling short, he told the parole board in April. But I am also open to constructive criticism. I do hold myself accountable and will continue to do so moving forward.

Still, he has not completed the Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP).

The parole board denied his request for parole and suggested he complete SOTP and engage in programming to develop additional insight.

He is expected to have a review in three years.

Mattis decision a nightmare for families

For the families, the letter informing them that the person who killed their loved one was getting a chance at parole was devastating.

Timothy Robishaw, the nephew of Anthony LoConte, who was killed by Robert Morganti in 1988, said the family picketed against the courts landmark decision and created a Change.org petition seeking to convince Massachusetts lawmakers to reverse the courts ruling or make stricter policy and guidelines.

He showed no remorse until the possibility of getting out, Robishaw said about Morganti.

LoContes family is adamant that Morganti has not changed his ways and that he is attempting to take advantage of the relatively new law. Morganti was under the age of 20 when he killed their loved one, but spent more than a decade running from police.

When he first spoke [today] about being remorseful, it was the first time he said anything to our family, Cindy ODonnell, LoContes sister, said during a post-hearing interview.

And I think the only reason he did say that was because he is trying to get out of jail, ODonnell said.

She said she felt OK when she arrived at the hearing, but then broke down within the first five minutes.

Its hard to compose yourself, ODonnell said. Its like rehashing everything all over again. Its like the trial is back again. You are reliving it; its a nightmare.

Sonia Leals sister believes that if there hadnt been a Supreme Judicial Court decision, Larkin wouldnt have taken any classes to better himself.

In November 1994, 20-year-old Larkin and two other men, Kevin Lynch and Shawn Kane, raped, beat and killed Leal, who was 17.

Sonia Leals sister testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

The ruling treats murderers as victims while betraying those murdered and their families, she said, adding that she believes mercy is allowing Larkin to live out his life in prison.

Similarly, Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said the decision is an affront to these families.

Our criminal justice system has begun to treat the defendant as victims and the victims become invisible, he previously told The Republican. So now youll have all these families who thought they had some finality after they walk out of a courtroom following a trial that was years in coming ... and now were going to talk about rewriting a sentence for someone because they were a certain age?

The countys top prosecutor and his staff have had to reach out to affected families to explain the change in the law and prepare them for what may come.

Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said Larkin doesnt qualify under the Mattis decision because his violence and deception continued after the age of 21.

There was no impulsiveness here. This was planned. This was deliberate. There was a cover-up. There was no peer pressure ... His brain was fully formed. He misled the police while he was 21. His actions while in prison, the violence towards others happened well beyond 21, the district attorney said. I would suggest to you, board members, that he wasnt truthful today. Make no doubt about it. He began his most meaningful programming when there was word that Mattis was in process.

Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney John Verner testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

And some of the families fear they wont be heard by the parole board.

Ray Yazbak, the brother of the man who was killed by Anderson, walked out before the parole board hearing was over, hurt by reliving the past.

Unfortunately, todays hearing made that pain even worse, said John Verner, Suffolk County assistant district attorney.

Ray Yazbak thought that through the conversation and when the parole board told Anderson he had done a good job, he felt his side wasnt being fairly heard. And he left.

Andersons lawyer, Newman-Polk, said she understood why the Yazbak family sees Anderson as just an evil person who purposely executed an innocent man.

But, she said, people are not black and white and very few would fit the definition of just plain evil.

She described the situation as a high stress, highly spontaneous, impulsive situation that went sideways very quickly.

The crime just doesnt make any sense, the lawyer said, describing the lack of violence before and after the crime. But we do know Mattis, Diatchenko and that young people do things that dont make sense.

Lisa Newman-Polk, Tanzerius Andersons lawyer, testifies before the parole board. Click here to access the video on a mobile device.

The board insists they take it all into account.

The Parole Board remains deeply committed to conducting a fair, transparent and balanced parole process. These are complex cases that require careful deliberation and thoughtful decision-making to protect public safety and ensure the voices of victims and survivors are heard while providing incarcerated individuals with meaningful opportunity to demonstrate rehabilitation and supervised-release readiness, said a parole board spokesperson.

Still, it doesnt end for all the families involved even if theyre denied parole.

There hasnt been a decision following Morgantis hearing but he could come back before the parole board between one and five years from now.

He got life without possibility of parole, Im hoping that it still holds true to that, ODonnell said. I dont believe his mind wasnt developed. It was a premeditated thing. He didnt have to pull the trigger.

Im still angry about it [Mattis], Im still upset about it, that my family has to go through this, she added.

Luis Fieldman contributed to this reporting.

More on the Massachusetts Parole Board

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
On a recent Friday morning, Pegasus slowly trots out of an elevator, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Hes ready to make his rounds and see the many sick children hospitalized at Holtz Childrens Hospital, located on Jackson Memorial Hospitals Miami campus.

His owner, Alexandra Ramos, doesnt need to say much to introduce the miniature horse to his first patient. The boys eyes light up the moment Pegasus walks into the room.

Hes never seen a horse in person before, so Im glad to see him smile, honestly, Nigeria Harris said as she watched her 9-year-old son, Kumari, pet Pegasus. He was waiting to be discharged after an asthma attack on his first day of fourth grade led him to stay overnight at the childrens hospital.

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Holtz and other South Florida hospitals have long used therapy dogs to provide patients with emotional support, either by hiring handlers to bring in the furry companions or by having their own in-house therapy dogs to make more frequent rounds.

Now, hospitals have begun to explore the same philosophy, but with horses. In South Florida, Pegasus has already made rounds at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, HCA Florida Mercy Hospital in Miami and Nicklaus Childrens Hospital near South Miami.

No one wants to be in a hospital. No one wants to be sick, and anything that could take their mind away from what theyre doing here, I think its a really positive thing, said Gino Santorio, president and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach.

Pegasus first visited Mount Sinais hospital in 2024 for Valentines Day as part of Mount Sinais pet therapy program.

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You could tell that peoples attention were immediately drawn to [Pegasus], and for the 10 to 15 minutes that the mini horse was there, thats all anybody was really thinking about, Santorio said. Sometimes that 15 minutes of just mindfulness gives people a mental reset.

Pegasus, like his six adopted therapy dog siblings, is trained to give emotional support to kids and adult patients undergoing challenging treatments.

And Pegasus comes dressed to impress. For his first visit to Holtz Childrens Hospital, he arrived in character as Woody the cowboy to match the hospitals Toy Story theme  little cowboy hat and slip-resistant mini boots included.

The horses magic repeats itself in every room  bright eyes, smiles, awe and shock. Some kids put stickers on his body.

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Its not easy to plan a visit. Hospitals have to follow strict guidelines to ensure cleanliness and reduce the risk of infections and illness for patients, staff and visitors. An employee who stayed close to Ramos and Pegasus during his recent Holtz visit, for example, closely monitored the interactions, making sure the kids cleaned their hands properly and, at times, changed gowns following their interactions with the horse.

Those are just some of the steps the hospital took to make sure Pegasus could visit all of its patients, including those in outpatient, oncology, the transplant institute and the pediatric ICU as part of Holtzs Feel Good Friday initiative, where staff find fun activities for patients, staff and families to do to give kids a mental break.

The opportunity to pet, the opportunity to cuddle with a horse, is another level ... and gives them that opportunity to take a break if theyre going through pain, said Kim Juanico, Holtzs nurse coordinator for the pediatric palliative care team. Her team focuses on finding ways to improve quality of life for kids with serious or life-limiting illnesses. It may not be the medication that helps them, but Pegasus can come in here and give a gentle hug to a kid and let them cuddle and pet, and their pain level goes down.

Its a distraction technique, she added. Days are long and hard here. Were constantly waiting for the next hour to come. This passes a little bit of that time.

Benefits of equine therapy

Horses are also being used to help reduce anxiety, promote calmness and develop better emotional regulation in children outside of the doctors office, too. At Equine Music Therapy Resources near West Kendall, horses and music are being used in therapy to help children with anxiety, depression, autism, and other behavioral and neurological disorders learn life skills and gain confidence while helping them navigate their emotions, according to Dayne Leon, the companys president and founder.

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Leon said equine therapy works because of how intuitive, almost empath-like, horses are to peoples emotions. Some research indicates horses can not only hear the heartbeat of those around them but can also synchronize the beat of their hearts with their riders, she said. Leon says that connection can often help promote calmness.

Kids feel in control of that huge animal, but at the same time, its building a bond between the animal and the person that is extremely magical, said Leon, tearing up as she talked about the changes she has seen in the children her organization helps.

When you see a child that is isolated in their own world and they open up to a new one, they open up to the best version of themselves, she said.

Its similar to what therapy dogs do.

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The furry companions help bridge the gap that we, even as clinicians or specialists, cant get through to the child, said Talia Mor, a child life specialist at Holtz and the handler of Mahi, the childrens hospitals facility dog. You see them start to really talk to you and engage with you when they wouldnt have been as open to do that before.

For Ramos, who has worked for over a decade with therapy dogs, equine therapy is a new way to bring that comfort to patients and other children.

From therapy dogs to a therapy horse

Ramos, who grew up with horses and other farm animals in Colombia, worked years ago with Amigos Near, a Miami-based nonprofit foundation that helps underserved children across the world, including kids in orphanages across Haiti, Colombia, Spain and the Dominican Republic. Ramos said she was on the ground shortly after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, helping to deliver food and other essential items to families in need.

As part of her foundation work, Ramos would sometimes go to Nicklaus Childrens, then known as Miami Childrens. One day, she went with her dog Bruno. Someone at the hospital recommended she bring her pup back to interact with patients. Ramos recalls feeling confused by the ask, but nonetheless did so.

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That moment changed Ramos life. She now handles six therapy dogs  Ares, Thor, Odin, Apollo, Zeus and Bruno  in addition to Pegasus. He will soon have another brother: Arion, another horse shes in the process of bringing into the fold. All are rescues named after characters from Greek mythology.

I dont have children, but I believe theres a need to make many kids feel better who lack many things at home, Ramos said.

Pegasus, to her, is like a big dog. At the farm where he lives in Kendalls horse country, hes playful and even a bit mischievous, not always listening to Ramos, pulling on his reins, impatient to be set loose to go run in his paddock. He loves to roll on his back, a technique horses use to scratch and groom themselves.

But at the hospital, Pegasus is poised. Calm. A steady presence for anyone who needs him.

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He transforms when hes with patients, said Ramos.

Not every dog or horse can be a therapy animal. Therapy dogs, and horses like Pegasus that are tapped to do equine therapy, have to undergo training to make sure they can interact safely with patients in strange and loud environments.

And, like other small business owners in Miami, Ramos is navigating rising costs  she spends thousands to feed and care for Pegasus alone  and confusing immigration law changes. She recently met with an immigration attorney to discuss the status of Pegasus trainer, who is a core member of her team.

The trainer, who was born in Nicaragua, spent much of his life training horses for shows and competitions across Central America. He moved to the U.S. last year under the humanitarian parole program to work as a trainer at a ranch in southern Miami-Dade. Thats where he met Ramos, who he says has changed his life.

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But his status may be at risk now. It worries Ramos, who considers him not only a friend but also her right-hand man.

The trainer visits Pegasus daily and is like the horses shadow during hospital visits, keeping a close eye to ensure the safety of Pegasus and those around him. Hes so in tune with Pegasus, he can tell what the horse needs just by looking at him  food, rest, even a bathroom break, a beneficial skill for those days when Pegasus is trotting through a hospital. For now, the trainer plans to move into the ranch that Ramos and her husband recently bought in Broward County to have Pegasus nearby. Thats where Ramos also plans to kick off her one-on-one equine therapy sessions.

How stress impacts horses

Ramos team also includes Esteban Suarez, who is Pegasus personal masseuse.

Horses get stressed, just like humans do. Muscles get tensed and strained. Locked muscles can lead to injury if not treated properly.

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Suarezs job is to give Pegasus structural integration therapy  think of it like a deep tissue massage. He carefully goes over every inch of Pegasus body, from his neck to his back and all the way to his hooves.

Stress affects everyones body differently. Some people may feel that their stress piles up as tension in a certain area of their body, such as their neck, shoulders or feet. Thats true for Pegasus, too. His stress seems to affect his shoulders and back the most, and it seems more noticeable after a long work day, according to Suarez.

Standing inside trailers in Miamis gridlock traffic is a stressful experience for horses, according to Suarez, who runs an equine structural integration therapy and rehabilitation business called Equi-Trust. The sights, sounds and smells inside a bustling hospital can also be overwhelming, even for a trained horse.

Pegasus gets the massage about once a month, less often than competitive sport horses. Pegasus also has the work-life balance many people dream of. Ramos wont let him work more than once a week to ensure he gets proper rest.

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During their recent visit to Holtz, Ramos stood right behind Pegasus, serving as a steady shield. Ramos said she does it to help direct Pegasus through the hospital, but also to give him peace of mind that nothing will surprise him from behind. She made sure he got a bathroom break and encouraged him to meet Mahi, Holtzs therapy dog.

The two ran into each other in the hallway and briefly touched noses, cementing the start of what will likely be a new friendship between horse and dog.

Inside a nearby room was 15-year-old Eric Ortiz, who was getting ready to leave after staying overnight for an ear infection. He didnt have a hospital horse sighting on his 2025 bingo card.

I can win Two Truths and a Lie now, he said.




Ever wondered which of America's national parks is the largest? That would be Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, a 13.2-million-acre expanse of mountains, glaciers and untamed wilderness in Southcentral Alaska. Despite the park's massive size - which is roughly the same as Croatia's and twice that of Massachusetts - many Americans don't know it exists. Nor are they aware of its fascinating history, or the pressures from climate change and the Trump administration that threaten its future.

Wrangell-St. Elias is a hard place to reach, and draws only about 80,000 visitors a year. Technically you can drive in via the town of McCarthy (population 107), but the route involves almost 60 miles of gravel and it's easy to blow a tire. More common options include flying in, hiking in or arriving by riverboat. And once you're there, it's mostly empty: There are a few tiny settlements and areas that cater to visitors, but otherwise, it's a place where people like to disappear into the vastness of nature.

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Stunningly beautiful, the park is defined by steep mountain ranges, including the Wrangell, the St. Elias, and the Chugach, and it contains the second-tallest mountain in North America, St. Elias. Want to see glaciers? The park's Malaspina Glacier is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. There are tidewater glaciers at its southern tip and an active volcano at Mount Wrangell, which still occasionally vents steam. Dall sheep roam the mountainous areas and there are black and brown bears throughout. On the Copper River, wild salmon runs make for some of the best fishing in the United States.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska. (Jacob W. Frank/NPS)





Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska is known for its mountain scenery. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty)





Wrangell-St. Elias was inhabited at different times by the Ahtna, Upper Tanana, Tlingit and Eyak peoples. Populations were small because the region's terrain did not support large amounts of game, so Indigenous groups tended to live in settlements by rivers where they could fish. Russians were the earliest Europeans to visit the area, drawn first by furs and then following rumors of copper. After the United States purchased Alaska in 1867, the area was further explored by U.S. army expeditions. Gold strikes elsewhere in Alaska brought plenty of hopeful prospectors.

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While a few people found gold, the real bonanza was in fact copper. In 1900, prospectors noticed a green rocky outcropping and its assayed ore turned out to be 70% pure copper, making it one of the richest copper veins ever discovered. In such a remote area, transporting it out was the biggest problem. A mining engineer named Stephen Birch formed a consortium with J.P. Morgan and the Guggenheims: It became the Kennecott Mines Co. The group built a railroad, the Copper River & Northwestern Railway, and it took five years to complete despite only being 195 miles long.

Consisting of five mines clustered around the town, Kennecott was in operation from 1908 to 1938. Nearby towns such as McCarthy boomed selling liquor to the miners, and offered amenities unavailable elsewhere in Alaska: The first X-ray machine in the state was at Kennecott's infirmary. But the geological conditions that created such pure ore also concentrated it in one place, and by the late 1920s the best ore had been exhausted. The mines shut down one by one, and the last train departed Kennecott in 1938, leaving it a ghost town. The only people left were a family of caretakers whose job was to make sure the structures didn't burn down.

The abandoned Kennecott Mines sit in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (Melissa Kopka/Getty Images/iStockphoto)





The remains of a small former settlement within Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (John Elk/Getty Images)





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Wrangell-St. Elias continued to draw adventure seekers and outdoor enthusiasts, however. Famed photographer Bradford Washburn came to Mount Lucania in 1937 and took photos of the area's glaciers. As early as 1938, Ernest Gruening, then governor of the territory, suggested that the area should become a national park. "I have traveled through Switzerland extensively, have flown over the Andes " he said. "It is my unqualified view that this is the finest scenery I have ever been privileged to see."

But the park was so big that it was difficult to assess for outsiders; one Park Service official even noted that the region wasn't sufficiently outstanding in its beauty. In the 1960s, some federal officials wanted it to become part of the Bureau of Land Management, which would have opened it up to a mix of recreational and commercial uses. Some Alaskan politicians were leery of protecting too much of the state's land, while the Park Service and preservationist groups sought an 18-million-acre park.

Dall sheep wander the terrain of Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty)





These terminal ponds are fed by the Kennicott Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (Alan Majchrowicz/Getty Images)





Years of political battles in Congress ultimately resulted in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which set aside more than 43 million acres for parks in Alaska. It doubled the size of the Park Service in one swoop, and included Wrangell-St. Elias. It's part of what makes the Alaskan portion of the park system unique: Its sheer size and scope are unmatched. The park is part of a larger UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Glacier Bay to the south and Kluane National Park on the Canadian side of the border.

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Today, the park faces unique risks and challenges, including the effects of climate change on its thousands of glaciers, according to glaciologist David Bahr. "The tidewater glaciers are all receding," he said. "There's a normal boom-bust cycle for tidewater glaciers  even before climate change they would periodically do massive retreats, but then they'd recover. And what we're going to see now is massive retreats but no chance of recovery."

Budget cuts looming over the Park Service also threaten Wrangell-St. Elias, Bahr explained. "In terms of management, they can't afford any cutbacks on staff at all. These are lean machines to begin with  imagine telling people that they had say 10 to 20 people to manage all of Massachusetts."

Like all national parks, Wrangel-St. Elias has had staffing and funding problems before, Bahr said. "In the 1920s and 1930s, there wasn't much management in the park. It was managed from further away in San Francisco and up at Denali. There really wasn't anyone, you know, boots on the ground. And so there were a lot of abuses, fly-by-night mining operations that would just come into the park and hope nobody noticed."

Wildflowers pop in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (Andrew Peacock/Getty Images)





More wonders in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Alaska. (Benson Spiers/Getty Images/iStockphoto)





These days, fewer than usual seasonal staff members at Wrangel St. Elias have meant that research on climate or history done by the Park Service is falling by the wayside, Bahr said. Still, the park encourages visitors to keep coming, in compliance with Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's order that national parks "remain open and accessible."

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For anybody thinking of making the trip, McCarthy has reputable accommodations such as McCarthy Lodge and Currant Ridge. The town is also home to the Potato, a quirky and excellent restaurant that's open from late May to September. If you want to stay in Kennecott, the Kennicott Glacier Lodge sits in the heart of the town. Public-use cabins dot the park and are generally first-come, first-serve. Kennecott itself is managed by the Park Service, which is also responsible for preserving the historic buildings.

Hard to say what state you'll actually find the place in, though. "You can't cut a lean machine and expect it to still function," Bahr said. "The gears are just all gonna fall apart."

Zeb Larson is a writer, historian and software developer. Find more of his work at zeblarson.com.

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This article originally published at Why you've never heard of the largest national park in the US.
The Holy Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Felipe of Goa and the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), according to an official release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

In his speech, Chief Minister Sangma congratulated the ICYM on its 25 years of service and leadership. He emphasised the importance of courageous witness and living out one's faith in every sphere of life.

He urged the youth to be beacons of hope, to stand tall in the face of challenges, and to use their platforms to amplify truth, justice, and compassion.

The Chief Minister praised the ICYM for forging leaders of integrity, building bridges of compassion, and inspiring a culture of service.

He encouraged the youth to prioritise wellness, pursue practical skills, and use technology as an instrument of truth and kindness.

Chief Minister Sangma also urged them to bridge divides and serve inclusively, embodying integrity, courage, and compassion.

"Let this Jubilee be the fire that reignites your spirit, the challenge that sharpens your purpose, and the call that sets your feet in motion. "Lead with boldness, serve with humility, and shine with the light of Christ," he said.

Urging the youth to use the digital era to build, not break, the Chief Minister said, "Harness social entrepreneurship to uplift the marginalised. Leverage global connections to think big and act locally."

The Chief Minister also congratulated the ICYM on its Silver Jubilee celebrations and appealed to the youth to be changemakers in the Church, country, and world. (ANI)
PosterNew Forests Nearly the Size of the UK | AI's View on China's 14th Five-Year Plan

During the 14th Five-Year Plan,

China raised its forest coverage to over 25%,

adding forested areas nearly equivalent to the size of the UK.

China contributed one-fourth of the world's new greenery, the largest globally.

The proportion of days with good air quality stabilized at 87%,

up 3 percentage points from the 13th Five-Year Plan.

The main streams of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers achieved Class II water quality standards.

Guangdong painted a green and beautiful picture:

144 million mu of forest, forest coverage at 53.39%

International Mangrove Center established in Shenzhen

Forestry industry output exceeded 930 billion yuan

In 2024, the province planted 23.37 million seedlings in counties, towns, and villages,

Built 210 forest towns and 267 forest villages

From urban parks to rural greenery,

Guangdong is making parks within 500 meters, greenery within 300 metersa shared ecological benefit.



 



AI
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will launch a two-year MA Yoga programme under the Department of Vedic Philosophy. The course, approved by the Academic Council, will blend classical yoga studies with practical training in asanas, pranayama, and other techniques, supporting both academic and professional growth. Scroll down to read more.
In a statement, the ministry expressed hope that the discussions would contribute to ending the conflict and alleviating the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people, which has continued for two consecutive years.
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Senior BRS leader and former minister T Harish Rao on Sunday lashed out at the Telangana government for its alleged inaction in providing relief to flood-affected families in Kamareddy district. Visiting the flood-hit areas of Nagireddypet in Yellareddy constituency, Rao accused the government of failing to deliver on promises made during Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's visit to the district last month. "In Kamareddy district, crops in thousands of acres suffered losses due to the floods, hundreds of houses collapsed, and there was a loss of life and property. It has been one month since the Chief Minister personally came, did a review, and promised to help everyone. But not even a single rupee of assistance has been provided," Rao told reporters. He pointed out that district officials had submitted a report estimating damages of nearly Rs 344 crore, but alleged that "not even Rs 34 has been released so far." Highlighting the plight of locals, Rao said, "The Chief Minister came to Kamareddy and saw the broken bridge between Kamareddy and Yellareddy constituencies. He said it would be restored immediately. It has been a month, and buses are still not running from Yellareddy to Kamareddy. Due to the lack of RTC buses, the education of children is being seriously affected." The former minister further alleged that none of the assurances given by the government had been fulfilled. "The CM said he would hold a meeting in Hyderabad within 15 days, review the situation, and that work would happen on a war footing. A month has passed, there has been no review, the District In-charge Minister Seethakka has not visited, the bridges remain unrepaired, no financial assistance has been given to farmers, and not even a rupee has reached the families whose houses collapsed," Rao said. The BRS leader demanded immediate release of compensation to farmers and families who lost their homes, along with urgent restoration of damaged infrastructure in the district. (ANI)
Chandrashekar had completed his BDS in India before moving to Dallas for higher studies. The Consulate General of India, in a post on X, also informed that the local authorities are investigating the incident.
The government is set to release the 21st Rs 2,000 installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme before Diwali 2025, benefiting millions of farmers. However, not all beneficiaries will receive the payout. Those with incomplete e-KYC, unlinked Aadhaar-bank accounts, or incorrect banking details may face delays or exclusion. Some farmers in flood-hit states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have already received early payments. Farmers are urged to verify their beneficiary status and update their information on pmkisan.gov.in or through Common Service Centers (CSCs) to ensure smooth crediting of funds ahead of the festive season.
Historic parliamentary polls under President Ahmad al-Sharaa mark Syrias first vote in decades, revealing hope, caution and ongoing challenges.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital following a significant fire outbreak in one of its Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The incident, attributed to a short circuit, has resulted in the unfortunate loss of six lives, as confirmed by SMS Hospital Trauma Centre In-charge Anurag Dhakad. Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham, speaking on the incident, said, "The CM is here after the information was received that a fire has broken out in an ICU due to a short circuit. The incident is unfortunate. Some people have lost their lives. SMS administration will release the no. of casualties. Out of 24, most of them have been saved. Their complete treatment is our priority." Dr. Anurag Dhakad provided further details: "The fire seems to have broken out due to a short circuit. Our patients were already in a very critical condition. The maximum patients were in a coma. So their survival reflexes are also poor. They need a constant support system. Due to the electrical burn, toxic gases were released there, and we had to shift them along with their support system. Their condition became more serious. We tried to shift them to the ICUs on the lower floor, but we could not save them. There are six casualties." Further updates on the incident are awaited from the hospital administration. (ANI)
Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit said that the 50-day Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp is a big thing which was promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajpurohit said that PM Modi's announcement has reinvigorated the ties between the countries. He said, "It may look like a small promise from PM Modi, but it is a big thing here. There is a huge requirement for prosthetic limbs here. The cost of the prosthetic limb in this part of the world is exorbitantly high. Jaipur foot is going to be a big gift for the people of Trinidad and Tobago from the Government of India and from PM Modi. The camp is being held at a venue called Diwali Nagar, and it is managed by the National Council of Indian Culture. Several announcements were made during PM Modi's bilateral visit here... This is one of the first announcements being implemented. It has reinvigorated the relationship and particularly the diaspora feel that India is there for them." Founder and Chief Patron of Jaipur Foot, DR Mehta, said that Prime Minister Modi's commitment is filled with the emotion of universal brotherhood. He said, "The Prime Minister of India made this commitment here. We are an organisation that believes in universalism and humanism. Would it not be interesting that a team comes from 15,000 kilometres away from India to fit limbs. What is a better example of universal brotherhood?... Before getting the limbs, sadness was writ large on the recipients faces. After getting limbs, their faces lightened up. The kind of joy we got was so enormous. Many of the persons themselves and more so their wives or their sisters who brought them, they were crying. Those were the tears of joy. And they made us cry." Chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, Prem Bhandari, said that the dynamics between both the countries have changed since PM Modi's visit. For the differently-abled people, this is the true gift on the occasion of Diwali. He said, "The dynamics of relationships have changed after the PM's visit to Trinidad and Tobago. In the parliamentary session, PM Modi said that there will be a camp for the differently abled people. Today, that dream is coming true. This is the biggest gift for Diwali. We are the largest organisation for people with disabilities, and the biggest challenge here is the large number of people with diabetes. We are hoping that this camp will be successful." Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Utilities, Barry Padarath, expressed his happiness as a promise made was kept. He said, "This was a promise that has been made and a promise that has been kept. And today it materializes on the rich soil of Trinidad and Tobago, understanding that this is the fruit of the love of Prime Minister Modi when he came to Trinidad and Tobago for our nation. We want to extend our thanks to the government and people of India for this tremendous gift," he said. "One of the things that came out of our discussions is that the empowerment of persons who receive these artificial limbs will be something that will be not only memorable for them, but it will also impact their lives in terms of being able to now go into the workplace and become more productive citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. This partnership is something that really is magnanimous in terms of its intent, but in terms of the reality of how it will impact citizens in Trinidad and Tobago," he added. In the 50-day Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp, free prosthetics were provided to over 800 people. (ANI)
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected nine sorties of Chinese military aircraft and six Chinese naval vessels operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Sunday. As per the MND, of the nine, two sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "9 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 9 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1974640683999797344 Earlier on Saturday, Taiwan recorded presence of Chinese military around the island with 10 PLA and seven PLAN vessels. In a post on 'X', MND said that five out of the 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. "10 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly," the 'X' post said. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1974278331559551067 The latest activity comes amid warnings from defence experts that China's newly unveiled weapon systems are designed to counter Taiwan's long-standing asymmetric warfare strategy. According to the Defence and Security Biweekly, published by the Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR), assistant research fellow Sheu Jyh-shyang has said that Taiwan has invested heavily for decades in asymmetric warfare, a defence strategy based on low-cost, highly effective systems meant to deter Beijing from launching a large-scale invasion. 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. (ANI)
Almost four people were killed in six incidents of firing during a three-hour hiatus across Karachi on Saturday, ARY News reported. A shopkeeper was shot dead over resisting a robbery in Orangi Town neighbourhood of Karachi, while a robber was also killed in the incident. The robbers had committed robbery in an LPG shop in the limits of Iqbal Market police station. The shopkeeper, in a resistance to robbery, snatching an arm from a robber and opened fire on him while the robber named Rahim succumbed to injuries later, while his accomplice ran away from the spot, the police said, as per ARY News. The killed robber had also been arrested many times in many cases, including murder and robberies, the police stated. On the other hand, a man was shot dead in vicinity of Sherpao Colony, Landhi, the police said. The deceased was riding on a motorcycle while two unidentified assailants chased him and shot him dead, while he received three bullets in his head, the police said, ARY News reported. The investigation is underway, while the incident appears to be a target killing, the police said. Likewise, an extortionist was killed in an encounter with police in Bakra Piri area in Malir, according Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Specialised Investigation Unit (SIU), as per ARY News. The extortionist had sprayed bullets on a shop of a builder a few days ago, the SSP apprised. The accused Ghulam Qadir was taken care of a gang-war group of Samad Kathiwari network in Karachi, SSP, SIU said. The police have recovered the mobile phone used in extortion and arms, the SSP said. Meanwhile, a police personnel sustained injuries owing to the firing of robbers in New Karachi area of the city, the police stated. The police have taken into custody an accused in an injured condition after an encounter in Ferozabad locality in Karachi. Moreover, the citizens handed over an alleged robber to the police after subjecting him torture in North Nazimabad. In another incident, a three-year-old girl was drowned in a water pail in F.B area Block 14. The police said that an investigation is underway to ascertain that whether the death is an accident or murder. Earlier in the day, a woman was killed by a stray bullet at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi on Saturday, police said. A passerby named Abdul Razzaq, a labourer on his way to a nearby tea stall, was also injured by the gunfire. The suspects fled the scene, and police are actively searching for them, ARY News reported. (ANI)
A drone strike by Russia had killed one person and left 30 injured as it struck two trains at a train station in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, Al Jazeera reported. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the attack was "savage". In a post on X, he said, "A savage Russian drone strike on the railway station in Shostka, Sumy region. All emergency services are already on the scene and have begun helping people. All information about the injured is being established. So far, we know of at least 30 victims. Preliminary reports indicate that both Ukrzaliznytsia staff and passengers were at the site of the strike." "The Russians could not have been unaware that they were striking civilians. And this is terror the world must not ignore. Every day Russia takes people's lives. And only strength can make them stop. We've heard resolute statements from Europe and America - and it's high time to turn them all into reality, together with everyone who refuses to accept murder and terror as normal. Lip service is not enough now. Strong action is needed," he added. https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1974409193139396940 Hours later, local prosecutors said that a 71-year-old man was found dead in one of the wrecked carriages. The site is around 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Russian border, as per Al Jazeera. In a message on Telegram, the acting mayor of Sumy, Artem Kobzar, said: "There are injured passengers. Rescuers, medics, and all emergency services are working at the scene." Moscow has stepped up its air attack campaign on Ukraine's railway infrastructure, hitting it almost every day over the past two months. The attack on the train comes a day after Russia launched its biggest overnight air attacks on several regions of Ukraine, particularly emergency infrastructure for power grids and gas sites, raising concerns about the country's energy supplies as winter looms again for the war's fourth year. (ANI)
The Treasury Department is considering producing a one-dollar coin featuring US President Donald Trump to commemorate the 250th anniversary of US independence next year, a spokesperson said, as per Politico. The draft design of the coin, which was overseen by the Office of the US Treasurer Brandon Beach, features Trump's profile on one side of the coin. The opposite side depicts Trump with a clenched fist in front of an American flag alongside the words "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT," as reported by Politico. "Despite the radical left's forced shutdown of our government, the facts are clear: Under the historic leadership of President Donald J. Trump, our nation is entering its 250th anniversary stronger, more prosperous, and better than ever before," a Treasury Department spokesperson said in a statement. https://x.com/TreasurerBeach/status/1974156375891804229 "While a final USD 1 coin design has not yet been selected to commemorate the United States' semiquincentennial, this first draft reflects well the enduring spirit of our country and democracy, even in the face of immense obstacles." Congress in 2020 passed bipartisan legislation, signed by Trump during his first term, that authorises the Treasury Secretary to issue one-dollar coins during the 2026 calendar year. The design of those coins must be "emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial," as per Politico. Living people are rarely featured on US money. Congress has imposed various restrictions on the ability of Treasury to feature living people and living presidents on currency. It's not clear whether the latest Trump coin envisioned by the Treasury Department would run afoul of those laws. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday told reporters she wasn't sure whether Trump was aware of the effort to put his likeness on a coin, Politico reported. "I'm not sure if he's seen it but I'm sure he'll love it," she said. (ANI)
The Indian Embassy in the USA joined the "vibrant" celebration of Dussehra at the ISKCON Temple in Maryland, and lauded the role played by ISKCON in promoting spirituality and interfaith harmony. The details were shared by the Embassy of India in US on Sunday (local time) in a post on X. "The Embassy joined the vibrant Dussehra celebrations at the ISKCON Temple, MD. Deputy Chief of Mission Amb. Namya C. Khampa, conveyed greetings on the festival and lauded ISKCON's role in promoting spirituality and interfaith harmony," the embassy wrote on X. The event saw participation from Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, and many other Maryland State Government dignitaries and Minister Economic and Minister (CA&P), EoI, the post added. https://x.com/IndianEmbassyUS/status/1974666095459000670 Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu, in her greetings to the nation on the eve of Vijayadashami, highlighted the festival's message of truth, justice, and harmony. In her message, the President said, "On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens." "The festival of Vijayadashami, symbolising the victory of Dharma over Adharma, inspires us to follow the path of truth and justice. Celebrated in various parts of the country as Ravana Dahan and Durga Puja, this festival reflects our national values. This festival also teaches us to renounce negative tendencies like anger and ego, and embrace positive ones like courage and determination. May this festival inspire us to build a society and country where all people move ahead together, inspired by the ideas of justice, equality and harmony," President Murmu said earlier. The 'Vijyayadashmi' or 'Dussehra' festival is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil. It is believed that Lord Rama killed Ravan on this day, and with this belief, the tradition of burning the effigies of Ravan is observed to symbolise triumph of good over evil. 'Vijayadashmi' also marks the culmination of the nine-day-long Navratri festival. It is observed on the tenth day of the month of Ashvin, the seventh in the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar. The festival typically falls in the Gregorian calendar months of September and/or October. The festival also marks the start of preparations for Diwali, which is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami. Vijayadashmi is celebrated with huge fervour across the country. (ANI)
Talks to end the war in Gaza are set to intensify in Egypt after Hamas announced it had accepted parts of US President Donald Trump's peace plan, according to a report by France 24. Trump has dispatched his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and top West Asia negotiator Steve Witkoff to Cairo to lead US efforts, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that a delegation from Israel is also heading to Egypt "to finalise technical details." "Our goal is to contain these negotiations to a time frame of a few days," Netanyahu said on Saturday, as per Al Jazeera. But he stressed Israel would not agree to a full withdrawal from Gaza, insisting that the military would continue holding areas under its control. He added that Hamas would eventually be disarmed either "through a diplomatic process or through a military path by us". Hamas announced on Friday night that it had approved the release of all captives both those alive and remains under Trump's proposed exchange formula. The first stage of the plan involves releasing hostages in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Trump immediately welcomed Hamas's statement, calling it a sign the group was "ready for a lasting PEACE." But on Saturday he warned that Hamas must act quickly, "Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off." Despite Trump's call for a halt to Israeli airstrikes, bombardments continued on Saturday. Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 70 people were killed in strikes on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Cairo will host a wider conference of Palestinian factions to discuss Gaza's post-war future. Hamas has said it wants a role in shaping the territory's governance, while Trump's plan states that neither Hamas nor other militant factions should govern Gaza. A White House official confirmed that Trump is sending Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to work out the details of the hostage release and prisoner exchange. Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said delegations from Hamas and Israel will also join the talks on Monday, Times of Israel reported. (ANI)
Iran on Saturday carried out the execution of six men accused of staging deadly attacks in the country's southwest region on behalf of Israel, Fox News reported, citing state media. The men were said to be involved in a series of assaults on police and security forces in Khorramshahr, a city in oil-rich Khuzestan province, as well as bombings around the area. Authorities also confirmed a separate hanging in Kurdistan province, where a man convicted of killing a Sunni cleric in 2009, along with other crimes, was executed, Fox News reported. The executions come weeks after the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which ended with Tehran warning it would retaliate against its "enemies at home and abroad." The United States Department of War, then the Department of Defence, said that the Strikes obliterated Iran's nuclear capabilities. Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth credited President Trump for the military operation resulting in a ceasefire agreement between the two countries. State television aired footage of one of the men giving details of the attacks, claiming it was the first time the confession had been made public. However, Kurdish human rights group Hengaw disputed the official version, saying the six were Arab political prisoners detained during the anti-government protests of 2019. According to the group, Iranian authorities linked them to the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz, a separatist faction accused of pipeline bombings in the region. Hengaw alleged the men were tortured and forced into televised confessions under duress. "The six men were subjected to severe torture and coerced into giving televised "confessions" under duress. They were accused of "transferring foreign currency through an international bank," "carrying out armed attacks," and "links to the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz (ASMLA), " the group wrote. Amnesty International has said Iran has executed more than 1,000 people so far this year, the highest figure recorded by the organisation in at least 15 years. The rapid pace has drawn comparisons to 1988, when Tehran executed thousands of political prisoners at the close of the Iran-Iraq war. Independent United Nations experts also criticised Tehran's actions in a recent statement. "With an average of more than nine hangings per day in recent weeks, Iran appears to be conducting executions at an industrial scale that defies all accepted standards of human rights protection," the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said. The UN body described the surge as "a dramatic escalation that violates international human rights law," urging Iran to halt the wave of hangings and uphold basic standards of justice. (ANI)
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 5 (ANI/TPS): The wave of deadly violence in Israel's Arab communities shows no sign of slowing, as two people were killed in separate incidents during the weekend, bringing the number of Arab sector homicides in 2025 to 192. Early Sunday morning, a 50-year-old man from the northern Israeli village of Deir al-Assad was shot and killed while sitting in his car, Israeli police reported. The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to the Galilee Medical Center in critical condition but was pronounced dead upon arrival. Meanwhile, in Rahat, a Bedouin city in southern Israel, authorities arrested three suspects in connection with a fatal shooting on Saturday night, which appears to have been a retaliatory attack stemming from a knife fight between two men. Police said the incident reignited a long-standing blood feud between rival families. The suspects reportedly arrived at the home of a rival family and opened fire, seriously injuring two men. Paramedics transported both victims to the hospital. One, 21-year-old Adam al-Oubarah, succumbed to his injuries that same night, while a 29-year-old man was also critically wounded. "This was a violent incident between conflicting families in the city, which included shooting and an attempt at blood revenge," police said. During raids on the families' residences, officers seized military-grade weaponry, including assault rifles and handguns believed to have been stolen from IDF bases in the area. According to the Abraham Initiatives, a non-profit organisation that promotes Arab integration into Israeli society, 192 Arab-Israelis have been murdered in 2025. The spike continues a pattern of violence in the Arab sector, which saw 230 murders in 2024. In 2023, a record number of 244 Israeli Arabs were murdered, more than double the 120 homicides in 2022. The surge in violence is attributed to organised crime groups fighting turf battles and attempting to eliminate rivals. Arab criminal organisations have been involved in extortion, money laundering, and trafficking in weapons, drugs, and women. Critics argue the crime wave has worsened since Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, became National Security Minister in 2022. (ANI/TPS)
A mosque in Peacehaven, a quiet coastal town near Brighton in the United Kingdom, was deliberately set on fire on Saturday night in what police are treating as a hate crime. Two people were inside the building when the attack took place, but they managed to escape unharmed, CNN reported. The suspected arson comes during a tense and politically charged summer in the UK, marked by a rise in both Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents. It follows just days after a deadly attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, where two Jewish worshippers were killed in a car ramming and stabbing attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 10 pm after flames broke out at the entrance of the small mosque, which has been serving a local group of 10 to 15 worshippers for the past four years. According to a volunteer mosque manager, confirmed, two masked individuals were seen on security footage arriving at the mosque wearing balaclavas. They attempted to force the main door open before pouring gasoline across the steps and setting it alight. Inside the mosque at the time were the mosque's chairman and another volunteer, both in their 60s, who had stayed behind after evening prayers to share a cup of tea, as per CNN. "They heard a loud bang outside and fled the building as flames curled across the main entrance," the manager said. "They could have easily died. These people came with full intent to cause maximum damage." "The chairman was shaking the whole time," the manager added. "A neighbour came out onto the street crying. Everyone is scared. If someone was willing to do this, we don't know what's next." "Then we saw them pouring gasoline all over the floor and the door of the mosque and the chairman's car outside," the manager affirmed. Police said the fire damaged the front of the mosque and a vehicle parked outside. The mosque's chairman works as a taxi driver and relies on the car as his livelihood, according to the manager. "Unfortunately, just a shell of his vehicle is left," he added. Nobody was physically harmed during the fire, but police said its impact will "be felt by the Muslim community" of the small coastal town. The manager also highlighted that this isn't the first time the building has been targeted. "Last August, the mosque was targeted twice overnight with eggs thrown at the building, and people have shouted curse words and racial slurs when passing by," the manager said. "But we never expected an attack on this level," he added. "The community right now is on their toes. They feel unsafe, they are paranoid. There is a lot going on right now." Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned that attack and warned that hatred "is rising once again, and Britain must defeat it once again." (ANI)
In a swift and coordinated response to severe flooding in Bhutan, the Indian Army on Sunday successfully carried out a high-risk rescue operation, airlifting stranded civilians to safety from the Phuentsholing area, according to a press release by the Indian Army. Triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, incessant rainfall led to the swelling of the Torsa River, inundating vast areas across West Bengal and Bhutan. Responding swiftly to an emergency evacuation request on October 5, the Indian Army launched two helicopters from Sevoke Road Aviation Base to undertake a critical rescue mission in the Phuentsholing area of Bhutan, the release stated. Braving marginal weather conditions and low visibility, the Army Aviation pilots conducted an aerial reconnaissance before skillfully landing in challenging terrain to evacuate stranded civilians to safety. A senior military official stated, "The Indian Army remains ever ready to assist civil authorities in times of crisis. This operation reflects our deep commitment to humanitarian values and the enduring friendship between India and Bhutan." The successful mission highlights the Indian Army's commitment to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, exemplifying its ethos of Service Before Self while further strengthening bilateral cooperation and goodwill between the two nations, as per the release. Earlier in the day, Indian Army deployed two helicopters in Bhutan. The teams airlifted stranded workers to safety and ensured they received immediate medical care. The helicopters successfully airlifted the three stranded individuals to the CST ground, from where they were transported to the hospital for medical care, the Department of Local Governance and Disaster Management, Bhutan said in a release. In a positive turn of events, it was later confirmed that the two previously reported missing workers were also found alive and safe. Additionally, after a slight improvement in weather conditions, a Druk Air helicopter was able to take off from Paro and rescue one of the individuals earlier reported as washed away. The Royal Government of Bhutan has expressed sincere gratitude to the Indian Army for its timely and life-saving assistance, as well as to the Royal Bhutan Army and Druk Air teams for their courageous efforts, the release noted. We also commend the Royal Bhutan Army, Druk Air and all local responders who acted with bravery and selflessness, risking their own safety to ensure the well-being of others. According to the release, disasters have also been reported in other dzongkhags. The Royal Government is closely coordinating with local authorities to ensure timely response efforts. Meanwhile, Authorities in North Bengal have been placed on high alert after Bhutan's Tala Hydropower Dam began overflowing due to a technical failure, raising fears of downstream flooding in the Dooars region of West Bengal. The National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Bhutan, confirmed that the Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) reported a malfunction in the dam gates, which failed to open, resulting in river water spilling over the structure. Bhutan has formally alerted the West Bengal government to prepare for possible impacts. (ANI)
The death toll in Nepal now stands at 52 following days of heavy rainfall triggering floods, landslides, lightning and road accidents all across the nation. At least seven have remained unaccounted in the rain-induced disaster, which so far has left 29 people injured, the Armed Police Force announced on Sunday evening. Nepal, since early Saturday morning, has been receiving rainfall under the influence of moisture-laden monsoon winds from the Bay of Bengal, which have triggered widespread rain across the Himalayan Nation. Out of the seven provinces, the two-day heavy rain resulted in the heaviest losses in the Koshi Province, bordering India. According to the Armed Police Force Headquarters, Ilam alone reported 37 fatalities due to landslides and floods, while other districts in the province accounted for 12 more deaths. One person remains missing in Koshi, and at least 17 people have been injured. In Madhesh Province, the southern plains of Nepal, three people were killed and one was injured in Rautahat after being struck by lightning, while search operations are underway for one missing person in Bara. "The flooding in the Bagmati river, which has swelled into the residential areas, we have advised residents to be on high alert and also deployed the security agencies accordingly since day one. We have continued to convey the message to people through various communication means such as mike-ing, requesting people to take shelter in safe places," Tulsi Bahadur Shrestha, Chief District Officer of Sarlahi, told ANI. Authorities are continuing rescue and relief operations as heavy rainfall and the risk of further landslides persist across several regions. "During this time (disaster), we are focusing more on the rescue operation. Focusing on it, all the resources from the security agencies to the local representatives are being deployed on the field," Shrestha added. Amongst other provinces, the Bagmati Province reported four people injured and four missing, while Sudurpaschim Province recorded eight people injured from rain-related incidents. After two days of mayhem, the Himalayan Nation is witnessing improved weather as the low-pressure system that triggered recent rainfall has moved out of the country, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) announced. "Although the monsoon has weakened, it has not fully withdrawn," the department has cautioned. The system, developed over the Bay of Bengal, caused heavy to very heavy rainfall in the districts of Madhesh, Bagmati, and Koshi provinces from the evening of October 3 to the morning of October 5. The heaviest rainfall was recorded in Maheshpur, Rautahat, at 358 mm, according to the DHM. The continuous rains had raised water levels above the alert thresholds in rivers including Bagmati, Trishuli, East Rapti, Lalbakaiya, and Kamala. Water levels are now gradually receding. As of October 5, the Koshi Barrage has surged to 523,795 cusecs per second, according to the latest official measurements. Continuous rainfall since Saturday has raised concerns that the flow may increase further. Authorities have warned that if the water level rises further, traffic across the barrage will be halted completely, as small and light vehicles are now permitted to operate. The Koshi Barrage is considered dangerous once the water flow exceeds 300,000 cusecs per second. Currently, all 56 gates of the barrage remain closed, and red lights have been switched on as a danger signal. (ANI)
NAHA, Oct 05 (News On Japan) - Typhoon No. 22, which formed at 3 a.m. on October 5th, was moving slowly westward about 280 kilometers south of Chichijima as of 9 a.m. The storm is expected to gradually intensify as it continues west and could reach strong intensity by October 8th.

Forecasts indicate the storm will reach waters east of Okinawa and Amami around the middle of this week. Depending on its course, it could bring rough weather to areas such as the Daitojima region, so residents are advised to take early precautions against strong winds and heavy rain.

The subsequent path remains uncertain, and there is a possibility that the typhoon could move closer to Japans main islands. Meteorological authorities urge continued attention to upcoming forecasts.

Meanwhile, Typhoon Matmo (Typhoon No. 21) is currently over the South China Sea and moving west-northwest. It is expected to intensify further and maintain strong force as it approaches Hainan Island, southern China, and Vietnam.

There is no expected impact on Japan.

UPDATE: Typhoon No. 22 (Haolong) May Reverse Course Near Japan

Source: 
The Moroccan-German Working Group on Food and Agriculture held its first meeting in Rabat this week. This inaugural meeting officially launched the Groups activities, identified short- and medium-term priority themes, facilitated exchanges on ongoing bilateral initiatives, and defined concrete areas of collaboration, Moroccos Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

The meeting also served to determine how non-state stakeholders, including research institutions, the private sector, and civil societywill be engaged, while establishing the governance, leadership, and monitoring modalities for the Group, the statement said.

The creation of this Working Group is part of the dynamic relations between Morocco and Germany, shaped by a biannual Strategic Dialogue. It represents the implementation of the Joint Declaration signed during the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in Berlin on January 18, 2025, reflecting the shared will of both countries agriculture departments to strengthen cooperation in the agricultural and food sectors, in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Working Group is a concrete outcome of strong political will, formalized by the Joint Declaration, and embodies the two departments determination to build a stronger, more resilient, and more productive agricultural partnership, the statement explained.

Beyond institutional formalization, the Working Group holds major strategic value by offering a unique framework to foster agricultural innovation, promote the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise, enhance food security, and support sustainable and inclusive solutions for both countries agricultural sectors.

It thus has the potential to become a model of exemplary bilateral cooperation, capable of delivering tangible and lasting economic, social, and environmental impacts.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening exchanges, fostering innovation, and promoting sustainable development in the agricultural sector for the benefit of populations and agricultural value chains in both countries.

The German side to the meeting was chaired by the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity (BMLEH), Martina Englhardt-Kopf.

In 2022, bilateral trade in farming products reached 4.9 billion, with agro-food products accounting for less than 5%. Moroccan exports, valued at 2.1 billion, were dominated by fruits and vegetables, while German exports to Morocco totaled 2.8 billion.

However, growth prospects are strong. German demand for fresh, seasonal, and certified organic products continues to rise. Between January and March 2024, Morocco exported nearly 35,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables to Germany, a 40% increase year-on-year.
A plane of the Spanish airline Vueling landed on Saturday at Essaouira-Mogador International Airport, marking the official launch of a new air route connecting Seville, Spain, to the Moroccan Atlantic city of Essaouira.

This new service, operated once a week every Saturday, reinforces Essaouiras connectivity and consolidates its position on the international tourism map. It also enables the UNESCO World Heritage city to continue strengthening its cultural and tourist influence on the international stage.

The new connection, reflecting the growing interest of European travelers in the city, was celebrated at a ceremony held at the airport in the presence of local officials, tourism operators, and representatives from Vueling.

President of the Provincial Tourism Council, Redouane Khane, welcomed the launch of the first direct connection between Essaouira and Seville, saying this route represents a major opportunity for the Andalusian market, historically close to our region, and will help diversify the tourist clientele while enhancing Essaouiras visibility by 2026.

The inauguration of this direct route comes amid a significant increase in traffic at Essaouira-Mogador Airport, which recorded a 48.62% rise in passenger numbers in September, welcoming 29,410 travelers compared to 19,789 during the same period in 2024.

According to the airports management, aircraft movements also grew substantially by 53.52%, rising from 142 to 218 flights (including arrivals and departures).

With this new connection, Essaouira-Mogador Airport is now linked to around ten international destinations, mostly in Europe, including Paris, London, Brussels, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Dusseldorf, Madrid, and now Seville, in addition to a regular domestic route connecting it with Rabat.

This new route is part of a broader strategy to enhance Essaouiras accessibility.
Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg was mistreated during her detention for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza, activists have claimed.

Some 137 activists detained by Israel for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza arrived in Turkey on Saturday after being deported, with two alleging that Thunberg was mistreated during her detention.

Two of them, Hazwani Helmi, a Malaysian citizen, and Windfield Beaver, an American citizen, told Reuters at the airport that they had witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

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"It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," said Helmi, 28, adding that detainees were not provided with clean food or water and that medication and belongings were confiscated.

Beaver, 43, said Thunberg was "treated terribly" and "used as propaganda", describing how she was pushed into a room as Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived.

Israel did not immediately comment on the new allegations, but its foreign ministry earlier described reports that detainees had been mistreated as "complete lies".

The activists who landed at Istanbul Airport included 36 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

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Israel has faced international condemnation after its military intercepted all of about 40 boats in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza and detained more than 450 activists.

Its foreign ministry wrote on X that all detained activists were "safe and in good health", adding it was keen to complete the remaining deportations "as quickly as possible".

In a separate X post, it accused some flotilla members of "deliberately obstructing" the deportation process, without providing evidence. Reuters was unable to independently verify the allegation.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians were on board the Turkish Airlines flight, with another 15 still held in Israel and set to be expelled over the next few days - along with activists from other nations.

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"I have once again given instructions to the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights", Tajani wrote on X.

A first group of Italians from the flotilla - four parliamentarians - arrived in Rome on Friday.

"Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza", Arturo Scotto, one of the Italian lawmakers who took part in the mission, told a press conference in Rome.

"We were brutally stopped ... brutally taken hostage", said Benedetta Scuderi, another Italian parliamentarian.

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According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets.

They were also "forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted 'Free Palestine,'" Adalah said.

Israel denied the allegations. "All of Adalahs claims are complete lies. Of course, all detainees ... were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld," a foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters.

The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where Israel has been waging a war since Palestinian militant group Hamas' deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.

Israeli officials repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt and warned it against violating a "lawful naval blockade".
October 5, 2025: Earlier this year, the United States threatened to halt $336 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) if the Palestinians did not halt their Pay for Slay program. Recent payments were substantial, with some Palestinian terrorists receiving over a million dollars. The most recent payment totaled $142 million for 738 Palestinian terrorists. That averages $193,000 per terrorist.

Last year, the PA continued using its Pay for Slay program to reward Palestinian terrorists. Since October 2023, the PA declared nearly 10,000 imprisoned Palestinian and Hamas terrorists as eligible for Pay for Slay money. The PA also recognized an additional 39,000 families of dead terrorists as eligible for Pay for Slay payments. While the PA agreed to the American demands, it is believed that the PA would seek to find a way to make the payments anyway.

The Palestinians responded by establishing a foundation to handle the money. The foundation is still run by Palestinians who simply deny any involvement with the Pay for Slay effort. The foundation dispenses money to needy Palestinians, all of them just happen to be needy terrorists. The Americans have been through this before, and this time the PA deceptions may not work.

The PA has long used foreign aid money to run its pay-for-slay program. Since the 1970s, the PA has diverted nearly half a billion dollars in foreign aid to pay Palestinian terrorists for killing Israeli civilians and soldiers. There is an elaborate system for paying the families of dead Palestinian terrorists as well as lesser payments for those imprisoned for attacks on Israelis.

Foreign donors eventually learned of this program, which used money donated for the welfare of Palestinian civilians. Donors tried to enforce rules prohibiting use of cash for pay-for-slay programs. The PA keeps finding ways to circumvent these restrictions and continue making terrorism profitable for Palestinians. PA leaders take a portion of the aid for themselves as a reward for continuing to deceive foreign donors.

In 2019, the Palestinian Fatah government threatened to cause an economic catastrophe by refusing partial payments from Israel and donor nations unless everyone stopped deducting the money Fatah spends on supporting and encouraging terrorist activity. In 2018, Israel passed a law to deduct Pay for Slay payments from the $130 million a month it collects in taxes and fees for the Palestinians in the West Bank. Despite that, Fatah paid over $20 million to Palestinian terrorists in prison or to their families for deceased terrorists. The U.S. had already enacted a similar law and was deducting a similar amount from the $300 million it currently gives to the West Bank Palestinians. Other foreign donors have taken similar measures.

Fatah complains that the U.S., Israel, and other donors are being unfair. Yet it is no secret that many Palestinians become terrorists because they are attracted to the financial rewards, which are considerable for many impoverished Palestinians impoverished by Fatah corruption and incompetence. Palestinians who are jailed, injured, or killed while trying to kill Israelis receive large payments from Fatah. For example, families of dead terrorists get an immediate payment of $1,700 from Fatah plus monthly payments for the life of the immediate family. These monthly payments consist of $400 to over $1,000 depending on the number of wives and children and can make a family relatively affluent and open new opportunities, like enough cash to afford a people smuggler who can get one or more family members to the West. There is also a bonus of $86 a month if you are a legal resident of Israel and a similar monthly bonus if you were a resident of Jerusalem. Fatah currently pays about $200 million a year to the families.

Monthly payments to jailed Palestinians vary according to how long they have been in jail, how many dependents they have, and so on. There are also bonuses for how many Israelis the prisoner killed or injured. Some of these convicts get over $50,000 a year. Fatah currently spends nearly $200 million a year to reward over 6,000 jailed terrorists. Fatah considers this payment program a success even though hundreds of Palestinians have died in the Fatah-promoted violence. These attacks also left a growing number of Israelis dead, and for Fatah that is political gold as far as Arab language media is concerned.

With this approach, Fatah and Hamas together currently spend over $400 million a year to make murder economically attractive to many young Palestinians. Most of it comes from Fatah, although Hamas is trying to make more payments to Palestinians in the West Bank who support Hamas and attack Israelis in the name of Hamas. The Arab language media throughout the Middle East take for granted that these payments are just and necessary for the war against Israel.

In response to the current American and Israeli efforts to penalize Fatah for what is spent to encourage terror attacks, Fatah made it clear it would not halt payments to families for dead or jailed terrorists. Instead, it cut pay to Palestinians who worked for the West Bank government. But by refusing foreign aid money still being offered, Fatah caused shortages of food and other necessities in the West Bank. The ensuing Palestinian outrage and resulting damage were blamed on the efforts to halt pay-for-slay terrorism support.

Fatah is pleading with Russia and Arab oil states to help them out. Russia is broke and prefers to be on good terms with Israel. The Arab oil states are fed up with the Palestinian preference for self-destructive behavior. When the PA cannot obtain the needed Pay for Slay cash from the usual sources, it records missed payments as debts that must eventually be paid. Pay for Slay is an essential PA program because it brings in more Palestinian men willing to die for money. Families receiving the money honor their dead benefactors for a long time.
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

Below are two videos from Harmeet Dhillon,Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, on the complaint surroundings Portland Police mishandling the Portland protests.

Portland police arresting journalists such Nick Sortor while giving Antifa goons a free pass is unjust, and will NOT stand in this @TheJusticeDept.

Portlands citizens deserve better from their local law enforcement! Investigation underway! @AGPamBondi pic.twitter.com/pwZBa3l7rR

 AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) October 3, 2025
October 5, 2025: Mali has ended its cooperation with France on counterterrorism efforts. Five French diplomats believed to be involved were expelled from Mali. The current military government in Mali accuses France of trying to replace them with a more pro-France military government.

Meanwhile, Mali soldiers and the Russian Africa Corps are accused of kidnapping or executing numerous Fulani tribesmen. Nearly 20 Fulani were killed and over 80 kidnapped. These operations were part of an effort to halt the movement of Muslim Fulani horsemen and their raids against Christian farmers in the north. The Russians are fighting the Fulani and Islamic terrorists to gain an edge in obtaining gold mining permits. Meanwhile, the government is demanding more money from the foreign gold mining companies. As a result, most mining operations have been shut down until a new arrangement on taxes. Mali is the third-largest gold producer in the world.

What divides Mali more than anything else is ethnicity and geography. The desert and semi-desert north contains more than half of the territory, but only about 12 percent of Mali's 22 million people. This semi-desert area just below the Sahara extends from the east coast of Africa all the way to the Atlantic.

In the southern third of Mali, where 88 percent of the population lives, the population is quite different from the northerners. While most Malians are Muslim, there are some sharp ethnic and tribal differences. The Tuareg are the majority in the north and are North African, while over 80 percent of Malians are various black African tribes. Most Malians live south of the Niger River, known as the Nile of West Africa. These areas are more prosperous because they have more water.

The hostility between the armycomposed of black Africans from the southand the lighter-skinned Tuareg groups in the north goes back a long time. Before 2012, the rebellious Tuareg around Timbuktu tried something different and adopted Islamic terrorism as a promising tool to help their fight for autonomy or a separate Tuareg state. That has often failed in the past because the Tuareg have been unable to unite. Islamic radicalism has not solved that problem either, as it didnt work.

The French arrived in the 19th century and over the next 68 years created a united Mali. The black Africans along the Niger River prospered and generally ignored the Tuareg in the desert north. But after the French left in 1960, and Mali became independent, the more populous south was forced to deal with the Tuareg-dominated north they now owned and were not willing to give up. This has not worked out well for either side.

Most of the 12,000 UN peacekeepers were up north, dealing with problems the Mali government has caused and failed to remedy. The government has not come through with the autonomy and economic aid it agreed to back in 2014 if the Tuareg separatist rebels made peace. The government is still corrupt and inefficient and continues to be run by southerners who still do not trust the tribes up north.

The most dangerous rebel group in the north is the Tuareg Liberation Army of Azawad/MNLA, which signed a peace deal in June 2015. The government made a lot of promises to MNLA, mainly to keep the MNLA from reuniting with its former ally Ansar Dine, which long worked with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb/AQIM. Ansar Dine is, like the MNLA, largely Tuareg. France points out that MNLA and Ansar Dine leaders still communicate with each other, mainly because they are all Tuareg and have tribal connections. MNLA and Ansar Dine relations with AQIM are less friendly, and most MNLA members see AQIM as unwelcome outsiders. This unstable situation up north wont resolve itself unless the government keeps its side of the peace deal. MNLA is obviously ready to work with Ansar Dine again if the central government keeps stalling on meeting its obligations.

The Tuareg never trusted the national government, and the current situation does not help. Azawad is the Tuareg term for their homeland in northern Mali and several other North African nations. Ansar Dine refuses to make peace and continues to fund its terrorist operations with drug smuggling profits. MNLA gave up drug smuggling and cooperation with Islamic terrorists when it signed the 2015 peace deal. The continued smuggling explains Ansar Dine involvement with the new Islamic terror group Macina Liberation Front/FLM down south. AQIM is still something of an umbrella organization for Islamic terrorists in the region and survives in the north largely because the government has not complied with the peace deal. Most Tuareg do not belong to MNLA or Ansar Dine and are mainly concerned with taking care of their families and clans. The clans often have militias, and if economic conditions dont improve up there, a lot of those militiamen will use their weapons to get what they need or simply want.

There are still a lot of unresolved disagreements between the many pro-government and former rebel tribes and clans up there. These feuds are proving more difficult to solve because of the governments refusal to deliver aid and autonomy. This is causing enough anarchy to give the Islamic terrorists opportunities to move around and carry out attacks and keep their drug smuggling enterprise running. The local squabbles tie down the peacekeepers and make it more difficult for the French-led counter-terror operations.

The Mali government wants the UN to allow peacekeepers to be more forceful with uncooperative groups, especially Tuareg, up north. The UN is reluctant to do that. While it worked in places like Congo, it would likely backfire in northern Mali. In addition to the peacekeepers, there were also a thousand French special operations troops there who were not part of the peacekeeping force and concentrated on finding and destroying Islamic terrorists. This French force is part of Task Force Barkhane, which has over 3,000 French troops that operate throughout the Sahel. The French have since left.

Task Force Barkhane can send more troops to Mali, but rarely does because it has so much to do in the rest of the Sahel. There are also several thousand Mali Army troops up north where they are regarded by the Tuaregs as a hostile occupying force. That attitude goes back a long way, and the 2015 peace deal was to have addressed that mistrust. It hasnt, and no UN member is eager to get involved in that kind of mess.

Since 2018, the UN has been threatening sanctions against individuals and groups in Mali if the government and local leaders in northern Mali dont implement the 2015 peace treaty that ended the war in the north but has not yet brought peace. To placate the UN and major donors, the government has agreed to work things out with the Tuaregs. But promises like that have been made before and always broken. The federal government continues to tolerate corrupt practices, which includes stealing a lot of the aid money meant for the north and sending officials up there who demand bribes to get anything done. The UN also insists that presidential elections be held on schedule and would prefer that the incumbent keep it legal and not become another president-for-life. The president is also under pressure from the UN to issue a December 2017 order for police to shut down any unauthorized protests. That meant all protests against government corruption and mismanagement were to be attacked, and that has created more popular support for reforms.
Event Description - Future of Biogas Europe 2025

The 10th edition of ACIs Future of Biogas Europe Summit is set to take once again in Seville, Spain on the 26th & 27th November 2025. As one of the most anticipated events in the renewable energy sector, this summit will bring together senior executives, industry leaders, and experts from across the biogas value chain to discuss the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in biogas production and utilization.

With the global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050 accelerating, biogas is playing an increasingly vital role in the energy landscape. The Future of Biogas Europe Summit will address key issues, including the evolving regulatory environment, the role of biogas in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, and the integration of biogas into Europes energy infrastructure. Attendees will explore the latest technological advancements, financing models, and market developments that are shaping the future of biogas production.

The summit will cover critical topics such as the role of biogas in achieving energy independence, the potential for biogas in transport and the marine sector, and how regional policies are supporting biogas development. Furthermore, delegates will examine the future of waste management and anaerobic digestion, identifying opportunities for growth within the industry and how to overcome challenges like feedstock availability and supply chain constraints.

The event will also feature in-depth discussions on international collaborations, highlighting how cross-border partnerships can accelerate biogas adoption and innovation. As Europe faces the challenge of reducing dependence on fossil fuels, biogas is emerging as a cornerstone for sustainable energy solutions. This years event will provide a unique platform to discuss how the sector is rising to meet these challenges and positioning itself for future success.

Join us at the 10th edition of the Future of Biogas Europe Summit to connect with key industry stakeholders and explore the transformative potential of biogas in Europes renewable energy transition.
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 team from Canada's fisheries ministry patrols the Grand River, near Lake Erie, looking for invasive carp.

Finally, something to unite President Donald Trump, his Democratic opponents and the Canadians he's threatening to annex: a ferociously hungry carp.

Invasive carp, sometimes called Asian carp, were introduced in the United States in the 1970s. And they've never stopped spreadingand eating everything in their pathsince.

"They're eating machines," said Trisiah Tugade, an aquatic biologist with Canada's Invasive Carp Program, as she and her team glided along the Grand Rivera Lake Erie tributarylooking for fish that specialists fear will devastate the Great Lakes.

Because they can eat up 40% of their bodyweight daily, invasive carps were initially seen as a tool to control nuisance algae in confined areas, like aquaculture ponds.

But they escaped, likely during floods, and made their way north, including through the Illinois River. That has raised the specter of the devastating eater establishing itself in the Great Lakes, the world's largest freshwater system by surface area.

"There is nothing that I have seen that scares ecologists more than looking at what the impacts would potentially be if the species of Asian carp that are in the Illinois River get into the Great Lakes and form a breeding population," University of Michigan Great Lakes water policy expert Mike Shriberg told AFP.

It's a threat that has got the attention of Trump, who calls the fish "a threat" and specialists on both sides of the border.

Shock treatment

Each year, Canadian experts search for carp in Great Lakes tributaries considered favorable for spawning and feedingoften grassy areas with warmer, shallow water.

In the Grand River, Tugade and senior biologist Alex Price oversaw an electrofishing mission.

A Canadian government team assesses fish caught during a search for invasive carp in Ontario's Grand River.

The team lowered two rods into the water that released non-lethal pulsating charges, stunning the fish and allowing them to be brought with nets into a tank onboard.

Fish were identified, measured andif not deemed invasivereleased into the muddy water.

Since the program's launch in 2012, only a few dozen invasive carp have been captured in Canadian waters.

James Hall, whose Hall'emin Sport Fishing business takes clients out on Lake Erie, told AFP he was one of the first to catch one.

"I was wondering what it was, but I knew it was something different," he said, describing the moment he pulled a carp out of the water a decade ago.

Hall said he put the fish on ice and called government's carp hotline.

Invasive carp "have been very rare to catch, which is great," said Price, while insisting vigilance was essential given the gravity of the threat.

"They can breed multiple times a year and produce hundreds of thousands of eggs in a single event," he told AFP.

"Within the first year of life, they can be too big for our natural predators to eat," he added.

A member of Canada's Invasive Carp program works on the Grand River, near Lake Erie.

Blown apart?

Shriberg described the Great Lakes as "the great uniters" across US political parties and between Canada and the United States.

Defending them against invasive species has been a bipartisan priority in states on their shores, several of which have historically been US electoral swing stateslike Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsinhe said.

Trump's May White House memo confirming his support for efforts against "the economic and ecological threat of invasive carp," drew cross-party praise.

"We're in the most politically contentious times that I've seen in my lifetime," Shriberg said, calling Trump's "quiet" memo an affirmation of the rare bipartisan nature of Great Lakes policy.

But that path forward is uncertain.

Trump's trade war and annexation threats have strained US-Canada relations. Earlier this year the president reportedly told former prime minister Justin Trudeau that he wanted to revise treaties governing the Great Lakes.

Shriberg noted cooperative management of the waterway has defined US-Canada relations, but said "the Trump administration's hostility towards Canada ... threatens to blow that apart."

If the battle against invasive carp were to fail, the consequences would be both dire and unpredictable, he added.

"It would cause dramatic changes in the ecological balance of the water," Shriberg said.

And if they ever became established in the Great Lakes, "I don't believe that you'd have any chance of actually eliminating the population," he said.

 2025 AFP
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:

An artist's impression of the rogue planet Cha 1107-7626 sucking in matter from the disc that surrounds it.

A mysterious "rogue" planet has been observed gobbling six billion tons of gas and dust a secondan unprecedented rate that blurs the line between planets and stars, astronomers said Thursday.

Unlike Earth and other planets in our solar system which orbit the sun, rogue planets float freely through the universe untethered to a star.

Scientists estimate there could be trillions of rogue planets in our galaxy alonebut they are difficult to spot because they mostly drift quietly along in perpetual night.

These strange objects intrigue astronomers because they are "neither a star nor a proper planet," Alexander Scholz, an astronomer at Scotland's University of St Andrews and co-author of a new study, told AFP.

"Their origin remains an open question: are they the lowest-mass objects formed like stars, or giant planets ejected from their birth systems?"

The team of researchers behind the new study were stunned to observe an astonishing growth spurt in a rogue planet around 620 light years from Earth in the constellation Chamaeleon.

The planet, officially called Cha 1107-7626, has a mass five to 10 times bigger than Jupiter.

Scholz explained that the object is "still in its infancy," being roughly one or two million years old.

The object grows by sucking in matter from a disk that surrounds ita process called accretion.

But what the astronomers saw happen to Cha 1107-7626 "blurs the line between stars and planets," study-co-author Belinda Damian said in a statement.

In August this year, the planet suddenly started devouring matter from its disk at a record-breaking six-billion-tons per secondeight times faster than a few months earlier.

"This is the strongest accretion episode ever recorded for a planetary-mass object," said lead study Victor Almendros-Abad of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory in Italy.

This artist's animation shows Cha 1107-7626. Located about 620 light-years away, this rogue planet is about 510 times more massive than Jupiter and doesn't orbit a star. The planet is eating up material from a disk around it and, using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have discovered that it is now doing so at a rate of six billion tonnes per second  the fastest ever found for any kind of planet. The team suspects that strong magnetic fields could be funneling material towards the planet, something only seen in stars before. Credit: ESO/L. Calcada, M. Kornmesser

'Awe-inspiring'

By comparing light emitted before and during this binge-eating session, the scientists discovered that magnetic activity was playing a role in driving matter towards the object.

This phenomenon has previously only been observed in stars.

The chemistry in the disk also changed. Water vapor was detected in the disk during the accretion episode, but not beforehand.

This is also something that has previously been observed in starsbut never for a forming planet.

Lead study author Ray Jayawardhana of Johns Hopkins University said the discovery implies "that some objects comparable to giant planets form the way stars do, from contracting clouds of gas and dust accompanied by disks of their own, and they go through growth episodes just like newborn stars."

No matter how weird, Cha 1107-7626 is still expected to have similar characteristics to huge planets, because it is of similar size.

Scholz said that unlike stars, this object is "not massive enough to ever have fusion reactions in the core".

So, like other planets, "it will cool inevitably as it gets older," he added.

Amelia Bayo, another co-author of the study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, said "the idea that a planetary object can behave like a star is awe-inspiring".

It "invites us to wonder what worlds beyond our own could be like during their nascent stages," she added.

The observations were made by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile, and included data from the James Webb Space Telescope.

More information: Discovery of an Accretion Burst in a Free-Floating Planetary-Mass Object The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2025). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae09a8 Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters

 2025 AFP
Busy stretch of highway used to reach Chiquila and Holbox to be widened

Lazaro Cardenas, Q.R.  A busy stretch of highway heading toward Chiquila to access the island of Holbox is scheduled to be widened. On Saturday, Governor Mara Lezama said a two kilometer stretch of highway that connects Kantunilkin with Chiquila will be made wider.

She reported that two kilometers of the highway (from kilometer 71+100 to 73+100) will be expanded from seven meters wide to nine meters with two safe lanes of 3.5 meters each and one-meter side shoulders.

Lezama said the road is the gateway for thousands of tourists as well as residents of Holbox Island. Accompanied by Mayor Nivardo Mena Villanueva, Lezama said the road is being modernized with support of President Claudia Sheinbaum, through the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT).

For years, this stretch of road was in disrepair with potholes, erosion and constant hazards. Today, we are transforming that reality because every minute saved on commutes, every product that arrives faster at its destination, and every family that travels safely means we are closing the painful gaps of inequality with social justice, the Governor said.

The road that leaves Kantunilkin for Chiquila will be widened and paved to better serve residents and tourists heading to Holbox.

The highway project, she said, will benefit more than 760,000 people in the municipalities of Lazaro Cardenas, Benito Juarez and Playa del Carmen, as well as the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit Holbox, Chiquila, San Angel, Solferino and Kantunilkin.

The SICT of the federal government is supporting the roadway project.

This road connects communities, strengthens tourism and boosts fishing, agriculture, and livestock in the region. It represents well-being, development and shared prosperity for thousands of Quintana Roo families, she said. Authorities did not provide a start or finish date for the Lazaro Cardenas highway project.
Cancun and Riviera Maya dry out in time for more heavy rain

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  City of Cancun personnel were out Friday night unplugging waterlogged roads due to heavy rain. Over the past three days, more than 170 mm of rain has fallen, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported.

Cancun was left soaked Friday night by heavy rainfall.

Cancun City Hall (Ayuntamiento de Benito Juarez) reported that Friday night, the Cancun Fire Department and Cancun Civil Protection were at various points throughout the city to safeguard the public.

Following instructions from Governor Mara Lezama and Mayor Ana Paty Peralta, emergency personnel were out assisting those in need. City personnel were also out dredging and cleaning storm drains around the city to decrease flooding.

According to Cancun City Hall, Bonampak Avenue, Yaxchilan Avenue and Tulum Avenues, several of the citys main avenues, were some affected by the heavy rain. In response, 45 Cancun Transit officers were deployed to conduct preventive patrols on the citys main avenues.

Other city avenues affected by the rain included Luis Donaldo Colosio, Kukulcan, Kabah, Coba, Bonampak, Lopez Portillo, Andres Quintana Roo, Huayacan and Nader.

In Playa del Carmen, numerous residential neighborhoods and main roadways also experienced flooding. Ahead of the bad weather, Mayor Estefania Mercado began Operation Storm through Civil Protection, Risk Prevention and Firefighters and Municipal Public Services departments.

Cancun traffic was slow going along many of the citys main avenues Friday night.

She reported deploying civil personnel to neighborhoods for dredging at various points where water accumulation, puddles and flooding were reported. The Secretary of Civil Protection, Risk Prevention, and Firefighters, Darwin Covarrubias, emphasized that ongoing efforts are being made to keep the storm drains, manholes and gutters clean.

The PDC fire department inspected city flooding Friday night after a heavy rain.

Following the instructions of Mayor Estefania Mercado, we are maintaining the Storm Operation as a preventive and ongoing operation. Our goal is to immediately respond to citizen reports and reduce risks during this rainy and hurricane season, he stated.

The large weather system also dumped heavy rainfall on Tulum where numerous streets were left waterlogged. Municipal Tulum city workers were out Friday night clearing clogged drains to aid in water removal.

Civil Protection crews unclog flooded streets in Tulum Friday night.

According to the Servicio Meteorologico Nacional (SMN) above-normal rainfall has occurred in regions of northern, western, and central Mexico, as well as in parts of Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula.

They said in the last three days, 173.7 mm rainfall was recorded in Cancun, one of the hardest hit areas in the state. Early Saturday afternoon, Proteccion Civil Cancun issued a rain warning, again for the city of Cancun.

Over the next few hours, increased cloudiness is expected which could generate showers with occasional rainfall accompanied by electrical activity mainly over the municipality of Benito Juarez.

These rains may cause reduced visibility on road sections, flooding and flooding in low-lying areas, as well as gusts of wind that could cause trees or billboards to fall. Stay informed through official channels and take precautions to keep yourself and your family safe.

The SMN reported that for Saturday, heavy rainfall of between 25 to 50 mm is likely Quintana Roo.
Profepa seizes illegal lumber from Quintana Roo sawmill during nationwide spot inspection

Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R.  Over 1,000 m of illegally obtained wood was seized by federal environmental officials in Quintana Roo. The seizure was made at a sawmill in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto in late September.

The seizure was made during a nationwide spot inspection that included over 700 federal officials visiting 71 sawmills across the country. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) carried out a simultaneous inspection operation in all 32 states.

The inspections took place between September 25 and 26, targeting Forest Raw Material Storage and Processing Centers (CAT). The joint effort led to the inspection of 71 facilities, resulting in 26 closures and the seizure of 3,793.30 m of wood, 175 kilos of charcoal, 47 sawmill tools and equipment, as well as nine vehicles, in addition to the confiscation of 23 tons of coal.

A total of 702 members of Profepa, the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), National Guard, the Ministry of the Navy (Semar), the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR), state and municipal police, and municipal ecology authorities participated in the two-day inspections.

During inspections in Quintana Roo, federal officials located illegal lumber in Felipe Carrillo Puerto. In the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, 1,002 m of sawn wood of the chicozapote species (Manilkara zapota) was visited at a sawmill where the legal origin was not accredited so it was seized, Profpea said in a statement.

In the states of Aguascalientes, Baja California, Coahuila, Colima, Guanajuato, Tlaxcala, Yucatan, and Zacatecas, no irregularities were detected in the CATs.

With these actions, Profepa reaffirms its commitment to protecting the countrys forest resources, ensuring that their use is carried out within the law. These national operations strengthen coordination with all levels of government and send a clear message: Profepa will maintain constant vigilance to combat illegal logging, preserve forest ecosystems, and ensure a sustainable future for Mexicos communities and environment.

Protecting forests is a priority for the environmental sector. To accomplish this, we will continue to carry out coordinated operations with state and federal institutions. We want to make it clear that impunity for those who destroy our forests is over, said Mariana Boy Tamborrell, federal environmental protection attorney.
Quintana Roo readying to start construction of first billion-dollar sargassum biogas plant

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  After a 14-month pilot project, the state is readying to start construction of its first sargassum biogas plant. Oscar Rebora, the State Secretary of Ecology and Environment, says several meeting have been had with the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) to promote the project.

He says engineering and feasibility studies are still pending, which takes time given the size of the project.

These things take time. The transition from a pilot plant to an industrial plant is a very delicate matter, he stressed, adding that the state of Quintana Roo is at the forefront with the first pilot plant to generate biogas.

He says the $40 million pilot project was used to research the transformation of sargassum and sludge from wastewater treatment plants into biodigestion and biogasification processes. He says that process places the state not only at the forefront in Mexico, but also in Latin America and the world.

During a recent report, he said their project found that after investigating the potential 140 industrial use of sargassum, only biogas and bioethanol production have proven viability.

The resulting products must be certified by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks and the Ministry of Health, since the algaes degradation causes health problems and therefore requires a certification process for each product.

This has been done, he commented, by monitoring the transformation of the seaweed through a panel involving the Secretariats of Science and Technology, Environment and Natural Resources, the Academy and scientists.

Tests at the pilot plant, which is fueled by macroalgae collected from the sea and the coast, were carried out over a period of 14 months.

Through biodigestion, gasification, and biomass boiler processes, it was proven that both the sargassum and the residual sludge can be processed together efficiently, meaning that the project is ready to be scaled up to an industrial level.

Regarding the required financing of up to $1 billion USD, he said interest from private equity funds in the Netherlands (Dutch Clean Tech) have expressed interest in the sargassum-fueled biogas plant.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama says the state is ready to start construction of the approximately $1 billion industrial version in January of 2026.

In January, we will start building a biogas plant that will be produced from sargassum, said Lezama, highlighting that Quintana Roo is the first state to monitor sargassum for its utilization, actions by her government to turn the problem into an opportunity.

We are at the forefront of the region, being the state that has invested the most in understanding the impact and potential uses of sargassum. We are the only state in the country with a sargassum monitoring center operated using satellite technology in collaboration with the European Space Agency, Governor Lezama explained.

She said that as part of the circular economy development hub for well-being, which aims to promote the valorization and optimization of resources and waste management, work has been done to identify how sargassum can be processed.

The goal is to turn an environmental challenge, which it is, into a great opportunity for development and well-being, and were making great progress in this regard, she said.
On October 3, 2025, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the new Grand Duke of Luxembourg Guillaume on his enthronement.

Xi Jinping pointed out that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Luxembourg, the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, serving as a model of mutual success and mutual benefit between countries of different sizes and different systems at different development stages. Nowadays, the cooperation between China and Luxembourg in steel, finance, logistics, and other sectors has yielded fruitful results, with the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Air Silk Road" contributing to the stable and smooth flow of China-Europe industrial chain. Xi Jinping said that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Luxembourg relations and is willing to work with Grand Duke Guillaume to continuously elevate China-Luxembourg relations to new levels for the greater benefit of the people of both countries.

On the same day, Xi Jinping also sent a message of greetings and wishes to former Grand Duke of Luxembourg Henri, who has abdicated the throne.
On October 4, 2025, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh.

Xi Jinping noted that China and Bangladesh are close neighbors with a traditional friendship and a long history of exchanges. Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, regardless of changes in the international and regional landscape, both sides have consistently fostered friendly relations on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, setting an example of mutual respect, equality and win-win cooperation between countries. In recent years, China and Bangladesh have continuously consolidated political mutual trust, expanded high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as well as practical cooperation in various fields, and deepened the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi Jinping stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Bangladesh relations and is ready to work with President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote common development, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu said that over the past 50 years, Bangladesh and China have forged a deep friendship based on mutual respect, mutual trust, and enduring cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. Bangladesh highly appreciates China's important role in promoting regional peace, stability and common prosperity, and is grateful for China's long-term valuable support for Bangladesh's sustainable development. He expressed the belief that with the joint efforts of the leaders and peoples of the two countries, bilateral cooperation will yield even fruitful results.

On the same day, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council and Chief Adviser of the Bangladeshi Interim Government Muhammad Yunus exchanged congratulatory messages. Li Qiang said that China highly values the development of China-Bangladesh relations and stands ready to work with Bangladesh to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to accelerate high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation across various fields, and promote the continued growth of the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Muhammad Yunus said that since the establishment of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations 50 years ago, the friendship between the two peoples has grown stronger, bilateral relations have developed steadily, and bilateral cooperation has yielded fruitful results, which is worth celebrating. Bangladesh is committed to promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between Bangladesh and China to continuously achieve more outcomes.
Recipe for Disaster is Slates column about what recipes get wrongand how to fix them. If youve noticed a recipe annoyance, absurdity, or outright lie, file your complaint here and we will investigate!

Its getting harder and harder these days to separate fact from fiction. Case in point: Check out this video for Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, in which bone-in, skin-on thighs are seared fast and hard in avocado oil, then simmered in a wet, steamy, sweet and spicy sauce. Watch with horror as the cook proclaims, Oh my god, this is perfection. I can already tell you. I mean, its crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, as promised. This, friends, is a dump truck load of bullshit. That chicken skin isnt crispy at all. How do I know? One, I can see. Her knife slides right through the chicken skin like a samurai sword going through a wet napkin, and two, she cooks the chicken thighs directly in the sauce, being sure to dunk the skin side into her honey-sriracha-soy concoction. That right there is a catastrophe sullying the good name of properly cooked poultry.

And this AllRecipes disaster isnt an outlier: In so many recipes for skin-on chicken thighs and legs that promise a satisfying crunch, the skin never comes out crispy. Recipes that call for simmering chicken thighs or drums in a wet sauce are a huge red flag, and theyre all over the internet. Theyll instruct cooks to make a lovely, flavorful sauce, but too many of them apply that moisture directly to the chicken itself (whether by simmering or pouring the sauce on top). Follow these, and youll find yourself saying, Wait a minute, this isnt crispy at all. And Im here to tell you: Its not your fault. Its the recipe developers who have let you down.

So whats going on here? Lets start with the question of searing time, because theres a ton of confusion about this in general. The All Recipes example above has us searing for 3 to 7 minutes per side. Over at New York Times Cooking, were going for 8 to 10 to crisp up that skin. And in some place called Kellys Clean Kitchen, its 15 to 20, starting with a cold skillet. They cant all be right! Moreover, the comment sections in recipes for bone-in, skin-on chicken are generally filled with two types of criticisms: First, grease splatters everywhere. And second, the chicken skin, as weve established, is soggy. But theres hope: It turns out that if you want to solve both of those problems at the same time, to finally achieve true crispy-chicken bliss, theres a single, easy, chef-endorsed method to employ: unilateral cooking.

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Unilateral cooking, a classic French technique, is a method where protein is cooked gently on one side. Never flipped. I repeat: NEVER FLIPPED. To hear chef Eric Ripert of New York Citys legendary La Bernardin explain it, the heat comes from the bottom very slowly. In the video linked above, he applies the method to salmon, which in turn produces a gorgeous color, delicate texture, and pure flavor. Ripert goes on to glow over the benefits of unilateral cooking: You will be able to taste the fish fully, without any distraction of other ingredients.

Another one of my favorite chefs, French master and former TV husband to Julia Child Jacques Pepin, applies the same technique to chicken. His wonderful recipe for crusty chicken thighs with mushroom sauce was tested over at Serious Eats by Nick Kindelsperger. Its this unilateral method of cooking chicken thighs slowly and delicately that also produces an additional luxuryrendered chicken fat from the chicken skin. Kindelsperger reports:

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[Pepin] just placed the pieces skin-side down in the skillet, turned the heat to high, and watched as the skin turned a glorious golden brown. Once sizzling, the skillet is covered, the heat is reduced to medium, and the chicken cooks until done. Pepin never flips or fiddles with it. How could this chicken be so easy? The only fat in the skillet is rendered from the chicken skin. By the end there is a surprising amount. Luckily, its used as the base for the quick pan sauce.

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Its a perfect method for cooking skin-on chicken. The chicken skin crackles and produces an almost hard candy-like texture when slowly searing in its own fat. To finish, just transfer the chicken to an oven for a few minutes, and use the chicken schmaltz (the fat from the rendered chicken skin) to make a sauce or save it for cooking vegetables, etc. Ive been using a similar cold-pan unilateral method that I learned from a chef years ago. Heres how its done:

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I place bone-in chicken thighs skin-side down in a cold stainless-steel pan. Then, I turn the burner heat to low. Next, I wait. Patience is key here. If youre trying it at home, first youll say to yourself, Surely theres no way chicken is going to cook on this low of heat. But after a few minutes, itll start to sweat. Pour yourself a drink or black out briefly on TikTok. By the 20-minute mark, youll notice that the skin is actually frying in its own rendered fat. Be sure to not move the chicken. Finally, after about 4045 minutesyes!the frying will be low but intense, and youll sense golden bits of skin around the chicken. Turn it over with a metal spatula (to stop the skin from overcooking) and pop the skillet into a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking everything through. The result? Darkly golden, crispy, crunchy chicken skin imbued with the flavor of its own fat. The flavor is clean, full, developed, and as chef Ripert puts it, undistracted.

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Now listen, I understand that were leaving 30-Minute Meal Town and driving right into Hope You Have an Hour City, but Ive never minded this cooking method. Thats because you literally dont have to pay attention to the chicken skin as it cooks. Its going to cook slowly and correctly for 45 minutes whether you stare at it or not. So, I often take it as an opportunity to fold laundry, file receipts, or anything else one considers busywork.

Just about every chef I interviewed about this also seems to favor unilateral cooking. As a rule, I never sear the flesh side (on any poultry) and only apply dry heat to chicken/poultry skin, trying to poach the meat as gently as possible, says Jesse Griffiths, author of the James Beard Awardwinning The Hog Book and The Turkey Book (the guy knows meat) and chef/proprietor of Dai Due, in Austin Texas, in an email.

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He continued, One way I like to braise chicken thighs is to not brown them and cook them uncovered, skin-side up in the oven, essentially braising the (un-seared) flesh side while the exposed skin side roasts/renders for about an hour as they cook. I tried Griffiths method with a few quarter-chickens (thigh, drumstick, and back), and it worked beautifully. However, I felt something was missing. It was the beautiful flavor, that undeniable texture achieved through slowly tempering chicken in its own fat. Griffiths dry oven method produced crispy chicken skin, but I felt like a slow, steady frying was better.

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Chef Nicholas Ponte, of Salt & Smoke and McElroy Farms, also offered more tips for achieving delightful chicken skin. The skin on the chicken must be dry, so this process actually starts at least 48 hours before cooking. (Dont close the tab! I know this is an insane prep time for chicken, but diligently starting something in advance is a surefire way to ensure a better end product. Save this method for special occasions, not weeknight dinners.) Pontes process begins by patting the chicken dry with paper towels. This is a hugely important step that Griffiths also corroborates. Chicken, especially packaged chicken you get from the grocery store, often arrives with a lot of moisture. Its always necessary to pat it down with a paper towel, and if a recipe doesnt instruct you to do that, well, theyre leading you into a swamp.

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Ponte recommends a dry brining method for chicken: Score the layer of fat with a knife, salt, then let it sit in a fridge for 24 hours. Then, remove the salt, pat the chicken dry again, and let it dry uncovered in the fridges cold air for another 24 hours. Sheesh.

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The skin should be dry and tacky to the touch, and this is what will help achieve good crisp, says Ponte. He recommends using a high-smoke-point oil like grass-fed beef tallow, and frying the chicken skin-side down on medium heat. Ponte is also a fan of unilateral cooking, recommending that one cook the chicken in a good amount of fat, skin-side down in a hot pan, then place it on a wire rack and sheet tray, where it can finish cooking in an oven at 350 degrees. Its a lot of prep, but I tried it, and the results were as desirable, if not more so, than my cold-pan unilateral method. This was fried chicken without the flourcrunchy, charred around the edges, and shockingly crisp.

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Related From Slate The New York Times Once Faced a Rebellion Over This Deceptively Simple Recipe. Is It Still Worth Making Today? Read More

And what to do with your chicken thighs when you achieve this crispness? Well, definitely dont add moisture! Do not steam your chicken thighs in liquid, or place them skin-side down in a pan sauce. Thatll just ruin your crispy skin. Preserving it can be tricky, says Griffiths, like with a roasted chicken. When carving, I take great lengths to not carve or cut the chicken with the skin on the cutting board, as even that quick pressure against the board creates steam and kills the crispiness. Personally, Im such a crispy-skin fanatic that I actually prefer no sauce with my chicken thighs. Adding moisture just isnt worth the risk. That might sound boring, but a simple salt-and-pepper unilaterally seared chicken thigh with skin thats been fried crispy in its own fat is a wonderful, natural delicacy full of concentrated poultry flavor. A perfect protein to pair with whatever else you might have lying in the fridge (hopefully some vegetables).

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I do think that chicken skin at its crispiest is worth fighting for, Griffiths told me. Ironically, fighting for crispy skin is a delicate business. Its a brawl, but one fought with discerning technique and a tender touch. The recipes that tell you to brutally fry chicken for under 10 minutes on high heat, oil splattering every which way on your stove? Or to simmer chicken in a roiling sauce, rendering the skin as sodden as patio furniture left out in a sudden squall of rain? Or the ones that dont even have the decency to tell you to pat the chicken dry before fryingall while claiming their chicken is pure perfection? What theyre selling you isnt proper cookery, its a shortcut that, predictably, produces shortcomings. And you and your chicken both deserve better than that.
The competition at Saratoga Casino Hotel is fierce. If you need proof, just ask Wally Hennessey.

After more than 50 years in the business and a lifetime of experience, the 69-year-old dual Hall of Famer is still experiencing firsts in harness racing.

Last Sunday (Sept. 28), Hennessey's on-track rivals escalated the phrase champing at the bit when he himself was bitten midrace by a horse.

In the $25,694 Open Pace, Hennessey dropped favoured Blue Lou down to the rail from post five as the field headed into the first turn. As Blue Lou cleared Transparency, Hennessey seemingly received a message from that pacer as the horse reached out and bit him on the left shoulder.

"I had a nice horse, he had the outside, you know, a lot of speed, everybody's early speed, so I was just getting a nice little spot there going to the eighth pole," Hennessey told Trot Insider in a recent conversation. "It wasn't where I wanted to be in the race, but I had no other choice."

Clearly, Transparency didn't want him there either.

"So I was just dropping down in, and when I dropped down in, it was just like shock... I didn't know what happened."



"I went from, say, shock, to back into the race, and thinking of how lucky was I that he didn't clamp me," Hennessey continued. "He opened his mouth, he had my whole shoulder, the whole shoulder blade, everything, but he didn't clamp it. Whether he could or he couldn't, I don't know...how would you know if he could or he couldn't? But thank God he didn't, because when he did let go, he didn't stick his toes in, but he made a break with some really bad missteps. He'd have hauled me right off the bike."

Colourful language forgiven under the circumstances, Hennessey is thankful he can look back on this incident with a smile on his face knowing that it could have turned out much worse. He also added that he drove Transparency for the first time at The Spa a few starts back.

"I haven't driven him since, I didn't know much about him and I still don't. Hopefully they can do something to correct him equipment-wise so that doesn't happen again."

Transparency is entered to race on Sunday, Oct. 4 at Saratoga in the afternoon's ninth race. Hennessey isn't down to drive any of the seven horses entered.

(Standardbred Canada; videos courtesy Jessica Hallett)
Qualcomm deepens Vietnam commitment as key global hub

By Hai Yen Sun, October 5, 2025 | 8:00 am GMT+7

U.S. tech giant Qualcomm has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Vietnam, describing the country as a key strategic base in its global operations after more than two decades of presence.

Speaking at the Fostering Innovation and Developing Strategic Technologies forum in Hanoi on Thursday, Thieu Phuong Nam, general director at Qualcomm Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the company has partnered with major Vietnamese telecom and technology firms over the past 20 years to develop critical digital infrastructure.

Thieu Phuong Nam, general director at Qualcomm Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, addresses the Fostering Innovation and Developing Strategic Technologies forum in Hanoi on October 2, 2025. Photo courtesy of the National Innovation Center.

Qualcomm worked with Viettel to build 5G infrastructure based on Open RAN standards - making Vietnam one of only five countries mastering the technology, and supported Vsmart in designing 4G and 5G Made in Vietnam smartphones, Nam elaborated. The company has also teamed up with VNPT to deploy Wi-Fi 7 connectivity solutions.

In June, Qualcomm opened a major R&D center in Hanoi, staffed entirely by Vietnamese engineers. The facility, Qualcomm's third-largest one globally, focuses on artificial intelligence applications with potential deployment in global markets.

Nam said Qualcomms global CEO recently reaffirmed plans to expand the firms R&D footprint in Vietnam, positioning the country as an important base for its R&D segment globally, supported by strong local talent and supportive government policies.

The company is currently focusing research on three core technology pillars: advanced connectivity, high-performance and low-power computing, and edge AI.

AI will transform how we interact with technology. This presents a prime opportunity for Vietnam to integrate more deeply into the global value chain. Qualcomm is committed to working with the Vietnamese government and local tech firms to advance next-generation technologies, the executive underscored.

In Vietnam, Qualcomm currently has representative offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The company established its first R&D center in Southeast Asia in 2020, located in Hanoi.

In April, Vingroup (HoSE: VIC), a leading Vietnamese conglomerate, sold its 65% stake in AI company MovianAI to Qualcomm for VND1.76 trillion ($66.93 million).

Qualcomm earned a revenue of $38.96 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending September 29), including 12% from Vietnam, the second-highest portion among all nations.
Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert didnt outright accuse Napheesa Collier of lying, but she did insist that there were many inaccuracies surrounding what the Minnesota Lynx star said at a press conference Friday night before the WNBA Finals.

Perhaps Engelbert was hoping that strategy would allow her to save face without directly attacking Collier. Whatever the intention, it appears to have backfired.

According to ESPNs Kendra Andrews and Ramona Shelburne, Collier has now canceled her scheduled meeting with Engelbert due to her comments in the press conference.

They reported that Collier had previously texted Engelbert, stating she was open to meeting with her to discuss the criticism she had laid out in a pointed statement earlier in the week. However, the commissioners contention that Colliers understanding of their private conversation was one with a lot of inaccuracies apparently pretty much pushed the relationship beyond repair, per ESPNs source.

A WNBA spokesperson told ESPN that Collier had not let Engelbert know the meeting was cancelled when they reached out.

Theres a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting, said Engelbert on Friday night when asked to confirm Colliers assertion that she had said that the players should be on their knees thanking her. I have been in touch with Napheesa. Weve exchanged texts. Were talking next week. Obviously, a lot of reporting, a lot of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didnt say. And I will tell you that I highly respect the players. Theres a lot of emotion and passion going on right now cause were in collective bargaining, were in the WNBA Finals, and so Ill leave it there.

Im just obviously disheartened. You know, Im a human, too. I have a family. I have two kids who are devastated by these comments. And so all Ill say is its obviously been a tough week, and I just think theres a lot of inaccuracy out there.

Engelbert was later asked about her comments about Caitlin Clark and how the Indiana Faver phenom should be thankful to the league for the opportunities it created for her. In that instance, she adamantly denied making those comments, although video of Engelbert speaking at a CNBC conference essentially showed what Collier accused her of saying.

Engelbert does not appear to be winning many hearts and minds these days. Many WNBA players came out in support of Collier and her criticisms of WNBA leadership, including Clark, who said she made valid points. Its becoming increasingly hard to envision how the commissioner can remain in her post for much longer.
OSLO (Reuters) -Lithuania reopened air traffic at Vilnius airport, its largest and busiest air hub, on Sunday after hours of suspensions and diversions triggered by reports of balloons in its airspace affected thousands of travellers, the airport's operator said.

European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen and Munich.

Air traffic at Vilnius was restored at 4:50 a.m. (0150 GMT) on Sunday after a decision was made late on Saturday to close the airspace "due to a possible series of balloons heading toward Vilnius Airport," the operator said in a statement on its Facebook page.

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The temporary restrictions affected both arriving and departing flights, with some flights being cancelled, the operator said. In total, around 30 flights and nearly 6,000 passengers were impacted, it added.

FLIGHTS DIVERTED TO LATVIA, POLAND

Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT cited the head of the country's National Crisis Management as saying late on Saturday that 13 balloons were heading towards Vilnius airport.

According to notices posted to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's website, the flight restrictions were due to "hot air balloon flights."

It was not immediately clear who launched the balloons and what kind they were.

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The Vilnius airport said that throughout Sunday, flight delays may occur due to disrupted crew and aircraft rotations. Overnight, most incoming flights redirected to neighbouring Latvia and Poland, while departures were cancelled. One flight due to arrive from Copenhagen returned to Denmark.

NATO-member Lithuania in August declared a 90-km (60-mile) no-fly zone parallel to the border with Belarus in response to drones entering from there, saying this would allow its armed forces to react to violations.

Lithuania, a strong supporter of Ukraine, shares a 679-km (422-mile) border with Belarus, a close ally of Russia. The capital Vilnius lies roughly 30 km from the border.

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Terje Solsvik in Oslo and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Rod Nickel, William Mallard, Jamie Freed and Lincoln Feast.)
COLOGNE  Fruit exporter Thabico Group is affirming the leading position of Vietnamese agricultural produce on the global map with its participation in Anuga Germany 2025 in Cologne City, the worlds largest food and beverage trade fair.

Thabicos stall is promoting a wide variety of Viet Nams unique tropical fruit products to thousands of visitors and hundreds of potential partners from numerous countries.

These products include fruit juice, condensed puree, IQF (individual quick freezing) fruits and dried fruits, all of which are processed with modern technologies and satisfy international standards on food safety, traceability and sustainability.

Anuga is a highly competitive trade fair event held every two years, attracting over 7,800 firms from 118 countries and over 160,000 visitors.

Ho Truc Lam, deputy general director of Thabico Group, said that her company not only aims for brand promotion, but also for global partnership opportunities to elevate Vietnamese produce in the international market, affirming its sustainable value.

Many European businesses and distributors showed interests in Thabicos products.

Simon Heidland, Head of Fruits and Vegetables at Valio Hamburg GmbH & Co. KG, a business partner of Thabico in the European market, said that European customers pay great attention to products that are green, clean and have clear origins, and Thabico is on the right track.

John Peterson, general director of Planttech in Spain, said that Thabicos tropical fruit products fit the green, safe and sustainable consumer trends, and that his company looks forward to long term co-operation to bring Vietnamese produce closer to the European market.

Tran Phu Lu, director of HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre, said: Vietnamese fruits are increasingly asserting their quality and competitive prices, as well as meeting the strict requirements of the international market. Thabicos presence at Anuga 2025 and being chosen by international distribution corporations is a clear demonstration of the capacity and reputation of Vietnamese enterprises.

Thabico Group is a leading business in processing and exporting Vietnamese tropical fruit products. With modern factories, strict quality control system and wide distribution network, Thabico is supplying many key Vietnamese fruits such as mango, dragon fruit, jackfruit, rambutan and coconut to demanding markets like the EU, the US and Japan.

The company focuses on upgrading its processing technologies, building a modern cold supply chain, and adhering to international quality standards. It also places great importance on sustainability, from farming clean produce to processing and export, allowing it to satisfy global consumer trends.
ONG NAI  Wild elephants, long regarded as a symbol of strength in nature and closely tied to the culture and belief of many communities in Viet Nam, are now facing the real risk of extinction.

The alarming population decline has prompted urgent calls for stronger conservation efforts, with the joint involvement of authorities, local communities, and international experts.

At the 12th meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG), experts warned that elephants are critically threatened and require global cooperation for survival.

Particularly, southern ong Nai Province, which manages over 370,000ha of forest with a forest cover rate of 25 per cent, is home to Viet Nams second-largest wild elephant population, numbering only 2527 individuals. Since 1997, the province has been a pioneer in halting natural forest exploitation, creating a vast conservation area later recognised by UNESCO as the ong Nai Biosphere Reserve. The reserve shelters numerous endangered species listed in both Viet Nams Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List.

According to provincial officials, surveys conducted from the 1990s to 2008 recorded severe humanelephant conflict in ong Nai, causing casualties on both sides. Today, fewer than 200 wild elephants remain across Viet Nam, scattered in several provinces.

oan Hoai Nam, Deputy Director of the Forestry and Ranger Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, said that this figure is a stark warning. Viet Nam is implementing its National Elephant Conservation Action Plan to 2035, with a vision to 2050, aiming to protect elephants and promote coexistence between people and wildlife.

Although various measures have been implemented such as reducing human-elephant conflicts and supporting community livelihoods, conservation efforts face serious challenges due to the shrinking natural forest area, fragmented habitats, small elephant population. These factors heighten the risk of losing wild elephant population.

The presence of nearly 200 wild elephants in Viet Nam serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of this animal. In response to this alarming situation, Asian elephant experts have issued a series of urgent recommendations to protect and restore Viet Nams elephant population. These include safeguarding natural habitats, reducing human-elephant conflict, expanding migration corridors, enhancing international cooperation, and encouraging the entire community's involvement in research and conservation efforts.

Dr Pruthu Fernando, a member of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group, said ong Nai has become a model through its elephant conservation project, which laid the groundwork for the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan launched in 2022. The plan is already being implemented in five provinces and is expected to expand nationwide by 2026.

Information is the most important factor in elephant conservation, Fernando explained.

Only with accurate data on the number of male and female elephants, and baby individuals, and herd structure can scientists properly assess the populations potential and design effective strategies for recovery, he said.

According to Vivek Menon, Chair of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group, elephant conservation requires prioritising habitat protection, promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants to reduce agricultural conflicts, and urgently stopping the poaching of wild elephants.

He warned that elephants, like tigers and lions, once inhabited Viet Nam, could disappear if decisive action is not taken, urging management agencies and stakeholders to join hands to act so that elephants continue to be present in Viet Nam's natural life.

Addressing human-elephant conflict in Viet Nam is complex, Menon said, explaining that elephants are large, social animals, and humans entering their space without understanding can provoke attacks. Separating mothers from calves can increase aggression, so its crucial to allow elephants to live naturally in herds and maintain their wild behaviours to minimise conflict, he added.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) has announced that 91 wild animals were released back into the forest at Tam ao National Park in late September following successful rehabilitation at the Ha Noi Wildlife Rescue Centre.

The release, conducted in cooperation with Tam ao National Park, aims to restore animal populations, conserve biodiversity, and reinforce natural ecosystems in the area.

Under Decision No 1633/QD-SNNMT, seven species were released, including masked palm civets, silver-eared mesias, and red-billed leiothrixthree listed in Group IIB of endangered species. All naturally inhabit Tam ao forests.

Each animal was given a full health check to ensure survival in the wild. The initiative not only supports wildlife recovery but also raises public awareness about protecting endangered species.

The Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Centre emphasised that close coordination among agencies has allowed for timely rescue and release, contributing to the preservation of genetic diversity and sustainable forest ecosystems.

Vuong Tien Manh, Deputy Director of Tam ao National Park, said the operation reflects ongoing efforts to maintain ecological balance and biodiversity. Beyond rescue and release, the park also strengthens patrols, monitoring, and community outreach.

He said that raising awareness among local residents is vital to stop hunting, trading, and consumption of wild animals.

The park is also working with partners to expand rescue operations and sustain communication campaigns. Practical actions such as refraining from hunting, trading, or consuming wildlife are seen as essential to preserve the forests natural beauty and sounds of birdlife.

The return of 91 wild animals to Tam ao is viewed as a positive step in biodiversity conservation. With strong cooperation between authorities and public participation, such efforts are expected to build a more resilient ecosystem and promote harmony between humans and nature.  VNA/VNS
by Tuyet Mai - Quynh Hoa

Once known for its stillness, with pagodas reflected in lake water and yellow-walled alleys steeped in incense, the Vietnamese capital Ha Noi is now making noise through two quiet revolutions  digital transformation and green transition. Together, they are reshaping one of Asias most historic cities into a smart tourism hub where heritage is not replaced but reimagined.

From electronic ticketing at UNESCO-listed sites to 3D virtual tours of imperial relics and AI-powered audio guides that share history in multiple languages, Ha Noi is proving that modernisation need not mean erasure. Instead, it can be a form of reverence  protecting the past not by freezing it, but by allowing it to speak in new forms.

Digital gateways to heritage

At the heart of Ha Nois transformation lies a simple yet powerful shift: paper tickets have given way to digital codes.

What may appear to be a minor change to visitors is, in fact, a strategic move towards both sustainable tourism and efficient heritage management. Electronic ticketing is now in place at major cultural landmarks, including the Temple of Literature, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site, and uong Lam Ancient Village. QR-based check-ins replace long queues, reduce paper waste and provide real-time data on visitor flows.

Nguyen Quyet Tam, a digital transformation expert and member of the National Digital Government Committee, describes it as a dual benefit model  one that advances both environmental responsibility and operational intelligence.

Digital ticketing is not just a convenience, he said. It helps optimise resources, minimise paper consumption and enhance the overall experience. By 2030, we aim for 8090 per cent of Ha Nois heritage sites to operate fully on electronic ticketing systems.

The complex of the Temple of Literature and the Imperial Academy (Viet Nams first university), one of the countrys most treasured cultural icons, stands as a pioneering example. Once burdened by long queues for paper tickets  particularly during exam season when thousands of students arrive to pray for good fortune  the site now welcomes visitors through online booking and QR scanning.

Nguyen Lien Huong, deputy director of the Cultural and Scientific Activity Centre of the Temple of Literature, reflected on the change.

Technology does not diminish sacredness, she said. On the contrary, it preserves it. By removing chaos at the gate, we protect both the dignity of the heritage and the peace of the visitor.

Blending tradition with innovation

The results are tangible. Within two years of implementation, digital ticketing has helped streamline financial reporting, prevent fraud, improve staffing efficiency and even opened the door to new experiences, such as night tours, self-guided audio walks and digital souvenir systems.

Meanwhile, in smaller communities, technology is creating new ways to tell history without requiring a tour guide on every corner. In Lien Phai Pagoda, located in Hai Ba Trung District, more than 28 heritage sites have been equipped with QR codes, allowing visitors to scan and instantly access historical narratives, photographs or audio retellings. What once required pre-arranged guides can now be explored independently.

At the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, 3D mapping and virtual reconstruction bring lost palaces back to life. Visitors can use smart devices to trigger animated overlays of ancient throne halls atop excavation sites, bridging centuries with a single swipe.

Even Hoa Lo Prison, once a notorious colonial jail, has adopted immersive lighting, soundscapes and projection systems to create emotionally resonant night tours  proving that technology is not merely a tool of efficiency but also of empathy.

Yet Ha Nois journey toward becoming a smart tourism capital is not without obstacles.

Unstable internet connections can disrupt scanning systems. Independent travellers  especially older visitors  may still struggle with digital interfaces. Some QR codes are placed too discreetly to be noticed. And while electronic tickets offer efficiency, they lack the sentimental charm of paper stubs that tourists once kept as souvenirs.

Experts suggest practical refinements rather than radical change: stabilised offline backup systems, bilingual ticket designs with commemorative value, multilingual communication campaigns, continuous staff training, and stronger integration across platforms -- from official websites to mobile apps and social media channels.

A city where past, future meet

For Ha Noi, technology is no longer an experiment; it is the foundation for a new cultural economy. With nearly 6,000 registered heritage sites  the highest concentration in Viet Nam  the city holds a living archive vast enough to power not only tourism but film, gaming, publishing, and education.

But perhaps the most remarkable thing is this: modernisation has not erased the poetry of the city.

Electric trams glide past French villas at dusk. QR codes shimmer softly beneath banyan trees. Young travellers livestream their temple visits with virtual filters yet still pause to bow their heads before ancestral altars.

In Ha Noi, progress is not loud; it is patient.

It grows like ivy along ancient walls  persistent, respectful and unshakable.

And in that quiet convergence of past and future, the city is not simply adapting.

It is leading. VNS
Elderly residents aged 65 and older are finding a way to rekindle their love for music through a free class in HCM City, led by music teacher Tran Thi Tho.

Many of these senior learners have cherished a passion for music since their youth. Yet, disrupted by war and the struggle to make a living, none of them has had the chance to pursue it.

As the years passed, they encouraged their children and grandchildren to study music, but for themselves, they felt there was no chance left to learn.

Determined to change that, Tho decided to create a warm and welcoming community where older adults can finally fulfil their youthful dreams of learning music.

Every Thursday and Friday morning, for more than five years, Tho has welcomed her students to her music centre in Thu uc Ward, Upponia, for a free music class. The two-hour course, starting at 9am, provides lessons in piano, organ, and singing.

Pham Bich Thuy, a 66-year-old student, said that she played an instrument when she was young and had always wanted to learn other instruments. However, with her busy schedule as a teacher, there was never time left for music.

Now retired, she has discovered a new passion for the piano, thanks to Tho.

Although Thuy only joined the class recently, she finds it to be a friendly and supportive place for older people. She is impressed by the dedication of the tutors and by the warmth and encouragement of her fellow students.

Tho also shared online lessons on her social media page to support students who cannot travel to class.

Nguyen Van Khanh, 68, in HCM City first discovered Tho's class while searching for an online organ tutor. Impressed by the easy-to-follow lessons, he decided to join in person.

"At first, my fingers were so clumsy. My pinky and ring fingers would always stick together. But with the right guidance and enough practice, they've become more flexible," he said.

He also shared that learning music has improved his memory. In the past, he would often forget people's names after not seeing them for a few months. Now, the mental activity of studying has helped improve his memory.

For Khanh, the class is also a place to meet with other older friends who share his interests, adding joy to his retirement.

Bringing music closer to the elderly

According to Tho, it is very challenging for older people to learn to play an instrument due to unstable health, poor memory and limited dexterity. However, this has not deterred her and the centre's staff from running the classes.

She explained that teaching older students would require skills and great patience, as improper guidance or communication could easily discourage them and prevent them from returning to class. For this reason, all the teachers at the centre are professionally trained and have many years of teaching experience.

Tho currently has no plans to expand the lessons or recruit volunteers, as she believes this is the best way to maintain the quality of the classes.

She said the greatest motivation for her and her team came from the elderly students themselves, who refuse to let age stop them from pursuing their passion.

"There was one elderly student I remember most, a 70-year-old woman in a south Vietnamese pyjama with white hair, sitting at the piano. I can never forget that image," she added.

Students are free to attend any lesson they wish and are taught at a level that matches their current abilities.

She said, "I told the elderly that they can join whenever they like, and we will provide simple and easy-to-follow lessons."

Some of them later shared with her that the piano was not as complicated as they had imagined.

"In just five to ten minutes, they can already read musical notes and play small songs, even children's tunes," she added.

They were delighted to have the chance to touch the keys for the first time and play simple melodies. This unexpected joy and sense of accomplishment inspired them to continue their musical journey.

Tho hopes to continue running the classes in the future, offering a space for the elderly in HCM City and nearby areas to keep learning and making new friends through music. VNS
SEOUL Myeongdong is a bustling shopping district located in the heart of Seoul. Thanks to its central location, the pedestrian-friendly area attracts both local and international visitors throughout day and night.

Beyond shopping, Myeongdong is also a food lovers paradise. Especially on weekends or in the evenings, the streets come alive with countless eateries serving delicious dishes. Here, you can find nearly all of Koreas most popular street foods, ranging from local favorites to international specialties. Join Viet Nam News and Law reporters as we explore the unique charms of this vibrant area.
HCM CITY  An exhibition in HCM City now showcases 25 artworks, mostly large-scale abstract oil paintings, by the late artist Lam Huynh Long (also known as Nguyen Lam), with central themes focusing on his perspective on the world and his depiction of young women.

The exhibition aimed to introduce and honour the works of the late artist Nguyen Lam through private collections at Huyen Art House in HCM City.

Edwin Leow, a Singaporean collector of the artist's works, said he first saw Nguyen Lam's abstract paintings in 2015 and was captivated by them ever since.

He mentioned that Lam's works have brought him new emotions and experiences over the years.

Born in 1941, Nguyen Lam was an active artist for over 60 years, creating more than 1,000 artworks, primarily in lacquer and oil paintings.

He is also well known for his significant contributions to the development of lacquer painting in Southern Viet Nam.

His works are part of the collections at the Viet Nam Fine Arts Museum, the National Gallery Singapore and the HCM City Fine Arts Museum.

Additionally, most of his pieces are owned by private collectors worldwide.

The exhibition lasts until October 13, organised by ArtBlue Gallery Singapore, Huyen Art House, and the artist's family.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Chairman of the Central Council for Emulation and Commendation, on Sunday launched an emulation campaign to celebrate the 14th National Party Congress, the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and Peoples Councils at all levels for the 20262031 tenures.

The launching ceremony was held in Hanoi with online connections to 34 provinces and cities across the nation.

Calling for efforts to make achievements to celebrate the upcoming 14th National Party Congress and accelerate the completion of the 13th National Party Congress Resolution, PM Chinh underlined that since President Ho Chi Minhs Call for Patriotic Emulation in 1948, the emulation spirit has inspired patriotism and self-reliance across the Party, people and armed forces, becoming an endogenous strength that has helped Vietnam overcome hardships and achieve historic victories.

He highlighted recent achievements from emulation movements, including nationwide unity in defeating COVID-19, eliminating temporary and dilapidated housing five years ahead of schedule, completing major national power transmission lines and highways in record time, and advancing socio-economic growth while ensuring political stability.

Particularly, streamlining the administrative apparatus, together with the implementation of the two-tier local government model, has been carried out effectively, he noted.

The PM stressed that the 14th National Party Congress is a pivotal political event shaping the countrys development in a new era. The emulation campaign serves as a decisive momentum for Viet Nam to accelerate and achieve the goals set by the 13th National Party Congress, under the motto of high determination, decisive action, and practical results.

He called for emulation to be practical and results-driven, avoiding formality, empty words or ineffective actions. Leaders at all levels must set examples of innovation, dedication and service to the people.

Enterprises, entrepreneurs and workers should be at the centre of movements for productivity and innovation, while all people are urged to uphold patriotism, solidarity and contribution to national development, social stability and environmental protection and Fatherland safeguarding, he encouraged.

The Government leader also encouraged the Viet Nam Fatherland and mass organisations and the media to mobilise public participation, foster enthusiasm, and spread exemplary role models to inspire society and strengthen trust in the Party.

Expressing his belief, PM Chinh affirmed that the emulation drive would ignite national unity, patriotism and creativity, enabling Viet Nam to achieve new milestones and move firmly towards a new era of development, prosperity, civilisation and happiness.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  President of the National Assembly of Peoples Power and President of the Council of the State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez and a high-ranking Cuban delegation visited the Viet Nam Military History Museum in Ha Noi on Sunday as part of his official visit to Viet Nam.

At the site, the top Cuban legislator and his entourage laid flowers at the monument dedicated to Cuban military experts who supported Viet Nam during past struggles. They were later briefed on six display themes highlighting key stages in the countrys history, from early state formation and defence, struggles against foreign invasions to national building and safeguarding in the modern era.

The Viet Nam Military History Museum, established in 1956 on ien Bien Phu Street, is one of six national-level museums and serves as the leading institution in the army museum system.

In 2019, a new facility was developed on Thang Long Boulevard with modern design and advanced display technologies, covering 23,198sq.m and housing tens of thousands of artifacts. A 45-metre Victory Tower featuring a layered five-pointed star symbolising the nations independence in 1945 stands prominently in front of the main building.

The museum has been recognised as a major cultural landmark, offering interactive displays that allow visitors to better understand the Vietnamese peoples struggle for independence and contributing to the preservation of the nations military heritage.

Despite geographical distance, Viet Nam and Cuba have nurtured a special bond of solidarity, friendship, and comprehensive cooperation, forged by leaders including Cuban national hero Jose Marti, President Ho Chi Minh, and leader Fidel Castro, and strengthened through generations. Over the past 65 years, this relationship has stood the test of time, becoming a rare model of faithful and transparent friendship in international relations.

The ongoing visit by the top Cuban legislator holds significant importance in many respects. It is not only part of the annual high-level exchanges between the two legislatures but also a major political and diplomatic event, contributing to the consolidation and further development of the special solidarity and traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba.

A key highlight is the co-chairing of the second session of the Viet NamCuba Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, a relatively new mechanism that has quickly proven its effectiveness.

The initiative reflects the strategic vision of the two legislative bodies in establishing a regular and organised channel for direct exchanges, thereby deepening bilateral relations.  VNA/VNS
CA MAU  A free legal consultation day was held on Saturday in Hung Hoi Commune, southern Ca Mau Province, to help ethnic minority communities better understand their rights and access social security benefits.

The event, organised by the former Bac Lieu Provinces Bar Association, was part of activities marking the 80th anniversary of the Vietnamese Lawyers Traditional Day (October 10, 1945  October 10, 2025).

On this occasion, 50 gift packages were presented to policy beneficiary families and disadvantaged Khmer households.

Lawyer Nguyen Duy Son, chairman of the association, said the programme aimed to raise legal awareness among ethnic minorities, enabling them to better protect their rights and contribute to building a stable, safe and developing society.

Nguyen Hoang Em, vice chairman of Hung Hoi Commune Peoples Committee, said the commune has the largest Khmer community in the province, accounting for more than 30 per cent of the population.

Alongside economic growth, local Khmer residents have increasingly embraced Party guidelines and State policies, he said.

According to Em, the legal consultations are practical and much-needed by local residents, covering issues such as land disputes, inheritance, informal lending as well as fraud prevention, human trafficking and marriage with foreign elements.

The lawyers provided legal guidance in key areas including resolving disputes and procedures related to land and inherited property, loans, and purchase agreements.

The consultations also equipped local people with knowledge to protect themselves from online scams, human trafficking and address divorce, property division, child custody and foreign-related marriage procedures.

After the session, many Khmer residents expressed their satisfaction, saying they had gained useful legal knowledge.

Ly Van Tai, a respected Khmer community representative in ay Ta Ni Hamlet, said the programme helped locals better understand laws on land, marriage and family, forest protection and domestic violence prevention.

There are prohibitions under the law that many people are still unaware of, he said.

According to Hung Hoi Commune Peoples Committee, local authorities will continue to work with relevant units to expand mobile legal consultation activities.

This practical initiative is considered suitable to local conditions, bringing the law closer to the people and contributing to building a law-abiding society, especially among ethnic minority communities in the area.  VNS
HA NOI  Typhoon Matmo, the 11th storm to enter the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) so far this year, is heading to Mong Cai in the northern province of Quang Ninh with wind speeds up to 149km per hour, according to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The storm is projected to reach mainland Viet Nam early morning October 6.

It will move along the northern border causing heavy rain in mountainous and midland localities.

By the end of Tuesday, northern mountainous and midland regions are expected to receive 150-250mm of rainfall, even exceeding 400mm in some areas.

The northern delta and Thanh Hoa Province will experience 70-150mm of rain, with some locations over 200mm.

Ha Noi is unlikely to be affected directly by the typhoon but will have rainfall between 70-120mm until the end of Tuesday, with some areas receiving over 150mm.

To respond to the typhoon, the northern city of Hai Phong and Hung Yen Province have banned maritime activities starting at 5pm on Saturday.

Quang Ninh Province temporarily suspended permits for vessels to go offshore before 12pm on Sunday and stopped issuing permits for sightseeing and overnight stays at sea from 8am the same day. Ninh Binh banned maritime activities from 6am on Sunday.

Ha Noi meanwhile encouraged agencies and organisations to arrange for officials, public employees, and workers to work from home on Monday (October 6) in the event of severe weather conditions. Depending on the developments of rain, storm, and flooding, schools may proactively suspend classes to ensure safety.

According to forecasts, the airports directly affected by typhoon Matmo include Van on International Airport (Quang Ninh) and Cat Bi International Airport (Hai Phong)  which have been told to inspect infrastructure systems, communications networks, and radio stations, promptly detect and repair any damage, and ensure operational safety. In addition, four other airports in the north and north-central region  namely Noi Bai (Ha Noi), Tho Xuan (Thanh Hoa Province), Vinh (Nghe An Province) and ien Bien (ien Bien Province)  should also proactively update information and be ready with response plans in case the storm develops unpredictably.

All units have been instructed to proactively implement measures for storm and flood prevention, ensure proper drainage within airport areas, protect facilities, vehicles, and equipment, and timely restore passenger services after the storm.

PMs directions

To be prepared for the upcoming typhoon, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requires ministries, sectors and localities to implement decisive, proactive, timely and effective response measures suitable for the evolving situation in each locality and at each moment to ensure safety for the people.

He requested coastal provinces and cities, especially from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh, to keep safety for ships and vessels operating at sea, including guiding them to evacuate, avoid entering dangerous areas or return to shelter.

Northern and north central provinces, especially mountain and midland areas, should implement respond measures to floods and flash floods, inundation, landslides and erosion.

They should allocate forces, materials, machinery and equipment in key areas to be ready to immediately handle incidents.

Leaders of Lao Cai Province must inspect and instruct relevant agencies to coordinate with police forces to promptly carry out evacuation and relocation of households in danger zones with landslide risk in Bao Ha Commune.

The PM assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) to direct the meteorological and hydrological forecasting agencies to closely and continuously monitor, consult and update international forecast based on experience from recent typhoon to provide the most accurate forecasts on the typhoons developments to identify high-risk landslide areas.

The MoAE will work with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Lao Cai People's Committee, dam operators and related units to closely monitor and decide on the operation and water regulation of the Thac Ba hydropower reservoir to ensure safety for downstream areas.

They must urge sectors and localities conduct appropriate typhoon response measures following actual situations and timely report to the National Civil Defense Steering Committee and the PM for guidance on issues beyond their authority.

Another task of the MoAE is to guide and urge provinces and cities to review, update and complete specific plans to respond to each level of disaster risk, and each possible situation for their localities.

PM Chinh told the Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Industry and Trade to keep close watch on transportation activities, hydropower reservoirs and dams, electricity transmission systems. and industrial production.

The Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Public Security will direct units to coordinate with localities allocate forces, prepare equipment at key locations to be ready to support people in responding to floods, flash floods, landslides and inundation.

The PM assigns the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lead and coordinate with border agencies to strengthen information exchange with China regarding information from upstream reservoirs.

The Government Office will monitor and urge ministries and localities to strictly implement thei tasks and promptly report to the PM on any urgent or arising issues.  VNS
By Le Huong

More and more Vietnamese fashion brands are making bold moves to enter the international market. Representing a new generation of young, ambitious designers, they are increasingly determined to reach global audiences.

At the recent New York Fashion Week Spring Summer 2026, popular Vietnamese brand IVY moda celebrated its 20th anniversary with an impressive international debut. The collection showcased minimalist black, white and neutral tones, paired with modern cut-out silhouettes.

The inspiration stems from growing up in Ha Noi, Nguyen Le Thuc Vy, lead designer at IVY moda, told Viet Nam News & Law. When I was around 20, I had a strong passion for the city. I always dreamed that when I debuted internationally, I would create a collection about Ha Noi -- and about myself.

Vy focused on movement and emotion in her designs. Flowing silk and satin dresses conveyed a sense of energy and motion, while traditional elements such as the ao dai were subtly woven throughout the collection.

Her creations touched the hearts of those who saw them.

The fabric is beautiful, shimmery and glamorous, said South Korean designer Leesle Hwang, who attended the show. The style is luxurious, classic and incredibly elegant. It looked fantastic on the runway.

ao Minh Anh, another attendee, praised the meticulous craftsmanship.

From the way each outfit perfectly fit the models to the tone and colour palette -- mainly black, white and grey -- you could clearly see the designers dedication and attention to detail. This is a very well-executed and thoughtful collection, she said.

Known in Viet Nam for its elegant office wear and evening gowns, Ivy Moda currently operates over 70 stores nationwide.

Sustainable fashion

Another standout at New York Fashion Week was La Pham, a high-end brand focusing on sustainable fashion. The brand has previously appeared at fashion weeks in London, Paris and New York.

Another standout at New York Fashion Week was La Pham, a high-end brand with a focus on sustainable fashion. The brand has previously showcased its collections at fashion weeks in London, Paris and New York.

At the event, La Pham presented new designs made entirely from natural Vietnamese materials.

I always want to seek out materials from Viet Nam that come from nature. So far, weve sourced silk from both the North and South, green ramie fabric and hemp, said Pham Ngoc Anh, founder of La Pham.

Were also experimenting with new materials like pandan leaf fibre. In the future, we may use fibres from banana plants or coconut trees.

La Pham has drawn a lot of loyal customers.

"La Pham's designs are highly practical and wearable," said customer Nguyen Huong Giang, who has chosen La Pham creations for herself and her family members.

"The products use materials such as silk and velvet, blended with handloom fabrics that reflect the culture of the northern mountainous regions, making the items charming and familiar. Wearing La Phams products feels very comfortable."

Industry insiders are beginning to take notice of Viet Nams rising fashion scene.

Vietnamese fashion has great potential and many opportunities to go global, said Minh Anh. In recent years, local brands have started gaining international recognition, with some even being worn by celebrities. I believe this is a golden moment for Vietnamese fashion.

Among the leading names in Viet Nams fashion scene is Phan ang Hoang, renowned for his ability to merge fashion with art, architecture, painting, and music.

Hoang has showcased his work at numerous international events, including five consecutive seasons at Milan Fashion Week.

For each collection, I study and experiment with different materials, he said.

Some rely on practical fabrics, while others incorporate distinctive, artistic textiles. I believe the richness and diversity of materials elevate not only the colour palette but also the spirit of a collection. I am particularly drawn to sustainable, natural fabrics that both protect the environment and reflect global fashion trends.

Born into a family of artists -- his grandparents were members of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association -- Hoang has been deeply influenced by visual art. Before venturing into fashion, he created realistic portrait paintings that were featured in international publications.

That was a key milestone that encouraged me to bring more art into my fashion work, he said. I hope people recognise that the DNA of Phan ang Hoang is always the fusion of fashion and art.

Hoang spent several years studying and working in Milan, a city now closely tied to his brands identity.

Milan is where I found my creative freedom and could truly be myself, he said. People there appreciate creativity and recognise the meaning behind my designs.

'A highly competitive industry'

Vietnamese designers acknowledge that the road to international success is not without obstacles.

Fashion is a highly competitive industry with countless creative minds, said Vy.

Talent is important, but sometimes luck plays a role too. What truly distinguishes a designer is their taste. Technical skill alone is not enough; a refined sense of taste is what brings cohesion and beauty to a collection.

Designer Ngoc Anh from La Pham noted that Vietnamese brands entered the global fashion scene later than others, including neighbouring countries.

We have to work harder, study the trends, understand the market and our audience, she said.

Hoang echoed the sentiment, pointing out that young designers face particular challenges.

Youth comes with creativity, passion and energy, but often lacks persistence, experience and refined skills, he said.

With each collection, I learn and improve. I believe we shouldnt fear making mistakes. Instead, we should embrace them as part of the journey to realising our dreams.

He also emphasised the importance of personal development. Young designers may lack life experience, financial support or industry connections. What matters most is how we grow while staying true to our values and within the standards of society.

Vietnamese fashion is no longer just a cultural curiosity on the international stage -- it is emerging as a serious contender.

At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, international beauty queens such as Miss Grand International 2022 Isabella Menin and Miss Earth Malaysia 2021 Nisha Thayananthan wore creations by Vietnamese designers Le Thanh Hoa and Nguyen Minh Tuan, turning heads on the red carpet.

Brands like FanCi Club, Bupbes, and La Lune have also gained recognition, with their designs appearing in performances and music videos by leading K-pop idol groups.

Vietnamese fashion is now not only appearing on runways but is also making inroads into global markets through exports.

According to Than uc Viet, general director of Garment Corporation 10 (May 10), the company has developed several product lines -- including May 10 Expert, May 10 Series, and May 10 Classic Suit -- to serve demanding markets like the EU and the US.

Other major Vietnamese fashion and textile companies, such as Viet Tien Garment Corporation, Nha Be Garment Corporation, and Hoa Tho Textiles and Garments have also expanded their presence abroad, earning the trust of international consumers.

Viet Nams fashion industry is evolving every day. Soon, we will see Vietnamese fashion emerge as a fully developed industry, capable of large-scale production. Many brands have already secured million-dollar international orders, Trang Le, president of the Southeast Asian Fashion Designers Association, said.

Viet Nams fashion boom is also reflected in its strong export figures.

Truong Van Cam, vice president of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, reported that in the first half of 2025, the countrys textile and garment exports reached US$21.8 billion, a 10.6 per cent year-on-year increase. Imports rose to $12.7 billion, up 9.3 per cent, resulting in a $9.1 billion trade surplus.

It is forecast that total export turnover for the entire year 2025 could reach US$4647 billion, he said.

Establishing a strong and distinct identity is essential for Vietnamese fashion brands aiming to expand globally. As they continue to embrace sustainability, cultural storytelling and innovation, Vietnamese designers are proving they have what it takes to thrive on the world stage. Step by step, Vietnamese fashion is moving closer to international customers. VNS
Nguyen My Ha

We went up to Edinburgh from London in early August, not knowing that the famous festival was about to begin. Everywhere in the city had switched into festive mode, with banners hanging from ancient buildings and performers in costumes walking around.

I even saw an advert for the world premiere of a ballet titled Mary, Queen of Scots by Scottish Ballet, which I wished I could have seen. Alas, the show was to begin after I left the city. The iconic story from Scotlands history, focusing on the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, would be told in an unconventional way through the language of ballet.

A few days earlier we had met Mr Kiet in London at a cafe in The Tate Modern, and he invited us to visit an Edinburgh restaurant when we were in town.

Conveniently located in downtown Edinburgh, near the iconic Scott Monument, Sai Gon Memoire was easy to find. It was actually called Saigon Saigon for many years, until it was eventually reopened and renamed Sai Gon Memoire in March of this year.

As we walked inside, the atmosphere immediately felt relaxed and homely, with colourful lanterns hanging from the ceiling  very Vietnamese, very reminiscent of Hoi An. On the walls, conical hats were used as decorations, painted with scenes of Viet Nam. Some of the tables were round, which gave the place a Chinese feel.

We browsed the menu, which featured authentic Vietnamese dishes. Starters included summer and spring rolls (10.95/US$14.75), sugarcane prawns (14.95), the classic stir-fried morning glory (18.95), and pak choi, a Chinese-style stir-fry (18.95). In Vietnamese ong, the morning glory dish would cost about VN670,000  roughly 10 times more expensive than the same dish back in Viet Nam.

The menu also included salads, a variety of pho beef noodle soups, and curries (1819.95).

We ordered some Vietnamese staples: summer rolls (10.95), chicken curry (18.95), and of course the restaurants signature dish, the special pho beef noodle soup. A couple of us chose beef shank (18.95) and raw steak (18.95), which Mr Kiet proudly described as the best pho.

The raw steak pho came with thinly sliced beef, chopped green onions and lemongrass on top, with hot broth poured over from a kettle at the table. Watching the waiter carefully pour the broth into the bowl almost felt like being in a Chinese restaurant, as it resembled a tea-pouring ceremony.

From a cooks point of view, pouring broth from a kettle makes it less hot than serving it with a ladle. I was also surprised to see lemongrass in pho, as in Vietnam it is usually only used in bun bo Hue.

Still, lemongrass pairs well with beef, and it is an acquired taste popular in the south. The dishes are designed to suit the restaurants clientele rather than to win an authenticity contest.

The bowls of pho came to us like a fresh breeze on a hot summers day. After a difficult week in London, when our apartment was broken into and our belongings stolen, the pho was both comforting and restorative.

The fresh rolls were delicious, and the dipping sauces were not very different from those we usually have at home. The sauces catered to whichever flavour you were most familiar with.

Next came the chicken curry with rice, served in the famous chicken-patterned ceramic bowls  one of the three notable schools of southern Vietnamese ceramics. The curry menu included crispy chicken thigh (boneless), crispy duck, brisket, and king prawn curries (19.9520.95) as well as vegetarian tofu curry (18.95).

Chicken curry served in Con Ga ceramics could not look more authentically southern Vietnamese. It was just like the dish often served at wedding banquets in the south. They could even have served it with bread instead of rice.

During the meal, we chatted with Mr Kiet. He proudly showed me the restaurants check-in corner. While most of the interior looked modern and urban, this corner was dedicated to memories of Sai Gon, decorated with fragmented images and the word memory in French and Chinese.

When Sai Gon Memoire opened, the menu was switched from the previous Hong Kong-style Chinese food to more Vietnamese cuisine. Vietnamese food has become a very hot trend now, Kiet said. With that, all kinds of pho were added to the menu and a Vietnamese chef was hired.

Having lived in Edinburgh for many years, Kiet said that the citys most famous seafood is lobster. When we asked how it was cooked, he told us to wait. Soon a waiter brought out a huge lobster dish cooked Hong Kong-style  a much-loved dish of the restaurants old menu.

As we were already quite full, we could only try the sauce and a bite of lobster meat, which was very fresh, well-marinated, and delicious with white rice. When we received the bill, Kiet generously told us that the lobster was his treat, which truly moved us. The lobster cost 50, and we had to take it away with us. Back at our apartment, we found he had also added another bowl of rice to go with it.

Kiet has recently joined a community of Vietnamese in Europe, an association called We Love Pho, based in Belgium with chapters in 20 cities. He represents Edinburgh and has strong links with the London chapter. Together with other cities, they are planning a series of events in December to commemorate Viet Nams Pho Day on December 12.

Just last weekend, the London chapter of We Love Pho organised an early Mid-Autumn Festival for the Vietnamese community. The celebration brought together Vietnamese people of all ages and backgrounds, united by their shared traditions, to enjoy one of the most important festivals of autumn. VNS

-------------------------

Sai Gon Memoire Restaurant

14S St. Andrew St.

Edinburgh EH2 2AZ

Tel: 0131557 3737

Price: 20-30/ each

Comment: Chinese dishes, dim sum, Pho noodles in a warm ambience for special gatherings such as family get-together or private party, and weddings for up to 200 people
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Conservatives propose tax cuts as Labour derides unfunded 669m cost

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Oct 5th, 2025

The Conservatives have called for tax cuts to boost the Welsh economy but Labour ministers warned the unfunded plan would blow a 669m hole in the budget.

Samuel Kurtz, the Tory shadow economy secretary, called for a 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax and the scrapping of business rates for small businesses.

He said: Families here are taking home smaller pay packets than their counterparts in England or Scotland. Businesses are struggling under the heaviest business rates in Britain.

Young people see fewer opportunities to build a career and too often feel forced to leave the communities where they grew up.

Mr Kurtz warned the Welsh and UK economies are stuck in the mud, with chancellor Rachel Reeves poised to raid pension pots in the budget on November 26.

Tinkering

The ex-journalist said cutting the basic rate of income tax by 1p to 19% in Wales would give 1.7 million people a tax break and leave the average working family 450 a year better off.

Mr Kurtz said scrapping rates for small firms, which he described as the backbone of our economy, would help 245,000 businesses employing more than 500,000 people.

But Plaid Cymrus Luke Fletcher accused the Conservatives of simply wanting to tinker with the tax system, warning an ownership gap is the central problem.

He told the Senedd: The reality is that there are too few Welsh businesses, assets and institutions that are meaningfully Welsh owned.

That limits investment, it slows business growth and it reduces the quality and availability of jobs. It also means that innovation struggles to take hold and far too much profit leaves our communities. We need to change that.

Structural problems

His colleague Cefin Campbell was aghast at the hypocrisy, saying the Tories reputation as the guardians of the economy was trashed by Liz Truss tanking the economy.

Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher, described the Tory strategy as seeking to cut the Welsh Governments income while increasing spending.

But he accepted the Welsh economy has problems  many of them structural  having performed poorly versus the rest of Britain for many years.

Mr Hedges pointed to a shortage of employment in higher-paid sectors, with Wales weak in areas such as ICT, real estate and professional services.

He told Senedd members: We need to have a successful economy. We need to know how were going to do it and quite frankly, what the Conservatives said will not work.

Huge cuts

Rebecca Evans said cutting the basic rate of income tax by 1p would cost 299m  nearly 8% of all Welsh income tax revenue. She added that scrapping business rates for small firms would cost up to 370m, bringing the total to 669m.

Wales economy secretary told the Senedd: All of this without even beginning to tell us how they would pay for it, and the level of cuts that they would have to implement would be huge.

They would have to cut the entire transport revenue budget.

She claimed Wales is outperforming the UK average on employment.

Ms Evans pointed to Decembers planned Wales investment summit in Newport but rejected Conservative calls to release a list of companies that have registered an interest.

She said: We have had huge, huge interest from across the globe, and particularly in the sectors that were particularly keen to grow: compound semiconductors, tech and digital, clean energy, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and defence.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
This week is Banned Books Week, an annual event in the U.S. that celebrates the freedom to read.

PEN America has documented nearly 23,000 book bans in public schools nationwide since 2021, a number not seen since the red scare era of Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. Recently, Stephen King, announced that he is the most banned author in the country  87 of his books being pulled off many shelves. This may change his title as the King of Horror to the King of Banned Books.

Some of the most talked about banned books are: The Handmaids Tale, 1984, The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Bluest Eye and The Kite Runner. For this weeks column, I thought I would highlight some of the lesser-known titles.

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

This coming-of-age novel by New Mexicos own Rudolfo Anaya was first published in 1972.

Antonio Marez is a 6-year-old Chicano boy living in Guadalupe in the 1940s. He is a very perceptive boy who has very vivid and sometimes prophetic dreams. His father is a vaquero, and his mother comes from a family of farmers and is a devout Catholic. Both of his parents have different dreams for their sons future. They take him to Ultima, who is an old curandera, and she and Antonio grow very close. Ultima becomes his closest guide, and she knows his fate.

One day, a friend tells Antonio about the golden carp, a pagan god that lives in the river.

Antonio starts to feel more attached to the Virgin of Guadalupe than to God, who seems harsh and unforgiving. Ultima heals his uncle from a witchs spell after the priest failed to help him.

The story continues with family dynamics and mystical folktales.

Why this book is banned: Those who advocate for restricting the book charge that it demeans organized religion, advocates occult beliefs, contains offensive language, depicts violence and is sexually explicit.

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The World According to Garp by John Irving

The World According to Garp is John Irvings fourth novel. It was first published in 1978 and continues to enjoy a wide circulation. Jenny Fields, a nurse, doesnt want to marry but desperately wants to be a mother. One of her patients is a dying solder who cannot speak. She rapes him to impregnate herself. She ends up giving birth to a baby and named him T.S. Garp.

Garp and his mother have a very close relationship that takes on adventures and struggles on their own.

Why this book is banned: Its a literary satire of gender dynamics that include discussions on parenthood, death, feminism, manhood and masculinity, marriage and family structures, the influence of literature in a readers life, and sexual politics.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This childrens book was originally published in 1963. Its a story of a mischievous boy named Max who gets sent to his room by his mother without dinner. He escapes into a world of imagination, where Max conjures a world of towering trees and vines and sails off to become king of an island of party-loving monsters. He ends up getting lonely and returns home.

Why this book is banned: the book was thought to be too dark and frightening, as well as psychologically damaging to children. It was also said that its unvarnished story of rebellion, fear, punishment and escape was too much for children.

My favorite quote about banned books is from Ray Bradbury, You dont have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.

Researchers from University College London and the University of Florida examined national data from 2003 to 2023 and found that the share of adults who reported reading for pleasure on a given day fell to 16% in 2023 from a peak of 28% in 2004, which is a 40% drop. These statistics are alarming. Its my hope that New Mexicans put their phones down and read for pleasure for a few minutes every day. The support of the freedom to read requires more than just the verbal opposition of books being pulled off the shelves  adults must read books.

Deborah Condit is the owner of Books on the Bosque, 6261 Riverside Plaza Lane, Suite A-2 or at booksonthebosque.com.
Raul Torrez Susan Montoya Bryan/Associated Press

Faced with a federal lawsuit filed by New Mexico and 19 other states, the Trump administration has dropped plans to tie $1.4 billion for victims programs to its immigration agenda, Attorney General Raul Torrez said Friday.

The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday quietly posted on its website state-by-state allocations of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) money for 2025 that appear to provide states with full funding appropriated by Congress.

New Mexico is slated to receive $1,231,000 in grants for crime victim assistance programs, such as sexual assault examinations, emergency shelters, medical and funeral expenses, and crime-scene cleanup.

The 2025 round of VOCA funding was cast in doubt in February when the Trump administration threatened to withhold grants from states that refused to comply with federal immigration enforcement.

A coalition of attorneys general in 20 states responded by filing an Aug. 18 lawsuit in U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island, asking a judge to block the action.

The suit argued that tying the funding to federal immigration priorities violates the constitutional separation of powers.

As a career prosecutor I have always fought to ensure victims have the resources, respect, and support they deserve, Torrez said in a statement issued Friday. This lawsuit was never about politics  it was about protecting nearly $1.4 billion in critical funding for victims of crime.

VOCA was enacted in 1984 creating grant programs to help states to provide resources and services to victims and survivors of crime, the statement said.

This victory allows us to honor our commitment to crime victims and their families and it is something that I will always fight for, Torrez said.

VOCA is funded by fines, fees and penalties collected in federal court proceedings. States are authorized by law to use the funding for victim services, including domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers and victim and witness offices in state district attorneys offices.

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These funds have long ensured that states could fulfill their most fundamental duties, to protect public safety and redress harm to their residents, the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement. Congress requires the distribution of most VOCA funding based on fixed formulas, it said.

The grants will continue to be provided to states with no requirement that they assist federal immigration enforcement, the statement said.
Patricia Pinzon, the head consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, left, and Sarita Nair, the secretary of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, sign a memorandum of understanding in Albuquerque last month. Kylie Garcia

A John Doe about to go to the countys indigent cremation program as next of kin has not been identified. A few dozen families lost all they had during the most recent Ruidoso flood. A talented high school student is looking for opportunities for higher education. A small business owner searches for useful connections to grow his business. Hundreds of citizens seek legal counsel.

They all have in common one thing: They are being assisted by the Mexican Consulate, a 175-year-old institution based in Albuquerque that provides services to Mexican nationals living in New Mexico and, since 2022, Northwest Texas. It serves as liaison for New Mexico-based governmental and nongovernmental institutions trying to connect or do business with Mexico.

When you think of a consulate, you may imagine a traditional office issuing passports or birth certificates. What you may not necessarily imagine is that at the same stop, you can book a free immigration consultation or get free representation on your recent car accident, or get counsel from our experts on a child custody case. You can get all those services and your passport, an official document issued in less than 60 minutes. And you can schedule a free mammogram while you wait with our partner agencies, or apply for a scholarship, or learn the necessary tools to check how your retirement fund is being managed in Mexico.

That one-stop shop is the Mexican Consulate  the only one based in New Mexico, integrated by 21 proud Mexican nationals who represent a very important reason why our people come in: trust. The unwavering trust we carry when we represent Mexico.

Police officers and sheriffs deputies come inside our building on a frequent basis to educate the community, especially during these uncertain times. They remind us they are here to protect people and combat crime. They invite people to report delinquency, as it is the only way to attain a safe community. All kinds of partner agencies also come to our building to educate on cancer prevention, addiction prevention, mental health or other health concerns. Its a consular model that provides the most integral assistance on a case-by-case basis and makes our people feel home away from home.

Now that I mention home, I say it with nostalgia  that word we all feel when we leave our country of origin behind. All those individuals referred to at the start of this writing have one thing in common: their love for their homeland. Most of them want to return to Mexico, although some wont ever do so. They have saved for their loved ones and their communities. During their years in the U.S., they lost valuable time with their loved ones. Most missed their childrens golden years. Some were not able to go to a family members funeral. They migrated with a clear objective and worked to achieve it. Its good to remember: We are an extremely hard-working community.

Mexico has the largest consular network of one country within another: 53 consulates in the United States. No one that needs assistance stays without it. But it is not only about assistance. Its also about empowerment. The consulate is as powerful as the hundreds of local partnerships it has built through years, and those partnerships are only making a stronger binational community.

As we speak, our 24/7 hotline is ringing on the many cases that need assistance, and our consular staff is all over New Mexico helping people in need. Most of those cases originate from consular notification, a right recognized by international law that local, state and federal authorities honor.

So, next time you drive by 1610 Fourth St. in Albuquerque and see our beautiful flag waving, think about my thriving community that is making New Mexico thrive as well. We are partners on the same road we are both building, and although some of us are only starting to realize that, it may be the right time to do so.
Every August, teachers across New Mexico welcome students into classrooms stocked with new books, technology and supplies. Many of those resources come from an unlikely place: the oil rigs dotting our horizon. In a state that produces 15% of Americas oil, energy is more than a commodity  its opportunity. It can mean the difference between a school that hires a reading specialist and one that struggles without one.

New Mexico is an energy powerhouse. We are second only to Texas in oil production and rank among the nations leaders in natural gas. Billions of dollars in lease bonuses, royalties and taxes flow directly into classrooms and communities. When policymakers support investment, schools, counties and families rise with it.

But theres another side to this story. New Mexico consistently ranks near the bottom in economic freedom. Heavy taxes, burdensome licensing and layers of red tape hold us back. These obstacles discourage investment, slow job growth and drive families out of state. The path forward is clear: Embrace an energy dominance agenda that lets New Mexicos resources compete on cost, reliability and accountability.

What does that mean in practice? It means fast, fair permitting that doesnt drag on for years. It means building pipelines and processing plants that cut waste, capture natural gas and get products safely to market. It means competitive taxes that keep us attractive to investors. It also means setting real environmental standards  without endless delays or unneeded restrictions that kill jobs and erode public trust. And yes, it means giving nuclear power the serious role it deserves in our energy future.

Energy dominance is broader than oil and gas. It includes mining potash, copper and uranium  resources essential for nuclear power, defense and advanced manufacturing. With strong safeguards, New Mexico can buttress supply chains, strengthen national security and keep value-added jobs here at home instead of overseas.

Oil and gas are not relics of a bygone era. They remain the foundation of todays economy and the driver of future growth  powering aviation, shipping, manufacturing and supplying the critical materials used to build hospitals, homes and vehicles. At the same time, the rapid expansion of data centers offers New Mexico a strategic opportunity to leverage its energy resources to stabilize the grid and attract new investment. Policymakers should welcome innovation in every direction: advancing nuclear power, improving drilling technologies, modernizing the grid and boosting efficiency.

Critics dismiss fossil fuels as dirty, but New Mexico proves otherwise. Our producers are leaders in recycling water, cutting methane emissions and modernizing equipment. Energy dominance doesnt mean ignoring environmental responsibility; it means proving that reliable energy and responsible stewardship can go hand in hand.

The truth is simple: New Mexico has everything it needs to lead Americas energy future. If we unleash New Mexicos full potential, our state can become a model for the nation: powering the economy, funding schools and securing Americas energy independence. Energy dominance isnt just about barrels of oil or cubic feet of gas. Its about families, freedom and the Land of Enchantment we call home.
Melissa Rycroft Strickland, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and fan-favorite contestant on the Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars, was arrested Sept. 23. ABC/YouTube

A reality TV star known for her time on the Bachelor was arrested this week on charges of driving while intoxicated.

Melissa Rycroft Strickland, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and fan-favorite contestant on the Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars, was arrested Sept. 23 after a single-vehicle crash in Southlake, Texas, police told WFAA.

Strickland, 42, was arrested after witnesses reported her Cadillac Escalade hit a tree. She was evaluated at the scene and taken into custody after a field sobriety test.

Stricklands attorney Bret Martin told TMZ that his client should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

It is imperative that we closely examine the circumstances of this case-including the conduct of law enforcement, the toxicology results, and the facts surrounding her arrest-before any conclusions are drawn, he told the celebrity website. We respectfully request that the media and the public allow the legal process to unfold and withhold any judgment whatsoever until all of the evidence has been properly analyzed and presented in a court of law.

Strickland was released on $1,000 bond.

She appeared on the 13th season of the reality dating show in 2009 and later on Dancing with the Stars. She went on to win Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars in 2012 with partner Tony Dovolani. Shes also hosted podcasts Bachelor Pad and Redneck Island.

She married husband Tye Strickland in 2012.
Someone has just called two of Alabamas most iconic artworks ugly. As you may have guessed, I have something to say about that.

Alabama has its share of quirky outdoor art installations, which I prefer to call roadside attractions. If its a worlds largest or one-of-a-kind, Im drawn to it like a fly to honey.

For example, Alabama is home to the Worlds Largest White Business Shirt, the Worlds Largest Office Chair, the Worlds Largest Dental Tools, and the Worlds Largest Brick Made of Smaller Bricks.

Now, two of Alabamas most unusual attractions have been named to a list of Americas Ugliest Public Art by Rivers Art, a fine art print maker. The company surveyed 2,000 people who listed 90 ugly artworks.

Alabama has the distinction of having the No. 1 questionable work of art  the Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise, Ala.

Ive unofficially dubbed it the worlds largest monument to the boll weevil because I believe it to be the only monument to the cotton-eating insect. (Unless, of course, you count the McWeevil at the Enterprise McDonalds. Read about it here.)

Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise. (Photo by Wil Elrick)

The Boll Weevil Monument

The Boll Weevil Monument is set in the very center of Enterprises downtown area. Like, in the middle of the intersection at College and Main streets. You literally cant miss it. Ive always enjoyed the quirkiness of the statue, which was erected in 1919 to commemorate the fact that boll weevils destroying cotton crops led farmers to diversify to peanuts and other crops, saving the local economy. The message is a positive one: disastrous events can bring about positive change.

Rivers Art said the statue misses the mark. Instead of inspiring pride, it feels strange and almost comical, making it one of the countrys most unintentionally unattractive monuments, Rivers Art wrote in a press release.

Sure, its odd to have a statue with an insect on it. But unattractive?

Ronald McDonald "McWeevil" in Enterprise, Ala., honors the city's history with the agricultural pest that forced farmers to diversify their crops. Courtesy of Enterprise Chamber of Commerce

It features a Greco-Roman-style woman who was sculpted in Italy. In fact, the original statue did not include a boll weevil on it. Later, the city added a fountain at the womans feet, two globe lamps and, in 1949, a black boll weevil, according to an article by the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Artist Luther Baker suggested it and fashioned a four-legged model of the insect from linotype metal, the article said. That boll weevil was stolen in 1953, and a larger, more accurate sculpture with six legs replaced it.

The Vulcan on Birmingham's Red Mountain is the world's largest cast-iron statue. ggarrison@al.com

The Vulcan

Alabamas next entry is way down on the list: The beloved Vulcan, the worlds largest cast-iron statue, comes in at No. 46. The 55-foot-high god of the forge that stands atop Birminghams Red Mountain made the list largely because his naked backside moons residents of Homewood.

The combination of size, exposure, and stiff posture makes it more awkward spectacle than work of art, the press release said.

Across the country, there are sculptures and monuments that have earned more side-eye than admiration - whether because of their strange proportions, odd subject matter, or simply the way they clash with their surroundings, the company.

The rest of the top 10 are:

2. Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, New Haven, Connecticut.

Few sculptures clash quite like a lipstick tube balanced on a tank, Rivers Art wrote. See a photo here.

3. The Wall of Death, Seattle, Washington. With its grim slabs of steel and concrete, the so-called Wall of Death feels less like art and more like urban intimidation, the press release said. See a photo here.

4. Worlds Largest Jackalope, Douglas, Wyoming. Beloved as a photo-op, its less majestic creature and more oversized novelty prop, according to the press release. See it here.

5. Giant Metal Spider, St. George, Utah. Its the kind of sculpture people snap pictures of  and then shake their heads at, the press release said. See it here.

This giant clothespin is located in Philadelphia. Kelly Kazek

6. Clothespin, Philadelphia. Instead of charming, it often feels like an oversized office supply dropped into the plaza  one of Philadelphias most debated and derided pieces of public art, the press release said.

7. Scary Lucy, Celoron, New York. Created in 2009 by sculptor Dave Poulin, this bronze statue was intended to honor Lucille Ball, the press release said, but its distorted smile, bug-eyed stare, and awkward proportions sparked national mockery, earning it the nickname Scary Lucy. Scary Lucy has been replaced. See both statues here.

8. Pink Elephant, Guthrie, Kentucky, Garish, faded, and bubblegum pink, this fiberglass elephant looks less like art and more like a carnival leftover, according to Rivers Art. See it here.

9. Giant Safety Pin, New Orleans. It stands as a stark, utilitarian object that many see as bland, baffling, and unattractive in a city known for vibrant artistic expression, the press release said. See it here.

10. Nibbles Woodaway, Providence, Rhode Island. While beloved as local kitsch, its often cited as one of the ugliest giant statues in America, Rivers Art wrote in the press release. See it here.

See the full list here.
An Alabama police officer suffered injuries Saturday during a high-speed chase involving multiple agencies.

In a statement, the Rainbow City Police Department said the injury occurred when law enforcement across multiple agencies were chasing Zachery Malone, 27, of Florence, who was allegedly fleeing in a stolen vehicle.

The department joined the pursuit when it came from St. Clair County on Highway 411 toward Rainbow City at about 4 p.m. as the suspects speed exceeded 100 mph.

The pursuit entered into Gadsden, and it ultimately ended on Cleveland Avenue in Attalla, near the I-59 interchange, the department said.

During the chase, an officer with the Rainbow City Police Department sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment and evaluation. It was determined that the vehicle involved in the pursuit was reported stolen from St. Clair County, police said.

Malone is in St. Clair County jail on a bond of $312,000 for various offences, including attempting to elude law enforcement, possession of a stolen vehicle, trafficking in stolen identities, reckless endangerment, and drug paraphernalia possession.
Decatur Police have charged a man with murder in connection with a Saturday shooting death.

Nathan Aldridge was charged Oct. 4 in the slaying of Mason Cullison earlier that day, police said in a statement.

Both were residents of a home on the 1900 block of Mud Tavern Road Southwest. Officers were called to the scene and found Cullison with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Aldridge was questioned at the scene.

Aldridge was ultimately charged with murder and was transported to the Morgan County Jail, police said. He is being held without bond per Aniahs law.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 02: U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on in the Oval Office at the White House. Getty Images

Congress still gets paid during a government shutdown -- but several Alabama lawmakers have said they dont want the check.

Sen. Katie Britt has requested that her pay be withheld until the shutdown was over.

In a post on X Oct. 1, she said, Since Democrats have decided to shut down the governmentfurloughing our federal workers and withholding pay from our troopsI have requested the Financial Clerk of the Senate to do the same with my pay. I encourage my Democratic colleagues to do the same."

Reps. Barry Moore and Dale Strong posted similar pledges on social media.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are currently on furlough, AP News reports. Thousands of other essential federal employees are currently working without pay. Many federal projects are on hiatus.

Democrats shut down the government for one reason: Trump Derangement Syndrome, U.S. Sen.Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. wrote in a post to X.

Congressional salaries are paid from a permanent appropriation, which is not dependent on annual funding bills. This means their paychecks are issued regardless of any lapses in government funding.

A U.S. Senator or Representative receives $174,000 per year. Some leadership positions make more.
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This is an opinion column

I got up this morning, grabbed my gym bag, and headed to my workout.

I ran into a friend in the gym I hadnt seen in a while and asked him about his two adult daughters.

He said one daughter was living in Atlanta and the other in New York.

I replied thats whats wrong with Birmingham. We cant hold onto our children.

Parents often complain to me about losing their children and grandchildren to other cities and emphasize that theyre never coming back.

He sighed, I guess Birmingham just isnt exciting enough.

I told him I dont really buy the Birmingham is not exciting argument.

The reason were losing our children is we dont have the jobs for them.

He agreed and then blamed our conservative legislature.

I said if that were true, how do you explain that Alabama is the home to two of the fastest growing metro areas in America?

The Daphne-Fairhope-Foley Metropolitan Area is the sixth fastest growing and the Huntsville Metro Area is the 20th fastest growing in the U.S. Huntsville now has 50,000 more people than Birmingham.

In fact, Huntsville, now Alabamas biggest city, keeps winning and winningboth with the government and private sector.

The Space Command is coming to Huntsville and IKEA, one of most globally successful retailers in the world, selected Huntsville for its first Alabama store.

According to Consumer Affairs, Alabama is ranked as the 7th most popular state for seeking a new home.

Yet our Birmingham region remains stagnant while Daphne and Huntsville have the same state government,

Then I asked him to explain Florida and Texas, the two fastest growing states in the U.S., who may be more conservative than Alabama.

According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors, just 3% of movers cited political reasons as their primary motivation.

Im not trying to promote conservative governance. Im just trying to make the case that there has to be a bigger obstacle to Birminghams growth than our legislature.

Its fragmented local governance.

Lets Follow the Lead of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh in Allegheny County Pennsylvania until recently faced the same structural problem as Jefferson County.

Jefferson County has 35 citiesAllegheny County has 130four times as many.

Allegheny County, just like Jefferson County, had only two branches of government, legislative and judicial, with no executive branch.

No Jefferson County commissioner, including its president, is elected county-wide.

But unlike Jefferson County, Allegheny County recognized the problem and fixed it.

Allegheny Count didnt combine cities.

Allegheny County didnt merge schools.

Allegheny County opted for one strong county.

On January 1, 2000, the Home-Rule Charter went into effect in Allegheny County. It replaced the three elected commissioners with an elected chief officer (the County Executive), a county council with 15 members, and an appointed county manager.

The transformation was dramatic and immediate. By creating a true executive branch with a county-wide elected chief executive, Allegheny County suddenly had unified regional leadership that could speak for the entire metro area.

The county executive became accountable to all 1.2 million residents, not just individual districts, and could coordinate economic development across all 130 municipalities.

The results speak for themselves. Today, the three most important politicians in Pennsylvania are widely recognized as the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Mayor of Philadelphia, and the Mayor of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh now has a seat at the table in statewide and national conversations precisely because the region created the unified leadership structure that gives them political clout and economic coordination.

This is the kind of unified regional voice that Jefferson County desperately needs but currently lacks.

The Path Forward: Bringing Our Children Home

The solution is right in front of us: follow Pittsburghs lead and complete Jefferson Countys governmental structure by creating a truly independent executive branch. A county-wide elected executive accountable to all 660,000 Jefferson County residents could finally give Birmingham the regional political voice and economic coordination that would make us competitive.

Until we fix this fundamental flaw, well keep losing our most precious exportour young talentto cities that figured out long ago that fragmented governance kills economic prosperity.

The choice is simple: continue operating with broken government structure, or build the unified leadership that brings our children home and puts Birmingham back on the map.

Our competitors arent waiting. Neither should we.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com
The island of Sainte Marie, or Nosy Boraha, is a narrow granite island located five miles off the remote east coast of Madagascar. This postcard tropical island with lush vegetation, sandy beaches, shallow bays, and coral reefs was once home to over a thousand pirates. The island was located not far from the 17th- and 18th-century maritime routes along which ships laden with spices, ivory, silk and other riches returned from the East Indies. Sainte Marie provided the buccaneers a secure shelter from where they could plunder the approaching ships. The islands numerous bays and inlets protected their ships from storms; the abundant fruits and local women satisfied their hunger and lust.

The pirate cemetery on the island of Sainte Marie. Photo credit: JialiangGao/Wikimedia

The pirate settlement on Sainte Marie was founded by the famous English pirate Adam Baldridge, who came to Sainte Marie in 1685 after fleeing Jamaica where he was wanted for murder. Within a year, Baldridge had established control over the inland waterways into Sainte Marie and its harbor. He subdued the local tribes and forced the native chieftains to pay Baldridge in cattle, food and women.

Baldridge forged a partnership with a wealthy New York merchant and ran a very successful business exchanging money and goods with the pirates. Baldridge would acquire plundered loots from the pirates and ship them to New York in return for basic supplies, rum, tools and ammunition, which he used to trade with the pirates. Baldridge also offered the pirates many of the islands resources such as different types of fruits (bananas, coconuts, lemons, oranges, pineapples, yams) and livestock (cattle, chicken, fish and turtles). He had dozens of warehouses on the island filled with both the treasure he collected from the pirates and the merchandise he traded to them.

At its peak, about a thousand pirates lived on the island including legendary and infamous characters such as Captain William Kidd, Robert Culliford, Olivier Levasseur, Henry Every, Abraham Samuel and Thomas Tew. Baldridge himself lived an extremely extravagant life. He built himself a hilltop mansion and fort, and kept his own harem of island women.

Baldridge also started engaging in slave trade. He would buy slaves on the east coast for cheap and sell them to passing ships or send them to America and the West Indies. But when Baldridge tried to sell some of the local natives, the island population rose up in revolt and destroyed his castle and warehouses, forcing Baldridge to flee the island in 1697.

After the departure of Baldridge, the pirate colony fell into decline as they were unable to get the vital supplies necessary for sustaining a population. By the 1700s, the golden age of buccaneering had come to an end. Many pirates surrendered to the conditions of clemency and settled down in Madagascar. They married local girls, raised families and died on the island. Their remains were interred in a cemetery, now called the pirates cemetery, at ile aux Forbans, a small island located in a bay just south of Ambodifotatra, the islands main town.

Today, Sainte Marie gets a lot of tourists drawn to the idyllic tropical paradise where diving, snorkeling and whale watching are the favorite past times. The pirate cemetery, which is now overgrown with bushes and plants, is another popular attraction.

Photo credit: Florent Bouckenooghe/Flickr

Photo credit: sandy marie/Flickr

Photo credit: sandy marie/Flickr

Photo credit: sandy marie/Flickr

Photo credit: sandy marie/Flickr

Photo credit: sandy marie/Flickr

Sources: Travel Madagascar / Golden Age of Piracy / History Twistery / www.piratesinfo.com / Wikipedia
Mary Attenborough and Michael Gallagher in June 2025. Photograph: Alan Lavender

When police thundered into their London home in 1996 and arrested Michael Gallagher on suspicion of IRA activity, MaryAttenborough was shocked and indignant.

She was an English academic who wrote books on geophysical software and her Scottish partner was a former civil servant who helped homeless alcoholics. The idea of him as an IRA man seemed ludicrous. Gallagher was romantic and cerebral  he had wowed Attenborough by completing the Guardians cryptic crossword in three minutes.

Yet he was charged with helping the IRA to launch mortars at Heathrow in 1994, attacks that inflicted no casualties but caused huge disruption. Attenborough mustered funds and support to proclaim her boyfriends innocence but Gallagher was convicted of conspiring to cause explosions and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Now, almost three decades later, the two are still a couple and have co-written a book that confirms Gallagher was, in fact, guilty  that he was an IRA fixer who facilitated multiple operations, including the Heathrow attack.

He had concealed the truth from Attenborough and confessed to her only after his conviction, leaving her stunned. Other than a handful of people, I didnt really tell anybody, she said this week. It wasnt something I was that proud of because he had lied to me.

Attenborough and Gallagher have parted the veils on that deception, and their relationship, in a joint memoir, Unbroken: Secrets, Lies and Enduring Love.

There was certainly a hint that Mary somehow might have known or at least had a good idea of what I was up to and that just wasnt the case at all, said Gallagher. I wanted to get that out there.

After Gallagher was released under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday agreement, the couple moved to rural County Donegal and set up a web development business, which they still run.

The book has now turned a spotlight on their past. Gallagher, 82, wanted to set the record straight about his guilt and that Attenborough had initially believed in his innocence.

For her part, the former maths lecturer, who is 71, wanted to explain why she forgave the deception. I know Michael isnt a terrible person, hes a very good person, she said. He just didnt put me first, and I dont know whether I see that as betrayal. He didnt intend it.

They met in 1985 through groups that supported Britains striking coal miners and protested against South Africas apartheid. Attenborough, from Walsall, near Birmingham, had a doctorate in mathematical physics from Imperial College London. Gallagher, from Glasgow, was an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic.

He had Northern Irish roots and did occasional jobs for the IRA, sorting out accommodation, transport and documents for IRA members in England. Gallagher concealed his activities from Attenborough, who supported Irish unification but opposed IRA methods. Id made a commitment to the IRA and a commitment to Mary and I thought I was getting away with it  that I was able to do both, he said.

The mortars that landed on Heathrow in March 1994 were not armed to explode  they were symbolic attacks timed to coincide with parliaments renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, said Gallagher.

Security forces identified him as the suspect who visited a warehouse with traces of explosives, put him under surveillance and bugged the couples home for almost two years, culminating in the pre-dawn raid at their Earls Court home on 28 October 1996.

Attenborough rallied support, and funds from family for bail, to avert a presumed Guildford Four-style miscarriage of justice.

For 16 months  during her prison visits and the trial in February 1998  Gallagher kept his secret. There was no way I could tell her because had I told her then, she would have been obliged to tell my sister, her brother and anybody else: Dont bother looking for sureties for Michael because hes guilty, he said. It was really an awful time. Shed come and talk about all the people who were campaigning for my innocence, saying they were so sorry about me, poor Michael.

The possibility of escaping conviction, however, sustained his fiction until the jury decided against him. Days later, when Attenborough visited to tell him about plans for an appeal, he confided his guilt.

At first, I didnt even know whether to believe him, she recalled. I thought, well, which version of the truth should I accept here? Distraught, she considered ending the relationship, but in subsequent visits she accepted Gallaghers apologies and rationalised his clandestine activities. Obviously I didnt agree with this involvement with the IRA. But on the other hand, it wasnt that big a role that he was playing.

Anti-terrorist police say fixers play crucial roles in facilitating murderous attacks but Attenborough said IRA members believed in a cause. I think their tactics were wrong but I dont regard them as terrible people.

The memoir alternates perspectives between the two narrators and cloaks Gallaghers guilt until his conviction  a delayed reveal the authors said they modelled on Gillian Flynns novel Gone Girl.

During the writing, Gallagher disclosed another decades-old secret to his partner: when he speedily completed the crossword in her copy of the Guardian he had already done it earlier, in his own copy.

 This article was amended on 6 October 2025 to remove a reference to Margaret Attenborough rather than Mary.
Sir Tony Blair

It was an oddly familiar scene: Sir Tony Blair, back in the White House. Only this time, he was endorsing peace, not war.

Sir Tonys reputation precedes him in Washington, with anti-war liberals and Maga isolationists united in their distrust for Britains former prime minister.

So his return to the main stage of global politics and Donald Trumps endorsement for his post-war Gaza blueprint filled plenty of column inches in Americas leading newspapers.

The New York Times reported that Sir Tony has been tortured by the region he is set to govern since he backed George W Bushs war in Iraq 22 years ago. But concluded that the odds of him redeeming himself as a Middle East peacemaker were perilously slim.

The Washington Post posited that Sir Tonys return to politics should not come as a surprise given his track record for embracing the thorniest conflicts, while also noting that for many, the idea of him becoming the governor of Gaza will rankle given his tarnished legacy in that part of the world.

But winning over the court of public opinion mattered less than wooing Mr Trump.

Sir Tony Blair has had long-running discussions with the White House about the war in Gaza - Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images

In order to get the president to sign up to the core tenets of his post-war plan for Gaza, Sir Tony had to charm Mr Trumps army of loyal lieutenants.

First he worked on JD Vance, the vice-president, with the pair bonding over their shared faith. Mr Vance, a Catholic convert like Sir Tony, is understood to have been particularly impressed by his pitch in the Oval Office.

He made a favourable impression on them all, notably Potus and JD when he was in the White House, a source with direct knowledge of the meeting said.

Throughout the long-running discussions about peace in Gaza, Sir Tony has become respected and admired in the halls of the administration, people familiar with the plan told The Telegraph.

His slick negotiating skills, extensive knowledge of the Middle East and success in helping to broker the Good Friday Agreement earned him the respect of Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, and Steve Witkoff, the special envoy.

He is respected and admired in the US, including most parts of the administration, the source said.

Some younger Maga are not keen because of Iraq but JD Vance is a considerable admirer.

Weighing in on Sir Tonys relationship with Mr Trump, Anna Kelly, the White House deputy press secretary, said: Tony Blair was extremely helpful to President Trump as he developed this plan for a durable peace, and he shares the presidents vision of a better life for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

He would make an exceptional addition to the Board of Peace  but first, Hamas must accept this deal to end the war.

President Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, met with Sir Tony in Amman in July - Thaer Ghanaim/Getty Images

Hamas issued its response to Sir Tony and Mr Trumps 20-point peace plan on Friday night.

The terror group said it would release all its remaining hostages, living and dead, and negotiate terms of a peace deal in order to reach a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

If those negotiations result in Hamas agreeing to the terms of the plan, Sir Tony will oversee a transitional government in the Strip as the head of a new body called the Board of Peace, alongside the president.

Sir Tony has been planning his day after post-war plan since the conflict broke out in October 2023.

Yet for all his work and praise inside the White House, the hard-line faction of the Maga movement remains suspicious of Sir Tony because of his support for the Iraq war.

Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to Mr Trump, told The Telegraph that Sir Tony was on the payroll of the worlds worst people.

Tony Blair is an opportunist who lives large on the payroll of some of the worlds worst people, he said.

In this regard he seems to follow the current practice of the British establishment figures like David Cameron in leaving their nation in financial tatters while selling out to the countrys enemies.

Sir Tonys Institute for Global Change is said to have taken more than 250m from Larry Ellison, a close friend and the worlds second richest man.

Mr Ellisons tech company Oracle, which is known for its database software, has contracts with the Israeli military and its air force.

Mr Trump, however, appears unfazed by the chatter around his new ally.

Sir Tonys slick communication skills and depth of experience, it seems, were enough to win over the US president. Whether he can help him win his long-coveted Nobel Peace Prize remains to be seen.
Angela Rayner has been accused of a "shameless" waste of public money after allowing her lover to be ferried around by her bodyguards in her taxpayer-funded BMW.

Two close-protection officers said to cost tax payers thousands of pounds a day helped Sam Tarry moved bags and boxes in a BMW X5 between their two homes, the Mail on Sunday reported.

The highly trained security experts are employed to protect former Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner.

But she was nowhere to be seen as the bodyguards drove Mr Tarry and a series of boxes from her 800,000 seaside flat in Hove, East Sussex, to his 450,000 flat in Brighton around three miles away, the newspaper reported.

Ms Rayner's spokesman confirmed the protection officers helped Mr Tarry move "a small number" of the former Cabinet minister's possessions and said they may have decided to do so for security reasons.

But the former Housing Secretary now faces questions over why bodyguards on the public payroll were apparently being used to help with her domestic arrangements.

Furious Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: Once again, Labour has serious questions to answer.

It is right that MPs and their families are protected from intimidation and violence.

But Labour must now explain why Sam Tarry has been making use of Angela Rayners taxpayer-funded security and transport."

John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "It's right that politicians in need of security are provided with it. But with that comes a responsibility not to abuse that system.

"Given the details of this story, it's clear there needs to be an investigation to check that no rules were broken".

Ms Rayner, 45, resigned from Keir Starmer's Cabinet last month after it was found she broke the Ministerial Code when she underpaid about 40,000 in stamp duty on the three-bedroom flat in Hove.

Despite no longer being a Government Minister, Ms Rayner has retained close protection officers because of the security risk she faces. Graffiti calling her a "tax evader" and a "b****" were scrawled on a wall outside her Hove property in the wake of the scandal.

A spokesman for Ms Rayner said: "Angela has a heightened and active security risk, and her property in Hove has been attacked with misogynistic and extremist graffiti.

"Mindful of the ongoing risks facing Angela, the security team facilitated her partner moving a small number of her possessions into a vehicle to minimise risk to her security.

"The close-protection team may undertake tasks based on the assessment of the situation and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the person they are protecting."

A Commons spokesman said: "We do not comment on individual MPs' security arrangements".
Kemi Badenoch was favoured by a third of respondents in the head-to-head poll - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph

Replacing Kemi Badenoch as the Tory leader would not lead the party to fare better against Nigel Farage, a poll has found.

Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly and Boris Johnson all fared worse against the Reform UK leader than Mrs Badenoch in head-to-head polling, which asked participants who would make the best prime minister.

But Mr Farage comfortably beat all four in a sign of the scale of the challenge faced by the Conservatives between now and the next general election.

Reform has a comfortable poll lead over both Labour and the Tories, and has attracted a steady flow of high-profile defections from Mrs Badenochs party.

The poll of 2,000 British adults by Merlin Strategy was conducted on the eve of the Conservatives annual conference.

Asked which of the two would make the best leader, 42 per cent said Mr Farage, while 33 per cent opted for Mrs Badenoch and 24 per cent did not know.

When faced with a choice between the Reform leader and Mr Jenrick  Mrs Badenochs former leadership rival and now her shadow justice secretary  45 per cent said Mr Farage, 21 per cent said Mr Jenrick and 34 per cent did not know.

Mr Jenrick has faced criticism that he has strayed from his justice brief too often during his first year in Mrs Badenochs shadow cabinet.

In April, he vowed to unite the Conservatives and Reform UK against Labour in a leaked audio recording. His allies insisted the remarks were referring to voters rather than the parties themselves.

Last month, Mr Jenrick said at an event with the Bruges Group, a pro-Brexit think tank, that the Conservative Party hasnt changed enough under Mrs Badenochs leadership.

Asked to choose between Mr Farage and Mr Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, 47 per cent said Mr Farage and 27 per cent said Mr Cleverly.

The MP for Braintree came third in last years contest to succeed Rishi Sunak and appeared to split from Mrs Badenoch in a speech about net zero earlier this year.

But he returned to the front bench in July in what was widely seen as an attempt to secure greater unity in Tory ranks by elevating a moderate on the centre-Right of the party.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, beat all four leading Tories as the choice for best prime minister - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

When presented with a choice of Mr Farage and Boris Johnson, 43 per cent backed the Reform leader and 29 per cent chose the former prime minister.

Mr Johnson has long been said to be eyeing up a political comeback, with friends telling The Telegraph earlier this year that he was growing bored of life away from Westminster.

However, even those who believe that he harbours hopes of a return concede that the odds on whether it will ever happen are 50-50.

Reform has recently turned its fire on Mr Johnsons record on legal migration after net migration reached a record high of almost one million on his watch. His relaxation of visa rules led millions more foreigners to settle in the UK legally, which his critics have since referred to as the Boriswave.

Earlier this year, Mr Johnson claimed he had as much chance as being reincarnated as an olive or decapitated by a frisbee as he did returning to Downing Street.

Boris Johnson came second to Mrs Badenoch, in the new polling, but the former PM was still beaten by Mr Farage

Mr Farage told The Telegraph: Polling is clear. The Conservative brand is broken, and the party is finished  with or without Kemi Badenoch as leader.

Mrs Badenoch has sought to dismiss Reforms plan for the country, claiming the partys policy announcements throughout the summer had not been properly thought through.

On Sunday, the Tory leader told The Camilla Tominey Show on GB News: Nigel Farage wants to spend loads and loads of money on welfare. You look at the plans hes talked about, our economy will be on fire if he gets in. None of it makes sense.

Mr Farage has promised to make sweeping cuts to the ballooning welfare bill but has also pledged to lift the two-child benefit cap for working British families.
Kemi Badenoch said leaving the ECHR was a necessary step, but not enough on its own to achieve our goals. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

A future Tory government would be open to dismantling more treaties as a means to deport people from the UK, Kemi Badenoch has said at the start of a Conservative party conference focused almost exclusively on immigration policy.

Making the first of two addresses to the gathering in Manchester, the Tory leader formally set out her proposal for the UK to quit the European convention on human rights (ECHR) as part of a wider bonfire of protections including an end to legal aid in immigration and asylum cases and the right to take migration decisions to tribunals or judicial review.

A future Conservative government would be open to the possibility of amending or quitting other international agreements, Badenoch said, opening the possibility of the UK leaving the UNs 1951 refugee convention.

Leaving the ECHR was a necessary step, but not enough on its own to achieve our goals, she said. If there are other treaties and laws we need to revise or revisit, then we will do so. And we will do so in the same calm and responsible way, working out the detail before we rush to announce.

Related: Tories to pledge to create immigration taskforce modelled on Trumps Ice

The plan to leave the ECHR was announced just before the conference as part of a radical and sometimes draconian package of anti-migration measures including a pledge that all asylum seekers arriving by unofficial means would be sent to their own or a third country within a week.

Another plan involves the formation of a removals force, billed as being modelled on Donald Trumps semi-militarised Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency, with a remit to deport 150,000 people a year.

In a speech directly after Badenoch, Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said that if a foreign national in the UK expressed racial hatred, including antisemitism, or supported extremism or terrorism, they would be deported.

It was not immediately clear whether this would apply only to people convicted of a crime for such actions. The Conservative party has already promised to deport any UK-based foreign nationals convicted of all but the most minor offences.

Unveiling the plan to leave the ECHR, Badenoch said this followed a review of the issue by Lord Wolfson, the shadow attorney general, who concluded the only feasible way to gain control of borders was to quit the treaty.

And so to me and the shadow cabinet, the resulting policy decision is also clear, she said. We must leave the ECHR and repeal the Human Rights Act. Conference, I want you to know that the next Conservative manifesto will contain our commitment to leave.

Badenoch said there would be particular challenges in Northern Ireland, where the ECHR is included in the Good Friday agreement. She said she would get Alex Burghart, the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, to examine this issue.

The address contained no policies that had not been previously announced, with Badenoch repeating her mantra that the party needed to learn from its 2024 election defeat and take time to put together a cohesive platform.

People wont listen to us again unless we showed them we have learned from our mistakes and changed, she said. Badenoch went on to take a swipe at Liz Trusss mini-budget, saying: We will never repeat the financial irresponsibility of spending commitments without saying where the money is coming from.

Much of her conference speech and that of Philps were focused on migration, with the shadow home secretary in particular using large parts of his address to list a sequence of criminal offences committed by asylum seekers. This is sick. We must do whatever it takes to end this madness, Philp said.

He set out details of the new removals force, saying it would have twice the budget of the current system and be able to take advantage of the removal of many rights and avenues of appeal.

Stripping away the legal obstacles, that I have described, and doubling that budget means we can remove 150,000 people a year that have no legal right to be here. That is three-quarters of a million over the course of the next parliament. This illegal immigration scandal will end.

Badenoch took a similarly hard right tone in places, saying the UK had tolerated the radical Islamist ideology and that the country could not import and tolerate values hostile to our own.
Kemi Badenoch has been warned that she has a death wish for the Conservative Party with her new hard-right policies of mass deportations and potential withdrawal from an international treaty on human rights.

The warning from former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve came as Ms Badenoch made the move to the right in a bid to reverse her partys decline in the face of the rise of Nigel Farages Reform UK.

As the Conservative Party conference in Manchester opened yesterday, the partys leader confirmed that she would withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if she won the next general election.

The policy came with an added pledge of deporting 150,000 foreign criminals and illegal immigrants a year with no clear detail on where they would be sent.

Badenoch at the Tory party conference in Manchester on Sunday (PA)

This followed the announcement last week that they would also repeal the Climate Change Act and scrap net zero policies.

Mr Grieve said: I think it is a death wish for the Conservatives to essentially make them the same as Reform and making them indistinguishable.

He said the idea that leaving the ECHR would end the migration crisis as complete fantasy claiming that the convention has only a marginal effect compared to other agreements like the Refugee Convention.

It just makes the Conservatives look incoherent, he said.

The moves aped those already made by Reform UK as the Tories attempted to outflank him on the populist right under Ms Badenochs leadership.

With her party stranded on 16 per cent, less than half Reforms 34 per cent, Ms Badenoch tried to rally her party with a speech on day one of the conference.

Ms Badenoch said the Conservatives could bring the UK back together by combining "strong borders with a shared culture".

She told the conference in Manchester: "Well-meaning treaties and statutes, like the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Convention on action against Trafficking, drafted with the best of intentions in generations gone by, and more recent additions like the Modern Slavery Act, are now being used in ways never intended by their original authors.

Justifying her plans, she said: "Britain needs deep change, but I reject the politics that everything must go, that everything must be torn down, that everything is broken.

"But if we leave it to Labour or Reform, Britain will be divided. Only the Conservatives can bring this country back together.

"This is a battle we must win by combining secure borders with a shared culture, strong values and the confidence of a great nation. We can win the debate and win the next election."

Dominic Grieve issued the warning to Kemi Badenoch on the back of her proposals to leave the ECHR (PA)

In a video Ms Badenoch proposed a new deportation force based on the controversial ICE agents used by Donald Trump in the US.

She also suggested that the party could restrict the right to protest with an attack on those protesting in favour of Palestine in the wake of murders of Jews in Manchester.

British streets must not become a "theatre for intimidation", Ms Badenoch has said.

The Tory leader said the Conservative Party stood in solidarity with the Jewish community.

She said: "We cannot import and tolerate values hostile to our own.

"We must now draw a line and say that in Britain you can think what you like, and within the bounds of the law you can say what you like, but you have no right to turn our streets into the theatres of intimidation, and we will not let you do so any more.

"To our Jewish friends, we stand with you shoulder to shoulder. You are part of the fabric of Britain and you always will be."

But with the party staring at oblivion and question marks over her own future as leader, Ms Badenoch tried to strike a positive note.

She said: We can win the debate and the next election ... we have a mountain to climb but we have a song in our heart and we are up for the fight.

But the huge Manchester Central conference centre was noticeably quiet on the first day with many corporate sponsors staying away and relatively few members and others attending what would normally be a crowded centre.

Half empty trains went from London to Manchester while hotels were offering rooms at off-peak rates.

The only packed-out meetings on the first day were fringe events for Sir James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick, the two men most likely to replace Ms Badenoch as leader.

The main focus of the event appeared to be harking back to Margaret Thatcher in the 100th anniversary year of her birth with a museum display of her clothes and letters in a prime spot normally filled by a major corporate sponsor.

Earlier on Sunday, Ms Badenoch clashed repeatedly with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC over where she would deport migrants to.

She described the question as a self-defeating argument and said it doesnt matter, all that matters is they should not be here.

She implied that they could be deported back to countries like Syria, Iran and Afghanistan.

However, Ms Badenoch attempted to draw a line between her party and both Labour and Reform suggesting that she and the Tories do not buy into identity politics.

She claimed: "Both deal in grievance, both divide our country into tribes and labels. Both practise identity politics, which will destroy our country. And I am saying no. No to division and no to identity politics.'' She added: "What Britain needs is national unity. I am black, I am a woman, I am a Conservative.
Bukayo Saka revealed a pre-match message from Thierry Henry helped make sure Arsenal did not allow history to repeat itself at home to West Ham.

Sakas second-half penalty ensured the Gunners downed London rivals West Ham by a 2-0 score on Saturday in Mikel Artetas 300th match in charge of the club.

It was a milestone occasion with Saka able to mark his 200th appearance in the Premier League with a goal, which Henry had previously achieved. It brought up 100 goal involvements in the division for the England attacker.

Asked about those stats and Henry, Saka told broadcasters: Thierry always messages me. He messaged me this (Saturday) morning as well to remind me we lost the last two games to West Ham at home.

He is always pushing me and I think he wants me there with him. It is nice to have that encouragement from him and of course me, I want it as well.

Im really happy on these records. Im just going to keep pushing and try and get some team trophies, which is what we have been searching for.

Arsenal should have scored after 13 minutes but Viktor Gyokeres could not finish off Sakas dangerous delivery and Eberechi Eze blazed the rebound over.

The deadlock was broken seven minutes before half-time when Eze had a shot saved by Alphonse Areola and Declan Rice made no mistake against his old club.

West Ham remained in the contest until Jurrien Timber was bundled over in the penalty area by El Hadji Malick Diouf and Saka tucked away the spot-kick for his first goal of the campaign after 68 minutes to seal a comfortable victory at Emirates Stadium.

It was Sakas 55th goal in the Premier League to go with 45 assists.

I dont really like to linger on these things, but you said it  its a beautiful achievement and Im really proud of it, Saka, 24, said.

Obviously 200 games for Arsenal in the Premier League is a really big moment. Im going to enjoy it and it was nice to get the goal as well and the win.

Arteta talked up Sakas really impressive numbers, saying: When you look at those numbers, 200 games, 100 goal involvements, I mean its unbelievable.

His age, what hes doing, the manner that hes doing it as well, really impressive. Thats the kind of players that we need to achieve what we want.

Nuno Espirito Santo handed a debut to West Ham academy graduate Callum Marshall over experienced forward Callum Wilson.

First of all, lets be correct and I said it, its not easy to play a young lad in front of Callum Wilson, but I think its important for us that we all understand that we need as soon as possible to have total knowledge of what we have in the squad, Nuno said.

Its good on that aspect but this is the issue and the main reason behind that is we are going to need all of them.

We have hopes that the young lads bring new things.
Entrepreneur Natasha Nelson always knew she was different.

The 35-year old from Stone Mountain, Georgia, struggled with establishing social norms.

She found small talk difficult, and couldnt understand why people did things like make the bed.

She was diagnosed with autism in 2023 - just after her youngest daughter was also diagnosed.

Natasha Nelson, who was diagnosed as autistic as an adult (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Now, Nelson is encouraging people to seek a diagnosis if they also think, or have long had suspicion, that they could be on the spectrum.

If your life has always felt like it was in chaos and you dont feel comfortable and you dont feel like you thrive and you just feel like youre constantly surviving and going from one thing to the next, what you got to lose? Nelson said.

Common signs of autism include trouble with social communication and a fixation on certain routines or topics  Nelson says people have become my special interest now  and may go unnoticed during someones childhood.

But it can be costly and difficult to obtain an autism diagnosis later in life due to a shortage of medical professionals trained to work specifically with adults. Here's more information on what you should know about adult autism diagnoses.

Nelson was diagnosed once her daughter was confirmed as autistic (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

What is autism and when is it usually diagnosed?

Autism spectrum disorder is a range of intellectual, language and social difficulties, like rigidly following routines, having fixed or obsessive interests and struggling to hold eye contact or understand nonverbal communication. Autism is typically diagnosed during childhood, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends all children be screened as early as 18 months.

Why are more adults being diagnosed with autism?

More adults have sought insight on their own neurodiversity in the last decade  often after their children are diagnosed or after seeing social media posts. A study published last year in JAMA Network Open showed a 452 per cent increase in autism diagnoses among adults age 26 to 34 from 2011 to 2022.

Some traits of autism can go unnoticed until adulthood, when there are new social demands. Others may have learned how to hide certain behaviors, known as masking.

Adults have learned to compensate over time, said Whitney Ence, a psychologist at the University of California San Francisco who works with autistic adults. They may have learned like I cant display that in public, and so I do that in private."

There's also an overlap of symptoms between various disorders like ADHD and OCD that can complicate an autism diagnosis due to difficulties with nonverbal social cues or executive functions like attention span, working memory and problem-solving.

What are the symptoms of autism in adults?

Symptoms present differently for everyone, and many of the traits are common for people without autism, like enjoying routines or enjoying going down rabbit holes of information.

But to meet the diagnostic definition of autism, the symptoms must cause significant impairment, said Dr. Arthur Westover, a psychiatrist who specialises in autism at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Were human beings in general. We like routines ... just having a bit of pleasure and feeling better with routines does not mean youre autistic," Westover said. "It goes a little bit deeper than that.

Russell Lehmann, 34, has lived with his autism diagnosis for more than 20 years. The motivational speaker has routines that he describes as both comfortable and stressful. Eating the same food and buying the same groceries, he said, brings him comfort. But if he skips going to the gym for an hour and a half every day, he becomes overwhelmed with feelings of depression and failure.

Its like no gym, no day, he said. ... My routine is an incredibly existential burden, because every night I go to bed knowing I have to do a routine I do not like simply to function.

How does a diagnosis work?

While there are various online screening tools, autism is a complex diagnosis, so experts recommend talking to your primary care physician for a psychiatry referral.

That psychiatrist might want to interview people who were present in your early childhood, like family and friends, who can attest to symptoms being present at that time.

Some psychiatrists may refer you to a psychologist, who can give you a standardized diagnostic autism test or will use their own clinical judgement. There is no brain scan or blood test for autism.

Getting an autism diagnosis as an adult can be costly and take some time. Westover said there's a major shortage of specialists who work with autistic adults. Nelson's diagnosis took three years and she paid more than $3,000 out-of-pocket.

Ence also suggests that you ask yourself a few questions when considering getting a professional diagnosis, and to know that you may run into a waitlist: What is leading me down this pathway to think that I need a professional diagnosis? Do I need access to services? Are there services I dont have available to me?
Former foreign secretary David Lammy with Chinas foreign affairs minister Wang Yi earlier this year. UK ministers were considering including parts of Chinas security apparatus in the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme. Photograph: James Manning/PA Photograph: James Manning/PA

China threatened to retaliate against the UK government if ministers targeted parts of its security apparatus under foreign influence rules, the Guardian can disclose.

Chinese officials warned the Foreign Office that the move would have negative consequences for relations soon after the Guardian reported it was under consideration, according to two government sources with knowledge of the discussions.

The disclosure will raise alarm bells given that ministers have so far refused to apply stricter foreign influence rules on lobbyists acting for China or any part of the Chinese state.

Only Russia and Iran have been included on the enhanced tier of the foreign influence registration scheme (Firs), which was introduced in July and came fully into force this month.

Firs requires anyone in the UK acting for a foreign power or entity to declare their activities to the government or face criminal sanctions. The enhanced tier covers countries and entities deemed a particular risk and requires extra disclosures. As a result, anyone doing undeclared work on behalf of Iran or Russia faces five years in prison.

The Guardian reported in the spring that instead of targeting China as a whole, ministers were considering including specific parts of the Chinese political system that have been accused of interference in the west on the enhanced tier.

Such entities include: Chinas Ministry of State Security, which is its intelligence service; the Chinese Communist party (CCP); the United Front Work Department, which is often referred to as the international arm of the CCP; and the Peoples Liberation Army, which is Chinas military.

Related: Watchdog cleared ex-Tory minister to work for offshoot of firm linked to China surveillance

The government insists that countries designations in Firs are kept under review. The Foreign Office was contacted for comment.

Ministers are under pressure concerning the consequences of their rapprochement with Beijing and are facing questions about the collapse of a trial of two Britons, including a former parliamentary researcher, who were accused of spying for China.

The trial of Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary aide to Conservative MPs Alicia Kearns and Tom Tugendhat, and his friend Christopher Berry had been due to begin this month, but the case was suddenly dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service on 15 September. Cash and Berry denied the charges.

The Sunday Times and the Telegraph reported that the governments refusal to describe China as an enemy in witness evidence from a security official led to the case being abandoned.

Jonathan Powell, the prime ministers national security adviser, is said to have chaired a meeting in Whitehall last month where he told officials the governments evidence would stop well short of calling Beijing an enemy.

Whitehall sources denied the claim that Powell was involved in restricting government evidence.

The Sunday Times reported that Powell told the September meeting that additional evidence in the trial expected to be given by Matthew Collins, a deputy national security adviser, would have to be based on Labours new national security strategy published this year.

That describes China as a geo-strategic challenge and not an enemy. Cash and Berry had been accused of allegedly breaching the 1911 Official Secrets Act, which says that a person is guilty of spying if they pass on information that is directly or indirectly useful to an enemy.

Government sources said while the meeting involving Powell had taken place, it had been mischaracterised. They said it would not be possible to insist that Collins cite 2025 government policy when the alleged offences had taken place previously, between 2021 and early 2023, when the Conservatives were in power.

Collins had already given written evidence that had been cited by the CPS in its initial summary of the case in April 2024, at which point the accused were said to have acted in a way prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK by passing on information directly or indirectly useful to the Chinese state.

Government sources said that no evidence put forward by the state was withdrawn or changed and that no pressure of any kind was placed on the CPS. Collinss evidence was considered important because it would help spell out the impact any alleged espionage would have had.

Cash worked as an aide to Kearns, a backbencher, and was accused of passing on information to Berry. The CPS said he in turn wrote up 34 reports, at least some of which were about the British political system, for a Chinese individual assessed to be a member of the countrys intelligence services. The Guardian reported that Cai Qi, Chinas fifth most senior official, was believed to be in receipt of this intelligence.

Allies of Cash have indicated that while he did supply information to Berry, it was said to be public material on how parliament or UK politics works  or his personal analyses, such as who he thought would win the next election. Berrys lawyers were expected to argue that he was working for a corporate client in China looking to expand in the UK.

The CPS has said that the case had been kept under continuous review and that it was abandoned because the evidential standard was no longer met.

On Sunday, officials pointed to a letter from Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, who had said in a letter to the shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, that prosecutors had not been subject to any disclosure or pressure by politicians in deciding to drop the case ahead of trial.

Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, told broadcasters that there had been no ministerial involvement in the collapse of the case.

Senior Tories have accused the government of collapsing the trial to avoid upsetting China, although the Conservatives also declined to designate the country as a national security threat when they were in power.

In the latest sign of warming relations with Beijing, the Guardian understands that a senior Foreign Office official met Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons speaker, over the summer to discuss the prospect of lifting the ban on the Chinese ambassador entering parliament in return for Beijing lifting its sanctions on UK parliamentarians.

A string of high-level government figures have travelled to China on official visits since Labour came to power, including Peter Kyle, the business secretary, for trade talks last month, and Powell, the national security adviser, over the summer.

Keir Starmer is widely expected to make a bilateral trip to China early in the new year, though the timing may depend on Donald Trump, who has said he intends to visit in early 2026.
Costco members can now buy popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs Ozempic and Wegovy at a discounted price.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of the GLP-1 medications, announced a partnership with the retailer on Friday.

Through the Costco Member Prescription Program, the drug will cost $499 for a four-week supply of injectable pens. The price only applies to customers not using insurance.

The discounted price tags will be available at 600 Costco pharmacies, NBC News reported.

Novo Nordisk sells the drugs at the same price through its website. CVS and Walgreens also offer the weight-loss medications at the same out-of-pocket price, according to GoodRx.

Through the Costco Member Prescription Program, the drug will cost $499 for a four-week supply of injectable pens. However, the price only applies to customers not using insurance. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

We want to make sure we offer the real, authentic Wegovy and Ozempic where patients seek care, David Moore, president of Novo Nordisk U.S., told NBC News. We know that Costco is a trusted brand.

Both Ozempic and Wegovy have the active ingredient semaglutide, but the FDA approved Wegovy to treat obesity and Ozempic to treat diabetes. Still, Ozempic rose to popularity as it was hailed as a miracle medication for weight-loss.

As of May 2024, one in eight American adults have used a GLP-1 medication, according to a survey by KFF. A recent study suggested that both drugs can also help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Despite their surge in popularity, many people struggle to access the revolutionary medications. More than half of all adults who have taken a GLP-1 medication  54 percent  said it was difficult to afford it, the KFF poll found.

Similarly, insurance doesnt always cover it; as of August 2024, only 13 state Medicaid programs covered GLP-1s for obesity treatment, KFF research found.

Dr. Rekha Kumar, an endocrinologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, praised the new partnership as a way to expand access.

Costco members will soon be able to buy Wegovy and Ozempic for $499 for a four-week supply after the drugmaker announced a partnership with the retailer (Getty)

This will definitely improve one of the issues with access, meaning that there is another place that people can get the medicine that you know isnt their retail pharmacy, isnt an online telehealth pharmacy, but a large store that many people in the United States go to, she told NBC News.

Even with additional pharmacies offering the drugs, it still wont solve the issues of insurance coverage and cost, Kumar added.

Dr. Harlan Krumholz, cardiologist and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, told the outlet that the $499 price tag is still too high for many Americans to buy.

The people who have the greatest need for these medications are precisely the people who are in lower socioeconomic strata who have either poor insurance or no insurance, and dont have the discretionary funds to be spending on medications, he told NBC News.

If we really want to make the biggest difference on the health of the nation, we have to make sure that the people who would benefit the most have access to medications that are being shown to be beneficial.
Babis will have to clear significant hurdles to become prime minister. Photograph: Tomas Tkacik/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

Andrej Babis has met the Czech president, Petr Pavel, and is to hold talks with other party leaders as the billionaire populist begins the tricky job of trying to form a stable government after his ANO (Yes) party won parliamentary elections, but failed to secure a majority.

Final results showed ANO won 34.5% of the vote, held on Friday and Saturday, translating to a provisional 80 seats in the 200-member parliament. The centre-right Spolu coalition of the outgoing prime minister, Petr Fiala, came second on 23.4%.

I have promised to  show the president a solution that will be in line with Czech and European laws, Babis, a polarising figure whose previous premiership from 2017 to 2021 drew mass protests, said as the talks got under way on Sunday.

Pavel said afterwards that he would not attempt to appoint a new government until November at the earliest, adding that he would insist on a pro-western direction for the country and the preservation of all the institutions of a democratic state.

While he hailed the historic result as the absolute peak of his political career, Babis has significant hurdles to clear to become prime minister, and to win and maintain support for the single-party minority government he has said he wants.

Analysts have also said that even if he succeeds, Babis is unlikely to join the populist, authoritarian prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orban and Robert Fico respectively, as a fully fledged member of the EUs awkward squad.

Mainstream parties have ruled out entering any coalition with ANO, forcing Babis to seek backing from two fringe  and potentially fractious  rightwing groups, Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and Motorists, to win a parliamentary confidence vote.

We will lead talks with the SPD and the Motorists, and seek a single-party government led by ANO, Babis, the countrys seventh-richest man with a net worth estimated at $3.9bn (2.9bn), said on Sunday.

ANO campaigned on pledges of faster growth, higher wages and pensions, and lower taxes. It also promised to fight the EUs migration pact and green deal, and to end the shells-for-Ukraine Czech initiative, instead backing Kyiv solely through the EU.

The party shares some common ground with the far-right SPD, which is also opposed to EU climate and immigration policies, as is the smaller rightwing Motorists party.

But the Moscow-friendly, anti-Nato SPD also campaigned on a Czexit promise to pull the Czech Republic out of the 27-member bloc, which Babis has rejected out of hand. He has insisted repeatedly his party is pro-European, and pro-Nato.

Both the Motorists and the SPD have said they are open to talks with ANO, but it is unclear how far either party is willing to support a minority ANO government rather than seek a binding coalition accord  or how long their support could last.

Analysts noted that the SPDs 7.8% vote share was significantly lower than the 13% it was forecast to win before the election, meaning its negotiating position in talks on any confidence-and-supply deal may not be as strong as previously imagined.

Even assuming Babis is able to present Pavel  who defeated the billionaire to become president in elections held in 2023  with a multiparty agreement representing a 101-seat majority in parliament, his problems may not be over.

Pavel said before the election that he would not appoint any ministers who sought Czech withdrawal from the EU or from Nato. He also said he was taking legal advice on a possible conflict of interest concerning Babiss sprawling business interests.

Babis has promised to resolve the problem, but Pavel has the constitutional right to reject him as prime minister if he considers the solution inadequate. That is unlikely to happen, but may give the billionaire pause for thought about his proposed cabinet.

European far-right leaders including Orban, who posted on social media that truth has prevailed, and Frances Marine Le Pen, who said patriotic parties were being called to power  all over Europe, rushed to congratulate Babis.

However, although ANO sits in the far-right Patriots for Europe group in the European parliament and Babis has called himself an admirer of Orban, the blocs disruptor-in-chief, it is unclear how far he will align himself with the anti-EU camp.

Analysts say Babiss politics are more pragmatic than ideological and that he is unlikely to pick a serious fight with Brussels as long as the Czech Republic needs EU funds and the billionaires businesses continue to benefit from being in the bloc.

Czech institutions are also likely to constrain the billionaire at home, with radical shifts likely to be hindered by the senate, which can veto any proposed electoral law or constitutional change and must approve judges appointed to the constitutional court.
Individual immigration law enforcement officers and agents in Chicago are being targeted by gangs and cartel members with bounties of up to $10,000 on their heads, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Sunday.

Protesters in the Windy City have been clashing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol agents as they conduct sweeping immigration raids at the direction of President Donald Trump, and against the wishes of Chicagos mayor and Illinoiss governor.

Noem has condemned protesters and claimed that DHS intelligence indicates many are part of organized crime groups seeking to kidnap or kill federal immigration law enforcement agents.

We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their head, Noem told Fox & Friends. Its been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them, theyve released their pictures, theyve sent them between their networks, and its an extremely dangerous situation.

Noem claimed gangs, cartel members, and known terrorist organizations are the ones behind the bounties but did not identify specific groups.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem insinuated protesters in Chicago were being 'paid' by criminal organizations to push back on immigration law enforcement (Fox News / YouTube)

The Independent has asked the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more information.

Trump directed DHS to conduct immigration raids in Chicago as part of his campaign promise to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States. Federal agents have used extensive resources, including drones and helicopters, to conduct raids on apartment buildings, sometimes in the middle of the night.

Trump has specifically targeted Democratic-led Chicago for its sanctuary city policies that prevent local police from assisting federal immigration law enforcement with its efforts.

The administration has justified the aggressive raids by insisting many of the immigrants are violent criminals, with some belonging to cartels, though immigration advocates and lawyers dispute that and say the evidence shows otherwise.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have pushed back on Trumps immigration raids. Protesters have taken to the streets to voice opposition to them as well.

But Noem said that those protests have led to increased violence against agents, which she in part blamed Democrats for.

Anti-immigration protests in Chicago have led to tense exchanges between law enforcement and the public  some of them turning violent (Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)

The Homeland Security secretary cited an example where a group of federal immigration agents were followed and ambushed by people in a caravan of 10 different vehicles over the weekend. A U.S. citizen was shot on Chicagos South Side after Border Patrol agents said they were rammed by 10 cars and became boxed in during a confrontation in the Broadview section of the city.

Noem then suggested that anti-immigration protesters were being paid by organized crime groups to display opposition.

All the protesters are wearing the same gas masks, carrying the same kind of signs, many of them were printed with the same font, they look like they came from the same company, Noem theorized.

To be that organized and have the same equipment to push back on law and order, you know that somebody is funding them and organizing them and that theyre being paid, Noem added.
New Jersey teens Maria Niotis (left) and Isabella Salas (right) were killed after they were mowed over by a black Jeep while biking in New Jersey Monday night (GoFundMe)

The families of two teen girls who were fatally mowed down while biking through their New Jersey neighborhood say the teen boy charged in their murders had been plotting this attack for months.

Vincent Battiloro is accused of intentionally ramming a black 2021 Jeep Compass into two best friends, Isabella Salas and Maria Niotis, as they rode on e-bikes before allegedly abandoning the car and fleeing the scene, CBS News reported.

Battiloro, 17, was allegedly driving at least 70 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone when he fatally crashed into the girls, both 17, on Monday night in Cranford, about 10 miles southwest of Newark.

He was detained for questioning Monday night and released, but was then arrested the following morning, police said. On Wednesday, he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

The heartbroken families of Salas and Niotis say Battiloro had been stalking Niotis for months before the fatal attack, NBC New York reported.

New Jersey teens Maria Niotis (left) and Isabella Salas (right) were killed after they were mowed over by a black Jeep while biking in New Jersey Monday night (GoFundMe)

In a joint statement, the girls families said Battiloro was a coward of a man, who had been plotting this attack against Maria for months [and] carried out this horrific act.

Sources told NBC the three teens knew each other  and that the attack may have stemmed from a breakup. Relatives and friends of the girls told CBS that a restraining order had been filed against Battiloro before the crash.

One day after their deaths, Battiloro referred to the crash in a 20-minute YouTube livestream before his arrest. During the stream, he claimed that there had been misinformation that he was being bullied.

"I need to explain some things that happened over the past few days...Theres been a lot of misinformation going on over the internet but I will say this: I wish my sincerest condolences to those two girls lost in that tragic accident," he said in the video.

"It is an absolute unfortunate situation and there's more to the story that youre not getting. But when the time comes, I will explain it in greater detail.

He later said in the livestream: "Im a nice kid, Im 17 years old with a good family by my side and these allegations that have been ruining everything its a shame.

Battiloro is allegedly currently in custody, although prosecutors have not specified where or when he is expected to appear in court. In addition to the two first-degree murder charges, police issued Battiloro at least 15 tickets and citations related to the crash for speeding, reckless driving and driving without a license.

Neighbors who saw the aftermath of the crash said they were disgusted.

"Horrible. Horrible. Nothing in the world is more horrible than what I saw yesterday," said Barbara Bryson. "Its just devastating. Its devastating for the community, everybodys affected by this."

"Hearing that someone was hit by a car, it was absolutely devastating. But then as the whole story unwinded, it was so sickening. Like how could you leave? Cranford local Amanda Poda questioned.

An uncle of Salas called their deaths horrific.

Seventeen years old, great girl, the uncle told NBC in Spanish. She was riding her bike with her best friend. They were riding along and then this guy comes and kills them.

The wake for Salas was held Saturday, while Niotiss funeral was Friday. A GoFundMe set up by a colleague of one of the girls parents had raised over $161,000 for both of their families as of Sunday.

An investigation is ongoing. The Union County Prosecutors Office said they were looking for witnesses or anyone with video footage of the SUV involved.
Tom Cruise may need to start looking for a new go-to gift to send to his colleagues.

For years, famous actors such as Mindy Kaling and Rosie ODonnell have been sent the same Christmas gift from the Mission: Impossible star, a $110 white chocolate coconut cake from Doans Bakery. However, on Wednesday, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a report announcing a recall of the Woodland Hills, California bakerys White Chocolate Coconut and Carrot Bundt cakes.

The two cake flavors are being recalled because they may contain wheat or milk that is not listed as an ingredient.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat and/or milk run the risk of experiencing a serious or life-threatening reaction if they consume these products, the FDAs report read.

The mislabeling error was discovered last week during a routine inspection. The affected bundt cakes were sold by Doans Bakery and sent across the U.S. using the website Gold Belly from June 1, 2025, through September 24, 2025.

Cruise is known for giving out Doans Bakery White Chocolate Coconut bundt cakes for the holiday season (AFP via Getty Images)

There have been no reported illnesses to date, and customers who have purchased the affected products with a wheat or milk allergy are urged not to eat either cake and to contact Gold Bellys customer support service using the email address support@goldbelly.com.

Specific concerns can also be directed to the phone number 1-888-675-6892 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.

Wheat is identified as one of the nine major food allergies in the U.S., along with milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soybeans, and sesame.

Allergic reactions to these nine foods vary but can involve hives and lip swelling to severe, life-threatening symptoms, often called anaphylaxis, that may involve fatal respiratory problems and shock, according to the FDA.

The cake may contain undeclared white and/or milk (FDA)

Being on Cruises coveted cake list for Christmas has been seen as a mark of high praise, as celebrities like Brooke Shields have complained about previously receiving the cake for 10 years, only to be eventually taken off.

I was on the list for a while. I had a good 10-year run, and I got the coconut cake every year, which I was very happy [about], Shields told People in April 2023.

It was from them and Suri, so it was the three of them, and then soon it was no Suri and no Katie and just Tom, she recalled. Then it went from just Tom for a while, but not every holiday. And then the cake stopped.

I want to get back on that cake list. It's the best cake, Shields continued with a laugh. Tom, I need to be back on the cake list.
The shadow chancellor will pitch the Tories as the party of fiscal responsibility - Adam Vaughan/EPA/Shutterstock

Only British citizens would be allowed to claim benefits in an overhaul of the welfare system proposed by the Tories.

On Monday, Sir Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, will promise in his Conservative Party conference speech to strip foreigners of the right to welfare payments in a package of reforms he claims would save Britain 23bn.

The proposals are part of the Conservatives aim to pitch themselves as a party with solutions while arguing that Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, does not have answers to the countrys problems.

The Tories continue to trail well behind Reform and Labour in the polls.

Sir Mel is expected to tell the party faithful in Manchester: A fairer system also means ensuring that only British citizens can access welfare  because citizenship should mean something.

Sir Mel Stride at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Sunday - Ian Forsyth/Getty

Welfare spending has risen over the past 10 years, from 210bn in 2013-14 to 296bn in 2023-24. By the end of this decade it will hit 378bn, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Under the current system, foreigners in the UK granted indefinite leave to remain, limited leave to remain, refugee status or humanitarian status can claim benefits.

If the Tories policy was adopted today, 470,000 fewer people would be allowed to claim Universal Credit  about 6 per cent of the total of eight million claimants.

The same approach would be adopted for disability benefits and carers allowance, but access to pensions and public services would not change.

An exception would be made for people from the European Union already granted settled status in the terms of Brexit agreed with Brussels.

End to PIPs for those with depression

The Brits-only benefit approach is one of seven different welfare changes Sir Mel will propose.

The Tories would also stop people with anxiety, depression and ADHD from receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), which are given to people with disabilities.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, caved in to welfare rebels by watering down benefits cuts to allow existing disability claimants to keep their PIPs.

Other Tory reforms include setting more obligations on people out of work to seek jobs, making housing benefits less generous and restoring the two-child benefit cap if Labour scraps it, as expected.

In total, the party has said the welfare changes would save 23bn, double the benefit savings included in the previous Tory manifesto and four times Sir Keirs original benefits cuts package this year.

Welfare changes are part of a wider set of money-saving reforms that Sir Mel, a former work and pensions secretary, will outline at the conference.

Taking the package as a whole, 47bn a year would be saved, according to Tory estimates. A Tory source said Sir Mel would recommit the Conservative Party to fiscal responsibility in his speech.

Sir Mel will say: The Conservative Party will never, ever make fiscal commitments without spelling out exactly how they will be paid for.

Were the only party that gets it. The only party that will stand up for fiscal responsibility. We must get on top of government spending.

We cannot deliver stability unless we live within our means. No more pretending we can keep spending money we simply do not have.

The shadow chancellor will pledge to reduce the Civil Service by a quarter if the Tories win office, returning to the pre-Brexit workforce size.

The Civil Service has grown from 384,000 in 2016 to 517,000 today. Returning to the former figure would save about 8bn a year.

Questions about feasibility

However, Sir Mel will face questions about deliverability. Boris Johnson, the former prime minister, promised to get the Civil Service back down to its 2016 size, yet it was at a record size when the Tories left office.

Similarly, the disability benefits bill soared when Sir Mel was the work and pensions secretary. Attempts by the Sunak government to reform the bill were undelivered by the general election last summer.

Other proposed spending reductions include on social housing, the asylum system and overseas aid.

Anna Turley, the Labour Party chairman, said: The Tories let welfare bills, civil service numbers and asylum hotel use skyrocket on their watch  and theyve never apologised.

Now they want to rehash failed promises from their failed manifesto to try to solve the problems they caused.

This is the same old Tories, with the same old policies. They didnt work then and you cant trust them now.
Adam Lopez, 39, from Mattishall, near Norwich, won a million pounds after buying a scratchcard from a corner shop in Hellesdon (Allwyn)

A forklift driver who became an instant millionaire after buying a winning scratchcard was rushed to hospital after spending three months partying.

Adam Lopez, aged 39, from Mattishall, near Norwich, saw his bank balance rocket from 12.40 to 1,000,012.40 after winning the top prize on a scratchcard purchased from a corner shop in Hellesdon, in July.

But after quitting his job, he said his life became an absolute rollercoaster with three months of partying and a loss of all structure in his life.

His celebrations came to an end when he was taken by ambulance to hospital with a bilateral pulmonary embolism on 10 September.

I couldnt walk, I couldnt breathe. I rang the ambulance, I got wheeled into the ambulance from my house and the biggest life-changing thing I had was laying in the back of that ambulance and hearing the sirens, he told the BBC.

Lopez, pictured with his mother, was rushed to the hospital after partying for months following his win (Allwyn)

Mr Lopez said he had a blood clot in his leg which spread to his lungs, meaning he spent eight days at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Describing his hospital visit as a wake-up call, Mr Lopez said he came to the realisation that his health mattered more than his lottery winnings.

It just makes you look at both sides of life because it doesn't matter if you have a million, 100 million, a billion, a trillion  when youre in the back of the ambulance, none of it matters, he said.

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your lungs, the NHS explains.

The life-threatening condition can cause difficulty breathing, chest pain and in some cases, people cough up blood.

Blood clots affect tens of thousands of people each year in the UK, and can develop as a consequence of heart failure, or as a result of sitting or lying still for a long period, according to the British Heart Foundation.

Mr Lopez said he will be putting his partying aside while he focuses on his health and recovery for the next six to nine months, as he praised the hospital staff for their work.
Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg was mistreated during her detention for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza, activists have claimed.

Some 137 activists detained by Israel for taking part in a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza arrived in Turkey on Saturday after being deported, with two alleging that Thunberg was mistreated during her detention.

Two of them, Hazwani Helmi, a Malaysian citizen, and Windfield Beaver, an American citizen, told Reuters at the airport that they had witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

"It was a disaster. They treated us like animals," said Helmi, 28, adding that detainees were not provided with clean food or water and that medication and belongings were confiscated.

Beaver, 43, said Thunberg was "treated terribly" and "used as propaganda", describing how she was pushed into a room as Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived.

Israel did not immediately comment on the new allegations, but its foreign ministry earlier described reports that detainees had been mistreated as "complete lies".

The activists who landed at Istanbul Airport included 36 Turkish nationals, as well as citizens from the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

Israel has faced international condemnation after its military intercepted all of about 40 boats in a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza and detained more than 450 activists.

Its foreign ministry wrote on X that all detained activists were "safe and in good health", adding it was keen to complete the remaining deportations "as quickly as possible".

In a separate X post, it accused some flotilla members of "deliberately obstructing" the deportation process, without providing evidence. Reuters was unable to independently verify the allegation.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said 26 Italians were on board the Turkish Airlines flight, with another 15 still held in Israel and set to be expelled over the next few days - along with activists from other nations.

"I have once again given instructions to the Italian Embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect for their rights", Tajani wrote on X.

A first group of Italians from the flotilla - four parliamentarians - arrived in Rome on Friday.

"Those who were acting legally were the people aboard those boats; those who acted illegally were those who prevented them from reaching Gaza", Arturo Scotto, one of the Italian lawmakers who took part in the mission, told a press conference in Rome.

"We were brutally stopped ... brutally taken hostage", said Benedetta Scuderi, another Italian parliamentarian.

According to Adalah, an Israeli group offering legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications, and toilets.

They were also "forced to kneel with their hands zip-tied for at least five hours, after some participants chanted 'Free Palestine,'" Adalah said.

Israel denied the allegations. "All of Adalahs claims are complete lies. Of course, all detainees ... were given access to water, food, and restrooms; they were not denied access to legal counsel, and all their legal rights were fully upheld," a foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters.

The flotilla, which set sail in late August, marked the latest attempt by activists to challenge the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where Israel has been waging a war since Palestinian militant group Hamas' deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.

Israeli officials repeatedly denounced the mission as a stunt and warned it against violating a "lawful naval blockade".
The biggest shake-up to the homebuying system in history could slash costs for buyers and cut the time it takes to move, the Government claimed.

Changes could include requiring property sellers and estate agents to provide more information when a home is listed for sale, reducing the need for buyers to carry out searches and surveys.

Binding contracts could also be introduced at an earlier stage, reducing the risk of a chain collapsing.

The proposals could also deliver clearer information to consumers about estate agents and conveyancers, including their track record and expertise, along with new mandatory qualifications and a code of practice to drive up standards.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the proposals, which are the subject of a consultation, would help make a simple dream a simple reality.

The Government will set out a full road map in the new year after consulting on its proposals.

Mr Reed said: Buying a home should be a dream, not a nightmare.

Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives.

Officials believe the proposed package of reforms could cut around a month off the time it takes to buy a new home and save first-time buyers an average of 710.

People selling a home could face increased costs of around 310 due to the inclusion of upfront assessments and surveys.

Those in the middle of a chain would potentially gain a net saving of 400 as a result of the increased costs from selling being outweighed by lower buying expenses.

Wider use of online processes, including digital ID, could help make transactions smoother, the Government argued, pointing to the Finnish digital real estate system which can see the process completed in around two weeks.

The consultation also draws on other jurisdictions, including the Scottish system where there is more upfront information and earlier binding contracts.

The planned shake-up was welcomed by property websites and lenders.

Rightmove chief executive Johan Svanstrom said: The home-moving process involves many fragmented parts, and theres simply too much uncertainty and costs along the way.

Speed, connected data and stakeholder simplicity should be key goals. We believe its important to listen to agents as the experts for what practical changes will be most effective, and we look forward to working with the Government on this effort to improve the buying and selling process.

Zoopla boss Paul Whitehead said: The homebuying process in the UK remains far too long, too complex, too uncertain, and has seen far less digital innovation than many other sectors. 

Santanders head of homes David Morris said: At a time when technology has changed many processes in our lives, it is incredible that the process of buying a home  an activity that is a cornerstone of our economy  remains much the same for todays buyers as it did for their grandparents.

Nationwides group director of mortgages Henry Jordan said: Buying a home is often complex and stressful, which is why the homebuying process needs to be simplified and streamlined for the benefit of consumers, brokers and lenders. But to tackle this issue effectively, we must collaborate.

That is why we look forward to working closely with Government and the wider industry to modernise the homebuying process, so that buyers are given certainty earlier and to help reduce any unnecessary costs.

Conservative shadow housing minister Paul Holmes said: Whilst we welcome steps to digitise and speed up the process, this risks reinventing the last Labour Governments failed Home Information Packs  which reduced the number of homes put on sale, and duplicated costs across buyers and sellers.
Illinois governor says Trump gave him ultimatum and is mobilizing 300 National Guard troops as protests erupt

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has revealed that the Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the states National Guard after the president gave him an ultimatum.

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has deployed troops to Democratic-led cities across the country: to Los Angeles in June; Washington, D.C. in August; Memphis in September; and Portland this month.

Now, the president is adding Chicago to the list, despite major opposition from Pritzker.

This morning, the Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, the Illinois governor said in a statement shared on social media Saturday.

It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will, Pritzker added. For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says President Donald Trump is federalizing the states National Guard after giving him an ultimatum (AP)

I want to be clear: there is no need for military troops on the ground in the State of Illinois, he said, noting that he refuses to call up the Illinois National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people.

The Independent has asked the White House for comment.

Trump has threatened to send troops to Chicago since August, when he called the city a mess. At the time, Pritzker vocally opposed the move, calling the plans authoritarian.

Hours before Pritzkers announcement, a U.S. citizen was shot in the village of Broadview, a suburb west of Chicago, following a confrontation with Border Patrol agents, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Law enforcement officers were rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars. One of the drivers was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, McLaughlin said.

Agents were forced to deploy their weapons and fired defensive shots at the armed woman, who later drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds, the statement added. No officers were injured in the incident.

For days, tensions have flared outside the ICE facility in Broadview, with protesters clashing with federal agents.

Employees working at a business next-door to the facility say they have been hit by pepper balls or tear gas, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Some videos posted to social media captured agents slamming demonstrators to the ground.

Law enforcement officers operate amid tear gas during a standoff with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal officers in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois on October 4 (REUTERS)

Federal officers hold down a protestor in the Brighton Park neighborhood of Chicago, on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, after protesters learned that U.S. Border Patrol shot a woman Saturday morning on Chicago's Southwest Side (AP)

Last week, more than 200 rioters blocked access to one of the gates in front of the facility while another 30 have swarmed another gate and are attempting to forcibly and illegally trespass on federal property, the Department of Homeland Security said.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said she was blocked from accessing the Village of Broadview Municipal Building. We were stopping for a quick bathroom break. This is a public building. The Village of Broadview receives at least $1 million in federal funding every year, she wrote on X Friday.

Trump is also butting heads with state and city leaders in Oregon, who sued the Trump administration to stop the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland, calling the plans heavy-handed and unlawful.

The ordeal stemmed from protests outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland. Last week, Trump claimed on Truth Social that the facility was under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists and ordered Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland.

Hegseth then federalized 200 members of the Oregon National Guard.

The lawsuit argues that the federal government infringed on the states sovereign power to oversee its own troops. The administrations provocative and arbitrary actions threaten to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry, the suit, filed in federal court, says.

President Trump and Secretary Noem are restoring LAW AND ORDER in Portland. No more chaos. No more anarchy. If you lay hands on an officer you will be arrested, the Department of Homeland Security posted on X alongside a video of uniformed federal agents at a chaotic scene. Law and order will win the day.

On Saturday evening, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from deploying the National Guard in Portland.
Smoke rising over Gaza on Sunday. Israel has continued bombing the strip despite Trumps request that it stop its assault. Photograph: Amir Cohen/Reuters

Donald Trump has urged negotiators to move fast in talks focused on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and a broader end to the war, as representatives arrived in Egypt for discussions set to begin on Monday.

The talks will focus on the first phase of Trumps plan to end the war in Gaza, the Egyptian foreign ministry said, which is the release of the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas in return for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

In a social media post late on Sunday, the US president said that talks were advancing rapidly, adding that the first phase should be completed this week. His encouragement came as Israel continued strikes on Gaza, killing 63 people in the 24 hours to Sunday evening.

The US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to join the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, according to Israeli media, in addition to Israels negotiators and a Palestinian delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy head of the political bureau of Hamas.

The Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told journalists that talks in Egypt would be confined to a few days maximum.

Related: I feel like we are in a trap: Gaza residents hopeful but wary of Trumps plan

The hostage release and prisoner swap would mean an immediate end to fighting in Gaza, according to Trump. Since Hamass partial acceptance of his plan to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza on Friday, the US, Israel and Hamas have all said they believe a ceasefire is within sight.

The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the Egypt talks were the closest weve come to getting all the hostages released in an interview with ABC on Sunday. He warned that talks could still falter over logistics, however, and that details of the hostage release needed to be worked out.

Rubio said there were long-term challenges in implementing the deal, in particular the creation of a technocratic governing body to oversee Gaza in place of Hamas. He emphasised that the current priority was the hostages release and ensuring Israeli troops withdrew to an agreed upon line in Gaza.

Trumps plan would mean Hamas releasing all hostages within 72 hours, surrendering ruling power to a transnational authority headed by the US president, and laying down its arms. In return, Israel would gradually withdraw its troops from Gaza and return more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The deal would release a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, parts of which are in famine, as well as reconstruction funds.

On Saturday night, Trump shared a map of Gaza that delineated the initial withdrawal line of Israeli troops in Gaza, which ranged from 1.2 miles (2km) to 4 miles deep within the territory. He said if Hamas agreed to the withdrawal line, a ceasefire would begin immediately.

Israeli forces are meant to completely withdraw to a buffer zone at the edge of Gaza under the terms of the plan, although the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said that regardless of any deal, troops would remain in most of Gaza.

Optimism about a potential ceasefire has grown across the world, with western and Arab leaders urging Hamas and Israel to come to a deal. On Sunday, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called Netanyahu and expressed support for the Trump plan, describing it as the best chance for peace, according to a readout.

Israeli officials have also said they hope to announce an end to the war in the coming days.

A senior Hamas official told Agence France-Presse the group was very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions.

Trump threatened Hamas with complete obliteration if it did not reach a deal on Gaza in an interview with CNN. He also said Netanyahu was onboard for ending the bombing of Gaza.

Despite Trumps request that Israel stop its assault and despite orders for the military to only conduct defensive operations, it has continued bombing the Palestinian territory. At least eight people were killed in separate strikes on Gaza City, while four other people were shot dead while seeking aid in the south of the strip.

While certain bombings have actually stopped inside of the Gaza Strip, theres no ceasefire in place at this point in time, said Bedrosian.

At least 67,139 people have been killed and about 170,000 injured by Israels military campaign in Gaza, according to the Gaza ministry of health, which said roughly half of those were women and children. Israel launched the campaign in retaliation after an attack by Hamas-led militants that killed about 1,200 people and involved 251 others being taken hostage.

The UN commission of inquiry, several human rights groups and the worlds leading association of genocide scholars have concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Israel denies the accusation and says it has only acted in self-defence.
Jimmy Kimmel is more popular than Donald Trump, a new poll has found, following a public showdown between the two men that resulted in the talk show host being briefly taken off-air.

The survey, conducted by YouGov, asked respondents if they held favorable opinions of both men.

When asked about Kimmel, 44 percent said they had a favorable opinion of the comedian, while 41 percent said they did not. Fifteen percent said they were undecided, giving Kimmel a net favorability of +3.

When asked about Trump, 41 percent had favorable views in contrast to 54 percent who said they did not and 5 percent were undecided, giving the president a -13 net favorability.

The results gave Kimmel a 16-point lead in favorability, according to the YouGov poll.

Last month ABC announced that Kimmels show had been taken off air indefinitely, due to comments that the comedian made about the assassination of the MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk, in which he accused Republicans of using the death to score political points (Disney)

Trump was delighted last month after ABC announced that Kimmels show had been taken off air indefinitely, due to comments he made about the assassination of MAGA commentator Charlie Kirk, accusing Republicans of using the death to score political points.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, whom the president appointed, called Kimmels comments truly sick and also suggested ABCs license could be at risk over it.

The YouGov poll also asked respondents if they believed that the comments were enough to warrant a suspension, with more than half (55 percent) saying no, and 30 percent saying yes.

Shortly after, however, it was announced that Kimmel would be returning, after the shows parent company Disney said it had thoughtful conversations with Kimmel over the comments, which it described as ill-timed.

I cant believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back, Trump fumed on Truth Social following the announcement. 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.

Donald Trump was delighted by news of Jimmy Kimmels suspension. The president is now more unpopular than Kimmel, according to a new poll (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Kimmels return to the air was watched by 6.3 million viewers  more than tripling the late-night shows normal TV viewership. His comeback monologue also went viral, accumulating more than 14 million views on YouTube and 5.7 million views on Instagram the day after it was broadcast.

In the 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.

The comedian went on to tell his audience he had sent love to Kirks family and asked for compassion.
Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem during a naturalization ceremony in Keystone, South Dakota. Photograph: Matt Gade/AP

Kristi Noem, Donald Trumps homeland security secretary, called Chicago a war zone on Sunday after federal agents shot a woman and the governor of Illinois accused the administration of fueling the crisis rather than resolving it.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday morning, Noem took aim at the citys mayor, Brandon Johnson, who has been a vocal critic of the Trump administrations Ice raids and deployment of the national guard in Illinois, a measure he called unhinged and unhealthy.

Its wrong, there should be consequences for that and for leaders that stand up and knowingly lie about the situation on the ground, Noem said. His city is a war zone and hes lying so that criminals can go in there and destroy peoples lives.

Noems remarks followed Trumps authorization to deploy 300 members of the Illinois national guard to Chicago, with orders to protect federal officers and property. The move came just weeks after national guard troops were sent to Washington, where the president federalized the citys police force in what he described as a crackdown on crime, a pattern now extending to a string of other US cities. Were going to be doing Chicago probably next, Trump had said at the time.

Related: Body slamming, teargas and pepper balls: viral videos show Ice using extreme force in Chicago

Noem defended the administrations course of action, insisting on Fox that residents supported the government intervention. They understand that where we have gone we have made it much more free, she said. People are much safer, we have got a thousand criminals that are off the streets of Chicago, just because weve been there.

Appearing on CNNs State of the Union with Jake Tapper on Sunday, the Democratic Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, accused the administration of fueling the crisis rather than resolving it. They are the ones who are making it a war zone, he said.

They need to get out of Chicago. If theyre not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they are going to do, they need to get the heck out.

Border patrol agents on Saturday shot and injured a woman while firing at someone who tried to run them over. The woman who was shot was a US citizen and was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, noting that the woman was accused in a US Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin last week of doxing agents.

Pritzker also condemned the deployment in a post on X on Saturday, writing: The Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. Pritzker called the decision absolutely outrageous and un-American and added that it had been made against our will.
If there is peace in Gaza, it will be worth it, whatever the uncomfortable ambiguity that has to be tolerated and whatever blustery egomania that has to be humoured (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

A peace deal in Gaza is agonisingly close. First Hamas indicated it was likely to say no, then it said yes. But what it said yes to had caveats  and did not sound the same as the deal to which Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, had agreed.

As Bel Trew, The Independents chief international correspondent, writes, so far, neither Netanyahu nor Hamas has agreed to every specific point in the plan. Instead, she says, both have publicly declared their own interpretations of the proposal and vowed to support that.

What does seem to be common ground, however, is that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire and that Hamas has agreed to release the few remaining living hostages, which are the most important things. The rest can be negotiated further.

The parties to the peace plan are therefore in a grey zone that will be familiar to Sir Tony Blair, one of its authors. He was able to secure agreement between unionists and republicans in Northern Ireland in 1998 through constructive ambiguity. It is to be sincerely hoped that a similar effort to ensure words mean what people want them to mean will succeed here.

We find ourselves in the unexpected position of welcoming the efforts of two most unlikely peacemakers. Donald Trump has made no secret of his ambition to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He claims to have ended seven wars already, but if he can bring peace to an eighth, in Gaza, he could deserve it.

He may have left it late for this years prize, which will be announced on Friday, but for which nominations closed on 31 January, just 11 days after his inauguration for his second term as president of the United States. The Nobel committee, a five-strong body appointed by the Norwegian parliament, is in any case said to be cautious about awarding the prize until such time has passed that confirms the sustainability of the peace in question.

Perhaps next year, then. If there is peace in Gaza, and if it is sustained, it will be worth it, whatever the uncomfortable ambiguity that has to be tolerated and whatever the blustery egomania that has to be humoured.

The other potential peace maker is Sir Tony Blair. He has his detractors, because of the disaster of the Iraq war, but again, if he can contribute to an end to the bloodshed in Gaza and a beginning to a better future for the Palestinian population there and in the West Bank then his contribution too should be welcomed.

We have been pessimistic about the prospect of an early end to this one-sided, counterproductive war because it seemed that Mr Netanyahu had calculated that the only way by which he could cling to power was to prolong it.

But if Mr Trumps desperation for the place in history afforded by the Nobel prize and Sir Tony Blairs drafting of the 20-point plan have persuaded the Israeli prime minister that his interest is now best served by peace, that is a prize beyond price.

Whatever happens over the next few days, the durability of any ceasefire will be uncertain. The end point of any peace deal will remain disputed, shrouded in ambiguity and apparently irreconcilable differences.

But we welcome the most promising hope of peace, as the war approaches its second anniversary, that we have seen so far.
Kemi Badenoch has been hit by a major blow on the eve of the Tory party conference with the defection of a veteran London Assembly member and former Conservative council leader to Reform.

Keith Prince, who stood down this week as the transport spokesman for the City Hall Conservatives, has decided to leave the group entirely to join Nigel Farages party.

He told The Standard on Saturday: I have been with the [Conservative] party for 49 years. This would have been my 50th year.

The party has left me. Its not the party I joined. I remember the rise of Margaret Thatcher. We had a vision. We had a charismatic leader. We knew where we were going.

Ive got that same feeling about Reform. I think they have a very charismatic leader. I think they have a vision. I think they know where they are going. Its really exciting to be involved in something at the beginning.

It is the latest in a series of Tory defections to Reform that recently saw Tory MP Danny Kruger switch sides.

Mr Prince is a former Tory leader of Redbridge council and a London Assembly member since 2016. He is also a councillor in Havering.

He said he plans to contest his council seat for Reform in the London borough elections next May and to seek re-election as an assembly member in 2028.

Some Tories fear Mr Princes defection could be the first of several in east London. Havering is expected to be Reforms number one target in the London borough elections.

Approached on Friday as rumours emerged about his imminent defection, he told The Standard: Im not defecting to Reform.

He said on Saturday that the plan had been to announce his defection at the start of the Tory party conference on Sunday but news began to leak.

Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives and the partys former mayoral candidate, said on Saturday: Im very sad that Keith has gone. He was a valued member of the team.

I will continue to put forward Conservative plans and fight for the party going forward.

Mr Princes defection means that Reform now has two of the 25 assembly members at City Hall.

He will work alongside Reforms first assembly member, Alex Wilson, who he describes as a friend and who is a former council colleague.

Speaking to The Standard, Mr Prince, whose wife is Nigerian, said: I dont have a problem with legal immigration. Where we have [employment] shortages, we probably do need young people, nurses and doctors. I would always welcome these people.

But the issue is the number of people coming in illegally. The Tories have failed  and Labour has failed spectacularly. We have to stop the boats. This country grew by 750,000 people last year. We cant house the number of people coming in.

He added: Im a working-class boy. I went to comprehensive school. I feel part of it [with Reform]. Theyre talking to my people.

My [Tory] colleagues at City Hall are a great bunch of people, almost without exception. All the assembly members from all the parties are decent people.

RMT Tube strike day FIVE: Ahead of Mayors question time, I asked @CityHallTories transport spokesman @KeithPrinceAM who he blamed pic.twitter.com/VRbxSn0nGP  Ross Lydall (@RossLydall) September 11, 2025

Mr Princes decision to join Reform will mean the party will get more funding at City Hall, while the Tory group will get less.

It also means that Reform will get more time to question Sir Sadiq Khan at the 10 Mayors Question Time sessions each year, the next of which is due to take place on Thursday.

As the Tory transport spokesman, Mr Prince has recently questioned Sir Sadiq and Transport for London about the Tube strikes, conditions for bus drivers - including whether fatigue is a factor in road deaths involving buses - and the delays in completing the roadworks at Gallows Corner.

Earlier this summer, Mr Prince asked TfL commissioner Andy Lord whether the 12-month delay in the arrival of the new Piccadilly line trains was because they were too big for the Tube tunnels.
China flag

While Chinas agents ride roughshod over Britains national security interests on a daily basis, it is extremely rare for the damage they do to be publicly exposed. So the recent fiasco that prevented two Brits, accused of spying for China inside Parliament, from coming to trial is of grave concern. Both suspects are now able to assert their innocence in public, the case dropped on the basis of insufficient evidence.

This decision is reported to reflect last-minute sabotage by UK ministers. What would it say about the approach taken by British governments towards China, and the impact this might have on Britains security interests? And how should any repetition be prevented?

Chinas grip on British political, financial, business and scientific elites has been tightening for decades. Successive governments, lured by the promise of win-win incentives, have consistently allowed China to potentially compromise of UK domestic and foreign policy.

This had at its core the false assumption that Britain could deepen economic ties with China while remaining critical of its actions in areas such as human rights abuses and belligerence in the Asia-Pacific. We have prioritised expediency. In 2021, UK MPs of all parties passed a motion declaring Chinas persecution of Uyghurs to be genocide; yet the present Government has since adopted a less critical position.

The 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) highlights growing Chinese pressure on the rules-based international order, both unilaterally and in collusion with Russia and North Korea. It warns that Britain is likely to face increasing Chinese espionage, cyber and other risks to sensitive IP and other defence interests. Meanwhile China has developed nuclear and other missiles that can reach the UK and Europe, and is modernising its capabilities in areas including space warfare.

The SDR defines Russia as an immediate and pressing threat, but names China as only a sophisticated and persistent challenge. Successive UK administrations have avoided framing China explicitly as hostile, which allows them to avoid harming relations with Beijing they hoped would deliver shared prosperity and advance global interests (such as health and combating climate change).

This has been a particular priority for the current Government, which began reviving high-level engagement with Beijing from the outset. The risks of Chinese involvement in UK key national infrastructure  steel, nuclear, wind and solar energy amongst them  have been under-played. The risk of digital data capture and system sabotage are likewise minimised. But this complacency merely boosts Chinas existing political influence, while leaving key social and military infrastructure vulnerable to hybrid warfare sabotage; a situation that Beijing has taken great pains to build up in many less well-governed client states.

So, given the ground truths of Chinas geopolitical agenda, how do Britains security and other key interests benefit from the last-minute collapse of the case against alleged spies in Parliament? They dont. The only beneficiary is a ruthless authoritarian state which wishes to become the global hegemon. It must not be repeated.
A delivery driver attempting to combat Londons growing pickpocketing crisis has warned of potential civil unrest because of soft laws and a lack of enforcement by Metropolitan Police officers.

Diego Galdino, 32, has begun taking the law into his own hands to stop petty thieves from terrorising the capitals streets.

Armed with spray paint and a GoPro camera, the Brazilian national roams around the citys streets exposing would-be pickpockets to millions of people on social media.

Mr Galdino moved to Britain from his native Brazil in 2019, before working as a food courier for delivery services such as Uber Eats.

His father Luis was a police officer in the southern state of Parana, which he claims gave him and his family the same instincts.

In an interview with The Standard, Mr Galdino argues that London has become a "paradise" for pickpockets since the coronavirus pandemic.

I remember the first time I came here and I was completely relieved about my safety, Mr Galdino said. In Brazil you feel so scared in the streets. When I came here, I was completely free of that feeling.

But in the last few years, seeing these things happen all the time, my perception has completely changed. I really do believe London is a paradise (for pickpockets).

Earlier this year, Mr Galdino was encouraged by his friends to start documenting his experience after noticing crimes taking place around him during his deliveries.

Diego Galdino moved to Britain from his native Brazil in 2019 (Supplied)

He began filming thieves being caught red-handed in tourist hotspots such as Oxford Street and Buckingham Palace, before uploading the footage online under the handle pickpocketlondon.

Mr Galdino has since amassed nearly 270,000 followers on Instagram and two million views on TikTok.

I started my social media with no expectations, Mr Galdino said. The numbers are not one thing that affects my ego, but it is something that keeps me motivated.

Mr Galdino said he has grown frustrated by the growing number of unsolved crimes, including one case where $10,000 dollars was stolen, and the lack of patrols around the city.

As a result, Mr Galdino has turned to spraying pickpockets with paint to deter them from committing future offences.

But Mr Galdino said he is not worried about the threat of violence, saying: I am not scared or afraid, you know. Of course, I care about my security. I am not going to expose myself in risky (situations) or a fight just to get views.

It is not going to make me stop. I see children from school coming out every single day and I think in my mind, How are these kids going to grow up seeing these videos (of shoplifting)? And see they dont get any punishment?

Between March 2023 and 2024, Scotland Yard received more than 79,000 reports of pickpockets, according to the Office for National Statistics.

However, a study by the Policy Exchange think-tank found that only one in 170 snatch thefts, such as watches or phones being stolen in public, were solved by the the force.

Scotland received 79,000 reports of pickpockets (PA)

Westminster was the worst area for pickpockets in the UK between March 2023 and 2024, with 133 reports per 100,000 people.

The borough also topped the list of areas which have seen the biggest increase in pickpocketing cases, with a three-year change of more than 700 per cent.

When asked about peoples perception of crime in London, Mr Galdino said: The law is so soft here and police dont investigate properly. (The police) forgot about the city and forgot about safety.

I think soon theyre going to lose the country if people dont start challenging the police, MPs and politicians. Theyre going to lose control soon.

He added: The police in Brazil are so strong. Even a security guard is so strong. (When) they stop you for a search, you look down.

I see a lot of police officers in the UK and they just wear their uniforms to wait for a pay-check. They don't even have the vocation to be an officer.

A Met spokesperson said: We urge Londoners and tourists to stay alert in crowded places and report any suspicious behaviour or pickpockets to police.

Over the summer the capitals town centres and high streets have seen an enhanced police presence as part of our work to build on reductions in theft, robbery and antisocial behaviour. This has included the West Ends policing team growing by over 50 per cent so they can relentlessly target prolific offenders as well as being visible and approachable to protect the public and deter criminals.

Weve already made with a 12.2 per cent reduction in theft from the person in the last six months, compared to the same time period last year.
Connections of Minnie Hauk felt she had performed up to her best after she was just denied by Daryz in the Qatar Prix de lArc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.

The Aidan OBrien-trained filly was sent off favourite for the Group One showpiece after remaining unbeaten in four starts this term, claiming the Cheshire Oaks before registering a Classic double at Epsom and the Curragh and then adding a fourth Oaks in the Yorkshire version on her most recent start.

Her winning run was snapped in being beaten a head in the French capital, but OBrien felt Christophe Soumillons mount lost little in defeat.

He said: Were delighted, she ran a great race, absolutely. Christophe didnt say anything negative when he came in.

Im not sure if shell run again this year. Well get her home and see how she is and see what the lads want to do.

On whether shell stay in training, he added: I think so, obviously the lads will decide that at the end of the year, its very possible, but they wont decide that for a little bit yet  well decide those things in the next couple of months.

Soumillon, who won the 2008 Arc with the magnificent Zarkava in the same Aga Khan colours as Daryz, felt the winner perhaps just had a little more dash on what was his first try at the 12-furlong distance.

He said: We have no excuses, we had a clear run all the way. She was very relaxed, I could change position downhill and stay second.

Shes a big galloper, she took to the front so easily. When I felt Mickael (Barzalona) coming in the last 200 (metres) I kept a little back for the end and we went together, but his horse has a strong dash and he loves the ground.

He rode a good race, he was behind us and he caught me on the line. What can you say? My filly ran a great race. If you take him (Daryz) out shed have been one of the most impressive fillies winning the Arc, but thats racing.

Coolmore partner Michael Tabor said: Its just one of those things  very proud of Minnie Hauk. Shes run a blinder, I thought shed won.

Of course, you have the two winning posts and at the first one she was in front, but thats not the one that counts. Were here to fight for another day and Im sure shes got a great future. Im looking forward to seeing her run many more times.

Giavellotto looked a doubtful runner at the start of the week, but the decision to run on soft ground nearly paid off as the six-year-old took home a nice prize in fourth, beaten six lengths by Daryz.

His trainer Marco Botti said: I am absolutely over the moon, he ran a really good race in the ground conditions.

It showed in the first part of the race, he took his time to find his feet in the ground. Andrea (Atzeni) knows the horse well and just let him find his feet.

He picked up well in the straight, its a shame we got beaten for third but beforehand, on this ground, Id have been delighted to be in the first four.

He ran a blinder and we have to be happy with him. In these kinds of races you want everything to go right, but at this time of the year Longchamp tends to be soft.

Ten days ago on the forecast it looked quite good, I thought maybe wed be lucky this year, but it changed in the last week or so.

I wasnt confident yesterday when I saw that deluge, so I think to be fourth we have to be pleased.

Giavellotto won the Hong Kong Vase last term and a defence of that title at Sha Tin on December 14 is his next target.

Botti added: Hong Kong is the plan now, we still have a couple of months to freshen him up before we take our chance there again.

Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager for the Wertheimer brothers, owners of the third-placed Sosie (Andre Fabre) and the well-fancied Aventure (Christophe Ferland), who was unplaced, said: Were very happy with Sosie  he ran a great race. He wont stay in training, hell be retired to stud, though his destination hasnt yet been decided.

As for Aventure, Maxime (Guyon, jockey) said she just had no spark today. We dont have an explanation yet, so well take our time before making any decisions.
Nurse who dismissed pain as muscle injury has leg amputated after rare tumour found

An NHS nurse whose leg was amputated after an extremely rare cancerous tumour was found in her calf has spoken of entering survival mode to process her diagnosis and stay positive.

Sophie Fay, 26, an intensive care nurse for four years, lives in Merseyside with her father, Paul Fay.

She first noticed an aching pain behind her right knee in March 2024. Having recently enlisted a personal trainer, Ms Fay initially dismissed the pain as a muscle injury.

However, when her calf became swollen and hot to touch, and work colleagues noticed the visible difference, she sought medical help.

After being told her symptoms could be caused by a blood clot or a muscular problem, Ms Fays worsening pains prompted her to push for further answers, especially when she found her right calf was 6cm bigger than the other.

Ms Fay had an MRI scan in November 2024, which revealed a large tumour taking up the entirety of [her] calf, and the mass was diagnosed as spindle cell sarcoma of the bone, an extremely rare soft-tissue tumour.

As her blood vessels and nerves were completely encased by the tumour, Ms Fay was informed the only option was an above-the-knee amputation, which she received in December 2024  and she is now adapting to life with a prosthetic.

Ms Fay is sharing her story as part of the Bone Cancer Research Trusts Bone Cancer Awareness Week, which runs from October 6 to 12, to raise awareness of her symptoms and prevent others from falling through the cracks.

Fay had her leg amputated above the knee in December 2024 (Collect/PA Real Life)

It was a massive shock but it felt like the best chance of living a normal-ish life afterwards, she told PA Real Life.

Going into survival mode helped me to process the diagnosis and stay so positive in the recovery period.

The only thing I wanted was to not have cancer anymore, and I thought once its gone, I can deal with that.

You do get the realisation with something like this that our days are numbered and were not all invincible.

Ms Fay said she started exercising with a personal trainer in March 2024, but over the subsequent weeks she noticed feeling an aching pain behind the knee of her right leg.

It would just happen when I exercised but I remember going for a walk and I thought the back of my knee was really sore, she said.

She noticed the pain got progressively worse over the next few months, to the point her leg would hurt even with light activity.

At the end of August 2024, Ms Fay was getting ready for a late shift at work when she noticed her leg was swollen and warm to touch.

Fay describes going into survival mode post operation, even though the procedure went as smoothly as possible (Collect/PA Real Life)

I had a visible limp at this time now as well, because it was hurting whenever I walked, she said.

My colleagues noticed it was swollen, and they suggested it could be a small blood clot in my leg.

Ms Fay explained her intensive care ward contains mini ultrasound machines, and a consultant suggested doing a scan on the back of her leg.

The scan was inconclusive, Ms Fay said, and she was advised to go to her hospitals A&E department.

There, it was thought Ms Fay could be suffering from a muscular injury.

I didnt really know any better at the time, I thought it could probably be muscular  what it ended up being was so far from my mind, it was unreal, she said.

After having a more thorough examination on her leg, Ms Fay was told she could have a Bakers cyst, a fluid-filled lump at the back of the knee that can sometimes get better on its own, according to the NHS.

Ms Fay said she was happy with the diagnosis as the symptoms she felt appeared to be similar.

By November 2024, however, Ms Fay said the pain became constant and she could no longer bend her leg.

Medics told the nurse there was no way her leg could be saved (Collect/PA Real Life)

My calf was massive, I think it measured six centimetres bigger than my other one, she said.

Ms Fay sought further help from her GP, who recommended she see a physiotherapist, but while waiting for the appointment she felt something was not right.

She instead went to a walk-in health centre, where it was advised she have a full ultrasound scan on her leg.

Following the scan, Ms Fay said she was sent to the urgent care centre at her hospital for further examinations, and a few days later she underwent an MRI scan on 11 November 2024.

The very next morning, on 12 November 2024, Ms Fay was asked to return to receive her results, saying she thought: Oh no, this is soon.

Ms Fay said she was told her scan had revealed a large tumour in her calf, which was thought to be primary bone cancer.

I just lost my head, there were all sorts of mad things going through my mind, Ms Fay said.

I had a bit of knowledge around cancer and cancer care with my work, and I couldnt help but think it was a death sentence.

I was really emotional and the worst part was knowing I had to go home and tell my dad.

She was signed off work and referred to The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Shropshire.

Following a biopsy, Ms Fay was diagnosed on 29 November 2024 with spindle cell sarcoma of the bone  an extremely rare soft-tissue tumour, according to the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Such tumours most commonly arise in patients over the age of 40 and are extremely rare, making up just 2-5 per cent of all primary bone cancer cases, the charity says.

Fay said it took a long time to get used to walking using a prosthetic leg (Collect/PA Real Life)

Ms Fay was informed her only viable treatment option would be amputation, as her blood vessels and nerves were completely encased by the tumour.

They showed me a picture of my scan, and the tumour takes up the entirety of my calf, she said.

There wasnt a way they could remove it safely to leave me with a functioning leg.

Ms Fay received an above-the-knee amputation on 17 December 2024, and she said the operation and her healing process was very smooth.

Adapting to using a prosthetic was very difficult, however, and she initially found it exhausting to walk short distances.

Its comforting to know this is the hardest it will ever be, she said.

As time goes on, Ill get better prosthetic parts, a better socket and knee joint, things that will make it easier.

Ms Fay will now have a scan every three months for the next two years to monitor any potential recurrences of cancer.

She has also returned to work, in a non-clinical setting for the time being, where she noticed she feels more emotional following her experience.

Ms Fay is sharing her story to mark Bone Cancer Awareness Week.

If sharing my story means bone cancer is spoken about more within healthcare, thats the main thing, she said.

For more information, visit the website for the Bone Cancer Research Trust
Abigail and Shaun Bengson in Ohio (Mihaela Bodlovic)

Well, I didnt have a charming piece of folkie gig theatre about religion, death and deafness on my 2025 bingo card, but here we are. Ohio at the Young Vic is a thoughtful, autobiographical reflection on loss and leaving, told through narrative and song by married Obie-winning duo The Bengsons, Shaun and Abigail.

A hit at the Edinburgh Fringe, its been brought to London by canny producer Francesca Moody (Fleabag, Baby Reindeer). And it is an intimate, idiosyncratic joy.

The Bengsons are autistic and Shaun is suffering hereditary, progressive, degenerative hearing loss through tinnitus. He grew up in a family of increasingly deaf priests and pastors in a Christian community in Ohio but was an atheist by the time he met Jewish pagan witch Abigail: his chat up line was Jesus was an activist, and apparently it worked. They married three weeks after meeting: the circumstances of their lives are all out there, online, having been the grist to their work.

Ohio was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe (Mihaela Bodlovic)

The difficult and dangerous birth of one of their two children is one of the spurs to this show, and the awareness of mortality that parenthood brings. Ohio also asks what it means to lose faith and hearing. In a neat metaphor, Abigail tells us that even when the hairs in the cochlea can no longer transmit a sound, they will still tell your brain that the sound is there: in other words, they go on singing after theyve died.

Welcome! This is a death concert! Shauns gonna die at the end! Abigail shouts, grinning broadly, as they enter and take up position behind a bank of instruments and amps, a mini recording desk and an overhead projector. Shes an exuberant, jump-suited presence, curly raven hair shot with grey. Physically expressive, she has an extraordinary, keening, ululating singing voice. Hes circumspect, bespectacled and dry with a teacherish vibe. As a child God felt like a member of the family, he says, but as a teenager he became a stern ghost watching you masturbate.

PSA: theres audience participation at this show (Mihaela Bodlovic)

The terminally shy (of whom there seemed to be many at the performance I saw) should know theres low-level audience participation here. Were asked to hum along to songs, shout out captions projected on the back wall, and imagine what progressive deafness will be like, as Shaun modulates his microphone to emulate the background buzz of tinnitus and his increasing inability to hear higher frequencies and consonants. At one sphincter-tightening point, Abigail asks those of us who speak another language to pray in it. Or just order a cheeseburger, she adds, as rictus panic flashes through the crowd. Ok, phew.

The songs are lovely, built around vocal loops that Abigal lays down in front of us, and harmonies she weaves around Shauns plangent singing and his indie-folk riffs. Theres a deep connection to the soil, the trees and the birdsong of his native Ohio, and to his antecedents, in both the songs and in his spoken words. He vividly evokes a time he almost drowned in a local creek as a child. A conversation at the end between fathers and sons about the things they can no longer hear is profoundly moving.

The musical duo are married in real life too (Mihaela Bodlovic)

Abigail wryly acknowledges that there seems to be less of her in this show  the death of her brother, which partially inspired the duos 2024 Lincoln Center project The Keep Going Songs, is mentioned almost incidentally. But the squirt of panic as she realises her newborn son cant breathe is powerfully felt.

Spoiler alert: Shaun doesnt *actually* die at the end. But Ohio takes us to a place where the Bengsons imagine that happening, and it is a place of sadness but also of peace and connection. At its heart, thats what Ohio is about: connection, especially the connection between audience and performer. That and the joyful noise of life.

Ohio at the Young Vic, until 24 October, youngvic.org.
Mo Amer on Cherien Dabiss 2025 film All Thats Left of You: It does not just tell a story  it honors a legacy. Photograph: Courtesy Sundance Institute

Global support for Palestinian rights is on the rise, including in Hollywood, where thousands of film workers recently signed on to a pledge to boycott Israeli film groups deemed complicit in the war in Gaza, and high-profile stars are signing on to support films that center the Palestinian experience.

But Palestinians films still struggle to secure distribution and get visibility  even after a huge win at the Oscars last year. To spotlight Palestines rich tradition of film-making, we asked prominent Palestinian film-makers and entertainers to share their favorite Palestinian movies.

By the end, I was moved to tears: Mo Amer on All Thats Left of You

Cherien Dabiss film All Thats Left of You, which premiered this year at Sundance, is a rare film, unflinching and unforgettable. By telling the story of a single Palestinian family, from its origins in pre-Nakba Jaffa through generations of displacement, it does not just tell a story  it honors a legacy.

The cinematography is rich and transportive. Every shot feels intentional, every frame a memory  the orange groves of Jaffa, the streets of Nablus, the alienation of exile. The performances are unforgettable, showcasing Dabiss extraordinary range alongside three generations of Bakris  the family of actors most synonymous with Palestinian cinema. They are layered, restrained and heartbreakingly real.

Whats most impressive is how seamlessly the film moves between time periods without ever losing its emotional throughline. Each decade of the Palestinian story is brought to life with stunning precision, both visually and emotionally. The direction is masterful in that way, guiding you through years with clarity and care.

By the end, I was moved to tears. All Thats Left of You isnt just about the past, its about the invisible ways it shapes who we are. Its a film that lingers  not because of spectacle, but because of truth.

Mo Amer is a Palestinian-American comedian, actor, director and the creator of the Netflix show Mo

The most wildly original Palestinian film ever made: Cherien Dabis on Divine Intervention

A sunglasses-clad Palestinian woman defiantly struts through a checkpoint. Israeli soldiers look on, guns raised, baffled. Her beauty disarms them and brings the watchtower crashing down. Its an iconic moment from Elia Suleimans Divine Intervention that has stayed with me ever since I first saw the film. I was a second-year graduate film student at Columbia University when it opened in the US in 2003. I remember being stunned by its power, its defiance, and its sheer audacity.

At a time when most Palestinian cinema leaned toward the solemn or tragic, Suleiman carved a new path. Through dark humor, deadpan performance, and near-silent observation, he captured the surreal absurdity of life under occupation. Playing the films mute protagonist himself, he placed his own gaze at the heart of the narrative. That choice felt radical. His presence was calm and understated, which only magnified the tension all around him.

Divine Intervention is both deeply personal and politically charged. Its visual language is universal, yet rooted in the fractured reality of Palestinian identity. Suleiman transforms disconnection, exile and resistance into something approaching poetry. The result is poignant, surreal, sometimes hilarious and always painfully honest.

There was nothing remotely like it in Palestinian cinema at the time. There still isnt. It remains, for me, the most wildly original and imaginative Palestinian film ever made.

Cherien Dabis is a Palestinian American director, writer, producer and actor, whose most recent film, All Thats Left of You, is Jordans official selection for the 2025 Academy Awards

Palestine has gained a talent: Hany Abu Assad on To a Land Unknown

For me, a great movie needs to do two things. It needs to deliver an experience thats unfamiliar, emotional and smart. It needs to give me something Ive been missing  a point of view that contradicts my belief system, a way to think about issues beyond my own world, a window to a different time and place. In short, I need to feel enriched, emotionally and intellectually.

Second, it needs to impress me with its talent. A talent that is not busy trying to impress me but is used to open my eyes to something more important.

The film To a Land Unknown, which was released last year, is precisely this kind of film. Made by Mahdi Fleifel, it is a story about two Palestinian friends searching for better lives as refugees in Greece.

To a Land Unknown made me feel what its like to be a vulnerable refugee, in a strange land, where everything works against your attempts to escape the ghetto. It showed me that in some cases, even when circumstances beyond your control conspire against you, you yourself can still become your own worst enemy. And its dance between content and visual form floored me in its artistry.

In To a Land Unknown, Palestine has gained a talent that will serve its cause without spilling a single drop of blood.

Hany Abu-Assad is a Palestinian Dutch director, screenwriter and two-time Academy Award nominee for his films Paradise Now and Omar

It shows Israel views even cows as a threat: Basel Adra on The Wanted 18

One of my favorite Palestinian films is The Wanted 18. It tells the story of Palestinians in Beit Sahour, a village near Bethlehem in the West Bank, during the first intifada of the late 1980s. It documents their attempt to build a local dairy farm, a small operation centered around a herd of 18 cows that was deemed a threat by the Israeli occupation, which sought to confiscate the cattle.

The animated film is powerful and creative, and highlights an often overlooked aspect of the occupation: its not just about stealing land, but also about undermining the Palestinian economy and creating economic dependency on Israel. When people have independent sources of income and can provide for their families, they are more likely to engage politically and resist oppression. Israel knows this, which is why it works so hard to prevent self-sufficiency among Palestinians.

By keeping the people in the West Bank  where I live, and where my village experiences regular incursions and demolitions  dependent on military-issued work permits, the army can effectively silence them, keeping many Palestinians focused on daily survival rather than systemic change. They steal land and give it to settlers, while preventing Palestinians like me from building factories, schools, plastic houses for agriculture and even tents.

As The Wanted 18 showed, Israel views even Palestinian cows a threat.

Basel Adra is a journalist and activist fighting to save his community, Masafer Yatta, from forced eviction. His film No Other Land won best documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards

I watched it with my gut, not my brain:

Tamer Nafar on Ajami

Out of countless worthy Palestinian films, one of my absolute favorites is Ajami, from 2009, which highlights the underrepresented voices of Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The first time I watched it, I felt I was watching my own story. Not only as a Palestinian, but as a native son of Lod  one of the Middle East cities most ravaged by drugs and violence. The film takes place in nearby Jaffa  but the accent is the same as mine. The film even captured the Hebraicized words we use, and our slang.

Its a film I watched with my gut, not my analytical brain.

Palestinians live at the mercy of a three-headed monster: one head slaughters in Gaza, one settles in the West Bank, and one inflames clan-based conflicts within our communities inside the state of Israel.

The murder rate within Arab society in Israel has soared since the films release. Young people are fleeing the country because they feel unprotected, with no one to turn to  not even the police, who rob us of our taxes and give nothing in return. And here we are, still stuck between hammer and anvil, trying with courage and vanishing resources to create art.

For me, the film is Palestinian, said director Scandar Copti on the red carpet when the film was nominated for an Oscar. That alone opened the gates of fascism against him. The culture minister called to strip him of funding.

State funding for films like these  also taken from our taxes  is held over our heads like ransom. Palestinian identity is not just kept from the screen; it is chased from it. All I can do is respect the fragile lives that films like Ajami breathe into existence.
Police have been granted extra time to question four people who were arrested in connection with the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

Three men remain in hospital after the car and knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Thursday.

Jihad al Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot by police as he launched the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while trying to stop al Shamie from entering the synagogue.

He died alongside Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the place of worship.

Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW) is leading the police operation and has been granted warrants allowing them to detain four people who were arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts for a further five days.

The warrants relate to two men, aged 30 and 32, and two women, aged 46 and 61.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the investigation was "continuing at pace" with "significant resources" mobilised in order to "establish the full picture into what has happened".

The force said three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds.

On Friday, the police watchdog, which is investigating the incident, said it was examining the use of lethal force by GMP firearms officers, including "whether police may have caused or contributed to the death" of Mr Daulby.

Read more:

Tributes to 'kind and heroic' victims of Manchester attack

What we know about Manchester attacker

Nearly 500 arrested as pro-Palestine protest goes ahead despite pleas

It comes as 492 people were arrested over protests supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square on Saturday.

The demonstration went ahead despite Sir Keir Starmer, other politicians and police bosses calling on organisers to reconsider.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for those who attended the demonstration arrested under the Terrorism Act to also be investigated for stirring up racial hatred.

The board is set to hold an event in the same location on Sunday afternoon to reflect on the two-year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack.

On Friday, the head of counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said a "suspicious device" attached to al Shamie's torso was fake and police believed he "may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology".

He added: "Based on some fast-time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing, however, he does have a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history.

"This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed."
Christophe Soumillon delivered a front-running masterclass aboard Puerto Rico to claim a cosy victory in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.

The Aidan OBrien-trained colt broke his maiden in winning the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last time on his first try at seven furlongs and made an effortless switch to the highest level in the French capital.

Ridden with supreme confidence, the son of Wootton Bassett travelled beautifully in front and when asked to kick on in the straight, he pulled away from Nighttime in style, with Rayif back in third.

OBrien and Soumillon were completing a quickfire Group One double after Diamond Necklace landed the opening Prix Marcel Boussac.

OBrien said: Im delighted with this horse, when we stepped up to seven furlongs in Doncaster he really improved and Christophe gave him a beautiful ride (today). With Ryan (Moore) off, were lucky Christophe doesnt have a retainer  hes an unbelievably special rider.

This horse is like Wootton Bassett, and Camille Pissarro (last years Lagardere winner) was the same  big, strong, black horses with loads of speed.

Christophe said hes a very quick horse who is going to be a miler, but probably wont go any further than a mile.

Camille obviously won the French Derby, whether this horse will get a mile and a quarter were not sure, but we didnt think Camille would get a mile and a quarter and he got it in the French Derby.

More immediately, Puerto Rico could head for America, with his trainer adding: The lads were thinking of the Breeders Cup, they asked him (Soumillon) about the ground and he said it (faster ground) would be no problem.

Hes a fast horse and Id say by the way Christophe was talking he definitely could be one for the Juvenile Turf.

Soumillon said: Its such a lucky moment for me and we are missing Ryan. A weekend like this, you cant dream about it, so Im thinking about him. I spoke to him yesterday and he told me a lot about all of these horses, including Puerto Rico  he felt the ground would be a big help for him.

Since he jumped the gates so well I just took him to the front and he was really relaxed. He was hanging out for a while, but when I took him to the rail in the straight he picked up so good I felt nobody would be able to follow him.
A chance for some me time away from the pressures of home (Getty)

A growing number of women are choosing solo holidays, leaving loved ones behind to "explore on their own terms," group tour operators report.

Holiday companies note a significant surge in demand from individuals  particularly women  travelling without family or friends, driven by a desire not to wait for "dates or holiday dreams" to align.

Popular destinations for these independent travellers range from Spain and Portugal to far-flung locales such as Egypt, India, and Uzbekistan.

Tour operator Jules Verne reveals solo travellers now comprise 46 per cent of its 2024 bookings, a rise from 40 per cent in 2023.

Women represent nearly seven out of 10 (69 per cent) of those customers.

Women are leaving their families at home for solo adventures (Getty)

Jules Verne managing director Debbie ONeill insisted peoples reason for booking on their own isnt always about being alone but choosing how you want to experience the world.

Speaking on the eve of UK travel trade organisation Abtas annual convention in Majorca, Spain, she said: Many of our travellers have families, partners and full social lives  but they also value the freedom to explore on their own terms.

Joining a small group tour gives them the best of both worlds: the joy of shared moments and the space to follow their own curiosity.

Ms ONeill added that for some people, going on holiday without anyone they know is a quiet act of courage as it represents an opportunity to embrace adventure and discover something new within themselves.

Another group tour operator, Explore Worldwide, said it has also seen a marked uptick in holidaymakers setting off on their own, with a 22 per cent spike in such bookings for trips departing this year compared with the same point in 2023.

It said September and October are the most popular departure months for people holidaying without loved ones, as it enables them to take advantage of lower prices outside the peak summer months.

Explore Worldwide managing director Michael Edwards said: Solo travel is a definite, growing trend. Two-thirds of people in an average group are travelling solo.

People are less inclined to wait for friends or families to have aligned dates or holiday dreams, and more inclined to seize the day and just go for it.

Explore Worldwides research found many solo travellers think their holidays result in them being more confident, feeling empowered and rediscovering a love for travel.

Travel agency Barrhead Travel said one-person bookings for river cruises and touring/adventure holidays are up 31 per cent and 20 per cent respectively this year compared with 2024.

Managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell claimed there is a common misconception that solo travel is only for singles.

She said: Its actually quite common to see people taking a trip for themselves without their partners or families because perhaps its something that theyve always wanted to do.

Women in particular are a growing market for solo travel. Some of the drivers of this trend are the increase in options for group touring with like-minded individuals, as well as the world becoming more accessible.

Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said its members have recorded a double-digit increase in solo bookings in 2025 compared with last year.

Chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said told the PA news agency: We are seeing more and more people who are comfortable in the decision to travel in a group but on their own, not with families.

Thats certainly seen an increase in this last 12 months. There are more products coming out for that market.
News / Africa

by Stephen Jakes

The inaugural meeting of the League of African Ambassadors (LAA) has been slated for Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, running from 14 to 15 October 2025.This was revealed in an invitation letter dated October 2, addressed to Forum for Cultural Diplomacy Secretary General Pardon Tapfumaneyi. The letter was signed by LAA Secretary General Ambassador Kufa E. Chinoza."I have the honour to inform you that the League of African Ambassadors (LAA) will be launched with the installation of the President and inauguration of the Board of Trustees (BoT) as well as the Executive Committee members on Tuesday 14 October 2025 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia," Chinoza wrote."As you may wish to know, the LAA is a body of serving and retired African Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to various countries and multilateral institutions. It is aimed, amongst others, at achieving the following: a) Supporting robust continental African foreign policies and cohesion of African diplomats at the global front. b) Promotion of inclusive, coordinated and robust engagement on continental and global issues. c) Developing institutional memory for African diplomacy. d) Enhancement of continental investment campaigns towards transforming African countries from raw materials exporters to industrialised economies for sustainable development."Chinoza also noted that the League aims to foster economic, diplomatic, social, educational and agricultural programmes with the global community, with emphasis on mutual respect and benefits for all concerned. He added that the League endorses African home-grown models for effective development, with a view to strengthening African core values."While looking forward to your attendance, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration and esteem," Chinoza wrote.
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, attends the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester - Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

Robert Jenrick is absent from the cover of the Tory conference guide amid continuing speculation over a potential leadership bid.

The cover shows Kemi Badenoch surrounded by nine senior members of her shadow cabinet including Chris Philp, her shadow home secretary, and James Cleverly, her shadow housing secretary.

The other shadow ministers who appear on the cover included Kevin Hollinroke (party chairman), Alex Burghart (Northern Ireland), Andrew Bowie (Scotland), Neil OBrien (policy renewal), Andrew Griffith (business), Laura Trott (education) and Claire Coutinho (energy).

But Mr Jenrick, who came second to Mrs Badenoch in last years Conservative leadership battle, is a notable absence. Supporters of the shadow justice secretary have claimed that the Tories would not be polling so poorly if he were leader.

The Tory conference guide photograph, from which Robert Jenrick is missing

At the weekend, Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, warned Tories that voters will never forgive them if they return to self-indulgent leadership contests less than a year after Mrs Badenoch was elected.

I think weve got to hold our nerve. Nobody finds it comfortable to be where we are in the polls, he said.

A Tory party spokesman claimed Mr Jenrick was only absent because he had not been able to attend the photoshoot. He added that other senior frontbenchers, including Mr Stride and shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel, were also not in the picture.

The slogan on the front of the guide is: Stronger economy, stronger borders.

Former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, who has defected to Reform UK, tweeted: Weakened Kemi omits her Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti and Shadow Lord Chancellor Robert Jenrick from her party conference picture! And also has selective amnesia by promising stronger borders. No one believes you, Kemi.

Last week Angela Rayner was airbrushed from Labours conference brochure in the wake of her resignation after The Telegraph revealed that she had failed to pay enough stamp duty on the purchase of a seaside flat.

The official guide to the four-day event originally included a two-page foreword by Ms Rayner on pages six and seven alongside a photograph of her.

Later, the official guide was updated online. The sixth and seventh pages featured listings for conference events organised by Labour Together, a centre-Left think tank, and a foreword from Hollie Ridley, Labours general secretary.
State schools might be more vulnerable to attacks because of pressure on funding and a lack of specialist expertise, say analysts. Photograph: MBI/Alamy

When hackers attacked UK nurseries last month and published childrens data online, they were accused of hitting a new low.

But the broader education sector is well used to being a target.

According to a UK government survey, educational institutions are more likely to face a cyber-attack or security breach than private businesses.

Six out of 10 secondary schools have suffered an attack or breach over the past 12 months, rising to eight out of 10 for further education colleges and nine out of 10 for higher education institutions. By comparison, four out of 10 businesses have faced a breach or attack  roughly the same proportion as primary schools.

Toby Lewis, the global head of threat analysis at the cybersecurity firm Darktrace, says the UK education sector is not necessarily being targeted deliberately. They are just getting caught up in the dragnet of cybercrime attacks that are out there, he says, adding that there is an element of randomness and opportunism in the targeting of cybercrime victims.

The BBC reported last week that Kido, the nursery business targeted by a hacking group calling itself Radiant, was targeted after an initial access broker sold access to Kidos systems to Radiant, a common scenario in cybercrime circles.

The government data, from its annual cyber security breaches survey, is based on a survey of nearly 300 secondary and primary schools in the UK as well as more than 30 higher education institutions, including universities. It defines a cyber-attack as an attempt to breach a targets IT systems, which includes sending phishing emails that attempt to trick the recipient into handing over sensitive information such as a password.

A phishing email was the most common form of attack for universities and schools.

Ransomware attacks have become a well-known form of cybercrime in the UK. Attackers typically encrypt a targets IT systems and steal data  then demand a payment in bitcoin for decrypting the systems and destroying or returning the data.

West Lothian councils education network was hit by a ransomware attack this year that resulted in data being taken from some schools, while universities hit by cyber attacks in recent years include Newcastle University, the University of Manchester and the University of Wolverhampton.

Lewis adds that state schools might be more vulnerable to attacks because of pressure on funding and a lack of specialist expertise, while universities are vulnerable because they have thousands of young students who might not be cyber security-literate, as well as having computer networks that are designed to foster academic cooperation.

Universities appear to be popular targets. Further and higher education institutions are affected most regularly, with three out of 10 reporting a breach or attack on a weekly basis, according to the government. Despite of, or perhaps because of, the number of attacks the education sector is more aware of government initiatives on preventing cybercrime than businesses and charities.

Pepe Dilasio, the general secretary of the UK Association of School and College Leaders, said ransomware attacks were a major risk to the sector and a great deal of work was going on to protect systems and data.

James Bowen, assistant general secretary at the National Association of Head Teachers, said additional government funding to help school leaders spot and respond to cyber threats would certainly be welcome.

The Department for Education said its support for schools included a dedicated team for responding to cyber incidents and working closely with the UKs National Cyber Security Centre to offer free training for school staff. We take the cybersecurity of our schools seriously, understanding the significant disruption attacks can cause, and there is a range of support on offer for schools, said its spokesperson.

Kidos hackers have deleted the data they took from the company, including profiles of children, following a backlash against the hack.

Government data, however, shows that the wider education sector remains a target. Ministers are preparing to ban schools, the NHS and local councils from making ransomware payments under government proposals to tackle hackers, which might help dissuade assailants. In the meantime, the attacks continue.
Kemi Badenoch: If you do not agree with leaving the ECHR, then you should not and cannot stand as a Conservative candidate at the next election

Kemi Badenoch will block Tory candidates from standing for Parliament if they do not support leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The Conservative leader announced that Britain would withdraw from the ECHR if she took office as part of a long-awaited immigration plan.

In an interview with The Camilla Tominey Show on GB News, she said: I was very clear at the shadow cabinet, where we agreed completely  it was unanimous  that we cannot have a party where people do not abide by manifesto commitments.

If you do not agree with leaving the ECHR, then you should not and cannot stand as a Conservative candidate at the next election. They can be in the party but they cannot stand as MPs.

The position risks creating tensions with Tory MPs who have long dismissed claims that there is a need to leave the ECHR to protect the UKs borders.

Mrs Badenochs remarks come after Sir Keir Starmer indicated he would restrict migrants use of the ECHR to fight deportation.

On Sunday, the Tory leader also came under pressure to explain exactly how she would deport up to 150,000 illegal migrants a year  another new policy announcement.

Asked on BBC Ones Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg where the deportees would go, Mrs Badenoch said to their home countries, but gave few other details. At one point, she appeared to say the question was irrelevant and the important point was that people without the right to be in the UK should be removed.

Mrs Badenoch was asked for details on where 150,000 deportees would go, but gave few - Danny Lawson/PA

Another challenge to her borders plan emerged in the fine print of an analysis by Lord Wolfson, the Tory shadow attorney general, which set out how and why to leave the ECHR.

The Tory peer admitted there is no escaping the fact that withdrawal from the ECHR would provide the EU with a ground to terminate the UK-EU free-trade deal.

Brussels ripping up the Brexit trade deal would damage exports and make it harder for the UK to co-operate with European nations on bringing international criminals to justice.

Mrs Badenoch has put tougher immigration policies at the centre of her first party conference as leader. The four-day Tory gathering is taking place in Manchester.

She made it clear that party members would still be able to oppose leaving the ECHR, but not parliamentary candidates.

We dont remove people for having slightly different views on policy, she told GB News. But if you want to be a Member of Parliament as a Conservative, then you need to understand that leaving the ECHR is a manifesto commitment.

Article eight of the ECHR, which specifies the right to a family life, has been blamed for frustrating the removals of thousands of illegal migrants.

A series of cases highlighted by The Telegraph included that of an Albanian criminal who was allowed to stay in Britain partly because his son will not eat foreign chicken nuggets.

Reform UK has campaigned on leaving the ECHR since its formation as a political party in late 2020.

Rishi Sunak, Mrs Badenochs predecessor, opened the door to the possibility of leaving the ECHR by vowing to put British border security ahead of membership of a foreign court.

But he defied calls from top Tories including Robert Jenrick, who resigned from his top team, and Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, to commit to withdrawal.

On Sunday, Sir Robert Buckland, a former Conservative justice secretary, led Tory criticism of Mrs Badenochs proposals. In an article for ConservativeHome, he wrote: The ECHR is not perfect, and the Strasbourg court has at times overreached.

But the remedy lies in reform, not retreat. Britain should continue to press for subsidiarity, ensuring that national courts remain the primary arbiters of rights in their own societies.

Withdrawal from the ECHR would upset the delicate political balance in Northern Ireland, compromise our extradition and security arrangements, and damage our moral authority abroad. Above all, it would betray a tradition of liberty under the law that Britain itself helped to shape.

Sir Robert Buckland says withdrawal from the ECHR would damage the delicate balance in Northern Ireland - Liam McBurney/PA

In a speech to the conference, Mrs Badenoch suggested that Reforms lack of detailed policy proposals would mean chaos would follow if Nigel Farage became prime minister.

Mrs Badenoch said: Reform just shout that we should leave the ECHR without any plan to do so or understanding any of the consequences. They are practicing that old, failed politics I talked about. That politics of announcements without a plan. Thats the way to chaos and failure.

It is only the Conservatives who are taking the honest, responsible approach, prepared with a plan to deliver.

Last week, Sir Keir hinted he was ready to change the way the ECHR is applied to enable the Government to deport more failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals who claim they are victims of torture.

The Prime Minister told BBC Radio 4: I think there is a difference between someone being deported to summary execution and someone who is simply going somewhere where they dont get the same level of healthcare or for that matter the same prison conditions.

Therefore, I do think we need to look at issues like that again. I think there is quite an appetite to look at issues like that again.
A future Conservative government would save 47 billion of taxpayers money by cutting spending on welfare, aid and social housing, the shadow chancellor will claim on Monday.

Sir Mel Stride is expected to set out proposals to slash Government spending when he addresses the Conservative Party conference, saying the country cannot keep spending money we simply do not have.

Some 23 billion is expected to come from cuts to welfare, replacing payments to people with low level mental health conditions with treatment and barring non-citizens from claiming support among other reforms.

Sir Mel is also set to commit his party to reversing any change to the two-child benefit cap, widely expected to be in line for abolition at next months Budget.

Promising to never, ever make fiscal commitments without spelling out exactly how they will be paid for, Sir Mel will say: Were the only party that gets it. The only party that will stand up for fiscal responsibility.

We must get on top of government spending. We cannot deliver stability unless we live within our means.

He will commit his party to cutting Civil Service numbers by around a quarter, saving 8 billion, and reducing aid spending by 7 billion to 0.1% of national income.

Under David Cameron, the Tories introduced a target of spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid, which was reduced to 0.5% following the pandemic and then cut again by the current Labour Government to 0.3% to pay for greater defence spending.

The Conservatives will also pledge to reduce spending on social housing, arguing there will be less demand for it once non-citizens are barred from receiving council accommodation.

Having vowed to repeal the Climate Change Act, Sir Mel will also set out plans to reduce green spending, including subsidies for heat pumps and electric vehicles.

The proposals have been welcomed by the Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) but the think tank warned they ignored the elephant in the room of age-related spending such as pensions.

Earlier this year, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned the pensions triple lock, which remains Conservative policy, would prove unsustainable in the longer term.

Tom Clougherty, IEA executive director, said: Ultimately, no political party is going to be able to balance the books only by cutting things their supporters dont like.

Long-term fiscal sustainability requires that we engineer a different trajectory for spending on pensions, social care, and old-age healthcare. Without that, other cuts are likely to amount to running to stand still.

Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: The Tories let welfare bills, civil service numbers and asylum hotel use skyrocket on their watch  and theyve never apologised. Now they want to rehash failed promises from their failed manifesto to try to solve the problems they caused.

This is the same old Tories, with the same old policies. They didnt work then and you cant trust them now.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said it was clear the Conservative Party learnt absolutely nothing from their disastrous handling of the economy, which left families struggling with a cost-of-living crisis and public services on their knees.

She added: Cutting vital support to bring household bills down, trying to balance the books on the backs of people with mental health conditions and slashing the UKs soft power abroad through aid budget cuts shows Trussonomics is still in full swing.

The plan to slash the UK aid budget even further is reckless, short-sighted, and morally indefensible, according to Bond, the network for organisations working in international development and humanitarian assistance.

Chief executive Romilly Greenhill said: Marginalised communities who have already borne the brunt of previous cuts will once again pay the price, particularly women and girls and those experiencing conflict. Cutting UK aid doesnt make us stronger, it makes the world, and the UK, less safe.
Former EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman has said Jewish people have been left deeply traumatised by an attack on a Manchester synagogue which saw two people killed.

The 59-year-old said she had friends who attend the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, where the incident took place, who watched it unfold live from the window.

Three men are still in hospital after the car and knife attack, while four people remain in custody in connection with the incident after police were granted extra time to question them.

Oberman is best known for her role as Chrissie Watts in EastEnders (Ian West/PA)

The actress, who is best known for playing Chrissie Watts in the BBC soap, said: I have to say that we are frightened, we are deeply traumatised by what happened, and we are beginning to feel very angry.

Because we have been saying for the past two years that this was not just a possibility, it wasnt a case of if it was going to happen, it was a case of when it was going to happen.

And we have told this Government before, this one and the Government that are in charge now, that we have been intimidated and frightened by relentless antisemitism for two years, growing up as a Jew in this country.

And its been completely normalised all of my life, is that every synagogue, every Jewish school, every Jewish art centre that you go into, any Jewish event, you have had to have security, lots of security because of the continuing death threats.

So that is normalised, but the last two years has seen it go up to a whole other level.

Oberman said she believed free speech is everything but said it gets to a point where free speech and intimidation, and incitement, which goes against the law, has to be tackled.

She added: Antisemitism is the oldest hatred, and while, of course, legitimate concern and care, and vocalising pain and wanting a better future for Palestinians, and the end of the war in Gaza cannot be conflated and must never be mixed in with anti-Jewish vernacular.

And that is what we have seen a rise of, and it has absolutely contributed to what happened the other day.

The London-born actress said she has had to have security constantly while recently working on theatre projects.

It comes after the attack took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and saw Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship.
Mr Trumps peace plan envisions the Palestinian Authority controlling Gaza after an interim period - Saul Loeb/AFP

Donald Trump has told negotiators to move fast to agree a deal to end the war in Gaza.

Teams from Israel and Hamas arrived in Egypt on Sunday to begin discussions on the return of hostages and political prisoners, as part of talks that could pave the way to ending the two-year conflict.

The US president said: I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST. I will continue to monitor this centuries-old conflict.

Time is of the essence, or massive bloodshed will follow  something that nobody wants to see.

On Friday night, Hamas agreed to release its hostages under the terms of the deal, but the terror groups position on disarmament and its future role in the governance of the Strip remains unclear.

A number of key issues are under negotiation, including stipulations that would force Hamas to disarm and have no role in the post-war governance of Gaza.

On Sunday, Mr Trump warned that the terror group faced complete obliteration if it insisted on ruling Gaza, a key sticking point of Mr Trumps proposed 20-point peace plan.

Mr Trump and the first lady in front of a F/A-18E fighter jet as part of the US navys 250th anniversary celebration - Alex Brandon

In a text message to CNN earlier in the day on the issue of disarmament, Mr Trump wrote: We will find out. Only time will tell!!!

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, told NBC News that the war in Gaza was not yet over.

Theres some work that remains to be done, Mr Rubio said of the issues in the US-backed ceasefire plan that need to be ironed out.

On Sunday, Israels army chief warned the fighting in Gaza would resume if talks fail.

Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, vowed to continue fighting with full backing from all involved countries if Hamas rejected the agreement.

Speaking to the Gvura Families of the Fallen Forum, which represents the families of soldiers killed in the war, the Israeli prime minister said he would not move on to any next point in the plan until the first point  the release of all hostages, until the very last one is transferred to Israeli territory.

An explosion caused by an Israeli air strike on Gaza on Sunday

Mr Netanyahu also insisted that Israel would be responsible for disarming Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) would not control Gaza after the end of the war.

This contradicts Mr Trumps peace plan, which states that the PA will effectively take back control of Gaza once it has undergone reforms.

Ahead of the Egyptian negotiations, a senior Hamas official told AFP that the terror group was very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions.

The occupation must not obstruct the implementation of President Trumps plan. If the occupation has genuine intentions to reach an agreement, Hamas is ready, the official added.

People attend a protest in Jerusalem calling for the release of all hostages held by Hamas - Ohad Zwigenberg

The Hamas delegation is led by Khalil al-Hayya, who survived the Israeli attack on senior officials of the terror group in Qatar last month.

The Israeli delegation to Sharm el-Sheikh will be led by Ron Dermer, the countrys strategic affairs minister; Ophir Falk, a senior advisor to Mr Netanyahu; Gal Hirsch, the governments lead on hostages; David Zini, the head of Israels Shin Bet intelligence agency; and Nitzan Alon, who leads on the hostages for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Mr Trump has sent Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, to oversee the talks, which will begin on Monday, a source told The Telegraph.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said the reason for the possible turnaround in Hamass position is the intensity of the pressure Israel is exerting on Gaza City and that the IDF was currently in the heart of Gaza City and ready for any possibility.

If Hamas refuses to release the hostages, the IDF will again increase the intensity of fire until Hamas is defeated and all the hostages are released, Mr Katz said.

A source told The Telegraph that Israel would halt its offensive in the Gaza Strip to allow Hamas to begin organising the release of the hostages. The source added that Israel was constantly examining what is happening on the ground and will not allow the terrorist organisations to try to take advantage of the opportunity and carry out a last-minute attack, or to strengthen their grip on the ground.

But Israeli planes and tanks continued to bombard Gaza City on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, despite Mr Trumps appeal to stop the assault.

An Israeli tank operating within Gaza on Oct 3 - Shutterstock

Mr Rubio said Israel must stop bombing Gaza if it wanted to secure the release of the hostages. He told CBS News: I think the Israelis and everyone acknowledge you cant release hostages in the middle of [air] strikes, so the strikes will have to stop.

There cant be a war going on in the middle of it.

According to Israels Channel 12, the IDF has been instructed to switch from an offensive to a defensive posture. The channel said the air strikes reported across Gaza in the past 24 hours were meant to defend Israeli troops from imminent threats.

Mr Trump appears determined to secure a peace deal despite Mr Netanyahus reservations.

Citing official US sources, Axios reported that Mr Netanyahu told Mr Trump that Hamass response to the peace plan was nothing to celebrate, to which Mr Trump said: I dont know why youre always so f----ing negative. This is a win. Take it.

The first four points of the peace plan are understood to be of utmost importance to Israel, with Jerusalem fully aligned with Washington to secure a deal, The Telegraph was told.

These points stipulate that Gaza will be de-radicalised, will be redeveloped for the people of Gaza, the war will end if both parties agree to the terms, and hostages will be returned within 72 hours.

The negotiations [will show] whether Hamas is bluffing again or whether it has realised that it has no choice but to accept the Trump plan, the source said.
Chicago has been the site of numerous anti-ICE protests - Anadolu/Anadolu

Donald Trump has ordered 300 National Guard troops to deploy to Chicago, where the government said ICE agents shot a woman who tried to run them over with her car on Saturday.

A White House spokesman confirmed that the US president authorised using the Illinois National Guard members, citing what she called ongoing violent riots and lawlessness that local leaders have not quelled.

President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities, the spokesman said.

Donald Trump, the US president, has long threatened to send troops to Chicago, which has resulted in a standoff with the Democratic governor of Illinois - Jim Vondruska/Reuters

JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, said the National Guard received notice from the Pentagon earlier in the day. He called the move unnecessary and a manufactured performance  not a serious effort to protect public safety.

This morning, the Trump administrations department of war gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, Mr Pritzker said in a statement.

It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will. 

Mr Trump has long threatened to send troops to Chicago, but it was not immediately clear when or exactly where they would be deployed.

Mr Trump previously deployed the National Guard to Los Angeles during high-profile anti-immigration protests there - Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP

The escalation follows similar deployments in other parts of the country. Mr Trump sent the National Guard to Los Angeles over the summer and to Washington DC as part of his law enforcement takeover there. National Guard troops from Tennessee are expected to arrive in Memphis, the states second-largest city, to help police there.

Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, sued to stop the deployment in Los Angeles and won a temporary block in federal court. The Trump administration has appealed that ruling, which stated that the use of the guard was illegal, and a three-judge panel of an appeals court has indicated that it believes Mr Trump is likely to prevail.

Mr Pritzker criticised the Illinois deployment for pulling the National Guard troops away from their families and regular jobs, saying: For Donald Trump, this has never been about safety. This is about control.

Mr Trump also said last month that he was sending federal troops to Portland, Oregon, calling the city war-ravaged. But local officials have suggested that many of his claims and social media posts appear to rely on images from 2020, when demonstrations and unrest gripped the city following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

City and state officials sued to stop the deployment the next day, and on Saturday a judge temporarily blocked Mr Trumps order.
George Soros in Vienna, Austria, in 2019. Photograph: Lisi Niesner/Reuters

Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, said everything is on the table and left it there. But Donald Trump threw discretion to the wind and was far more specific about his choice of enemy to go after.

If you look at Soros, hes at the top of everything, the US president said.

The gathering with reporters took place in the Oval Office last month as Trump ordered a crackdown on leftwing terrorism and threatened to investigate and prosecute those who financially support it.

There is no evidence linking George Soros, a 95-year-old billionaire who has supported democratic causes around the world, or Reid Hoffman, who helped start PayPal and the networking site LinkedIn, to terrorism. But both are top donors to the Democratic party. And both were named by Trump as potential participants in a vast conspiracy to finance violent protesters against the government.

Related: George Soros foundation hits back at Trump after report that DoJ plans to target group

It is no coincidence, critics say, that the president is intensifying his attacks on Soros little more than a year before the midterm elections for Congress. The billionaire reportedly contributed more than $170m to help Democrats during the 2022 midterm cycle. A justice department investigation could deter both Soros and other would-be donors in 2026.

Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, said: Anyone who contributes to the Democrats can expect Soros treatment if theyre giving a large amount of money. Weve seen Trump quite skillfully using intimidation and threats to bring prominent law firms, major universities and others to their knees. This is another effort to cower opposition. The point here is to make it harder for Democrats to raise money.

Soros has long been a go-to bogeyman for the right. He was born to a Jewish family in Budapest, Hungary, in 1930 and emigrated to London after surviving the Nazi occupation of his home country. He moved to New York and, in 1970, founded Soros Fund Management, which grew into one of the most successful hedge funds in history. In 1992, he was dubbed the man who broke the Bank of England after short-selling $10bn worth of British pounds during the UKs currency crisis.

Soros began philanthropic work in the late 1970s, funding scholarships for Black South Africans under apartheid. In the 1980s, he provided support to dissidents and pro-democracy groups in communist eastern Europe. This work evolved into the Open Society Foundations (OSF), now one of the biggest funders of groups that support human rights, government transparency, public health and education in more than a hundred countries.

Soros has donated more than $32bn to the OSF but in 2023 handed over its stewardship to his son Alex, who this summer married Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton and herself the target of rightwing conspiracy theories. Within the US, the OSF has supported groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Equal Justice Initiative, Indivisible, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, the National Immigration Law Center and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.

Patrick Gaspard, who was president of the OSF from 2017 to 2020, coinciding with Trumps first term, said: Its hard to believe but at one point Georges work had bipartisan support. Republican senators and Congress members would meet with George Soros regularly, openly. They would tout his work in helping to bring down the iron curtain and help instill democracy in western Europe. They were proud to have the association.

That changed in 2004, when, disenchanted by the Iraq war, Soros emerged as a major backer of the Democratic candidate John Kerry during his unsuccessful presidential campaign against George W Bush. He has since been a major donor to Democrats, giving $125m to one liberal Super Pac in 2021, according to the campaign finance tracker OpenSecrets.

Republicans have mega-donors of their own, including Miriam Adelson, Charles Koch, Timothy Mellon and Elon Musk, whose donation of more than $270m to Trumps presidential campaign dwarfed Soross input. Even so, Soross influence has made him a frequent target of criticism and conspiracy theories, especially from rightwing groups and authoritarian governments.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman from Georgia, posted on the X social media platform in 2023: No other person has undermined our democracy more than George Soros. Why is [he] still allowed to maintain his citizenship?

The critiques often play on antisemitic tropes. Emily Tamkin, author of The Influence of Soros, said: You couldnt imagine a more perfect cartoon villain than Soros because hes a foreigner, he works in finance, he lives in New York and, I would say most saliently, hes Jewish, which means that you can have all sorts of stereotypes and conspiracies take hold without ever saying the word Jewish.

When Trump ally Viktor Orban of Hungary was running for re-election in 2018, he targeted Soros with antisemitic dog whistles, saying: We are fighting an enemy that is different from us. Not open, but hiding; not straightforward but crafty; not honest but base; not national but international; does not believe in working but speculates with money; does not have its own homeland but feels it owns the whole world.

Tamkin added: This idea of the rootless cosmopolitan or the greedy New Yorker obsessed with money. Globalist is one youre hearing a lot. I dont ever need to say the word Jew for antisemitic synapses to light up, which helps these conspiracies travel extremely effectively. Thats exactly what were seeing now in the United States and we should be clear about that.

Soros has long been considered a villain by Trump and his conservative base. In August, the president said without evidence that Soros and his son should be charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or Rico, because of their alleged support for violent protests.

Last month, the New York Times reported that the justice department had directed prosecutors to consider possible charges against the Open Society Foundations. Soross office sent a letter to friends and colleagues stating: Allegations that George or OSF are in any way engaged in unlawful activity or in fomenting or promoting violence are 100% false.

Then, in the wake of charges against the former FBI director James Comey, came Trumps remarks in the Oval Office, suggesting that Soros and Hoffman could be prosecuted for sponsoring professional anarchists and agitators. There is no evidence to support these claims.

Gaspard is not surprised that Trump is once again seeking to demonise George and Alex Soros. Everyone knows  you can set your clock to it  that when the midterm elections come, when the presidential elections come, that family is going to be involved in some fashion in politics with capital D Democrats, he said.

Trump and those around him are interested in making the name toxic, the investments toxic, and to then find ways to destabilise what should be a source of strength for progressives and the centre left. Then this thing happens where the work of the philanthropy gets conflated with the rights of the individual to participate in American politics and to invest in national politics. That conflation is dangerous.

The move against Soros comes as Republicans face an uphill battle in next years midterms, when the party that holds the White House traditionally suffers losses. The jobs market is showing significant signs of weakening, consumer prices remain stubbornly high and this week the federal government shut down.

But Trump has already intervened to protect his allies in Congress by pushing for the redrawing of congressional district maps, seeking to purge voter rolls, taking aim at mail-in voting and ordering the justice department to investigate ActBlue, the Democrats prime fundraising tool. The assault on Soros could be aimed at choking off money from bigger donors.

Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump group, said: Right now Trumps in a lot of trouble across the board politically: the job situation is terrible, the economy is crashing out, the Epstein files are still dividing the party. All these things have led to a moment where they need some bait and they need some distraction out there.

Soros is a great target for that and Im sure its also trying to send a chilling message to any other Democratic donor that they should watch out or hell go after them. If they dont avoid transgressing against Trump, theyll be in the same spot that Soros finds himself in.

Wilson, a former Republican strategist, added: Its absolutely about scaring people and freaking people out and causing fear and suppressing free speech. They do not want people to fund campaigns or Super Pacs or organisations that oppose Trump or Trumpism or their movement and so theyre going to seek to punish people and scare them off.

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Two subway trains pass each other at the Marcy Avenue station in Brooklyn (Getty Images)

Two teenage girls have been killed in a reported "subway-surfing" tragedy in New York.

The girls, one of whom was just 13, were found lying on top of a train at Marcy Avenue Broadway station in Brooklyn in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police attended the scene in Williamsburg at around 3.10am and both teens were confirmed dead at the scene.

Subway-surfing is a trend that sees youths climb on top of trains and ride them, instead of safely getting inside the carriages.

According to witnesses, the girls were spotted earlier running inside the carriages among a group of about 15 teenagers before their bodies were found on the roof, The Sun reports.

NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said: "Its heart-breaking that two young girls are gone because they somehow thought riding outside a subway train was an acceptable game.

"Parents, teachers, and friends need to be clear with loved ones: getting on top of a subway car isnt surfing its suicide.

Im thinking of both the grieving families, and transit workers who discovered these children, all of whom have been horribly shaken by this tragedy."

These deaths bring the total number of subway-surfing victims this year to five.

Officers confirmed one of the girls was 13, while the other was aged between 13 and 18.

Three teenage boys were questioned by police outside the station and two of them were driven away in a vehicle. Investigators were also seen carrying plastic bags and a skateboard out of the station but it is unknown if these were related to the tragic incident.

In July, 15-year-old Carlos Oliver, from the Bronx, died after he fell from the top of southbound train as it headed into Queensboro Plaza Station at 2.45am.

And in March, Gustavo Guaman-Quizhpilema, 12, from Queens, was fatally injured after falling from a train at 111th street station in Corona. He died in hospital four days later.

Last year, six people were killed while subway-surfing, and five deaths linked to the trend were reported in 2023.
NHSBT is calling for O negative donors to come forward as well as people with B- blood (Getty Images)

Peter Randle, a 69-year-old grandfather from Coventry, has made 138 blood donations since he was 18, and is now urging others to "help society" by following suit.

The financial adviser, who possesses the vital O negative blood type, shared his motivation with the PA news agency.

He explained: "When I was in my 30s I became aware that my blood group is what they call a universal blood group, which means in an emergency they can give it to anyone."

This realisation, he added, "motivated me to keep giving" as he understood the heightened importance of his contributions.

Peter Randle has been givine blood since he was a teenager and has donated 138 times (NHS Blood and Transplant/PA Wire)

He added: Its just something you can do to help society so I would encourage everyone to do it  particularly if youve got the rarer blood groups like mine, then then you should really try and find the time to do it.

If you give every three months, if you dont do anything else particularly good during that time youve always done that.

It comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) thanked blood, organ and stem cell donors as it celebrated its 20th anniversary.

NHSBT was established in October 2005 when the National Blood Authority, UK Transplant and Bio Products Laboratory merged to create one organisation.

Since it began Mr Randle has donated blood 88 times  the highest number of donations in NHSBTs 20-year history.

A further 41 donors have donated more than 80 times.

Mr Randle, who is well known to nurses at his local donation centre, told PA: I was diagnosed with something quite accidentally really, called haemochromatosis, which is where your blood produces too much iron and that iron can attach itself to your organs if you dont control it.

I was OK because I was giving blood regularly, because thats the treatment for it, to take blood regularly, they then allowed me to go every two months when other donors are allowed to donate every three months.

Its a win-win because I can give more often and people will benefit from it.

So I put my foot on the accelerator then and now go about every eight weeks.

NHSBT is calling for O negative donors to come forward as well as people with B- blood and black heritage donors.

Mr Randle also said giving blood had helped him with his own health conditions (NHS Blood and Transplant/PA Wire)

To mark its 20th anniversary, NHSBT has highlighted some of its achievements over the last two decades, including:

 33,727,426 blood donations.

 4,341,851 whole blood donors, 32,929 plasma donors and 77,815 platelet donors.

 286,166 people who have joined the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry.

 50,198 cord blood units collected.

 83,941 solid organ transplants.

 46,020 solid organ donors.

 18,416,561 opt ins on the Organ Donor Register.

 99,020 corneas donated.

 10 people have donated all of blood, plasma, platelets and stem cells through NHSBT.

It also said that 53 new blood group antigens and 104 new blood group alleles have been discovered by NHSBT scientists.

Dr Gail Miflin, chief medical officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: The work that we have done as an organisation over these last two decades is truly life-saving and life-improving and we couldnt have done any of it without the millions of generous blood, organ, plasma, platelet and stem cell donors who have put themselves forward to help those who need it.

We cannot thank them enough for everything they have done and continue to do.

She added: As well as our blood, organ and stem cell donation services, we also have a multitude of incredible teams who carry out world class research and deliver leading clinical services that help us to develop and scale up new offerings for the NHS, translating breakthroughs into real-life products that reach patients, saving and improving lives.

We look forward to seeing what the next 20 years bring  and to continue to welcome our existing donors alongside the new, so we can work together to save and improve the lives of all of those who need it.

Simon Elmore received a kidney transplant in 2015 (NHS Blood and Transplant/PA Wire)

NHSBT highlighted how 12,000 people have died in the last decade while waiting for an organ transplant and there are more than 8,000 waiting for a transplant, as it urged people to register their decision on the organ donor register.

Simon Elmore, who received a kidney transplant in 2015, described how incredibly special organ donation is as he thanked the family of his donor.

The 50-year-old from Belper, Derbyshire, who has since competed in the Transplant Games, said: My kidneys suddenly failed when I was 33 and I was added to the transplant waiting list.

Five years into that wait, I had a stroke and fell seriously ill. At one point I wasnt expected to survive the night.

Since I received my transplant, now a full decade ago, Ive gone on to live life to its fullest. I now have the chance to open my eyes every day and smile.

Organ donation is incredibly special and I send my thanks to my donor family and all of the donor families out there, as well as all of the staff across NHS Blood and Transplant and the wider NHS, who work to make the transplants happen.

NHSBT is also calling for people to sign up to become stem cell donors, particularly more young men.
News / Health

by Stephen Jakes

Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda has called on the government to clarify Zimbabwe's capacity to locally produce condoms, following the United States' work stop order that cancelled donor funding to several African countries.Bonda raised the issue during a recent parliamentary question-and-answer session, urging the state to pursue self-sufficiency in the fight against HIV and AIDS."My follow-up question is: HIV outbreak started in 1980. We are actually around 45/47 years. Does the government have any plans to produce at least a condom that is proudly written 'Produced in Zimbabwe'? So that at least, we cannot just depend on foreign aid, as we are moving towards self-sustainability and we should produce our own things in the country," Bonda said.In response, Deputy Minister of Health and Childcare Sleiman Kwidini acknowledged the historical context and welcomed private sector involvement."Yes, it is true, the first case of HIV was identified here in Zimbabwe in 1987, although it had already been identified somewhere else. On issues of production of condoms, it will be very good for industrialists or people who want to do business, so that as a Ministry, we can procure from them," Kwidini said.He added that direct production by the Ministry would be burdensome, but encouraged investment and innovation from local entrepreneurs."I believe the Hon. Member will also assist us to come up with these noble ideas to lure the investors who want to come, or our own people to maybe try to manufacture condoms locally," he said.
Victoria Beckham has said she was shocked by the positive response to a viral moment in her husband Davids Netflix documentary.

The 51-year-old former Spice Girl delighted viewers with the now-viral moment in her husband Davids 2023 Netflix documentary, Beckham, in which she claimed to have been raised a working-class girl.

After she says this, David pokes his head around the door and tells her to be honest, before asking her to tell viewers what car her father drove her to school in (a Rolls-Royce).

He was meant to have left for work but was watching the monitor in another room, the fashion designer told The Times of the unrehearsed on-screen interaction between her and her husband of 26 years.

If Im being completely honest, I didnt love me in that documentary, Beckham reflected, adding she was surprised by how positive the feedback was to her appearance in the show.

Davids documentary made me realise how good it feels to be wrong. I like being wrong. I was wrong, and bring it on. I love that, she said.

Following the viral moment, Victoria promptly released merchandise poking fun at herself: a white T-shirt with the words My dad drove a Rolls-Royce was being sold for 110 shortly after the video spread.

In a later interview with Vogue Australia, Beckham clarified that she went to a regular school and didnt live in a big house and was embarrassed by her dads car as she was desperate to fit in.

Davids documentary made me realise how good it feels to be wrong, says Victoria Beckham (Netflix)

Beckhams surprise at her online popularity comes ahead of the release of her own Netflix documentary this month, following her time in the Spice Girls and her journey to build her own fashion empire.

Im not going to lie, being asked questions about when I was in the Spice Girls was quite triggering. And Id say those were the most difficult moments. It was almost like therapy for me, Beckham said.

I touch on my family, I touch on the Spice Girls, the problems weve had with the business, you know, the money weve lost  there have been lots of triggers. I cried.

Beckham rose to fame as a member of the Spice Girls, alongside Mel B, Mel C, Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton in the Nineties. She launched her fashion label in 2008  seven years after the band separated.

Beckham becomes emotional in her own Netflix documentary later this month (Netflix)

The stars eponymous brand has faced its share of financial difficulties and was reported to have debts of 53.9m in 2022.

However, Beckhams beauty brand topped 100m in sales this summer, with revenues for Victoria Beckham Holdings Ltd totalling 112.7m over 2024  27 per cent higher than 2023.

I havent talked before about the struggles that the business has been through, Beckham said. It hasnt all been easy.

Victoria Beckham starts on Netflix on Thursday 9 October.
Maj Gen Khaled Al-Sreir wants to stop Libya being used as a corridor for migration from Sudan - Isabel Oakeshott

The Libyan National Army has offered to work with the UK to detain and deport illegal immigrants before they reach the Channel.

Military chiefs in Benghazi have told The Telegraph they are keen to do more to stop their country being used as a key transit route for asylum seekers and economic migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, who use Libyan beaches as a departure point for crossing the Mediterranean.

However, they say their efforts to stop the flow of people through North Africa to the EU and UK are being hampered by long-standing UN sanctions, limiting access to the most effective search and rescue and surveillance equipment.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Maj Gen Khaled Al-Sreir, the deputy head of the department for combating illegal immigration, said: We want to cooperate with the UK. Libya is the place where your crisis starts  we are the first point of contact.

We are also the ones who are trying to stop the problem, with almost no international help. We dont need money  what we need is an exchange of experiences and scenarios.

He also warned that there was growing awareness among impoverished Africans of the attractive lifestyle they can expect if they make it to Britain, which was encouraging opportunists to pour into his country.

Maj Gen Sreir told The Telegraph that Libyans are fully aware of how angry Britons are about illegal migration

He said: We are not the destination. The people coming through Libya dream of crossing the ocean, to your country, and other parts of Europe. We have been following whats going on in the UK lately, and are fully aware of how angry people are.

Yet countries like the UK are effectively advertising themselves as an attractive destination.

When an illegal immigrant makes it from Sudan to the UK, and is put in a hotel, getting everything for free, what do you think he does? He contacts his friends and neighbours, and says, Look what I have here. Why dont you come too?

As a result, people who had never even thought of making this journey before are encouraged by their friends and family to try it.

Libya is a key corridor for refugees and economic migrants from conflict zones, including Sudan, Eritrea, Chad and Niger. With a permanent population of about 7.3 million people, the authorities are grappling with more than 800,000 illegal immigrants.

Thousands of asylum seekers make their way from these countries to the UK. Almost all Sudanese claimants that reach Britain are granted asylum.

0610 Libya

A willingness in principle to work with the UK could open the door to future discussions about joint processing facilities or other areas of cooperation, as the Home Office seeks alternatives to the abandoned Rwanda deportation plan.

A spokesman for Reform UK indicated that it would be open to work with any foreign government in order to stop the boats and end the crisis.

The fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 plunged Libya into turmoil, as rival militias vied for control. Lord Cameron, the then prime minister, played a key role in ousting the dictator. In the power vacuum that followed, Islamic extremists brought terror to the country.

The country is now effectively split. Tripoli, the administrative capital, is run by the internationally recognised Government of National Unity. However, the city and the west of the country are plagued by ongoing violence and instability.

The east is run by the Government of National Stability, with the support of Gen Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army. Their control over the region has brought relative stability and security.

Under the command of Lt Gen Saddam Haftar, the Libyan National Army oversees detention and deportation operations.

His forces also manage search and rescue operations in the Sahara, naval and coastguard efforts to stop the boats,and armed raids on people-traffickers. At peak times, the Libyan Coastguard intercepts up to eight dinghies a day.

A Home Office spokesman said: We will do whatever it takes to secure our borders and dismantle the people-smuggling networks that have taken root around them in recent years.

As part of this Governments commitment to strengthening investigative cooperation with authorities in key transit countries, the National Crime Agency, working alongside Libyan counterparts, has arrested suspected smugglers believed to have been involved in the movement of thousands of migrants into Europe.

The Home Office said as well as working with Libyan authorities to train and equip law enforcement agencies, the UK also provides funding to the International Organisation for Migration in Libya to support voluntary return and reintegration programmes for migrants.
Violent offenders are being given weight-loss injections to tackle an obesity crisis at Scotlands maximum security hospital, it has emerged.

Murderers and rapists are among inmates at Carstairs State Hospital offered drugs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy by doctors.

A report earlier this year found that 95 per cent of patients at the psychiatric hospital in South Lanarkshire were overweight.

The record numbers are being driven by inmates eating sugary snacks purchased from the hospital shop or brought in by visitors.

NHS Scotland limits weight loss drugs to the most severe cases  people with a body mass index (BMI) of 38 or higher who also have another obesity-related condition.

Those who do not qualify must use private prescriptions, which can cost hundreds of pounds per month.

The health board which oversees Carstairs has offered the drugs to the offenders in its care who qualify under NHS criteria.

A spokesman told the Daily Mail: The State Hospital has an active physical health programme aligned to the population health strategy. As part of this, eligible individuals who fulfil the criteria may be offered access to GLP-1 agonists as per Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) guidance.

The policy appears to be working: documents showed the number of patients at the hospital with a healthy BMI rose from 5 to 8 per cent between April and June.

The improvement came as the hospitals medical director reported that new anti-obesity drugs were in use to try to assist in weight loss, according to minutes from a meeting of the hospitals board.

The hospital has 140 beds for male patients requiring maximum security care.

Offenders include Daniel Parker, detained after killing his mother Margaret with a crossbow. He claimed he had been ordered to attack her by the devil.

Jacob Foster, who has a learning disability, has been detained since 2023 after killing stranger Charmaine ODonnell, 25, by pushing her off Helensburgh Pier as a bit of fun.

Tobyn Salvatore, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, was admitted in 2023 after fatally stabbing his grandparents Denis and Mary Fell at their home in Livingston. He said a voice in his head had ordered him to kill them during a row about a Christmas hamper.

A guide to the hospital published earlier this year asked visitors to limit the amount of chocolate, sweets, and crisps they brought in  and suggested healthier alternatives such as nuts and soft fruits.

It said: The majority of our patients are within the overweight or obese category. On average, patients gain 15 per cent of their body weight in the first year of their admission to the hospital.

We recognise that weight gain is due to a combination of prescribed medication, a sedentary lifestyle, access to unhealthy snacks and reduced motivation.

It said patients were provided with nutritionally balanced meals but also supplemented their food intake with snacks from the hospital shop and takeaways.
South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. (Bob Pardue / Alamy file)

South Carolina State Universitys campus remained on lockdown Sunday afternoon and Mondays classes were canceled following two separate shootings during the universitys homecoming celebrations.

Since Saturday nights shootings, SCSU has implemented additional safety measures, including controlled entry points for major events, increased camera monitoring, and enhanced emergency communications protocols, according to Gerald Hubbard Smalls, the universitys vice president for finance and administration.

One person was killed and two were injured in the two unrelated shootings, according to state officials.

The first shooting happened on campus near the Hugine Suites, a student dormitory, triggering a campuswide lockdown, according to a statement from the universitys media relations department. Residents of the dormitory were asked to stay in place while off-campus residents were told to leave the campus, according to the alert. Non-students were asked not to come to the campus.

A woman who was visiting the campus was injured in the incident and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Another guest on campus was injured while running from the scene of the first shooting, the university said in the statement.

A man who was also a guest on campus was injured in the second shooting and taken to a local hospital, the university said. He was later taken to another hospital via helicopter. The man is currently in the hospital, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said in a statement.

The university and SLED did not identify any of the victims. No SCSU students were injured in the incidents, university President Alexander Conyers said in a statement Sunday.

The shootings are not believed to be connected at this time, however, SLEDs investigations are active and ongoing, SLED said in the statement.

Anyone with information on either of the shootings is encouraged to get in touch with SLED.

The historically Black university is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, about 40 miles south of the state capital, Columbia.

The shootings took place several hours after the universitys homecoming game, prompting cancellations of Saturday nights homecoming concert and all related events scheduled for Sunday.

In a statement, Conyers said SCSU is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate these senseless acts of violence.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young woman who lost her life and to all who have been affected, Conyers said in the statement.

The campus is accessible only to students, employees and investigators while the school remains secured on lockdown, according to the university.

Classes on Monday have been canceled, the university said in communications shared with the campus community on Sunday.

Video from the campus showed police tape cordoning off an area near the Hugine Suites on Saturday night.

Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., said in an X post Saturday night that his office is closely monitoring the situation at the university.

Praying for everyones safety on campus, he wrote.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., advised everyone on campus to follow law enforcements instructions.

Our hearts are with the students, faculty, and families affected, she wrote in a statement posted to X.

The university is providing counseling services for members of the campus community who need it, according to its media relations department.

The investigation is ongoing.
There is no shortage of Texas hiking trails offering breathtaking views, but only the Permian Reef Trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park takes you into another state and showcases ancient fossils. This 9-mile trail is challenging, with an elevation gain of over 2,300 feet, but the reward at the end is well worth the effort. Travel back to a land before time as you admire sweeping mountain vistas and the last remnants of the ocean that once covered the now arid West Texas landscape.

When it comes to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, the Guadalupe Peak Trail gets all the attention. I know its the highest point in Texas, but many other great trails in the park often go unnoticed. The Permian Reef Trail is the definition of an underdog because it combines ancient history, breathtaking views, and just the right amount of difficulty to make you feel accomplished.

The trail is located in McKittrick Canyon, a riparian oasis with some of the richest biodiversity in all of Texas. While the canyon is best known for its brilliant fall colors, it remains beautiful year-round, with towering canyon walls and a variety of desert plants, including prickly pear cacti. The terrain is steep and rocky, but the trail is well-marked and well-maintained.

Youll climb up the rugged mountainside for several miles until reaching the highest point of the trail, where the barren, dusty landscape transforms into a lush pine forest. From here, you can enjoy panoramic views of the mountains and valley below before continuing. The trail keeps going all the way to the Texas-New Mexico state line, where youll find a guestbook inside a metal box. (Does anyone else love guestbooks on trails as much as I do? Theyre like time capsules for hikers, and Im here for it.) Sign the book as proof of your accomplishment, and take a photo to cherish the memory forever.

The trail is out-and-back, so youll retrace your steps, leave the way you came, and take advantage of another opportunity to appreciate the postcard-worthy scenery. Dont forget to look down occasionally, too-the ground is riddled with fossils, the only remaining evidence of the ancient lifeforms that once called this area home.

To access the Permian Reef Trail from the park entrance, head northeast on US 62 for seven miles until you see McKittrick Road. You can park at the visitor center, located approximately three miles up the road. The trailhead is just to the right of the building.

Visit AllTrails for more information about the Permian Reef Trail, including current trail conditions and updates. Hiking in a place as remote as the Guadalupe Mountains always comes with risks, including loss of cell service. Thats where AllTrails+ comes in handy-the app features offline map access, so you never have to worry about getting lost.

Have you ever hiked this hidden gem trail? What are your favorite Texas hiking trails worth the challenge?

Plan your own trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park with Only In Your State's AI-powered itinerary planner.
Democrat Jay Jones speaks in Richmond during his 2024 campaign kickoff for attorney general. Jones is now facing bipartisan backlash over newly surfaced text messages containing violent remarks about a former Republican House speaker. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)

What began as a quiet October Friday in Virginia politics erupted into a full-blown national scandal when screenshots of private, three-year old text messages showing Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones fantasizing about shooting then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his children were made public.

The National Review story revealed an August 2022 exchange between Jones  a former Norfolk delegate and one-time assistant attorney general  and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield. In the texts, Jones described a scenario in which Gilbert gets two bullets to the head, followed by a wish that the Republican lawmakers children die in their mothers arms.

The messages, sent shortly after Gilbert offered public condolences over the death of retired Democratic Del. Joe Johnson of Washington County, stunned political circles across Virginia and beyond. Coyner confirmed the authenticity of the exchange in a statement Friday evening, calling the remarks disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.

On August 8, 2022 I had a text conversation with Jay Jones, Coyner said. What he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office. Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and joked about shooting Todd Gilbert.

In a statement Friday evening, Jones admitted sending the messages and said he takes full responsibility for his actions. He apologized directly to Todd Gilbert and his family, and vowed to work to regain Virginians trust.

Republicans seize on the scandal

The revelation instantly reshaped a statewide race that had already been fiercely contested. After initially declining to comment, Attorney General Jason Miyares, the Republican incumbent, condemned his opponent during an impromptu news conference in Richmond Saturday afternoon.

The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of Virginia, Miyares said. It must be done with character and integrity. Jay Jones has proven he is reckless, biased, and willing to trade away his integrity. This conduct is disqualifying.

Miyares added that he had sat with crying victims of violent crime as a prosecutor and called Joness comments the kind of darkness that disqualifies anyone from holding public office.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin echoed that sentiment in a post on X, calling the messages violent, disgusting rhetoric targeted at an elected official and his children.

Jay Jones said that Gilbert gets two bullets to the head and then hoped his children would die, Youngkin wrote. There is no gosh, Im sorry here. Jones doesnt have the morality or character to drop out of this race.

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, now the Republican nominee for governor, went further  attempting to tie the controversy to her Democratic opponent, former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger.

Jay Jones is the poster child for the Democrat establishment and he fantasizes about murdered little children laying lifeless in their mothers arms, Earle-Sears said in a statement. My opponent Abigail Spanberger urges her supporters to fill their hearts with violent hate. Let your rage fuel you, she says. Words have meaning.

Earle-Searss campaign released a new television ad Sunday morning repeating those claims, even though Spanbergers 2024 rage quote came in the context of urging voter turnout, not violence.

From Richmond to Washington

The fallout quickly spilled beyond Virginias borders.

On Saturday afternoon, Vice President JD Vance weighed in, using the controversy to accuse Democrats of hypocrisy.

The Democrat candidate for AG in Virginia has been fantasizing about murdering his political opponents, Vance wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Im sure the people hyperventilating about sombrero memes will join me in calling for this very deranged person to drop out of the race.

President Donald Trump entered the fray Sunday morning, posting on Truth Social that the Radical Left Lunatic, Jay Jones, who is running against the GREAT Attorney General in Virginia, Jason Miyares, had made SICK and DEMENTED jokes, if they were jokes at all, about the murdering of a Republican Legislator, his wife, and their children.

Trump accused Jones of spreading not funny and deranged remarks, while blasting Spanberger as weak and ineffective for not condemning Jones more forcefully.

Even Democrats are saying it is RESIGNATION FROM CAMPAIGN TERRITORY, Trump wrote, calling on Jones to drop out of the Race, IMMEDIATELY. He closed the post by giving his Complete and Total Endorsement of Miyares  his first in Virginias statewide elections this year  saying JASON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN.

Other Republicans quickly followed suit, with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson writing that there is no conceivable justification for wishing violence against a political opponent and their children, and urging Jones to immediately withdraw his candidacy.

And White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the episode showed how dangerously radicalized the Democrat Party has become.

Republican Attorneys General Association chair Kris Kobach called the texts abhorrent and urged Jones to withdraw. The group also launched a website, displaying the messages in full.

U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said he was very disturbed by the idea that Jones would fantasize about Mrs. Gilbert having to watch her children die in her arms.

Virginia House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, praised Coyner for showing real courage by standing up to Jay Jones inappropriate and offensive comments.

And John Reid, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor  who faced his own scandal earlier this year after reports that explicit Tumblr posts tied to an account with his name had surfaced  also joined the chorus. The revelation at the time prompted Youngkin to personally urge Reid to drop out of the race, a request he ultimately rejected.

Democrats have a violence problem. Jay Jones just got caught saying it a little too clearly, Reid wrote on X. Killing your opponent and his kids? Disqualifying.

Democrats condemn but dont call for withdrawal

Democratic leaders across Virginia responded with near-universal disgust  but stopped short of demanding Jones end his campaign.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., called the comments appalling and inconsistent with the person Ive known.

Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, said she was disgusted by Joness remarks and had spoken directly with him Friday afternoon.

I made clear to Jay that he must fully take responsibility for his words, Spanberger said in a statement. As a candidate  and as the next governor of our commonwealth  I will always condemn violent language in our politics.

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, said Jones must take accountability for the pain that his words have caused.

Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, was among the most forceful in his response, calling the texts a serious lapse in judgment that cannot be defended.

While we dont share the same political views, I consider Todd Gilbert a friend and an honorable person, Surovell said. The comments directed at him and his family were completely out of bounds.

Surovell added that the context of the exchange  apparently sparked by condolences after Johnsons passing  made the remarks even more inappropriate.

After publicly condemning Jones texts, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, spent Sunday campaigning in Coyners district. Speaking to parishioners at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Hopewell, Scott urged voters to keep their attention on the broader stakes of the election.

We have to be mature in our thinking and how we vote, Scott said. We cant get distracted, because they want us to get distracted by the text message here or something else. Stay focused.

Jones calls texts a grave mistake

Jones issued what he called his deepest apology to Speaker Gilbert and his family, adding that reading back those words made me sick to my stomach. I am embarrassed, ashamed, and sorry.

He said he had reached out to apologize directly to (Gilbert), his wife Jennifer, and their children, and admitted that while he cannot take back what I said, he could only take full accountability and offer my sincere apology.

He added that Virginians deserve honest leaders who admit when they are wrong and own up to their mistakes, calling the texts a grave mistake and pledging to work every day to prove to the people of Virginia that I will fight for them as attorney general.

Appearing live on Richmonds WRIC Friday night, Jones apologized once again.

Im so deeply, deeply sorry for what I said, he said during the interview. I wish that it hadnt happened, and I would take it back if I could.

Joness campaign did not respond to additional requests for comment.

Some Democratic allies, particularly within Joness home base of Hampton Roads, stood by him even as they condemned the texts.

State Sens. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth and Mamie Locke of Hampton released a joint statement describing the comments as deeply disturbing but warned against allowing the controversy to overshadow the stakes of the November election.

There is no place for political violence or violent rhetoric in our public discourse, they wrote. Jay must take accountability for his actions. But we will not allow this moment to distract from the urgent fight we are in for Virginias future.

The senators credited Jones for his service as a legislator and assistant attorney general, calling him a father raising two young boys who has demonstrated the character and compassion the Office of Attorney General deserves.

A national October surprise

The scandal arrives just one month before Virginians elect a new governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, as well as all 100 seats in the House of Delegates  a cycle already under the microscope as a bellwether for 2026 and the next presidential election.

For Republicans, the Jones texts have become a rallying cry in their broader message about Democratic extremism. For Democrats, they pose a test of unity and discipline at the worst possible moment.

As of Sunday afternoon, Gilbert himself had not commented publicly.

A longtime Shenandoah Valley Republican and former House speaker, Gilbert stepped down from his role as a lawmaker in June to accept his nomination as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia  a position he resigned after just one month.

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Courtesy of Celine

Michael Rider is implementing his vision for Celine at a galloping pace. The former Polo Ralph Lauren creative director was announced as Hedi Slimanes replacement almost a year ago to the day; however, his first two outings have now come within rapid succession. His debut collection may have only walked the runway during couture in June, but it already hit select stores in the week preceding todays summer 2026 show. Most major labels are looking to get their customers excited, and quicklyGucci mirrored this, with Demnas first collection taking the see-now, buy-now approach, dropping in stores the day after its Milan Fashion Week presentation. Attention spans are shorter than ever, and this strategy takes advantage of that. Rider has certainly seized the opportunity to fortify his codes in a few short months.

Todays collection was a natural continuation of the June runway show, as if the previous event was a chapter that had no concrete end, but rather a slow summer interludesomething that the designer echoed in his show notes. (He also used a scarf as the invitation, once again.) Distinct styling and clear references to his predecessors (and former boss) remained the through-line. In the second look, a shrunken babydoll dresss florals called back to a similar print of Philos from the end of her tenure, and the same with his leopard-print nod to the oft-recreated pink draped dress from that era.

Riding helmets made their second appearance and scarves abounded. While styling remained at the forefront of the designers philosophy, the looks felt less laden with layers this time around. There were no thickly applied baubles here, but a more refined palette: think a coral necklace popping out of a blue button-down.

There was also notably less formalwear, which Rider teased in June and perhaps is leaving us to look forward to in March. One purple sequined turtleneck dress shimmered like a crown jewel in a sea of louche suits; however, styled with Lennon sunglasses and simple leather sneakers, it fit perfectly into his mode of youthful nonchalance. Its oh-so French, but with a twinge of American, like the girl you went to college with who grew up abroad. She has more than one passport, and you know it, toothats what gives Riders styling an intangible global appeal.

After only a few months, Rider is off to the races. Its clear through his artistic direction that he is confident in the world that hes building, in part because the identity he is tapping into mirrors his own transatlantic experience. Where he channels his American assertiveness, French style softens the sharper edges. Likewise, where he toes the line of being inspired by his Parisian home basesometimes to the point where you wonder if he would actually send a beret down the runwayhis own preppy handbook comes back into play. And Rider is enjoying exploring that balance.

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Costco members are used to having a steady supply of reliable desserts in the bakery. From sheet cakes that can feed a crowd to trays of chocolate chip cookies, the dessert selection is never lacking.

But every once in a while, the creative geniuses behind the bakery walls turn out limited-time offerings that absolutely set the warehouse club's membership abuzzand have them coming back year after year in hopes of a repeat from sweet favorites. Pumpkin cheesecake is one such dessert.

That's right: Pumpkin cheesecake is back in store at Costco, and fans are running to the store to get one of the trays. Some are so excited they're even bringing serving utensils and eating the dessert before they get out of the store.

On Reddit, one community member posted a photo of himself eating from a cheesecake at the store's Food Court tables. They brought their own pie server just for the occasion. His smileand the missing slice of cheesecakesay it all.

"Anyone who brings pie serving utensils to a Costco is my people," another member replied.

Kimberly Holland/Southern Living

But other Costco shoppers aren't too happy with what appears to be some changes to this year's dessert. A few on social media have noted Costco has changed the recipe. For example, one person on Reddit wrote, "There is a little less cheesecake batter this year and a thick layer of pumpkin whipped topping. Pretty sure the border is whipped topping as well."

Some are fans of the new formula"I like the change. Previous years I would scrape the frosting off," one person wrotebut others aren't: "I tried it today and was disappointed. It hardly tastes like cheesecake. It now tastes really light and fluffy which is a shame," another Reddit user wrote.

The sign at our Birmingham, Alabama-area warehouse describes the dessert as "Pumpkin Cheesecake With Whipped Topping." A graham cracker crust is topped with pumpkin cheesecake and a pumpkin whipping topping. A sprinkling of toasted graham crumbles finishes off the top.

Since this was my family's first time to try the dessert, we didn't have anything to compare it to, but we still found it to be delicious, light, and fluffy. With such a big cheesecake (and such big slices), the balance of textures from the crust, whipped topping, and cheesecake filling weren't overwhelming. But we did crave a cup of coffee to offset the sweetness.

Each cheesecake clocks in at more than four pounds, which is a gracious plenty to feed a crowd, and they're $21.99 each. Like many limited-time offerings, there's no telling when the pumpkin cheesecake will be gone for another year, so if you're eager to try it, it's time to plan a trip to your nearest store.



Read the original article on Southern Living
NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani Receives Endorsement From New York State Senate Majority Leader (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a hypocrite Friday for owning valuable Ugandan property while campaigning to abolish private property rights.

The Queens assemblyman owns vacant land in Jinja, Uganda, worth between $100,000 and $250,000, according to state and city financial disclosure filings. He has owned the property since 2012.

Being a wealthy landowner with foreign investments, while holding a rent-stabilized apartment in the tightest housing market in the nation is the height of hypocrisy, Cuomo told the New York Post.

Cuomo, who is running as an independent and trails Mamdani in recent polls, attacked his rivals working-class persona. (RELATED: Zohran Mamdanis Plan To Send Social Workers To Domestic Violence Calls Will Get People Killed)

Zohran Mamdani can call himself a working class champion all he wants, but its just an act from an award-winning directors son. Working men and women dont live in mansions with armed guards and have family homes around the world  oligarchs sons do, Cuomo said, according to the outlet.

Zohran Mamdani is a mansion boy living off family wealth.

The 33-year-old Mamdanis parents, Columbia University Professor Mahmood Mamdani and Monsoon Wedding filmmaker Mira Nair, own a five-bedroom villa overlooking Lake Victoria in Uganda. They have rented the property on Airbnb for eight years, despite their sons opposition to the platform.

Mamdani has posted videos of himself eating burritos on the subway to project an everyman image. He lives in a rent-stabilized apartment in Queens despite his familys wealth.
Taylor Hill/Getty Amal Clooney, George Clooney and Donatella Versace attend the Clooney Foundation For Justice's The Albies at The Natural History Museum on October 03, 2025 in London, England.

NEED TO KNOW

Donatella Versace tells PEOPLE that The Albies, hosted by George and Amal Clooney on Oct. 3 in London, is one of the great highlights of her year

The fashion icon praised the couple for using their platform for true good and to change the world, and for inspiring others to fight for justice

Amal wore an Atelier Versace chocolate brown gown for the evening  a classic Versace silhouette, the designer says

Donatella Versace is applauding her longtime friends George Clooney and Amal Clooney for their true good work as they hosted the 2025 Albies in London, calling the event one of the most inspiring nights of her year.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, the fashion icon reflected on attending The Clooney Foundation For Justice's The Albies  an annual event honoring courageous defenders of justice  and praised the couple for their advocacy.

The Albies is really one of the great highlights of my year, she tells PEOPLE. I am always so humbled and inspired to hear the incredible stories of the real heroes of our world. This year was extraordinary with awards given to Melinda French Gates, Fatou Baldeh, Marty Baron, Darren Walker and the truly amazing Jose Ruben Zamora, who is in prison still for standing up to freedom of speech, but whose son was incredibly moving when he spoke about his father. Our world is a better place to have these people in it.

The Italian designer, who recently stepped down as Versaces creative director after nearly three decades to become its global ambassador, says she continues to be inspired by people who use their influence to help others.

I am always inspired by people who use that platform for true good and to change the world. My great friends Amal and George Clooney are one of the finest examples of that, she continues. They fight, they fight and they fight some more for justice in our world and the protection of the truth speakers. I am honored that Versace supports this event for a Foundation does such important work.

Held at Londons Natural History Museum on Oct. 3, The Albies brought together global leaders, activists and Hollywood stars for a night of purpose and glamour. Named for South African anti-apartheid hero Justice Albie Sachs, the awards shine a protective spotlight on brave individuals and groups from around the globe who, at great personal risk, have devoted their lives to fighting for justice, according to the foundation.

Among this years honorees were Gambian womens rights activist Fatou Baldeh, Guatemalan journalist Jose Ruben Zamora, former Washington Post editor Marty Baron, philanthropist Melinda French Gates and lifetime achievement recipient Darren Walker.

Hoda Davaine/Getty Donatella Versace attends the Clooney Foundation for Justice's The Albies at the Natural History Museum on October 03, 2025 in London, England.

George, 64, and Amal, 47, hosted the evening, with the human rights lawyer dazzling in a chocolate brown Atelier Versace gown designed by Dario Vitale  who succeeded Versace as the brands chief creative officer in April.

Of course, everyone looks so glamorous on the night, and I loved Amals beautiful chocolate brown dress  it is such a classic Versace silhouette  but really the clothes are secondary to the cause, Versace tells PEOPLE. I was so blown away by Meryl Streep giving a spontaneous donation of 1 million ($1.3 million) on the night. But that is what George and Amal inspire us to do. To be our best selves in the defence of the bravest people in the world."

Taylor Hill/Getty Images George Clooney and Amal Clooney attend the Clooney Foundation For Justice's The Albies at The Natural History Museum on October 03, 2025 in London, England.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The event also marked a new chapter for Versace herself. After nearly 30 years leading Versace  the brand her late brother Gianni founded  she officially passed the creative torch earlier this year to Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu. As global ambassador, she now represents the house she helped shape into a symbol of glamour, power and confidence.

Read the original article on People
Going for a hike in Shenandoah National Park almost always means a climb-whether youre hiking to an overlook or making your way back to the trailhead from a waterfall tucked away in a ravine. While there are some relatively flat trails, its the steep ones that typically promise the greatest reward. And thats what makes Marys Rock such a great option. This leg-burning trail isnt easy by any stretch of the imagination, but when you reach the top, youll agree that the panoramic mountain view is worth every step.

There are two ways to summit Marys Rock, both of them via the Appalachian Trail: a 2.7-mile trail from Meadow Spring and a 3.7-mile hike from Panorama. The first option, also known as the North approach, is a bit more popular, starting with the larger parking area. Not far from the Thornton Gap Entrance, the lot is located at milepost 31.6 on Skyline Drive. Please note that visitors will need to pay the entrance fee to Shenandoah National Park.

The trailhead is located right next to the parking area, marked by a kiosk with information and a trail map. A quick spur trail will take you to the Appalachian Trail, marked by white blazes, all the way to a second spur trail that leads to the top.

The trail is consistently challenging throughout its duration, with steady inclines and lots of rocky stretches to navigate. That said, its doable for most ages and skill levels. Just be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots and plenty of water, even on a cool day. Hikers also recommend hiking poles for extra support.

Like many Shenandoah trails, this ones almost entirely in the shade. And despite being a popular hiking destination, its rarely overcrowded.

Youll catch a glimpse of the expansive mountain views about a mile into the hike, but keep pushing on towards the summit, where the real show awaits. Whether you step onto the rocky overlook or climb all the way to the top of Marys Rock, youll be blown away by the panoramic mountain views-think layers upon layers of the Blue Ridge Mountains grounded by the Shenandoah Valley below.

Take time to soak in the scenery before heading back down-after all, youve earned it! You might even pack a picnic to enjoy with your 180-degree mountain view. Just be sure to pack in everything you bring; as always, leave no trace!

Have you hiked Marys Rock in Shenandoah National Park lately? Do you agree its one of the best Virginia hiking trails? Be sure to share this article with a fellow hiking enthusiast and let the planning begin! For more information, be sure to check out the Marys Rock listing on AllTrails. Looking for more unforgettable hikes? Check out our list of the 18 best trails in Virginia.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State's itinerary planner.
Fort Lauderdale Police Steven MacKrell

NEED TO KNOW

The skeletal remains of Florida man Steven MacKrell were found after he went missing at age 25 on July 30, 2015

MacKrells remains and vehicle were found on Oct. 2 in a Boca Raton pond near Interstate 95

May Steven's loved ones find strength and comfort during this challenging time, Sunshine State Sonar said

A Florida mans remains have been found 10 years after he went missing.

The skeletal remains of Steven MacKrell, who went missing at age 25 on July 30, 2015, were found on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 7:20 p.m. local time, according to a statement from Sunshine State Sonar, a private company that provides specialized underwater services to find missing persons.

The search team located MacKrells submerged white Ford Fusion and his remains in a Boca Raton pond near Interstate 95, the statement said.

WPLG Local 10/YouTube Steven MacKrell's vehicle being pulled out of a pond

"This search was a collaborative effort with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Boca Raton Police Services Department. Without the hard work and incredible efforts of both agencies, this case would not have been resolved," Sunshine State Sonar said.

"May Steven's loved ones find strength and comfort during this challenging time," the company added.

PEOPLE reached out to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department (FLPD) and the Boca Raton Police Services Department for additional information, but did not immediately hear back on Sunday, Oct. 5.

Sunshine State Sonar said that on the night MacKrell was last seen, he left the bar Lucky's Tavern in downtown Fort Lauderdale around 1:30 a.m. He then purchased snacks at a Valero gas station about an hour later.

MacKrell was expected to meet up with some friends that night, per the search team.

Boca Raton, where the mans remains were found, is about 20 miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale. The details surrounding how MacKrell and his car ended up in a lake are under investigation.

South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Fort Lauderdale Police car

CBS News reported in 2019 that police said surveillance footage showed MacKrell getting into a confrontation with a man at the gas station. The man was seen leaving the gas station after MacKrell.

MacKrells mom Astrid told the outlet that the video also showed her son throwing a can toward the other car.

Police, at the time, stated that they had searched nearly 200 bodies of water around the area for the missing man and his vehicle.

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.

While speaking with CBS News in 2019, Astrid said that she was still holding out hope for her sons safe return. "I dream sometimes that he's coming home. He's knocking on the door, I'm going to open the door and he's there. I just hope those dreams will come true. I'm still looking of him, she said.

MacKrell shared one daughter, Skylar, with his girlfriend Alisha Carr.

Read the original article on People
Protesters attempt to break into the presidential palace grounds during an opposition rally on the day of local elections in Tbilisi, Georgia October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze

Protesters attempt to break into the presidential palace grounds during an opposition rally on the day of local elections in Tbilisi, Georgia October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze

TBILISI (Reuters) -Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Sunday that protesters who sought to force entry to the presidential palace the previous evening had been trying to topple the government and accused the European Union of meddling in Georgia's affairs.

Georgian riot police used pepper spray and water cannons to drive demonstrators away from the presidential palace in the capital Tbilisi on Saturday, and detained five activists, as the opposition staged a large demonstration on a day of local elections.

On Sunday, the State Security Service said it had discovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives and a detonator in a forest outside Tbilisi it said were intended for "subversive acts" at Saturday's protest.

It said a Georgian citizen, whom it identified only by the individual's initials, had purchased the arms at the behest of another Georgian fighting in Ukraine, according to the statement cited by the Interpress news agency.

ACCUSATIONS OF EU MEDDLING

Kobakhidze said that up to 7,000 people attended Saturday's rally but their "attempt to overthrow the constitutional order" had failed despite what he said was support from Brussels.

He accused EU Ambassador Pawe Herczynski of meddling in Georgian politics and urged him to condemn the protests.

"You know that specific people from abroad have even expressed direct support for all this, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order," Interpress cited Kobakhidze as saying.

"In this context, the European Union ambassador to Georgia bears special responsibility. He should come out, distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi."

In a statement on Sunday, the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kops said the bloc "firmly rejects and condemns the disinformation regarding the EU's role in Georgia and denounces the personal attacks against the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia."

The statement said the election had taken place "amid a period of extensive crackdown on dissent" and urged authorities and civil society against engaging in violence.

The governing Georgian Dream party claimed victory in every municipality across the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people in Saturday's municipal election, which was boycotted by the two largest opposition blocs.

Georgia's pro-Western opposition has been staging protests since October last year, when Georgian Dream won a parliamentary election that its critics say was fraudulent. The party has rejected accusations of vote-rigging.

Once one of the most pro-Western nations to emerge from the ashes of the Soviet Union, Georgia has had frayed relations with the West since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

(Reporting by Reuters in Moscow and Tbilisi; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Ros Russell)
Gisele Pelicot will be face to face with one of the men convicted of raping her in a French appeals court - Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Gisele Pelicot will be face to face with one of the 51 men convicted of raping her in a French appeals court on Monday.

Husamettin Dogan, 44, is the only man convicted of raping Ms Pelicot between the years of 2011 to 2020 who has appealed against his nine-year sentence.

The other 16 men who had appealed against their convictions following the verdict in Frances biggest mass rape trial withdrew their requests over the past year.

Ms Pelicot, 72, was drugged by Dominique Pelicot, her then-husband of almost 50 years, and raped by at least 70 other men whom he had enlisted off a chat website known to attract predators and criminals.

Pelicot also filmed the assaults and stored them on a hard disk in a folder named abuse.

Gisele Pelicot was drugged by Dominique Pelicot, her then-husband, and raped by at least 70 other men

Ms Pelicots decision to waive her right to anonymity and open the trial to the public because shame must shift to the other side turned the grandmother into a global feminist icon.

On Monday, Dogan, a Turkish-born construction worker, will maintain his innocence in the Nimes court of appeal.

During last years trial, he insisted that he believed he was participating in a consensual sex act with a libertine couple. He claimed Pelicot had set up a scenario in which his wife would pretend to be asleep.

I dont accept being called a rapist, Im not a rapist, its too heavy to bear, Dogan told the court.

Unlike last years trial, which was held before a panel of judges, the appeals case will be tried before a jury, which will be required to watch the videos.

His opponent is not Gisele Pelicot, but Dominique

Dogan visited the Pelicot home in Mazan, outside Avignon, on the night of June 28-29 2019 after being recruited by Pelicot online.

In court, he alleged that Pelicot dictated the sexual acts he commit against his wife, and that he tried to prevent Dogan from leaving.

Jean-Marc Darrigade, Dogans lawyer, told the French news channel BFMTV: His opponent is not so much Gisele Pelicot, but rather Dominique Pelicot, whom he considers to have created a trap into which he fell and which means that he is now fighting against a conviction.

Pelicot, who is serving a 20-year sentence in prison, will serve as a witness in Mondays trial.

Beatrice Zavarro, Pelicots lawyer, told Agence France-Presse that he contests Dogans version of the story and evoked her clients first words at last years trial: I am a rapist, and all of the men in this room are rapists.

A psychological assessment of Dogan described the man as having a propensity for abnormal practices in the sexual sphere and an attraction to threesomes.

Dogan, who is bisexual, said he led an intense sex life outside his relationship with the mother of his son.

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U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS

(Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has every authorization needed for strikes in the Caribbean by the U.S. military against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs just off the coast of Venezuela.

Hegseth was speaking in a Fox News interview broadcast on Sunday. The United States killed four people in a strike on Friday, at least the fourth such attack in recent weeks.

"We have every authorization needed. These are designated as foreign terrorist organizations," Hegseth said in an interview on Fox News' "The Sunday Briefing."

Hegseth and President Donald Trump have not provided evidence for claims that the targeted boats were carrying drugs. Trump told Congress last week that he had determined the U.S. to be in "a non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels, without providing any new legal rationale.

Critics say the boat strikes are a further effort by Trump to test the scope of his presidential powers. Legal experts have questioned why the military is carrying out these attacks rather than the U.S. Coast Guard, the country's maritime law agency.

"If you're in our hemisphere, if you're in the Caribbean, if you're north of Venezuela and you want to traffic drugs to the United States, you are a legitimate target of the United States military," Hegseth said.

Trump on Sunday said the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean had halted drug trafficking from South America.

"There's no drugs coming into the water. And we'll look at what phase 2 is," he told reporters at the White House.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward, Leah Douglas and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Getty Images Heidi Klum at Christian Louboutin Loubi fashion show as part of Spring/Summer 2026 Paris Fashion Week on October 2

The Gist

Heidi Klum went pantsless while wearing a sheer, high-low corset look on Saturday, October 4.

While walking the Vivienne Westwood Spring/Summer 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week, Klum showed off the lingerie-inspired look.

Klum stepped out at the Vetements show just days earlier in a completely see-through gown that freed the nipple.

Paris Fashion Week has officially cosigned the resurgence of naked dressing, with stars like Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, and Heidi Klum stepping out in completely sheer looks both off and on the runway. And on Saturday, October 4, Klum continued her barely-there style streak in an ethereal little white corset as she strutted the catwalk.

The Project Runway judge paid homage to her Victorias Secret Angel roots with a dreamy, lingerie-inspired look for the Vivienne Westwood Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show. While walking down the runway (and exchanging a kiss with designer Andreas Kronthaler), Klum posed in a white dress that showed off a pair of white thongs and white string garters, thanks to the hip-high design in the front. Klums bodice was overlaid with silver filigree, which included an ornate bejeweled bow on her plunging neckline and a feather-inspired rhinestone-encrusted gauze design that hung down in front of her legs. Sheer white embroidered fabric added puffy sleeves and a cape-like design to Klums barely-there look in the back, giving it a high-low silhouette.

Getty Images Heidi Klum at the Vivienne Westwood Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show on October 4

Klum accessorized with a pair of tan sandal heels with frayed strings wrapped around her ankles, adding to her outfits undone effect. She leaned into a rockstar-meets-angel beauty look, wearing her blonde hair and bangs in an effortless wavy style with piecey layers. A brown matte lipstick and black winged eyeliner finished off her latest runway look.

Getty Images Heidi Klum at the Vivienne Westwood Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show on October 4

Getty Images Heidi Klum at the Vivienne Westwood Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show on October 4

Klums NSFW look comes just days after she took the naked dress trend to the extreme. While attending the Vetements Spring/Summer 2026 show, the star freed the nipple in a completely see-through nude lace gown. The floor-length long-sleeved design also embraced the visible underwear trend, thanks to a cream lace G-string thong underneath. Accessorizing with an oversized gray blazer and a set of silver grills on her teeth, Klum opted for an effortless bedhead aesthetic, smudged black eyeliner, and nude matte lipstick as she sat front row with her daughter Leni.

Read the original article on InStyle
Brilliant, a generous donor and a passionate follower of Jesus.

Thats how people describe the three people killed in a mass shooting that occurred in Southport on Sept. 27 -- Joy Rogers, 64, of Southport; Solomon Banjo, 36, of Charlottesville, Virginia; and Michael Durbin, 56, of Galena, Ohio.

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. Law enforcement officials say a boat with a single occupant was traveling along the Cape Fear River when it paused and a gunman fired into a crowd at American Fish Company, a waterfront bar in Southports Yacht Basin.

At a press conference the day after the shooting, District Attorney Jon David said there was live music at the bar that evening and there were many people out there just enjoying live music under the stars.

The thread that connects everyone who is a victim in this case  to this point  just appears to be a love of having a good time and enjoying all that Southport has to offer, David said.

Family, friends and people in the community are remembering the victims to ensure their legacy and contributions live on.

Hailey Rogers, the daughter of Joy Rogers, said she has experienced an "inexplicable peace and joy" related to her faith.

"I have no bitterness," Hailey Rogers, who lives in Southport, told the Wilmington StarNews before speaking at a community prayer vigil hosted by Generations Church at Southport Waterfront Park on Oct. 4. "I have no anger. I just have love."

A community vigil for victims and the families of victims of the Sept. 27 Southport mass shooting saw a large turnout at Southport Waterfront Park.

'A tireless champion'

Michael Durbin, 56, of Galena, Ohio, is remembered as a husband, father, son, brother and friend. According to an obituary on Dignity Memorial, Durbin was a 1987 graduate of St. Franics DeSales High School and graduated from Ohio University in Business Administration in 1991 and went on to earn his M.B.A. at The Ohio State University in 1995.

He was a parishioner of the Church of the Resurrection, and the obituary states that he was a man of great generosity and even greater faith.

That was demonstrated through his involvement with the Salvation Army in Central Ohio Advisory Board. Nathaniel Powell, director of community relations and development for the Salvation Army in Central Ohio said Durbin was incredibly kind and provided a statement on behalf of the organization.

In the statement, The Salvation Army in Central Ohio said it was heartbroken by the tragic and senseless killing.

Michael was a respected former member of our Central Ohio Advisory Board, a generous donor, and a tireless champion of The Salvation Armys Red Kettle campaign, the statement said. We are grateful for his years of compassionate service to our community and mourn his loss alongside so many who loved him. We extend our deepest condolences to Michaels family and friends, and we stand ready to support them in the days ahead.

The obituary notes Durbin lived by the mottos God first, family and friends and Live while youre livin.

Michael will always be remembered as a fun-loving host whose door was always open, a rowdy OSU fan, and for his can-do attitude, the obituary states.

'A positive, fun presence'

Soloman Banjo, 36, of Charlottesville, Virginia, was the executive director of client and market insights for Eon, a healthcare technology company, according to his LinkedIn page. He previously served as the vice president of life sciences and health tech innovation at Advisory Board, a healthcare technology company.

Banjo was a graduate of the University of Virginia where he earned a bachelors degree in history and a masters in public policy, the LinkedIn profile shows.

Matt Morrill worked with Banjo at Advisory Board and also lived in the Charlotteville, Va., area. Morrill said Banjo was brilliant and a pleasure to work with.

He was the type of guy that if you were going to happy hour with some friends and you found out he was coming, you were excited because he was such a positive, fun presence, Morrill said. The world is definitely lesser now that he is not in it.

Morrill said Banjo was originally from Africa and moved to the country to study at the University of Virginia and worked in Washington, D.C., for several years after earning his degree.

He had quite a life story and was a really good example of what this country is all about, Morrill said.

Hailey Rogers, left, daughter of one of the victims of the Sept. 27 mass shooting in Southport, with Sharonda Davis of Generations Church at the community vigil at Southport Waterfront Park on Oct. 4.

'A collector of people'

Joy Rogers, 64, of Southport, was a retiree and, her husband Lennie Rogers told ABC news that they had just moved to the Southport area about a year ago from California.

The Rogers family provided the following statement to local media outlets:

Joy was a devoted wife to her husband and a loving mother of three. Born and raised in California, she and her family moved to Southport just a year ago to enjoy their retirement. In that short time, she touched countless lives in her community. Joy loved Jesus deeply, and because of that, she loved others deeply. She lived up to her name  her spirit radiated joy, light, and kindness everywhere she went. Joy had a special gift for making people feel seen and welcomed. She was truly a vibrant part of the community and her family, and she will be dearly missed.

Bob Grass, pastor at Living Word Bible Church in Winnabow, confirmed to the StarNews that Joy Rogers had attended services there, and in a Facebook post, Generations Church in Southport said she was a well-known face at their church, as well.

A GoFundMe established for the Rogers family called Joy Rogers a beautiful wife, mother, friend and a passionate follower of Jesus.

She was a collector of people and warmly loved everyone she was near, the GoFundMe page said.

Hailey Rogers, a member of the Living Word Bible Church in Winnabow, said her faith as an Evangelical Christian has given her strength.

She said she attended the first court appearance of the accused shooter and watched him on video. God enabled me to look at him without any bitterness, she said.

I want him to know Christ, Rogers said of Edge. She said Edge is a sinner just like us  to be saved. That is how I think of him.

Rogers said she wants to share the peace and hope that I have to so many that are hurting.

The victims and families of those killed and injured in the mass shooting at the American Fish Company in Southport were prayed for at the vigil. Among those appearing at the vigil were Sharonda Davis, ambassador for the Generations Church missions department, Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Chism and Southport Fire Marshall Madison Drew, who played a guitar.

In her remarks to the large gathering, Rogers said, My mom has now seen the God that she loves face to face.

Madison Drew, the Southport fire marshal, plays the guitar during the Oct. 4 community prayer vigil at Southport Waterfront Park.

Injured victims

On Oct. 3, the city named the injured in a news release. The release stated the following people were injured in the shooting: Jackson Schurtz, 38, of Afton, Virginia; William Parent, 64, of Oak Island; John Barlow, 63, of Amityville, New York; Lauren Buscher, 54, of Wheaton, Illinois; Thomas Lafferty, 58, of Oak Island; and Tammy Hirt-Huff, 59, of Oak Island.

According to ChyAnn Ketchum, Southport's public information officer, all of the injured have been released from the hospital.

The victims were all patrons at American Fish Company, an outdoor bar, in the citys Yacht Basin.

In a separate statement on Oct. 3, Southport Police Chief Todd Coring addressed the incident and the coming days.

"I am speaking to you today with a heavy heart, as your Police Chief, as our entire community mourns the senseless loss of life that occurred Saturday evening," the statement reads. "Our city is grieving, and I know that shock, sadness and anger are weighing heavily on all of us."

He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and all those affected by the shooting and stated the department stands with them. He also praised the officers for their actions after the incident, saying they were "on the scene within minutes of the first 911call," and their "decisive actions and extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable danger saved lives and prevented further tragedy."

Coring also addressed the actions of those civilians who rendered aid to the victims and helped others evacuate.

"In one of our darkest hours, we witnessed the very best in you, a testament to the resilience, courage, and compassion that people can demonstrate during the most difficult of times," the statement reads.

Renee Spencer is the community engagement editor at the StarNews. Reach her at rspencer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Family, friends remember Southport, NC, mass shooting victims
Smoke rises from the area as Israel continues its attacks despite US President Donald Trump's call to "immediately stop the attacks on Gaza." in Gaza City, Gaza on October 4, 2025. Due to the ongoing Israeli attacks , there are no buildings left standing in the area. Credit - Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images

Israel continued to bomb Gaza on Sunday despite a call from President Donald Trump for a pause in its offensive to allow for peace talks with Hamas.

Trump had ordered Israel to stop bombing the territory on Friday after Hamas accepted the broad outlines of his plan to end the nearly two-year war and return all the hostages it captured during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, its far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out, he wrote on social media.

But at least 16 people were killed across the strip on Sunday alone, local health authorities said, four of whom were seeking aid at the time.

Read more: World Leaders Signal Support for Trumps Gaza Plan, Critics Cast Doubt

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, also announced the death of its 15th staff member in Gaza, who was severely wounded in an Israeli strike on Thursday. Abed El Hameed Qaradaya, 43, was hit as MSF teams were waiting to go to work at a field hospital in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, it said. All staff were wearing MSF vests, clearly identifying them as medical humanitarian workers, the organisation said in a statement, adding that staff member Omar Hayek was wounded along with several others.

An Israeli government spokesperson said on Sunday that there was no ceasefire in place in Gaza, only a temporary halt in certain bombings, according to Reuters.

Trumps latest effort represents the closest the two sides have come to a permanent ceasefire deal since the start of the war.

The plan requires that Hamas release the remaining 48 hostagesonly 20 of whom are believed to be alivegive up power in Gaza, and disarm. Hamas responded positively to the first two demands, but has not commented on the third.

In return, Israel would withdraw from Gaza in several stages to ensure Hamas's compliance with the deal. Gaza would then be governed by an international coalition headed by Trump himself and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Once all the hostages are freed, Israel would be required to release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after Oct. 7, 2023.

'Complete obliteration'

Trump appeared to be following developments closely over the weekend, posting pictures of anti-war demonstrations in Israel and maps showing planned stages of Israel's withdrawal.

He told reporters on Sunday that he hoped the hostages would be freed "very soon." He warned in an interview with CNN earlier in the day that Hamas would face "complete obliteration" if it reneges on the plan.

On Saturday, he posted on Truth Social: After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, STAY TUNED!

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that the current negotiations were the closest weve come to getting all of the hostages released, but added that further talks would be held to discuss the logistics of the next steps.

"We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics," he told NBCs Meet the Press.

When asked by ABC News on Sunday about the continued Israeli bombing in Gaza, Rubio replied: "We have to look at exactly what those operations were. But ultimately, yes, you cannot have an exchange if there's active combat ongoing, you just can't do it."

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces domestic pressure both from hostage families to bring the war to an end, and from his far-right coalition partners to continue.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to bring down Netanyahu's government if the Gaza war ends.

Israel and Hamas and now preparing for indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday that could mean a release of the hostages as early as next week. Families of those still detained were eager for a deal to be struck.

"We cannot allow such a historic agreement to be sacrificed again," Michel Ilouz, father of Guy Ilouz, told the Associated Press.

Palestinians in Gaza, meanwhile, were still trying to find safety as talks were progressing. Shadi Mansour told Reuters he lost his 6-year-old son, Ameer, in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza City suburb of Tuffah on Saturday. "Is he a member of the resistance? Is he a fighter? All the targets of the Israeli army are children," he told the news agency.

Israel has ramped up military operations in Gaza over recent weeks, expanding ground and air operations in Gaza City, the territorys most densely populated area. 82% of the strip is currently under Israeli military control or displacement orders, according to the United Nations. There is mounting concern over the malnutrition crisis in Gaza and its impact on civilians.

Israel launched its invasion of Gaza following a Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

In the absence of independent monitoring on the ground, the ministry is the primary source for casualty data relied upon by humanitarian groups, journalists, and international bodies. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by TIME. The Israeli armys own casualty figures suggest a Palestinian civilian death rate of 83%.

The Israeli Defense Forces did not respond to a request for comment.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from deploying 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, in response to a lawsuit on Oct. 4, according to Reuters and CNN.

The ruling came from Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, who blocked the president from sending troops at least until Oct. 18, stating there was no evidence that recent protests had escalated to the level of a rebellion or seriously interfered with law enforcement.

"The Presidents determination was simply untethered to the facts," Immergut wrote.

The White House said it would appeal.

See the protests outside of an ICE facility in Portland President Donald Trump said he is sending troops to Portland, Oregon, to protect Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, in the latest deployment of forces to a U.S. city. The move follows weeks of protests outside ICE's field office in South Portland opposing Trump's mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.



U.S. Border Patrol Agents detain a demonstrator during a protest outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in south Portland, Oregon, October 3, 2025.

More: See the protests outside of an ICE facility in Portland

Democratic Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfields office filed the lawsuit Sept. 28, a day after Trump said he would send troops to Portland to protect federal immigration facilities from domestic terrorists.

In a Sept. 27 post on Truth Social, Trump said he directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. He added he authorized the military to use Full Force, if necessary.

Lawyers from the Oregon attorney generals office had told federal officials that the Portland protests were small and sedate, resulting in only 25 arrests in mid-June and no arrests in the three-and-a-half months since June 19.

Oregons lawsuit said that Trump announced the troop deployment after Fox News showed video clips from substantially larger and more turbulent protests in Portland in 2020.

A person holds a placard as federal law enforcement officers confront protesters outside Oregon's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon on Oct. 3, 2025.

The stark divide in how the two sides described the situation on the ground in Portland was evident at a court hearing before Immergut on Oct. 3.

More: Illinois Gov. Pritzker says Trump administration plans to federalize the National Guard

Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek said she made it abundantly clear in recent conversations with Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that the city and state can manage our own local public safety needs.

Portlands lawsuit is the latest legal challenge to Trumps deployments of military forces to Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

Earlier on Oct. 4, the Trump administration told Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker of its plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard.

Pritzker said he would be defying the suggestion.

I will not call up our National Guard to further Trumps acts of aggression against our people, he said. Illinois, we will do everything within our power to look out for our neighbors, uphold the Constitution, and defend the rule of law.

The president deployed 800 National Guard troops to Washington, DC, on Aug. 11, declaring a public safety emergency.

Contributing: Reuters; and Joey Garrison and Sarah Wire, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge blocks Trump's plan to deploy National Guard to Portland
Whenever Justice Amy Coney Barrett arrived at an auditorium or a library or a university last month to discuss her new book, she encountered a familiar sight: protesters.

They lined the streets, chanting and carrying signs. One wore a handmaid's costume, a symbol of oppression. Another was dressed as liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose death in 2020 created a vacancy on the Supreme Court that President Trump would fill with Barrett.

For Barrett, protesters have become routine, another logistical wrinkle in her everyday life, much like the ones who regularly gather at her home outside Washington, D.C., where she lives with her husband and younger children. What surprises her, she told me in a wide-ranging interview in her chambers late last month, is how she can let it roll off her back.

"If I had imagined before I was on the Court, how I would react to knowing that I was being protested, that would have seemed like a big deal, like, 'oh, my gosh, I'm being protested,'" she says. "But now I have the ability to be like, 'Oh, okay, well, are the entrances blocked?' I just feel very businesslike about it. It doesn't matter to me. It doesn't disrupt my emotions."

A fury of protests against conservative justices erupted in 2022, when news leaked that the Court was poised to overturn the landmark decision Roe v. Wade. Barrett, a conservative in the mold of her former mentor and boss Antonin Scalia, was a particular source of ire. Replacing Ginsburg, whose legal career was grounded in women's rights, she provided a key fifth vote to overturn Roe and let each state decide whether to allow abortion or not. But the decision also unleashed something much darker.

On Friday, a California resident was sentenced to eight years in prison for the attempted assassination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who also voted to overturn Roe. Court papers revealed the perpetrator had also mapped out the homes of three other conservative justices, including Barrett's. Death threats have not gone away, and security remains high at their homes and whenever they appear in public.

I asked Barrett if she is ever afraid. Her response was immediate and emphatic: "I'm not afraid."

"You can't live your life in fear," she continued. "And I think people who threaten  the goal is to cause fear. And I'm not afraid. I'm not going to reward threats with their intended reaction."

That kind of mental discipline and self control, even in the face of threats and extreme criticism, reflects an outlook that has guided the 53-year-old Barrett much of her life.

"I don't make decisions emotionally. I try very hard not to let emotions guide decisions in any aspect of my life. The way that I respond to people, the choices that we make," she continues, adding with a laugh, "apart from maybe some impulse buys of clothes or something."

That outlook is also reflected in her approach to the law.

On the Supreme Court, Barrett's opinions are highly analytical. She doesn't like to decide more than the issue at hand, which is one reason she has parted ways with conservative colleagues who would rather swing for the fences, like in a case two terms ago when the Court ruled states cannot remove Mr. Trump from the ballot. Barrett agreed on the bottom line, but had a more limited approach.

As a former law professor, she can be formalistic and technical, qualities that also can separate her from other conservatives, as in a 2024 case that attempted to hold the Biden administration responsible for suppressing speech on social media during Covid.

Now entering her sixth year on the Court, Barrett continues to defy stereotypes. Critics span the political spectrum, not only Democrats after she voted to overturn Roe, but more recently Republicans in the wake of decisions at odds with Mr. Trump. She is "confounding the Right and the Left," as the New York Times put it, raising hopes and fears on both sides.

That's partly because, in decades past, some conservative justices have turned out to be anything but conservative. Would Barrett, too, go that route? And it's also in part because of a fundamental misunderstanding about the Court, reflecting an idea that the justices are mere political actors who should stay on their respective sides, regardless of the law.

"That is a notion that I try to disabuse people of in the book," she says.

Correcting some of those public misperceptions that the Supreme Court is driven by politics or outcomes or is loyal to Mr. Trump is one of her main goals with her new book, "Listening to the Law." She is part teacher, part tour guide, taking the reader inside the Court and highlighting some of its most controversial decisions to explain how the justices interpret the Constitution and the differences in conservative and liberal philosophies.

And there is no case more controversial than the 5-4 decision overturning Roe, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Whole Health. Barrett uses it to explain how she and the Court's conservative majority interpret the Constitution with a method known as "originalism," focusing on the Constitution's original meaning, the way the public understood it when it was adopted.

In our interview, Barrett said she was drawn to originalism when she read Justice Scalia's opinions in a constitutional law class during her second year at Notre Dame Law School. She said she was frustrated after a first-year criminal law class, reading liberal decisions of the Warren Court and finding them to be "unmoored." Scalia's opinions, with his originalist framework, made sense to her.

"I think I am different in style than Justice Scalia. I don't think I'm different in substance," she said. "I think one thing that was important to Justice Scalia is fidelity to his analytical framework, so fidelity to textualism and originalism, even when it led to places that he didn't want to go."

Scalia, for example, upheld flag burning as a First Amendment right, even though he said "if I were king, I would not." With Barrett, an example is the death penalty. She upholds it as constitutional, even though it is at odds with her religious views.

And that framework, she says, is how she approaches the cases involving Mr. Trump. While politicians, the media and the public are focused on the current occupant of the office, she says "the Court has to take the long view."

"The way that we have to view cases is about the presidency, not about the president. We have to make a decision that's going to apply to six presidents from now, and that's how I try to view the law," she says. "So in the same way that I do try to erase particular policies, or substitute in ones that I like or dislike  to try to maintain neutrality  I try to do that with the presidents too, because it can't turn on the president."

Her critics aren't convinced, but Barrett seems unfazed by the attacks on her judgment or her character. In our conversation, and in multiple interviews with those who know her, she comes across as someone with a strong sense of self and an equally clear view on the right way to interpret the Constitution. Unlike some justices, she says she doesn't monitor what journalists and law professors and politicians say about the Court. She has seen them get it wrong. It doesn't matter to her.

"If I could have, especially as a 16-year-old, imagined that I would not care or be impervious to being criticized and mocked, I would have been very surprised," she says. "And so I am glad, because I think this would be a miserable job if you let yourself care, if you let yourself be affected."

Barrett first walked through the fire after Mr. Trump nominated her in 2017 to the Chicago-based federal appeals court. In her Senate hearings, she withstood withering attacks on her faith, notably when then-Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein told her, "the dogma lives loudly within you." Her steely performance impressed conservatives and helped get her on Mr. Trump's Supreme Court shortlist.

Barrett was astonished by how she was portrayed by the media. (She said a cousin told her "the person they were describing is not the person that I've known my whole life at all.")

A mother of seven, Barrett is a devout Catholic and proud daughter from a large and supportive family with deep roots in New Orleans. Before becoming an appeals court judge, she was a popular and respected Notre Dame law professor with sparkling credentials. Always a high achiever, she had received full scholarships to college and law school at Notre Dame, where she was top in her class (and met her future husband) and earned highly competitive clerkships with towering conservative icons, Judge Laurence Silberman and Scalia.

"One thing that I really disliked was this idea that I had no backbone, or that I was just this subservient woman in some way," she said, "because I felt like I am anything but that."

She had set goals for her life early on, and she made conscious and methodical choices to reach them. She wanted a big family like she grew up with, but, of course, she would work, so she wanted flexibility in her career.

"I really admired my parents, I really admired my grandparents, and I thought, if I want to be the kind of people that they are, I have to make definite choices," she told me. "I have to decide what my values are, what my priorities are, and make definite choices and prioritize those kinds of things."

Thinking about law school after college, she says she remembers sitting in her dorm room at Rhodes College and making a list of pros and cons, focusing on what mattered to her and "I just reasoned my way to it." (Barrett, always analytical, mentions in her book that her life runs on to-do lists, but she also is partial to pro/con lists.)

She's now the only justice on the Court who didn't attend an Ivy League school, but Barrett says she didn't care about labels or what was considered "the best school." She didn't even apply to Harvard. She opted for Notre Dame over the University of Chicago, for instance, not only because she could prioritize her Catholic faith, but that it also offered a full scholarship. That meant no big student loans that would force her into an all-consuming, high-paying law firm job after graduation.

Searching for a more accurate way to describe herself, Barrett uses the term "Steel Magnolia."

"I've done a lot of traditionally feminine things. I have a large family. I've made unconventional choices in that way. And I'm not sorry to be feminine," she said. "But I don't feel like I have to sacrifice that part. I think you can be traditional in some of those ways, and still have grit or the backbone or the spine. I felt like I had the grit."

"Grit" is a word she uses more than once in the book when talking about strong women she admires, like her great-grandmother, a widow who raised 13 children in a tiny house "bursting at the seams" during the Great Depression. "Somehow she always managed to find the resources, space and time," Barrett writes.

Throughout our conversation, I'm struck by something she wrote early in the book, when she mentions advice her father gave to her and her siblings: "Control your emotions, or your emotions will control you."

It's similar to advice Justice Ginsburg liked to share from her mother: "Don't be distracted by emotions like anger, envy, resentment. These just zap energy and waste time." Ginsburg would say her advice came in handy at the Court, because she learned that reacting with "anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade."

I asked Barrett if she, like Ginsburg, drew on that advice at the Court.

"Yes, in this job, I think it's part of the tuning out, that I can't let what people saycertainly not affect the decisions that I make, but even affect how I feel," she says. "If I let that in, and then let that affect my mood when I go home or when I'm relating to people, then that needs to be kept out."

Having that mindset, Barrett says, is one of the things she's most proud of as justice, because that wasn't how she felt as a young teenager growing up in a family of nine.

"I felt very conspicuous. We would go into restaurants, and you could see people turning around and counting and looking," she says. "In the preteen and teenage self-conscious years, I thought, I just want to be unnoticed. I'm never gonna have a family that attracts attention."

Barrett rarely shows the kind of rhetorical fire or hyperbole some of her colleagues regularly exhibit. Stylistically, as she says, she is no Scalia. But with the Court increasingly under strain as it grapples with dozens of emergency requests from the Trump administration, Barrett exhibited a flash of pique last term, responding to a fiery dissent by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in the case limiting the use of nationwide injunctions.

Jackson, a Biden appointee and the Court's newest member, accused the Court of engaging in "legalese." Barrett, speaking for the majority, responded: "We will not dwell on Justice Jackson's argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries with of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself."

In the months since, Jackson has only ratcheted up her rhetoric as the Court has issued temporary orders in a range of cases brought by the Trump administration. In one emergency order last month, on whether Mr. Trump could cancel grants to the National Institutes of Health, Jackson impugned the conservatives' motives.

Jackson accused them of having "no fixed rules" except "this Administration always wins" something Barrett pointed out in an event last month was obviously false. (Just one high-profile example: The Court ruled against the Administration's deportation of Kilmar Albrego Garcia and ordered it to work toward his return to the U.S.)

Still, Barrett insists that kind of language doesn't affect her relationship with Jackson, and that she works to have relationships with all the other justices. She says she enjoys talking about the law with Justice Elena Kagan, also a former law professor who, like Barrett has a more formalistic approach to the law than the Court's two other liberals, even though it leads them to very different places.

In a recent interview, Bari Weiss of The Free Press asked Barrett to give one word for each of her colleagues. For Kagan, Barrett chose "analytical." That's a word she also used in our conversation to describe herself.

"You can't take it personally, and so I think you just have to understand and see opinions for what they are: disagreements about ideas," Barrett said of the dissents. "I intend my opinions to be about the ideas, not about the people, and I think a big part of life is assuming the best of other people."

Barrett doesn't seem like a person who dwells in regret. But she said she saw a "missed opportunity" on her cross-country book tour, and she wished she'd emphasized how the emergency orders in the Trump cases are different. Always a teacher, she wants to explain these orders aren't the last word.

"I don't think the public is really aware this isn't the final decision. If a district court enters a preliminary injunction, and we enter a stay of that preliminary injunction, it's not saying the administration wins," she says. "It's simply saying that the administrationcan continue to pursue whatever policy it is, because it has not been finally decided yet."

In other words, she says, these interim orders  whether they're allowing Mr. Trump to cut grants or foreign aid or fire political appointees from federal agencies  are short-term, preliminary decisions. The Court is allowing Mr. Trump to pursue those policies for now, but if he ultimately loses on the underlying merits, the aid money will have to be spent and the employees reinstated with back pay.

And Mr. Trump, I said, may not win them all?

"Right," Barrett said.

It may look different, I asked, once you're deciding the merits?

"100 percent," she said.

For now, one factor weighing in Mr. Trump's favor is the Court's assessment of the harm caused when unelected judges reflexively block policies enacted by popularly elected representatives. Because litigation can take years to resolve, those policies may never end up taking effect. The harm caused by judicial interference, the Court has explained, is to the democratic process.

"The case that we always cite is Maryland v. King, and it points out that any time a policy of one of the politically accountable branches or politically accountable state legislatures or governor is stopped, that, in itself, is an irreparable harm because you are affecting the people," she says. "It was the people's preferred policy. The president is the one that they elected. The members of whatever legislature, state or Congress, are the ones that people elected."

"I may disagree, or agree, with whatever choices the people have made in the selection of their representatives," she said. "But the people have made this choice."

Beyond the obvious strain on the Court, the unprecedented crush of emergency appeals also has put pressure on lower court judges, and some have complained publicly that the Court's brief orders aren't giving them enough guidance. But Barrett, always methodical, says more guidance at the preliminary stage would come at a cost, raising the risk of locking the Court into its views before it has fully considered the issues.

"I do think opinions are important," she says. "I don't know that it's always valuable to have an interim opinion that comes before the final opinion."

Barrett, like all the justices when speaking in public, is exceedingly careful with her words. She won't discuss any upcoming issues or cases, or give any hint on how the Court may see the underlying merits. Even her book tour seemed like an exercise in not making news, and she succeeded.

But she will have that opportunity soon enough: The justices already have agreed to decide whether Mr. Trump can impose far-ranging tariffs and fire members of certain federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve Board. In the interim, it's allowing him to pursue tariffs and fire some Biden-appointed commissioners, though not on the Fed. Other cases, including birthright citizenship, are on the horizon.

Beyond the Trump cases, the Court this term also will confront controversial cases on gun rights, voting rights, campaign finance reform and whether students who identify as transgender can play girls sports. The tensions and commentary will not ease anytime soon.

For Barrett, that means staying the course, following her own internal compass and tuning out the noise, because one thing is certain. Whatever the Court decides in any of the cases, she says, "somebody's going to be mad." It's a part of her life now.

"I just think you have to know who you are," she says, "and make decisions that you decide are right, and stick with your priorities and not worry about the feedback you get from others, whether it's negative or whether it's positive."

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CAMC Women and Childrens Hospital in Charleston, West Virginia, is located on the banks of the Elk River. Extreme weather could cause the river to swell beyond its banks and surround the hospital, closing off all exits, according to a simulation of flooding data from the company Fathom. CAMC spokesperson Dale Witte said the hospital system has prepared by elevating electrical infrastructure and acquiring pumps. - Daniel Chang/KFF Health News

When a big storm hits, Peninsula Hospital could be underwater.

At this decades-old psychiatric hospital on the edge of the Tennessee River, an intense storm could submerge the building in 11 feet of water, cutting off all roads around the facility, according to a sophisticated computer simulation of flood risk.

Aurora, a young woman who was committed to Peninsula as a teenager, said the hospital sits so close to the river that it felt like a moat keeping her and dozens of other patients inside. KFF Health News agreed not to publish her full name because she shared private medical history.

My first feeling is doom, Aurora said as she watched the simulation of the river rising around the hospital. These are probably some of the most vulnerable people.

Covenant Health, which runs Peninsula Hospital, said in a statement it has a proactive and thorough approach to emergency planning but declined to provide details or answer questions.

Peninsula is one of about 170 American hospitals, totaling nearly 30,000 patient beds from coast to coast, that face the greatest risk of significant or dangerous flooding, according to a months-long KFF Health News investigation based on data provided by Fathom, a company considered a leader in flood simulation. At many of these hospitals, flooding from heavy storms has the potential to jeopardize patient care, block access to emergency rooms, and force evacuations. Sometimes there is no other hospital nearby.

Aurora, a former Peninsula Hospital patient, looks upon the Tennessee psychiatric hospital where she was committed as a teenager. KFF Health News agreed not to publish her full name because she shared private medical history. - Brett Kelman/KFF Health News

Much of this risk to hospitals is not captured by flood maps issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which have served as the nations de facto tool for flood estimation for half a century, despite being incomplete and sometimes decades out of date. As FEMAs maps have become divorced from the reality of a changing climate, private companies like Fathom have filled the gap with simulations of future floods. But many of their predictions are behind a paywall, leaving the public mostly reliant on free, significantly limited government maps.

This is highly concerning, said Caleb Dresser, who studies climate change and is both an emergency room doctor and a Harvard University assistant professor. If you dont have the information to know youre at risk, then how can you triage that problem?

The deadliest hospital flooding in modern American history occurred 20 years ago during Hurricane Katrina, when the bodies of 45 people were recovered from New Orleans Memorial Medical Center, including some patients whom investigators suspected were euthanized. More flooding deaths were narrowly avoided one year ago when helicopters rescued dozens of people as Hurricane Helene engulfed Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee.

Rebecca Harrison, a paramedic, called her children from the Unicoi roof to say goodbye.

I was scared to death, thinking, This is it, Harrison told CBS News, which interviewed Unicoi survivors as part of KFF Health News investigation. Alarms were going off. People were screaming. It was chaos.

The investigation  among the first to analyze nationwide hospital flood risk in an era of warming climate and worsening storms  comes as the administration of President Donald Trump has slashed federal agencies that forecast and respond to extreme weather and also dismantled FEMA programs designed to protect hospitals and other important buildings from floods.

Rebecca Harrison, a paramedic, was rescued from the rooftop of Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, during severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. I was never so happy to see helicopters, she says. - Chance Horner/CBS News

When asked to comment, FEMA said flooding is a common, costly, and under appreciated disaster but made no statement specific to hospitals. Spokesperson Daniel Llargues defended the administrations changes to FEMA by reissuing an August statement that dismissed criticism as coming from bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency.

Alice Hill, an Obama administration climate risk expert, said the Trump administrations dismissal of climate change and worsening floods would waste billions of dollars and endanger lives.

In 2015, Hill led the creation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which required that hospitals and other essential structures be elevated or incorporate extra flood protections to qualify for federal funding.

FEMA stopped enforcing the standard in March.

People will die as a result of some of the choices being made today, Hill said. We will be less prepared than we are now. And we already were, in my estimation, poorly prepared.

Flood risk is everywhere

The KFF Health News investigation identified more than 170 hospitals facing a flood risk by comparing the locations of more than 7,000 facilities to peer-reviewed flood hazard mapping provided by Fathom, a United Kingdom company that simulates flooding in spaces as small as 10 meters using laser-precision elevation measurements from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Hospitals were determined to have a significant risk if Fathoms 100-year flood data predicted that a foot or more of water could reach a considerable portion of their buildings, excluding parking garages, or cut off road access to the hospital. A 100-year flood is an intense weather event that has roughly a 1% chance of occurring in any given year but can happen more often.

The investigation found heightened flood risks at large trauma centers, small rural hospitals, childrens hospitals, and long-term care facilities that serve older and disabled patients. At least 21 are critical access hospitals, with the next-closest hospital 25 miles away, on average.

Flooding threatens dozens of hospitals in coastal areas, including in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and New York. Farther inland, flooding of rivers or creeks could envelop other hospitals, particularly in Appalachia and the Midwest. Even in the sun-soaked cities and arid expanses of the American West, storms have the potential to surround some hospitals with several feet of pooling water, according to Fathoms data.

These findings are likely an undercount of hospitals at risk because the investigation overlooked pockets of potential flooding at some hospitals. It excluded facilities like stand-alone ERs, outpatient clinics, and nursing homes.

The reality is that flood risk is everywhere. It is the most pervasive of perils, said Oliver Wing, the chief scientific officer at Fathom, who reviewed the findings. Just because youve never experienced an extreme doesnt mean you never will.

Dresser, the ER doctor, said even a small amount of flooding can shut down an unprepared hospital, often by interrupting its power supply, which is needed for life-sustaining equipment like ventilators and heart monitors. He said the most vulnerable hospitals would likely be in rural areas.

A lot of rural hospitals are now closing their pediatric units, closing their psychiatry units, Dresser said. In a financially stressed situation, it can be hard to prioritize long-term threats, even if they are, for some institutions, potentially existential.

Urban hospitals can face dangerous flooding, too. Fathoms data predicts 5 to 15 feet of water around neighboring hospitals  Kadlec Regional Medical Center and Lourdes Behavioral Health  that straddle a tiny creek in Richland, Washington.

By Fathoms estimate, a 100-year flood could cause the nearby Columbia River to spill over a levee that protects Richland, then loosely follow the creek to the hospitals. Some of the deepest flooding is estimated around Lourdes, which was built on land the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set aside in 1961 as a ponding and drainage easement.

At the time, this land was supposed to be capable of storing enough water to fill at least 40 Olympic-size swimming pools, according to military documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. A mental health facility has occupied this spot since the 1970s.

Both Kadlec and Lourdes said in statements that they have disaster plans but did not answer questions about flooding. Tina Baumgardner, a Lourdes spokesperson, said government flood maps show the hospital is not in a 100-year flood plain.

This is not uncommon. Of the more than 170 hospitals with significant flood risk identified by KFF Health News, one-third are located in areas that FEMA has not designated as flood hazard zones.

Sometimes the difference is stark. For example, at Ochsner Choctaw General in Alabama  the only hospital for 30 miles in any direction  FEMA maps suggest a 100-year flood would overflow a nearby creek but spare the hospital. Fathoms data predicts the same event would flood most of the hospital with 1 to 2 feet of water, including the ER and the helicopter pad.

Ochsner Health did not answer questions about flooding preparations at Choctaw General.

FEMA flood maps were launched in the 60s as part of the National Flood Insurance Program to determine where insurance is required and building codes should include flood-proofing. According to a FEMA statement, the maps show only a snapshot in time and are not intended to predict where flooding will or wont happen.

FEMA spokesperson Geoff Harbaugh said the agency intends to modernize its maps through the Future of Flood Risk Data initiative, which will enable the agency to better project flood risk and give Americans the information they need to protect their lives and property.

The program was launched by the first Trump administration in 2019 but has since received sparse public updates. Harbaugh declined to provide a detailed update or timeline for the program.

Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said it is unknown whether FEMA is still trying to upgrade its maps under Trump, as the agency has cut off communications with outside flooding experts.

There has been not a single bit of loosening of what Im calling the FEMA cone of silence, Berginnis said. Ive never seen anything like it.

Floods are expected to worsen as a warming climate fuels stronger storms, drenching areas that are already flood-prone and bringing a new level of flooding to areas once considered lower risk.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said that 2024 was the warmest year on record  more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the 20th-century average. Scientists across the globe have estimated that each degree of global warming correlates to a 4% increase in the intensity of extreme rainfall.

Warmer air can hold more moisture, so this leads us to experience heavier downpours, said Kelly Van Baalen, a sea level rise expert at the nonprofit Climate Central. A 100-year flood today could be a 10-year flood tomorrow.

Intensifying storms raise concerns about Peninsula Hospital, which has operated for decades mere feet from the Tennessee River but has no known history of flooding.

Peninsula spokesperson Josh Cox said the river is overseen by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which uses dams to manage water levels and generate electricity. Estimates provided by the TVA suggest the dams could keep Peninsula dry even in a 500-year flood.

Fathom, however, said its flood simulation accounts for the dams and stressed that a large enough storm could drop more rain than even the TVA could control. These predictions are echoed by another flood modeling firm, First Street, which also says an intense storm could cause more than 10 feet of flooding in the area around Peninsula.

Its a hospital right on the banks of a major American river, said Wing, the Fathom scientist. It just isnt conceivable that such a location is risk-free.

Jack Goodwin, 75, a retired TVA employee who has lived next to Peninsula for three decades, said he was confident the dams could protect the area. But after reviewing Fathoms predictions, Goodwin began to research flood insurance.

Water can rise quickly and suddenly, and the destruction is tremendous, he said. Just because weve never seen it here doesnt mean we wont see it.

All the elements of a real disaster

One year ago, as Hurricane Helene carved a deadly path across Southern Appalachia, Angel Mitchell was visiting her ailing mother at Unicoi County Hospital in the tiny town of Erwin, Tennessee.

Angel Mitchell and her mother were rescued from catastrophic flooding at Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, during Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Seeing any of those patients get out of that water, it was a miracle, Mitchell says. God was with us. - Chance Horner/CBS News

Peninsula Hospital, a psychiatric hospital southwest of Knoxville on the edge of the Tennessee River, could be surrounded by 11 feet of water in an intense storm, according to flood simulations by Fathom. Covenant Health, which owns Peninsula, said it has planned for emergencies but declined to discuss the possibility of flooding at the hospital. - Brett Kelman/KFF Health News

Swollen by Helene, the nearby Nolichucky River spilled over its banks and around the hospital, which was built in a flood plain. Staff tried to bar the doors, Mitchell said, but the water got in, trapping her and others inside. The lights went out. People fled to the roof, where the roar of rushing water nearly drowned out the approach of rescue helicopters, Mitchell said.

Ultimately, 70 people from the hospital, including Mitchell and her mother, were airlifted to safety on Sept. 27, 2024. The hospital remains closed, and the company that owns it, Ballad Health, has said its reopening is uncertain.

Why allow something  especially a hospital  to be built in an area like that? Mitchell told CBS News. People have to rely on these areas to get medical help, and theyre dangerous.

Beyond Unicoi, KFF Health News identified 39 inland hospitals  including 16 in Appalachia  that Fathom predicts could flood when nearby rivers, creeks, or drainage canals overspill their banks, even in storms far less intense than Helene.

For example, in the Cumberland Mountains of southwestern Virginia, a 100-year flood is projected to cause Slate Creek to engulf Buchanan General Hospital in more than 5 feet of water.

Near the Great Lakes in Erie, Pennsylvania, LECOM Medical Center and Behavioral Health Pavilion could become flooded by a small drainage creek that is less than 50 feet from the front door of the ER.

Neither Buchanan nor LECOM responded to questions about flooding or preparations.

And in West Virginias capital of Charleston, where about 50,000 people live at the junction of two rivers in a wide and flat valley, a single storm could potentially flood five of the citys six hospitals at once, along with schools, churches, fire departments, and other facilities.

I hate to say it, said Behrang Bidadian, a flood plain manager at the West Virginia GIS Technical Center, but it has all the elements of a real disaster.

At the largest hospital in Charleston, CAMC Memorial Hospital, Fathom predicts that the Kanawha River could bring as much as 5 feet of flooding to the ER. Across town, the Elk River could surround CAMC Women and Childrens Hospital, cutting off all exits.

And in the center of the city, where the overflowing rivers are predicted to merge, Thomas Orthopedic Hospital could be besieged by more than 10 feet of water on three sides.

WVU Medicine, which owns Thomas Orthopedic Hospital, did not respond to requests for comment.

CAMC spokesperson Dale Witte said the hospital system is aware of its flood risk and has prepared by elevating electrical infrastructure and acquiring flood-proofing equipment, like a deployable floodwall. CAMC also regularly revises and drills its disaster plans, Witte said, although he added that hospitals there have never been tested by a real flood.

Shanen Wright, 48, a lifelong Charleston resident who lives near CAMC Memorial, said many in the city have little worry about flooding in the face of more immediate problems, like the opioid epidemic and the decline of manufacturing and mining.

Tugboats and coal barges sail past his neighborhood as if they were cars on his street.

Its not to say its not a possibility, he said. Im sure the people in Asheville and the people in Texas, where the floods took so many lives, they probably didnt see it coming either.

Shanen Wright has lived in Charleston, West Virginia, nearly five decades and says he has never seen the Kanawha River rise above its banks. Located at the junction of two rivers in a wide and flat valley, Charleston is at risk of a single storm potentially flooding the citys five largest hospitals at once, according to flood data from the company Fathom. - Daniel Chang/KFF Health News

The water is coming





Despite wide scientific consensus that climate change fuels more dangerous weather, the Trump administration has taken the position that concerns about global warming are overblown. In a speech to the United Nations in September, Trump called climate change the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.

The Trump administration has made deep staff and funding cuts to FEMA, NOAA, and the National Weather Service. At FEMA, the cuts prompted 191 current and former employees to publish a letter in August warning that the agency is being dismantled from within.

Daniel Swain, a University of California climate scientist, said the administrations rejection of climate change has left the nation less prepared for extreme weather, now and in the future.

Its akin to enforcing malpractice scientifically, Swain said. Imagine making a medical decision where you are not allowed to look at 20% of the patients vital signs or test results.

Under Trump, FEMA has also taken actions critics say will leave the nation more vulnerable to flooding, specifically:

FEMA disbanded the Technical Mapping Advisory Council, which had repeatedly pushed the agency to modernize its flood maps to estimate future risk and account for the impacts of climate change.

FEMA canceled its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which provided grants to help communities and vital buildings, including hospitals, protect themselves from floods and other natural disasters.

And after stopping enforcement early this year, FEMA intends to rescind the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which was designed to harden buildings against future floods and save tax dollars in the long run.

Berginnis, of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said the administrations unwillingness to prepare for climate change and worsening storms would result in a dangerous and costly cycle of flooding, rebuilding, and flooding again.

The president is saying we are closed for business when it comes to hazard mitigation, Berginnis said. It bugs me to no end that we have to have reminders  like people dying  to show us why its important to make these investments.

FEMA did not answer specific questions about these decisions. In the statement to KFF Health News, spokesperson Llargues touted the administrations response to flooding in Texas and New Mexico and said FEMA had provided billions of dollars to help people and communities recover and rebuild. He did not mention any FEMA funding for protecting against future floods.

Few hospitals understand this threat more than the former Coney Island Hospital in New York City, which has suffered catastrophic flooding before and has prepared for it to come again.

Superstorm Sandy in 2012 forced the hospital to evacuate hundreds of patients. When the water receded, fish and a sea turtle were found in the building.

Eleven years later, the facility reopened as Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital, transformed by a FEMA-funded $923 million reconstruction project that added a 4-foot floodwall and elevated patient care areas and utility infrastructure above the first floor.

It is now likely one of the most flood-proofed hospitals in the nation.

But, so far, no storm has tested the facility.

Svetlana Lipyanskaya, CEO of NYC Health+Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health, which includes the rebuilt hospital, said the question of flooding is not an if but a when.

I hope it doesnt happen in my lifetime, she said, but frankly, Id be surprised. The water is coming.

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An elderly woman reacts next to the house destroyed by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kateryna Klochko)

Russia launched drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs across Ukraine early Sunday, killing five people in a major nighttime attack that Ukrainian officials said targeted civilian infrastructure.

Moscow fired 53 ballistic and cruise missiles and 496 drones, Ukraine's air force said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that nine regions were targeted.

Four people, including a 15-year-old, died in a combined drone and missile strike on Lviv, according to regional officials and Ukraines emergency service.

It was the largest aerial assault on the historic western city and surrounding region since Russia's full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, according to Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the local military administration. Earlier in the war, Lviv was seen as a haven from the fighting and destruction farther east.

In a Telegram post, Kozytskyi said Russia launched about 140 Shahed drones and 23 ballistic missiles across the region. At least six more people were injured, according to a statement by Ukraine's police force.

The strike left two districts of Lviv without power and disrupted public transportation for a few hours early Sunday, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi reported. He added that a business complex on Lviv's outskirts caught fire following the strike, describing it as a civilian facility unlinked to Ukraine's war effort.

One person was also injured in the Ivano-Frankivsk region south of Lviv, according to regional head Svitlana Onyshchuk.

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, an aerial assault killed a civilian woman and wounded nine other people including a 16-year-old girl, regional head Ivan Fedorov reported. He said Russia attacked with drones and guided aerial bombs.

Fedorov said the strike destroyed residential buildings and left about 73,000 households in Zaporizhzhia and surrounding areas without power.

Russia's Defense Ministry said the overnight strikes targeted Ukraine's military-industrial complex" and energy facilities that supply it.

Separately, six people including a child were injured in Sloviansk, a key city in the eastern Donetsk region that remains under Ukrainian control, after a Russian guided aerial bomb slammed into an apartment block, regional prosecutors said Sunday. They said Russian airstrikes on Saturday evening damaged over two dozen residential buildings in Sloviansk, as well as cars, shops and a cafe.

Russia blasts Ukraine's power grid as winter approaches

Zelenskyy on Sunday reiterated his call for Kyivs Western partners to send additional air defenses to combat Russias aerial terror.

Today, the Russians again targeted our infrastructure, everything that ensures people can live a normal life. We need more protection, a rapid implementation of all defense agreements, especially on air defense, to make this aerial terror pointless, he said in a Telegram post.

Ukraine has for months conducted its own long-range strikes on Russia, many of which have targeted Moscows oil infrastructure and contributed to persistent fuel shortages.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 32 Ukrainian drones during the night, with at least 50 more downed during the day over southwestern Russia.

Drones damaged several homes, cars and a power line in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, according to local Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov. Separately, he reported that Ukrainian shelling gravely wounded the deputy head of a border village.

For its part, the Kremlin has ramped up attacks on Ukraines power grid ahead of winter, as in previous years since the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Kyiv calls it an attempt to weaponize the weather by denying civilians heat, light and running water.

Serhii Koretskyi, CEO of Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz Group, said Sunday's attack inflicted further large-scale damage on gas infrastructure that supplies civilians, just two days after what the company said was the largest Russian strike on its facilities since the all-out invasion.

Russia's goal was to deprive Ukrainians of gas, heat, and electricity, Koretskyi was quoted as saying in a Naftogaz statement. The company did not elaborate on the damage from the latest strike.

In his nightly address to Ukrainians on Sunday, Zelenskyy charged that Moscow is openly trying to destroy our civilian infrastructure now, before winter -- our gas infrastructure, electricity generation and transmission.

Unfortunately, theres been no dignified, powerful global response to everything thats happening, to the ever-increasing scale and brazenness of the strikes, he said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "simply laughing at the Wests silence and lack of a strong response.

Moscow has also stepped up airstrikes on Ukraines railway network, which is essential for military transport, hitting it almost daily in the past two months. Russian drones on Saturday struck a railway station in the northern city of Shostka, killing one and wounding dozens.

Putin warns US against arming Kyiv

On Thursday, Putin doubled down on warnings that any supplies of long-range weapons by the U.S. to Ukraine would badly hurt bilateral ties.

The potential supply of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv will signal a qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the U.S., Putin said at a forum of international foreign policy experts in Russias Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Putin's remarks followed an apparent dramatic shift in Washingtons Ukraine policy, after U.S. President Donald Trump said late last month that he believed Ukraine could win back all territory lost to Russia.

Donald Trump previously repeatedly called on Kyiv to make concessions to end the war, and ended Putins diplomatic isolation in the West by hosting him at a summit in Alaska on Aug. 15.
Member of parliament Roland Lescure of the Ensemble pour la Republique (EPR) parliamentary group, speaks as he attends a political rally of the Renaissance party in Saint-Denis near Paris, France, April 6, 2025. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson

By Geert De Clercq and Richard Lough

PARIS (Reuters) -French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Sunday named Roland Lescure, a close ally of President Emmanuel Macron, as finance minister in a new government that political rivals threatened to topple quickly if it failed to break with past Macron policies.

Lescure, who was swift to rally behind Macron when he first ran for the presidency in 2017, briefly spent time in the Socialist Party early in his career. While his nomination was widely seen as a nod to the left ahead of further delicate cross-party budget negotiations, left-wing lawmakers were unimpressed.

Budget talks have grown increasingly fraught, requiring delicate trade-offs between three ideologically opposed blocs - Macron's ruling centrist minority, the far right and the left - which can fell the minority government if they unite against it.

Lawmakers from the hard-left France Unbowed party said a no-confidence motion would be filed immediately. The first big test for Lecornu, 39, Macron's fifth prime minister in two years, will be a speech on Tuesday outlining his policy programme.

BUDGET CRISIS

Lecornu's two predecessors, Francois Bayrou and Michel Barnier, were brought down by parliament over efforts to rein in France's public spending at a time when ratings agencies and investors are closely watching the country's fiscal deficit, the largest in the euro zone.

Lecornu has said he appreciates the calls for a break from the past eight years under Macron's leadership. His political opponents said Macron's latest cabinet represented continuity.

"We made it clear to the Prime Minister: It's either a break with the past or a vote of no confidence. The government announced this evening ... is all about continuity and absolutely nothing about the break with the past that the French people demand," Jordan Bardella, president of the nationalist National Rally party, wrote on X.

Hard-left lawmaker Eric Coquerel wrote on X: "For the third time since the July 2024 elections, Emmanuel Macron is once again imposing on us a government of losers and policies that have been rejected at the ballot box."

LE MAIRE RETURNS TO GOVERNMENT

Former finance minister Bruno Le Maire, who oversaw France's "whatever it costs" response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was appointed defence minister. He will now shape French thinking on how Europe should bolster European security as U.S. President Donald Trump demands the European Union do more to support Ukraine.

Several key ministers remained in their posts, including Jean-Noel Barrot at the foreign ministry, Bruno Retailleau at interior and Gerald Darmanin at justice.

Underlining the government's fragility, Retailleau, a conservative, expressed discontent at the distribution of portfolios among ruling alliance partners and called an emergency party meeting on Monday.

France Unbowed lawmakers reiterated their call for a presidential election - something Macron has ruled out.

COURTING THE SOCIALISTS

Lescure, 58, will face a tough balancing act: securing either support or abstention from the Socialists, while preserving Macron's pro-business legacy and keeping conservatives and liberals on board.

The Franco-Canadian and former senior executive at Natixis Asset Management will also need to be mindful of the far right's budget sensitivities, given their readiness to try toppling the government once more.

To win over the Socialists, Lecornu has proposed a wealth tax long demanded by the left, and ruled out using special powers to push the budget through parliament without a vote. They have so far called his overtures insufficient.

"Without a change in policy, the Socialists will vote against the government," Socialist Party Secretary General Pierre Jouvet told BFM TV.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq, Richard Lough, Elizabeth Pineau and Gilles Guillaume; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Ros Russell and Edmund Klamann)
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure A sunny day at Finolhu resort.

Baa Atoll

Experience Hanifaru Bay where you can see manta rays up closeand even whale sharks, if youre lucky.

Adopt a coral reef and be a part of keeping this unique ecosystem alive.

Stay in an overwater bungalow at Finolhu and learn about the wildlife from the resident marine biologist.

Dine underwater at Sea, where you can view sea animals while dining on a gourmet meal.

Explore beyond your resort and visit the local island of Dharavandhoo.

The Maldives is a popular, must-visit destination, and its easy to see whywith pristine beaches, overwater bungalows, and crystal-clear waters, it's the ultimate island paradise. But did you know that the Maldives is just as incredible underwater as it is on land?

In June 2011, Baa Atoll in the Maldives became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve along with the likes of Komodo Island in Indonesia and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. The atoll is home to one of the largest groups of coral reefs in the Indian Ocean (it's the seventh largest in the world) and supports over 1,200 species of fish and 250 species of coral.

"Baa Atoll is an exceptional location for marine biology, largely due to the impact of the monsoon system on the marine food chain," says Ivanna Tobar, the resident marine biologist at Finolhu, a luxury resort in the area. Its a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of ocean systems and the unique role the Maldives plays in supporting marine biodiversity.

Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to Baa Atoll in the Maldives.

Know Before You Go

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Beach seating at Finolhu.

Baa Atoll is located in the western region of the Maldives and is made up of 75 islands, 13 of which are inhabited. Six of those inhabited islands have resorts on them, and they collectively get around 350,000 visitors per year. It's a good idea to secure bookings early, especially during peak seasons, which span the months between November to late April.

Baa Atoll takes environmental protection very seriously, so it is important to book all activities that involve wildlife with certified operators who follow local guidelines, like never touching wildlife and using reef-safe sunscreens. These guides will help you view wildlife safely and responsibly.



While getting to the Maldives might be a long journey from most places in the U.S., entering is pretty simple since you can get a tourist visa upon arrival. The islands also have their own language, Dhivehi, though most people also speak English. The local currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa, but U.S. dollars and credit cards are widely accepted, especially at resorts and tourist areas. It's important to note that Islam is the state religion of the Maldives, so if you explore outside of resort areas, you are encouraged to dress modestly and may notice there's a prohibition of alcohol.



Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Baa Atoll depends on the type of experience you're hoping to have.

There are two distinct seasons in the Maldives: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season typically extends from November through April, and the rainy season from May to October. While the dry season is, well, dry, with little to no rain and all-around sunny weather, its also peak tourist season, which brings high prices and low availability, especially around the holidays.

Rainy season may sound dreary, but the temperatures are still high, and the showers tend to come in short bursts, rather than lasting all day.

Not only does this season mean lower prices, but it also brings the wildlife. The rainy season brings an influx of plankton, which draws the Manta Rays to feed in Hanifaru Bay. If you want the full experience of swimming with the mantas, youll want to visit between June and September. The mantas are still spotted in May and October, but in fewer numbers.

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure A shady beach area in Baa Atoll.

How to Get There

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Sea planes docked at Velana International Airport on Male.

The main air hub in the Maldives is Velana International Airport (MLE), located on the capital island of Male. It's served by major airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. There are currently no direct routes from North America to the Maldives, so you will need to take a connecting flight from a city like London, Dubai, or Singapore.

Once you arrive in Male, there are two main ways to reach Baa Atoll. One option is to hop on a seaplanemany guests staying at luxury resorts will arrive this way. For example, Finolhu will not only organize guests seaplane transfer they will also arrange for someone to escort you from the airport to the hotel's private airport lounge and then onto the seaplane.

The other way is to take a 20-minute flight from Male to Dharavandhoo Airport (DRV), located on the island of Dharavandhoo, which is part of the Baa Atoll. From there, you can take a local speedboat to the island or hotel of your choice.

Best Things to Do

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Close up views of Manta Rays in Hanifaru Bay.

Visit Hanifaru Bay.

My favorite spot in Baa Atoll would be Hanifaru Bay, where, during the [time between] May and October, you can often see aggregations of manta rays and, if youre lucky, whale sharks," says Tobar.

This bay is a feeding station for the worlds largest manta ray pod (also known as a "squadron" or a "fever"). During a visit here, travelers can swim with these large, graceful creatures and also see schools of fish and other sea life. However, you can only access Hanifaru Bay through a guided tour, since only five boats are allowed per day to manage crowds and protect marine life.



Go diving.

Baa Atoll has over 40 scenic dive sites that encompass caves, manta "cleaning" stations (where manta rays and other marine animals gather to be cleaned by shrimp and fish), and thilas, submerged coral towers. Horubadhoo Thila is a local favorite with a depth that ranges between 39 to 52 feet. But if you've never dived before, don't worrythere are plenty of beginner-friendly spots all around Baa Atoll. Plus, resorts like Finolhu have dive centers staffed with instructors who are eager to make diving accessible for everyone.

Embark on a wildlife cruise.

One of the things that makes Baa Atoll so special is its variety of wildlife. Taking a cruise tour staffed by local experts is one of the best ways to see all the area has to offer, from spinner dolphins to sea turtles to whale sharks. Cruises can take you to remote locations around the islands where you normally wouldn't be able to go. I recommend reaching out to your hotel concierge to learn about the best options.

Sponsor a coral reef.

Sadly, many coral reefs around the world are dying due to rising ocean temperatures. However, some advocates are working tirelessly to replace the lost coral, which helps restore the natural habitat of the fish that rely on coral. Some resorts in the atoll, such as Finolhu, take an active role in the coral's preservation, and its efforts are led by its resident marine biologist, Ivana Tobar. She encourages guests to "adopt" a coral reef during a stay at the property. Part of the adoption process includes a guided snorkel experience with Tobar, so you can see how coral is transplanted.

Explore the islands.

The Maldives are famous for its iconic island resortsI mean, who doesn't love overwater bungalows? But if you want a taste of what life is really like in the area, I recommend visiting Dharavandhoo, which is home to about 800 people. While you're here, you can explore the small village, try local food, and enjoy the beach.



Best Hotels & Resorts

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Interior of an overwater bungalow at Finolhu.

Finolhu

There are many resorts to choose from in Baa Atoll, but one of my favorites is Finolhu, which opened in 2016 with 125 villas. In addition to gorgeous overwater bungalows and incredible on-site restaurants, the resort also has a resident marine biologist, Tobar. If guests wish to participate in a marine biologist-led activity, they can do things like track and identify animals, help rebuild the coral reef, and clean up debris on nearby islands. Finolhu also exclusively sources fish from local fishermen and hires local artists and musicians.



Soneva Fushi

This 71-room resort is located on Kunfunadhoo Island and has a No News, No Shoes motto. Travel + Leisure senior editorial director Nina Ruggiero stayed here recently and says, Soneva Fushi is the definition of barefoot luxurywe actually checked in our shoes at the dock. Soneva is famous for its waterslide villas. Don't miss zip-lining to the treetop restaurant.

Anantara Kihavah

Fresh off a massive renovation, this 80-villa resort has over-the-top amenities like an underwater restaurant as well as an observatory with the largest telescope in the Maldives. Nina Ruggiero got a sneak peek at the new rooms. I was the first journalist to stay in one of Anantara Kihavah's revamped beach villas in May 2025, and I still dream about the massive outdoor bathroomwith a gorgeous soaking tuband the private beachfront pool," she says. "It's easy to see why this resort attracts so many celebrities."



Best Restaurants

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure A close up of a dish served at Kanusan at Finolhu.

Kanusan

This upscale Japanese restaurant is located right over the water at Finolhu Resort, and guests can delight in wildlife spotting (I saw nurse sharks) while enjoying the freshest sushi youll find on the Indian Ocean.

Sea Underwater Restaurant

While many restaurants in the Maldives are on the water, Sea, located at the Anantara Kihavah resort, is actually under the water. While here, you can dine with a 360 view of coral reefs and sea life, and sip on libations from one of the only underwater wine cellars in the world.

Krill

For a taste of local fare, head to Krill on Dharavandhoo. This cozy spot has a lovely terrace and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving Asian fusion alongside traditional Maldivian dishes.



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The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle is seen in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2023. - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/File

Police arrested and charged a man with possession of explosives Sunday outside a Washington, DC, church where an annual Mass to mark the start of the Supreme Court term was set to take place hours later.

The so-called Red Mass is held each year to invoke Gods blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice, according to St. Matthews Cathedral. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court told CNN that no justices were in attendance on Sunday, though members of the high court have previously gone to the mass. The Supreme Courts new term begins on Monday.

The DC Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that the suspect, Louis Geri, a 41-year-old from Vineland, New Jersey, faces preliminary charges of unlawful entry, threats to kidnap or injure a person and possession of a Molotov cocktail.

Officers assigned to protect the event approached Geri, who had set up a tent on the steps of the cathedral, just before 6 a.m. They arrested Geri after he refused to vacate, though he had been previously barred from the premises, per MPD.

MPD teams that investigate explosives and arson incidents searched Geris belongings and found vials of liquid and possible fireworks.

DC police are teaming up with federal partners, including the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBIs Washington Field Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, on the investigation.

The FBI told CNN in a statement that there is no threat to the public and the investigation is ongoing. It is not yet clear whether the suspect has an attorney.

During the Mass, Cardinal Robert McElroy said he hopes members of the Supreme Court, as well as other legal practitioners, can help bring hope back to an era that he said has witnessed a dramatic collapse of faith in institutions of all kinds.

He called for a tamp down on confrontational political rhetoric, which he warned led to more political violence.

We have witnessed the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the assault on the Capitol. Both marked the progression from civil dialogue to uncivil dialogue, to force and fear, he said, referencing the recent murder of a prominent conservative activist and the January 6 Capitol riots.

The Sunday incident came days after the person who admitted to trying to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022 was sentenced to just over eight years in prison.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Apple TV+ Martin Scorsese in Mr. Scorsese

NEED TO KNOW

Martin Scorsese shared in the new Mr. Scorsese documentary series that he was kicked out of Catholic preparatory seminary school as a teenager "because I behaved badly"

"I did okay for the first few months, but something happened. I began to realize the world is changing," Scorsese said in the series' first episode

Scorsese discusses his lifelong fascination with Catholicism at length in Mr. Scorsese, which made its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 4

Martin Scorsese is reflecting on his early exit from a Catholic seminary school that would have set his life on a very different path.

Scorsese, 82, opens up about his lifelong fascination with religion in Rebecca Miller's new documentary Mr. Scorsese, which premiered at the New York Film Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. As the Taxi Driver director recalls in the series' first episode, he was deeply moved when he first attended Catholic mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City around age seven and pursued religious education into his teenage years.

"There was a preparatory seminary, and that was on 85th Street somewhere. I did okay for the first few months, but something happened," Scorsese shares in the new series. "I began to realize the world is changing. It was early rock and roll and the old world was dying out. I became aware of life around me. Falling in love or being attracted to girls; not that you're acting out on it, but there were these feelings, and I suddenly realized it's much more complicated than this. You can't shut yourself off."

"The idea of priesthood, to devote yourself to others, really, that's what it's about," he adds in the documentary. "I realized I don't belong there. And I tried to stay but they got my father in there and they told him, 'Get him out of here.' Because I behaved badly."

While Scorsese does not elaborate on what he did that constituted him behaving "badly," one of the director's childhood friends, Joe Morale, says in the documentary that he felt Scorsese "had a heavy eye for the ladies" as a teenager.



Apple TV+ Martin Scorsese, undated

Scorsese's fascination with religion has remained a constant throughout his life and career, even though he did not follow through with his teenaged pursuit of the Catholic priesthood. The director has made multiple movies concerning Catholicism in his career, including 1988's The Last Temptation of Christ and 2017's Silence, and he also made a movie about the life of the incumbent Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, with 1997's Kundun.



In the series, Scorsese also cites a "kind of a mentor" he had in a Catholic priest named Francis Principe, whom he says inspired him to "get an education" and get out of his childhood neighborhood in New York City's Lower East Side.



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Apple TV+ Martin Scorsese, undated

Scorsese's relationship with his faith plays a major role in Mr. Scorsese, which tracks his entire filmmaking career and includes interviews with collaborators like Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paul Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Jay Cocks, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, as well as his three daughters Cathy, 59, Domenica, 49, and Francesca, 25, his wife Helen Morris and other childhood friends



"There were moments when I was an altar boy and I would ring the bells, that's a moment where the whole world stops. The presence is there," Scorsese says in the documentary. "The presence of God, right there."



Following Mr. Scorsese's New York Film Festival premiere, the series begins streaming on Apple TV+ Oct. 17.



Read the original article on People
CBS Philadelphia/YouTube Salem County, N.J. mom who claims her 5-year-old daughter was assaulted in school

NEED TO KNOW

A mother in New Jersey claims her 5-year-old daughter was assaulted by a teachers aide inside a classroom

The woman said her young child now has bruises on her arms, neck and the back of her legs

The mother claimed she has not been permitted to speak to the teachers aide in question, nor the teacher who witnessed the alleged incident

A New Jersey mother claims her 5-year-old daughter was assaulted by a teachers aide inside a kindergarten classroom.

The Salem County mother, Mariah  who did not wish to disclose her last name  told CBS News Philadelphia that she initially received a call from an employee at John Fenwick Academy informing her that her daughter was misbehaving at around 12 p.m. local time on Thursday, Oct. 2.

She said she then received a call from the schools principal less than two hours later, informing her that she needed to come to the school immediately.

When I asked if my daughter was in trouble or okay, she [the principal] said she didn't want to talk about it over the phone," Mariah said.



Upon arriving at the school, Mariah claimed she learned that her daughter had been assaulted by a paraprofessional  also known as a teachers aide.

Mariah said she demanded that the police be called once she learned what had allegedly happened. She also said she asked to speak to the paraprofessional involved, but was told the employee had since been sent home.

Mariah claimed she has also not been permitted to speak to the teacher who witnessed the alleged assault.

A police report filed after the incident stated, per CBS News Philadelphia, that the paraprofessional "picked up a student, forcefully placed the student in a chair, resulting in her striking the back of her head on a metal cabinet."



Mariah said that she has since observed bruises starting to form on her daughter's arms, neck and the back of her legs.

"As a parent, it's like you do whatever you can to protect your kids, but I never expected this in a kindergarten class," the concerned mother told the outlet.

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.

PEOPLE reached out to the Salem County Sheriffs Office, John Fenwick Academy and the State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families for comment on Sunday, Oct. 5, but did not receive an immediate response.



Read the original article on People
A federal judge in Oregon has blocked the Trump administration from sending federalized National Guard members from California  or any other state  to the streets of Portland, Oregon.

In a rare, late Sunday night virtual hearing, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut granted the motion for a temporary restraining order filed by the state of California, which asked her to prevent the deployment of up to 300 members of the California National Guard to Portland.

The decision from Immergut, a Trump appointee, came a day after she blocked President Donald Trumps attempt to deploy Oregon National Guard troops in Portland.

Earlier Sunday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would sue the Trump administration after it deployed the federalized troops  National Guard members called into service by the president  to Oregon.

This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power, Newsom said in a statement. The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words  ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents.

In a statement, the White House had confirmed the movement of California National Guard troops to Oregon.

President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement Sunday that members of the California National Guard were being reassigned from the Los Angeles area to Portland to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal personnel performing official duties, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, confirmed that some of the troops had flown into Oregon on Saturday night and said it is our understanding that there are more on the way today.

She condemned the move, saying in a statement: The facts havent changed. There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target. Oregonians exercising their freedom of speech against unlawful actions by the Trump Administration should do so peacefully.

Texas National Guard called into service

Before the late-night ruling, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a memo Sunday that he is calling up to 400 members of the Texas National Guard into federal service in Chicago and Portland for up to 60 days with the potential for an extension.

On October 4, 2025, the President determined that violent incidents, as well as the credible threat of continued violence, are impeding the execution of the laws of the United States in Illinois, Oregon, and other locations throughout the United States, Hegseth wrote.

The memo was included in a court filing by the Oregon attorney generals office in the Oregon National Guard case Sunday night.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release Sunday that no federal officials had called him to coordinate the guard's deployment.

We must now start calling this what it is: Trumps Invasion," wrote Pritzker, a Democrat. "It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another states military troops.

Pritzker and Kotek called on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to withdraw any support for that decision.

Abbott, a Republican, said on X that he "fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials."

"You can either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let Texas Guard do it," Abbott said. "No Guard can match the training, skill, and expertise of the Texas National Guard."

The White House and Abbotts office did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the Texas guard's deployment to Illinois.

Kotek blasted the Texas news Sunday night, saying she had received no "direct explanation" from Trump or Hegseth about why the action was needed and refused to coordinate.

This is a continuation and escalation of the Presidents dangerous, un-American misuse of states National Guard members and hard-earned taxpayer dollars," Kotek wrote.

Temporary restraining order

California Attorney General Rob Bonta celebrated Immerguts decision Sunday to block the deployment of California Guard troops to Oregon, and implied that the Trump administration's attempt to move the troops was in response to the federal judge's order the day before.

The Trump Administrations flagrant disregard for the courts was on full display when it sought to circumvent Judge Immerguts order blocking the federalization of the Oregon National Guard by redeploying troops from Los Angeles to Portland, Bonta said in a statement late Sunday. This disrespect for the rule of law cannot standand Im glad the court agreed."

Immergut on Saturday temporarily blocked the administration's activation of 200 Oregon National Guard troops to Portland until at least Oct. 18.

This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs, she wrote in her ruling.

In response, the Trump administration filed a motion with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an emergency pause of the decision.

The Trump administration said Immergut impermissibly second-guessed Trumps military judgments.

Nearly 200 years ago, the Supreme Court made clear that these judgment calls are for the President to make  not a Governor, and certainly not a federal court, the motion read.

In a statement after Saturday's ruling, Kotek said: There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. No fires, no bombs, no fatalities due to civil unrest. The only threat we face is to our democracy  and it is being led by President Donald Trump.

Demonstrators face California National Guard members outside the federal building in Los Angeles on June 9 as they protest federal immigration operations in the city. (Apu Gomes / AFP - Getty Images)

In an op-ed published Sunday in The Oregonian, Portland Police Chief Bob Day didn't denounce Trump's deployment of the National Guard outright, but he said "national portrayals" of Portland were overstating the problem there.

"There is no ignoring that we are facing an extraordinary time in our citys history, with the deployment of both federal law enforcement and the Oregon National Guard," Day wrote. "One of the reasons given for this action has been that Portland Police are not responding to public disorder."

"Just because officers are not seen wearing tactical gear lining up before crowds does not mean we are not responding. In fact, research shows that such tactics often escalate crowd behavior. Instead, we use a layered approach when it comes to managing public order," he added.

Trump clashes with Democratic leaders

Trump clashed repeatedly with Democratic governors and mayors over the weekend over his moves to deploy National Guard troops across the country.

In addition to the lawsuit from Democratic leaders in Portland and Oregon, Pritzker blasted Trump's decision Saturday to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago, an idea Trump has floated for weeks.

It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will, Pritzker said in a statement Saturday.

In an interview Sunday on CNN's State of the Union, Pritzker said federal authorities "are the ones that are making it a war zone. They need to get out of Chicago if they're not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do. They need to get the heck out."

Democrats also blasted Trump's comments to senior military leaders last week that the military should "use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military National Guard."

Before the Trump administration's moves this weekend in Portland and Chicago, it had deployed National Guard troops to two other cities, Los Angeles and Washington.

Trump has also threatened to deploy troops and federal law enforcement to other cities, including Baltimore and New Orleans.

In Los Angeles last month, a federal judge ruled that the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines was illegal. Days later, officials in Washington also sued to block the deployment of National Guard troops in the nation's capital.
A federal judge in Oregon has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from sending the National Guard to Portland after the president said he would send troops to the city to handle "domestic terrorists."

U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, issued the temporary restraining order, which is set to expire on Oct. 18, according to court records.

The plaintiffs say a deployment would violate the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal law that generally prohibits the military from being used to enforce domestic laws.

Immergut wrote that the case involves the intersection of three fundamental democratic principles: "the relationship between the federal government and the states, between the military and domestic law enforcement, and the balance of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

"Whether we choose to follow what the Constitution mandates with respect to these three relationships goes to the heart of what it means to live under the rule of law in the United States," she wrote.

Generally speaking, the president is allowed "a great level of deference" to federalize National Guard troops in situations where regular law enforcement forces are not able to execute the laws of the United States, the judge said.

However, she concluded that in the situation in Portland, the president "did not have a 'colorable basis' to invoke  12406(3) to federalize the National Guard because the situation on the ground belied an inability of federal law enforcement officers to execute federal law."

Plaintiffs were able to show that the demonstrations at the Portland immigration facility were not significantly violent or disruptive in the days or weeks leading up to the president's order, the judge wrote, and "overall, the protests were small and uneventful."

The judge added that, "The President's determination was simply untethered to the facts."

The Defense Department had said it was placing 200 members of Oregon's National Guard under federal control for 60 days to protect federal property and personnel at locations where protests are occurring or likely to occur after Trump called the city "war-ravaged."

The state of Oregon filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration last Sunday following the president's announcement that he would send troops to Portland. The lawsuit argued that Mr. Trump lacks the authority to federalize the National Guard.

Following the ruling, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson indicated an appeal was likely, saying in a statement that "President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement  we expect to be vindicated by a higher court."

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield called the ruling "a healthy check on the president."

"It reaffirms what we already knew: Portland is not the president's war-torn fantasy. Our city is not ravaged, and there is no rebellion," Rayfield said in a statement. He added: "Members of the Oregon National Guard are not a tool for him to use in his political theater."

"Today's outcome is proof that Portlanders' commitment to peaceful expression and civic unity truly matters," Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said in a statement Saturday following the ruling. "We have not met aggression with aggression. We've stood firm, calm and grounded in our shared values and that is why this decision went our way. Portland has shown that peace is power."

Then on Sunday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said the Trump administration was sending 300 members of the California National Guard to Oregon, calling it a "breathtaking abuse of the law and power" and pledging to sue.

"The Trump Administration is unapologetically attacking the rule of law itself and putting into action their dangerous words  ignoring court orders and treating judges, even those appointed by the President himself, as political opponents," Newsom said in a statement.

On Sunday, Jackson confirmed that California troops were being deployed to Portland, saying the president was exercising "his lawful authorities to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement."

The president previously deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles in June amid heated protests over immigration raids in a move that prompted a lawsuit from Newsom, who called it an illegal "power grab." A federal court ruled last month that the Trump administration violated federal law with the deployment.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has pushed back on Mr. Trump's plans to send troops to Portland and told reporters at a news conference last week that the city "is a far cry from the war-ravaged community he has posted on social media."

Earlier in September, Mr. Trump had described living in Portland as "like living in hell."

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland has been the site of nightly protests, and the demonstrations and occasional clashes with law enforcement. A handful of immigration and legal advocates often gather at the building during the day. At night, recent protests have typically drawn a couple dozen people.

The order on Saturday comes after a broader effort from the administration in what Mr. Trump has characterized as a crackdown on crime in Democratic-led cities.

Along with Mr. Trump's deployed of the National Guard to Los Angeles over the summer, he also did so and as part of his law enforcement takeover in the District of Columbia.

On Saturday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said that the Trump administration intends to federalize 300 Illinois National Guard members after he was offered an ultimatum to deploy the troops himself but refused.

Last month, Mr. Trump signed a presidential memorandum mobilizing federal law enforcement agents to Memphis, Tennessee, at the request of the Tennessee governor.

Ret. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges says Hegseth's fitness standard remarks were "completely unnecessary"

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth says National Guard is "not needed" in Chicago

Face the Nation: Schumer, Duckworth, Hodges
The author and his partner went to Italy thanks to ChatGPT. Courtesy of Santiago Barraza Lopez

This summer, my partner and I were so burned out and needed a vacation.

Planning a trip sounded too exhausting, so we turned to ChatGPT to plan it for us.

The AI planned a beautiful trip to Italy, where we were able to disconnect in small towns.

The heat in London had become unbearable this summer for my partner and me. The air was heavy, the Tube felt like a furnace, and my mind was equally overheated. Work deadlines bled into late nights, and even when I closed my laptop, my brain wouldn't switch off. My partner was just as restless. We were living in a loop: work, heat, exhaustion, repeat.

We agreed we needed a break, but even the thought of planning an escape felt exhausting. Travel usually means obsessively researching hotels, mapping out the "best" routes, and checking review scores like our sanity depends on it. That didn't sound like a vacation.

So, in a moment of equal parts desperation and curiosity, I asked ChatGPT to plan it for us. I typed: "Plan us a trip in Italy that's romantic but off the beaten path." And just like that, the responsibility was lifted.

What happened was more than a trip. It was a reminder that mental health isn't only about therapy sessions or meditation apps. It can also be about stepping into the unknown, letting go of control, and breathing in silence where the WiFi fails.

The ground rules: romance without the crowds

We didn't want luxury resorts or all-inclusive packages. This wasn't about chasing perfection; it was about finding peace.

Our rules for ChatGPT were simple: keep it affordable, keep it romantic, and steer us away from the tourist conveyor belt.

That meant no Venice gondolas, no Florence gallery queues, and no Rome bus tours. Instead, we wanted pasta dinners in small piazzas, quiet afternoons wandering cobblestone alleys, and moments when we felt like travelers, not tourists.

Part of the reason was practical, but part of it was mental health. We both needed space. We needed to step away from over-planning and over-managing and let someone, or in this case, something else, hold the reins.

The hidden towns we never knew we needed

ChatGPT's picks were places I'd barely heard of, all linked to a cheap flight into Salerno. The first stop was Salerno itself, often skipped for Amalfi or Positano. Wandering through its medieval centro storico, everyghing felt refreshingly real. We sipped espresso in cafes where no one spoke English and realized this was exactly the kind of grounding we needed.

The author and his partner went to Italy. Courtesy of Santiago Barraza Lopez

Next came Cetara, a tiny fishing village famous for anchovies and colatura di alici, a centuries-old fermented fish sauce. It wasn't glamorous  just pastel houses against rocky cliffs and fishing boats in the harbor. But the village was alive in a way curated destinations rarely are. Eating anchovy spaghetti on a quiet terrace felt more restorative than any fine-dining meal.

The highlight was Atrani, a small spot in Italy. Hidden in Amalfi's shadow, it's often ignored, leaving its piazza to locals. We stayed for hours, simply watching life unfold.

In that slowness, the mental fog lifted. Healing, I realized, happens less in the spectacular than in the ordinary.

Disconnected, and finally at peace

The biggest gift of those days was disconnection. In Atrani, the phone signal vanished as we entered the tight medieval alleys. In Cetara, the trattoria had no WiFi, only paper menus stained with olive oil.

In Salerno at sunset, no Instagram landmarks demanded a photo; there were only families strolling the promenade. For once, I wasn't thinking about my inbox, my to-do list, or how the trip looked to anyone. It felt like exhaling again.

I was fully present with my partner, the landscape, and myself. I noticed boats bobbing in the harbor and bells echoing off the cliffs. My shoulders loosened as I sat still.

Back in the city, I felt rebooted  not cured  because mental health isn't that simple, but recalibrated. I had proof that the mind doesn't need a grand fix. Sometimes, it just needs space, silence, and a willingness to wander.

Travel often promises escape but delivers stress: flights, logistics, crowds. Handing the reins to ChatGPT flipped that equation. Letting go of control, I found calm and connection. Stepping off the beaten path, I found something better than relaxation: peace of mind.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Detective Devin Rigo knew the clock was ticking as he raced to a metal scrapyard just north of Portland, Oregon. Rigo, with the Hillsboro Police Department, had just learned about the discovery of a maroon minivan he believed contained evidence connected to the murder of 56-year-old Kenneth "Kenny" Fandrich, a contract pipe fitter.

On Jan. 27, 2023, Kenny Fandrich was discovered in a parking garage at the Intel campus in Hillsboro. Police reviewed surveillance camera images and determined that Fandrich had been dragged into the minivan by a masked man. Police believed the killer had broken Fandrich's neck and killed him inside the minivan, before staging his body back in the driver's seat of his own vehicle.

From evidence found at the scene, investigators believed the murder suspect tried to cover his crime by spray-painting multiple security cameras in the parking garage with blue spray paint. Correspondent Natalie Morales covers the investigation into Kenny Fandrich's murder and the hunt for the killer in "Murder in the Parking Garage," now streaming on Paramount+.

A suspect wearing a hard hat, tinted glasses and a face mask is captured spray-painting the security cameras around Kenny Fandrich's car the morning of his murder to apparently conceal the crime / Credit: Washington County District Attorney's Office

Soon after police arrived on the scene, Intel security personnel provided investigators with recordings from their hundreds of security cameras in the parking garage. Police soon had images of a suspect  wearing a hard hat, tinted glasses and a face mask  spray-painting the security cameras around Fandrich's car early that morning, to apparently conceal the crime. At the time, the suspect had not been detected by Intel. But when police looked at the footage, they discovered that the spray paint didn't cover everything the cameras recorded.

Kenny Fandrich, left, and Dr. Steven Milner. / Credit: Washington County District Attorney's Office

Police believed that whoever had killed Fandrich waited for him inside that minivan, then attacked Fandrich when he returned to his car after his shift. The killer left the garage in the maroon minivan soon after.

The night that Fandrich's body was found, his wife, Tanya Fandrich, told investigators Kenny had a stalker: a well-off former veterinarian named Dr. Steven Milner. Tanya Fandrich had worked for Milner at his vet clinic for years, and they had an affair, which Tanya Fandrich said was long over. Police found that Kenny Fandrich had filed several orders for protection against Milner, and that Milner had been warned by Hillsboro police officers to stop following Kenny Fandrich. Just months before Kenny Fandrich's murder, Milner had been caught placing a tracking device on one of the Fandrichs' vehicles and was criminally charged. After several days of investigation, police arrested Milner and charged him with the murder of Kenny Fandrich.

Once in custody, police were able to connect the minivan, and another vehicle, to Milner, who had left them at a Home Depot parking lot for long periods of time.

To prove the case against Milner, investigators felt they had to find that minivan. "Because it's the minivan that we believe was really our main crime scene " said Rigo. "We thought there was going to be forensic evidence  in that minivan."

Rigo and his partner, Detective Stephanie Winter, called the vehicles "burner cars."

"Everybody kind of is more familiar with like a burner phone " said Rigo, "where you have a phone that's not  traced to you but, you know, you can use it for what you need, get rid of it  Essentially, he did the same thing, but with a car."

The maroon minivan had been flagged at the Home Depot parking lot and the VIN number had been recorded. Security footage showed the van leaving the Home Depot parking lot shortly before Fandrich was murdered.

"We are sending flyers to every agency in the area," said Rigo about the minivan's VIN number.

The maroon minivan, pictured left, moments before it was crushed. Hillsboro, Oregon, police believed the vehicle contained evidence connected to the murder of 56-year-old Kenneth

The first alert they got was from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The minivan had been towed off the side of the busy I-5 highway in North Portland just days after Fandrich was murdered. Detectives believe it had been dumped there by Milner. Rigo called the tow company and found out the minivan had been sold to a scrap metal company. That's when he started racing to the scrapyard to see if they could retrieve the minivan, and the key crime scene evidence it may have held. But he was too late. When Rigo arrived and asked about the minivan, he was shown a video of the crime scene being picked up and smashed to pieces. "I was able to watch one of my key pieces of evidence be crushed and taken away," said Rigo, "before my very eyes  exactly a week too late."

Discover how the investigation unfolded, and Milner's defense at trial, on this week's "48 Hours," "Murder in the Parking Garage."

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Two cousins were killed in a murder suicide over a real estate deal in Queens late Friday, cops and family said.

Two Queens cousins battling over the sale of a home were killed in a suspected murder-suicide, relatives and police sources said.

Police responded to a call about shots fired at a home on 116th Road in Jamaica just before midnight Friday, and found the 37- and 41-year-old men dead, authorities said.

Both cousins, who family members said grew up together, were found with gunshot wounds to the head, sources said.

A man shot his cousin and himself over the sale of a relatives home in Jamaica, Queens, police sources and relatives said. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

It was an issue with the sale of the house, some disagreement with how the money was going to be divided up, a 62-year-old uncle who lives in the homes basement told The Post.

The younger man, who the relative identified as Prince, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to cops and family, while his elder cousin Antoine succumbed to his injuries later at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Prince went to the home to assist Antoine in selling Antoines house, family members said.

The wife of the cousin who was shot said she grew worried about her husband when he didnt pick his daughter up at school in the afternoon. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

Antoine gave Prince the power of attorney to sell the house because Prince was familiar with the real estate market, the family said. But the cousins began arguing over the sale.

Princes wife grew concerned because her husband wasnt returning her calls or texts and failed to pick up his daughter at school that afternoon, the uncle said.

She began using her 360-phone tracking app to see where her husband was and noticed his location hadnt changed for two hours.

The man who was selling the house had given power of attorney to the other cousin, who knew the market, family said. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

She went to the house and called 911 for two wellness checks.

A neighbor said police came to the home twice but said they couldnt go inside.

The two cousins had been in a dispute over the sale, the wife said. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

When an uncle who lived in the basement let the wife inside, she found her husband lying dead next to the front door, the uncle said. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

She was telling them she had the GPS on her phone and it was pinging from that location, the neighbor said of the wife.

When the uncle came home, he let the wife inside.

I unlocked the door, the uncle said. When she cut the light on, she saw Princes body leaning against the front door. He wasnt moving. She started screaming.

The two men had grown up together, the family said. Kyle Mazza/Shutterstock

I grabbed her and I said, We gotta get out of here because hes probably still in here, the uncle recalled. She said she heard something coming from upstairs. When we were coming out we heard the gunshot.

When the NYPDs Emergency Services Unit responded, they found Antoine in a bedroom holding a handgun with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, the sources said.
Neil Mockford/GC Images (From left to right): Romeo Beckham, Harper Beckham and David Beckham on Oct. 3 in France for Paris Fashion Week.

NEED TO KNOW

Victoria Beckham's family was looking extra stylish as they supported her Paris Fashion Week runway show

The designer showed her eponymous fashion brand's spring/summer 2026 collection

Victoria and David Beckham's son Romeo wore a nostalgic jacket with nods to Guccis Spring/Summer 1999 collection

Victoria Beckham has one supportive  and stylish!  family.

On Friday, Oct. 3., the fashion designer showed her spring/summer 2026 collection during Paris Fashion Week with her husband David Beckham and her kids Harper, 14, Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, seated in the front row. They were joined by Cruz's girlfriend, Jackie Apostel.

The Beckhams' oldest son, Brooklyn, was not in attendance.

For his part, Romeo celebrated his parents' iconic '90s style with a vintage-inspired, slim-fit black Gucci jacket featuring the brand's crest that paid homage to the fashion houses Spring/Summer 1999 collection. Both Victoria, 51, and David, 50, famously stepped out in similar jackets from the original collection in the summer of 1999.

He paired the jacket with black pants and a basic white T-shirt. Romeo then added a bit of bling with a silver chain necklace, silver earring and ring.



Meanwhile, Harper was pretty in pink, as she wore a long, strapless gown paired with a matching clutch and black, strappy shoes. Ahead of the show, the teen was flanked by Romeo and her dad as they left their hotel.

David was looking extra dapper in a tailored gray suit, white dress shirt and tie. He accessorized his classic look with a red and gold pocket square.

The couple's youngest son, Cruz, made the family's boldest fashion statement by wearing a long, black and white polka dotted jacket with the sleeves rolled up over a white T-shirt that read "you wanna know how it looks." He finished his look with baggy black pants, black dress shoes and a gold chain. Apostel, 29, opted for a dressier ensemble as she stepped out in a long, strapless black dress with an asymmetrical neckline.

Victoria kept her look simple wearing a light gray suit from her line over a white shirt. The elevated business style carried through into the pieces showcased by the models on the catwalk once the show began.

Pictures from inside the event showed an unusually effusive Victoria kissing David as her Paris Fashion Week show came to an end. The designer also received lots of love from her kids on Instagram. Romeo shared a collection of photos from the evening, writing, "Soooooo good @victoriabeckham ," while Cruz posted a video from the event to his Instagram Story alongside the caption, "so proud of you mum."

In a cover story interview for the October 2025 issue of Elle, Victoria shared that she would be divulging details about her brand "for the first time" in her forthcoming Netflix documentary, Victoria Beckham.

"There were rumors right at the beginning: Was this a vanity project, was my husband bailing me out? That wasnt about opinion. That was fact. My business was struggling," she reflected to the outlet, which noted she discusses the topic further in the three-part docuseries.

She continued, "I suppose I have really opened myself up for the first time, and theres a vulnerability there. Ive got two more days left of filming, and then my jobs done. Over to the editor."



Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The Spice Girls alum also spoke about the challenge of balancing work on her fashion line during the filming of the documentary.

"I had to leave my vanity at the door, because every time they were following me at work, I had a job to do," she told Elle. I couldnt think about the fact there were cameras there, because I was preparing for a show. One minute were creating the collection, picking the fabrics, casting the models. Is this the right flooring? Whats the show music like?"

Added Victoria, "There was so much going on that I had to turn a blind eye to the fact that they were there. Otherwise, I wouldnt have gotten anything done. I was like, Guys, Ive got a day job to be getting on with.



During the interview, Victoria reacted to Elle's comment about how they "used to love seeing" her four kids, along with David, sit front row at her London Fashion Week shows (she now shows in Paris).

"Thats what we do. We all support each other," she said in response, adding, "We always show up for each other."



Victoria Beckham, the three-part docuseries, will be streaming on Netflix on Oct. 9.



Read the original article on People
Meghan Markle was one of the celebrities to make an appearance at Paris Fashion Week, turning heads and sparking camera flashes.

She was there for the Balenciaga event to celebrate Italian fashion designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who only recently assumed the role of creative director for the fashion house.

Forever begrudging her for snatching the ginger-haired prince from their favourite true-life royal fairytale and luring him across the seas, crown chasers have since observed and weighed in with their judgment.

Meghan attempted the cheek-on-cheek kiss and found herself with her nose on Pierpaolo Picciolis glasses

Image credits: meghan

One of the first glitches in the evenings choreographygleefully devoured by the camerascame during Meghans meeting with Piccioli.

The two leaned in for that fashionable, performative cheek-on-cheek kiss (the kind more about optics than affection), but Meghan misjudged the angle and ended up nose-first against his glasses.

Piccioli, the consummate couturier, sensed the cameras and laughed it off, deftly salvaging the moment by clasping the 44-year-olds hand and pulling her in for the photo.

Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen

Image credits: meghan

The resulting image, to their credit, looked like a minor triumph: arms entwined, smiles in place, and Meghans nose a safe distance from Picciolis blackout frames.

As if to prove that she is adept at the greeting, Meghan was later seen performing the kiss (successfully) on Vogues global editorial director Anna Wintour and receiving the same from Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.

Prince Harry, however, was absent from the pomp and circumstance.

She wore flowing white to Paris Fashion Week

Image credits: Arnold Jerocki//Getty

Image credits: Backgrid/VidaPress

Meghans wardrobe was the evenings focal point for fans and tabloids alike.

She stepped out in a white cape over a loose-fitting matching suit, finishing the look with sharp, pointy-toed black heels.

Her hair was slicked back into a tight bun that seemed to christen the look, office sirenhere to slay, but not on the clock today.

According to TMZ, this was the Duchess of Sussexs first appearance at Paris offering of the event.

The sighting posted to social media was met with a barrage of mockery

A reader who wrote, Looking: radiant, classy, elegant and ravishing. Duchess. Gorgeous, gorgeous. Now let the nobodies eat at your feet with envy, was one of the few to support the duchess.

Of those repulsed by the look, one wrote: When my kids ask if they can go out in public in their pjs I say nosame rule should surely apply to bedsheets?

I guess if you cant fold your sheets you just wear them, echoed another.

Even bedsheets you can present fashionably! All depends on the person, came another retort, purportedly in her defense.

She was seen the next day at Paris Fashion Week wearing black

Image credits: voguearabia

Recent reports suggest that the 44-year-old was present at the event on October 5, too, when she was snapped wearing an asymmetric gown in the opposite color.

She kept the cape for her more recent appearance but swapped the two-piece suit style for a long, sleeveless dress and wore it in black with matching court shoes.

Like the day before, she kept her jewelry to a minimum, wearing gold earrings and simple bracelets.

The Duchess of Sussex traded in her dramatic white ensemble for a sleek black gown with an asymmetrical neckline, Fashion mag Elle, which published the photo, reported on the day.

The two looks were connected by their capes.

Meghan is known to have frequented the New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks before her marriage to Prince Harry

Image credits: meghan

One of Meghans representatives confirmed she was at the event to support Piccioli.

Over the years, the Duchess has worn a number of designs by Pierpaolo. They have worked closely together, collaborating on design for key moments on the world stage, they told People.

She has long admired his craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different. This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.

While this is reported to have been her first Paris Fashion Week, she is noted to have been a regular fixture at the ceremonys Toronto and New York installments between 2013 and 2015.

Meghan Markles white outfit quickly became the butt of online jokes
By Nathan Layne

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (Reuters) -Betty Snellenberg and Grace Cook stood on opposite sides of the walkway into the early voting center in Virginia Beach - one promoting the Democratic ticket for the November 4 statewide election, the other distributing pamphlets for the Republican nominees.

Flanking the entrance, the two women embodied the country's partisan split as a days-old government shutdown threatened to cleave the political left and right further apart, with each side blaming the other for the paralysis in Washington.

Yet Snellenberg and Cook shared a common concern: their parties risk losing the messaging war if the shutdown goes on for weeks or months, especially in an area of their state so dependent on civil service and military jobs. Tens of thousands of workers have been furloughed or are working without pay.

A long shutdown could severely damage the economy of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, home to multiple military installations, including the world's largest naval base in Norfolk and a base for fighter jets in Virginia Beach.

Snellenberg, an 84-year-old Democrat, said she was worried that in a prolonged shutdown voters would eventually come to care more about the broader economic toll than the extension of healthcare subsidies that are at the core of Democrats' demands.

"I don't want the Dems to back down because it shows weakness," said Snellenberg, who worked at a nearby naval intelligence center prior to retirement. "But it's going to come back and bite us if it goes on longer than a month."

Cook, Snellenberg's Republican counterpart, said she was unsure if the shutdown would prove to be a critical factor in the off-year election's headline race for governor between Democratic former Representative Abigail Spanberger and Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears.

But she worried a protracted shutdown could boomerang on Republicans heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats are seeking to oust the Republican incumbent in a competitive congressional seat that includes the city of Virginia Beach in their bid to retake control of the House of Representatives.

"It might hurt us in the midterms," said Cook, 61, a former Department of Defense employee who was wearing a T-shirt bearing the word "Freedom" in a tribute to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. "In this area - only because we're a lot of Navy and a lot of DOD and federal jobs."

About 335,000 civilian employees at the Defense Department - nearly half its workforce - were slated for furlough under its shutdown plan.

Public opinion surveys echo Snellenberg and Cook's shared anxieties: that both parties stand to lose support, though more people seem ready, at least for now, to fault President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, which controls both chambers of Congress.

A poll by Marist, PBS News and NPR conducted in late September prior to the shutdown found that 31% of respondents would blame both sides equally, while 38% said they would hold Republicans culpable and 27% said they'd blame Democrats.

The shutdown is already factoring into a key state-level November 4 race, with incumbent Democrat Michael Feggans last week releasing a 30-second ad highlighting the potential economic damage to his lower house district in Virginia Beach.

"Someone who's always spoken about the art of the deal is going on another shutdown," Feggans, referring to Trump and his self-branding as a deal-maker, said in an interview. "We didn't have any government shutdowns during the Biden administration."

Tim Anderson, his Republican opponent, said he believes Democrats, who have the votes to block a stopgap funding bill in the U.S. Senate, will be seen by most Americans as the intransigent party at the outset of the shutdown.

"But if this continues for a while, voters will start looking at the president as the responsible entity in the shutdown," Anderson told Reuters, adding that he could see an ongoing shutdown hurting his chances on November 4. "The longer this goes, the worse it's going to hurt Republicans."

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

The shutdown, which entered its fifth day on Sunday, has suspended scientific research, financial oversight, economic data reports, and a wide range of other activities. With some exceptions, most federal employees will not be paid until a deal to reopen the government is made.

Nearly 60,000 people in the Hampton Roads area work for the federal government, while another 85,000 in the area are active duty military, according to Bob McNab, chair of the economics department at Old Dominion University. Because of a pullback in their spending, the region could lose $1 billion a month in economic activity during a sustained shutdown, McNab said.

In interviews with more than two dozen voters, federal employees and elected officials in Virginia Beach and the nearby city of Chesapeake on Thursday, nearly all expressed worries about the financial impact on themselves or their loved ones.

But several Republicans told Reuters that they wanted Trump to hold his ground, even if it meant economic pain for the region, arguing that Democrats were wrong as a matter of principle for using their leverage to block the proposed short-term spending bill.

Democrats say they do not trust Republicans to honor any agreement that would first reopen the government and then tackle the healthcare subsidies, which were passed as part of a 2021 Democratic COVID relief package and now help 24 million Americans pay for coverage.

Jan Callaway, a Republican poll watcher, said depending on how Trump went about it she could support him using the shutdown to fire more civil servants, as he has threatened to do, even with 300,000 already set to be pushed out by the end of 2025.

"I'm concerned if it goes on for a long time, but I think the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot," Callaway, 69, said. "I trust Trump ... he's the king of making deals."

Two Democratic-leaning independents told Reuters that they were worried that Republicans were winning the messaging battle, gaining traction by repeatedly making the false claim that the Democratic spending proposal would extend health coverage to people who are in the country illegally.

"They have not done a very good job in selling the truth," said Stuart, who would only give her first name, referring to leaders of the Democratic Party. "It seems to me, unfortunately, that the Republicans have the larger megaphone."

Much like their parties, Snellenberg and Cook have not crossed the aisle, or in their case the walkway, to discuss the shutdown. Volunteers for both parties were mostly keeping to themselves, when Reuters visited this week.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in Virginia Beach, editing by Ross Colvin and Diane Craft)


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Last night, Sydney Sweeney showed up to the 2025 Hamptons International Film Festival in a playful suiting moment, celebrating her Achievement in Acting award. The star was honored at the event for her titular role in the biographical sports drama Christy, for which she transformed physically and mentally into an elite athlete to tell the rise-to-fame story of the 90s American boxer Christy Martin.

Sonia Moskowitz - Getty Images

For the occasion, Sweeney took things back to the 90s herself, with the help of the Thierry Mugler archives. The actress, and her stylist Molly Dickson, picked out a cropped, tailored suit jacket with curly lapels and long sleeves, buttoning it closed over a matching minidress. The dress, designed with a plunging neckline and bow detail hidden by the jacket, was constructed with a basque waist bustier and transparent, structured tutu, with little white bows on either hip. For added coverage, Sweeney layered a matching miniskirt under the dress, and paired the ensemble with pointed-toe Jimmy Choo heels. She let her long blonde hair fall down her back in natural waves, and went for dainty jewelry, selecting a thin chain necklace.

Later, she changed into white sneakers, which, according to Dicksons Instagram story, was a last minute choice made by the actress herself, joking: what happens when Im not thereshe somehow ends up in sneakers.

This was not the first time that a star has worn this Mugler look. Last November, Ariana Grande showed up to the Los Angeles Wicked premiere after party in the same dress, courtesy of Sweet Disorder Vintage.



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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty; Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Ike Turner and Tina Turner perform in 1976, Ike Turner Jr. in 2007.

Ike Turner Jr.  the son of Tina Turner and Ike Turner  has died. He was 67.

Ike Jr. died at a Los Angeles hospital on Saturday, Oct. 4, family member Jacqueline Bullock told TMZ.

According to Bullock, Ike Jr. died from kidney failure. She told the outlet his health had declined in recent years, as he had severe heart issues and suffered a stroke last month.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my cousin, Ike Turner, Jr."

Bullock said in a statement to Page Six. "Junior was more than a cousin to me, but rather a brother, as we grew up in the same famed household together."

Bullock, as well as representatives for Ike Jr.'s family, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, Oct. 5.

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.

Tina and Ike Sr. were parents to four children together. The music legend adopted Ike Sr.'s two sons, Ike Jr. and Michael, from his previous relationship with Lorraine Taylor.

The pair later welcomed their first and only child together, son Ronnie Turner, and Tina was also a mom to son Raymond Craig, whom she welcomed with Raymond Hill.

Tina died in May 2023 at the age of 83 after a "long illness." Ike Sr., meanwhile, died of a cocaine overdose in December 2007 at the age of 76.

Ike Jr. was preceded in death by brother Craig, who died by suicide in July 2018, and brother Ronnie, died of colon cancer four years later.

This story is developing.

Read the original article on People
Food & Wine / Photo Illustration by Janet Maples / Getty Images

The 25 tools and appliances listed here speak to the way we cooked, sipped, and snacked over the last quarter century. Some reflected health fads (hello, zoodles), while others spoke to a moment in history (looking at you, lockdown baking). Many have withstood the test of time on kitchen counters (long live SodaStream).

In the early 2000s, centrifugal juicers allowed us to embrace kale and down green juice on the way to work, coffee pods and pour-over tools delivered barista-quality brews at home, and Japanese knives had cooks channel their inner Iron Chef while they sliced and diced their weeknight dinner.

By the 2010s, appliances had cult followings of their own. The Instant Pot all but broke the internet with countless blogs and fan groups. Vitamix convinced us that we could make soup in a blender. Sous vide machines brought restaurant precision to the home chef like never before.

The 2020s have been just as impactful: Dutch ovens became sourdough status symbols, backyard ovens made pizzeria-quality pies at home, and nugget ice machines turned entertainers into mixologists. The air fryer may have emerged as the true MVP, however, as it proved that crispy fries are entirely possible and easy in your kitchen without a vat of oil.

Related: The Top 25 Kitchen Design Trends That Defined the Past 25 Years

01 of 25

The juice bar at home

Liliya Krueger / Getty Images

Centrifugal juicers revolutionized home juicing. It made the process fast, simple, and convenient. Their high-speed spinning blades quickly extracted juice from fruits and vegetables, which eliminated other labor-intensive methods. Around 2002, juicing gained momentum thanks to health-conscious consumers and brands like Juiceman and Breville. The combination of accessible appliances and an increased interest in fresh nutrition transformed juicing from a niche hobby into a mainstream trend. It paved the way for todays modern juice culture. Breana Killeen

02 of 25

The non-stick switchup

Food & Wine

For years, pans with a nonstick coating, commonly known as Teflon, were popular in home kitchens for their almost frictionless surface. They made cooking easier and cleaner and reduced the need to use oil or fat. But a potentially toxic chemical used in the production of Teflon, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), came under investigation in the 1990s and was banned in 2013. (Non-stick pans including those from Teflon no longer use this chemical.) It sparked a boom in alternatives such as non-toxic ceramic and enamel coatings, which were considered safer. They were a precursor to the recent popularity of durable, restaurant-grade, carbon-steel pans. Melanie Hansche

03 of 25

Silicone everywhere

chuchart duangdaw / Getty Images

Silicone started to gain popularity in kitchens around 2007, and it transformed numerous kitchen tools. Silicone offered a versatile, easy-to-clean alternative to plastic, metal or wood. Its heat resistance, nonstick properties, flexibility, and durability made it ideal for many kitchen items. It revolutionized many things, especially baking, where colorful mats replaced parchment paper, and flexible molds allowed for candy creativity and high-quality pastries. The trend simplified cooking and baking to make once-complicated tasks easier and more efficient. Jennifer Zyman

04 of 25

Pod power and pour-overs

Food & Wine

For many, to brew coffee at home felt unattainable or unnecessary. Why take the time to make a whole pot when your neighborhood coffee shop can do it better (and faster)? But that intimidation factor was lowered with the introduction of Keurigs single-use coffeemaker in 2008. Simply place a disposable pod (or K-Cup) in the machine, and the Keurig could make a single cup of coffee in less than a minute. Nespresso machines, a slightly higher-end alternative, gained popularity around the same time. While many coffee snobs turned their noses up at these single-use coffee makers, they found joy in the slow art of the pour-over. The Chemex, an hourglass-shaped, manual pour-over coffeemaker, trended on barista blogs and allowed an entirely new audience to fall in love with home brewing. Amelia Schwartz

05 of 25

Sharp turn to Japan

YUICHI YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images

Home cooks began to move away from clunky Western-style blades in favor of sharper, lighter Japanese-style knives. The Food Network audience was introduced to Masaharu Morimotos impressive collection of knives on Iron Chef America with razor-sharp edges that allowed for delicate handling and precision cutting. Other influential chefs, like Anthony Bourdain and Alton Brown, praised the craftsmanship and performance of brands like Shun and Global. It helped shine a light on Japanese cutlery as an everyday kitchen essential. Paige Grandjean

06 of 25

Sparkling comeback

Ariel Jerozolimski / Bloomberg via Getty Images

SodaStreams U.S. relaunch in 2009 sparked a surprising resurgence for the at-home carbonation brand. Many shifted away from mainstream soda brands and embraced the fizzy machines and their flavored syrups. The appeal lay in its convenience, cost savings, and playful customization of sparkling drinks. Its renewed popularity foreshadowed Americas growing obsession with seltzer. SodaStream became positioned as both a nostalgic throwback and a modern kitchen staple. Its success helped spark the wider sparkling water trend that dominates to this day. Breana Killeen

07 of 25

The Instant Pot achieves cult status

Food & Wine

Has a kitchen gadget ever inspired so many online fan groups, cookbooks, blogs, and videos as the multi-function cooker known as the Instant Pot? Even F&Ws own executive features editor Kat Kinsman had a YouTube show dedicated to it called No Pressure. Invented by Canadian engineer Robert Wang and team in 2010, the appliance was a slow cooker, pressure cooker, and rice cooker in one. It helped revolutionize weeknight cooking with its versatility. In 2016, it made the jump from niche appliance to national obsession. The Instant Pot Duo was the top-selling item of Amazons second-ever Prime Day, with 215,000 units sold in the U.S. in just 24 hours. Melanie Hansche

08 of 25

Vitamix goes global

Food & Wine

Blenders used to be routine, perhaps even boring. Maybe it had few bells and whistles, but it was relatively inexpensive. However, Vitamix changed all of that. Its blenders became a mainstay in the kitchens of chefs and serious cooks due to their superior and consistent performance. Making soup in a blender that can also self-clean? People couldn't stay away from the must-have appliance, even if the price tag was $400 or more. The brand continues to be a consumer favorite that lives up to its hype. Jennifer Zyman

09 of 25

Sous vide for the masses

Food & Wine

Sous vide, the technique to cook food in a vacuum-sealed bag to an exact temperature through the use of a water bath, was once exclusive to professional kitchens and their chefs. But as affordable, easy-to-use immersion circulators like Anova hit the market, home cooks discovered the secret that chefs relied upon for years. It made precise, temperature-controlled cooking accessible to a broader audience. Immersion circulators enabled home cooks to achieve the same consistency in doneness that could be found in a professional kitchen, whether for perfectly cooked meats, fish, or vegetables. Jennifer Zyman

10 of 25

Zoodle zeitgeist

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Zoodles quickly became a buzzword as the Paleo and gluten-free movements reached an all-time high. Spiralizers hit the market at a range of price points, from inexpensive handheld gadgets and tabletop models to KitchenAids premium spiralizer attachment for stand mixers. Its surge coincided with the boom of meal-prep culture. Instagram became flooded with pictures of rainbow vegetable noodle bowls as home cooks spiralized everything from zucchini and carrots to beets and sweet potatoes. Paige Grandjean

11 of 25

Bullet blender reloaded

Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Building off the success of the Magic Bullet years prior, which was first released in 2003, the Nutribullet hit the scene in 2017 as the higher-powered answer to convenient green smoothies and superfood-packed meal replacements. Its sleek design, powerful motor, and wellness-focused branding made the blender the go-to for health conscious consumers. Plus, with a single-serve container that doubled as an on-the-go cup, the Nutribullet fit seamlessly into busy, fitness-focused lifestyles. Paige Grandjean

12 of 25

Sip-all-day steel

Lawrence Sumulong / Getty Images

Around 2015, vacuum-insulated, stainless-steel drink containers became a must-have accessory. Brands like S'well, Hydro Flask, Yeti, and Stanley gained massive popularity. Driven by convenience, sustainability, and the allure of exponential hydration, these bottles and cups promised to keep beverages hot or cold for extended periods. Their durable design, wide variety of colors, and ability to reduce single-use plastic waste transformed them into everyday essentials. Jennifer Zyman

13 of 25

Slow-cooker second wind

Britta Pedersen / picture alliance via Getty Images

In 1971, Rival Company released the Crock-Pot, a slow cooker that uses a temperature-controlled environment to simmer food for long periods. It was the hottest kitchen appliance on the market until the microwave stole the hearts of home cooks. But in the 2010s, the Crock-Pot had a remarkable comeback. Food blogs and cookbooks boasted about the simplicity of dump dinners. Just add your ingredients to a single pot or machine and let it do its thing without the electromagnetic waves. Thanks to the Crock-Pot, busy home cooks could complete all the prep before work, and have a hot, delicious meal ready by the time they arrived home. Amelia Schwartz

14 of 25

Carbon-steel swagger

Food & Wine / Joy Kim

In 2018, chef-loved brand Made In brought carbon-steel cookware to the forefront for home cooks. A favorite of professional chefs, carbon steel offered exceptional heat retention, responsiveness, and nonstick properties, but it was often seen as intimidating. Made In helped to demystify carbon steel as it introduced approachable, high-quality pans that allowed home chefs to experience its many benefits. Soon, many other brands followed. Today, its one of the preferred types of skillets for both professional and amateur kitchens. Amelia Schwartz

15 of 25

Stand mixer status symbol

Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg via Getty Images

In 2018, the KitchenAid stand mixer rewrote its reputation. No longer was it the hardworking appliance stashed away between uses. Rather, it moved into the spotlight as a countertop statement piece. Influencers, home bakers, and celebrities like Jennifer Garner posted #KitchenAid selfies on social media to showcase their highly aesthetic kitchens with the mixer placed front and center. The same year, KitchenAid launched its first-ever Color of the Year Mixer, Bird of Paradise (essentially a vibrant coral color). Not only was the stand mixer a kitchen essential, but it was now a fashion-forward centerpiece. Paige Grandjean

16 of 25

Hey Google, whats for dinner?

Olly Curtis / Future via Getty Images

Not a visual learner? Googles got your back. As of 2017, anyone with a Google Home could listen to voice-guided, step-by-step recipes through Google Assistant. Just pick a recipe (Google partnered with major outlets like NYT Cooking), send it to your Google Home account, and ask to start cooking. It responds with easy-to-understand instructions, one at a time. Miss a step? Just request Google to repeat itself. You can even ask some follow-up questions. This handy AI function has made recipes more accessible for visually impaired individuals. It can make anyone feel like they have a sous chef by their side. Amelia Schwartz

17 of 25

Color of the year craze

Food & Wine / Dera Burreson

In 2018, kitchen appliances and tools began to mirror the fashion industry with special releases, seasonal drops, and trend-driven hues. KitchenAid led the movement when it introduced its first Color of the Year, which elevated mixers from simple tools to statement pieces in playful, vibrant shades, such as pinks, blues, and even metallics. Bold tools such as Le Creuset Dutch ovens turned stovetops into showcases of personality without the need to entirely redo the kitchen. This shift reflected how appliances became part of lifestyle branding. It served to blend function with fashion-inspired design. Breana Killeen

18 of 25

DTC cookware disrupts

Food & Wine

You can thank social media for the boom in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, which revolutionized the kitchenware market. Online-savvy brands like Our Place, Caraway, and Great Jones skipped traditional brick-and-mortar stores to sell directly to people as they scrolled. These brands designed stylish, multifunctional, and often toxin-free cookware built for a different audience than the more longstanding brands sold in traditional marketplaces. Their success was driven by strong branding, social media marketing, and a story of making kitchen essentials more straightforward. It appealed to a new generation of home cooks who seek trendy and well-designed products. Amelia Schwartz

19 of 25

Cast-iron comeback kid

ozgurdonmaz / Getty Images

With the launch of Lodges heritage-inspired Blacklock collection in 2019, Americans began to see cast-iron skillets as more than just retro cookware. The heavy-duty pan that was made to sear, saute, shallow fry, braise, and bake, retains heat better than any other cooking material. Food influencers and celebrity chefs like Samin Nosrat and Alton Brown sang its praises, especially for one-pot meals and buttery skillet cornbread. Amelia Schwartz

20 of 25

Rice cooker revival

Ilona Shorokhova / Getty Images

In the past five years, rice cookers have become a countertop staple. Not only are they the easiest and fastest way to make perfect rice, but theyve also become a source for experimentation. Rice cooker hacks, a viral term on social media, includes recipes with rice, like mixed-grain porridge, Hainanese chicken and rice, and tahdig. Theres even recipes for broth, macaroni and cheese, steamed eggs, and Japanese-style souffle pancakes. Amelia Schwartz

21 of 25

Dutch oven glam

Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Cast iron-enameled Dutch ovens have long been considered essential cookware for avid home cooks. But in 2020, when the pandemic brought on a bread-baking boom, the thick-bottomed pots reached cult status. There were countdowns for Le Creuset color drops and Staub flash sales. Gen-Z and Millennials alike splurged on chic, showstopping Dutch ovens that were just as functional as they were beautiful. Making stews, sauces, loaves of sourdoughs, and all the one-pot meals your heart could desire have never looked so aesthetically pleasing. Amelia Schwartz

22 of 25

Pro-level pizza comes home

Food & Wine

What makes an excellent Neapolitan-style pizza with a perfectly chewy center and a crisp crust? A really hot oven, thats what. Once, it was almost impossible for home cooks to nail that result. Domestic ovens typically have a capacity up to 500F, while a Neapolitan pie requires temperatures greater than 700F and up to 1000F. Enter Oonis portable pellet pizza oven in 2012, Gozneys Roccbox in 2016, and Brevilles Pizzaiolo pizza oven in 2018. All can reach those sky-high temps, the first two in your backyard and the last one on the kitchen counter. Sales really took off during the pandemic, as cooks got busy replicating their favorite restaurant pies at home. Melanie Hansche

23 of 25

The great panini-press renaissance

Food & Wine

In 2020, the pandemic sparked not just a sourdough bake fest, but also a Panini Surge. Home cooks sought comfort and variety during work-from-home lunches. Sales of sandwich presses and nostalgic jaffle makers soared, as global reports called it a breakout year for countertop grills. Boredom with basic meals pushed people to recreate cafe-style melts at home and fueled a wave of creativity. The humble sandwich press became a hero appliance. It elevated the boring home sandwich into a hot indulgence from the convenience of home. Breana Killeen

24 of 25

Ice, ice, fancy

Food & Wine

As folks looked to upgrade their everyday routine at home during the pandemic, the possibility to create crunchy, chewy nugget ice in your own kitchen was tempting. Although a few specialty countertop machines had capitalized on the iconic Sonic style ice before the pandemic, GEs 2022 release of the Opal 2.0 sparked a boom. It made those scoopable pellets with a satisfying slush sound in your Stanley or cocktail a staple for many households. Making your own mules, fizzes, and limeades at home would never be the same. Megan Passaro

25 of 25

Air fryers: Your new kitchen MVP

Food & Wine The best air fryers can handle everything from pork loin to boy choy.

A product that flew under the radar for years has now become as commonplace as blenders and microwaves: the humble air fryer. Now with no need for modesty, air fryers and air fryer toaster ovens hold court in most kitchens for quick crisping, full-roasted meals, reheating leftovers, and even baking. An estimated 10 million air fryers were sold in 2023, a number that has held steady. Theyve gotten less bulky, smarter, and more efficient each year. Huge brands like Ninja and Breville innovate tirelessly to convince cooks to dump their oven, or at the very least supplement it. Air-fryer evangelists in internet forums compare and select the best versions, and so do we. Weve never said no to a perfectly crisped crinkle fry. Megan Passaro

Read the original article on Food & Wine
A protester stands in the haze from a smoke grenade outside of a downtown US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, Saturday. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The ongoing battle between the Trump administration and Democrat-led cities intensified this weekend, with the White House announcing authorization for hundreds of National Guard members to be sent to Chicago and a federal judge in Oregon hitting pause on the presidents plan to deploy federal troops in Portland.

Those developments came against the backdrop of continuing protests in Chicago and Portland against federal law enforcement carrying out President Donald Trumps sweeping immigration enforcement agenda.

Trump and his administration have framed demonstrations in the two cities as violent protests carried out by domestic terrorists, arguing that military deployments are necessary to protect federal immigration personnel and property  despite state and city leaders insistence that the protests have been largely peaceful and any violence has been easily dealt with by local law enforcement.

Tensions spiked in Chicago on Saturday when a US Customs and Border Protection agent stepped out of his vehicle and shot five times at a woman in another vehicle, according to a charging complaint. The woman  a US citizen, according to the Department of Homeland Security  had rammed her car into a federal law enforcement vehicle, the complaint claims. DHS said the woman is in FBI custody after being discharged from the hospital, and she and another person are now facing federal criminal charges in connection with the incident.

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously said law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at the woman. No law enforcement officers were seriously injured in the incident, she said.

Video from Friday protests in Chicago and Portland showed heavily armed officers in military-style gear, many of them masked, using tear gas and other deterrents against protesters. In Brighton Park on the southwest side of Chicago Friday, protesters screamed, ran, and tried to shield themselves from tear gas, footage from Reuters shows. This is Brighton Park, this is not a war zone, one woman, visibly distressed, told a journalist.

Masked US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stand behind a police line as residents of Chicago's Brighton Park neighborhood confront law enforcement Saturday. - Octavio Jones/AFP/Getty Images

A woman is treated for exposure to tear gas after it was used by federal law enforcement agents in Brighton Park, on the southwest side of Chicago, on Saturday. - Scott Olson/Getty Images

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accused Trumps administration of escalating tensions and provoking people to react.

Theyre raiding neighborhoods where, instead of going after the bad guys, theyre just picking up people who are brown and Black and then checking their credentials, Pritzker said on CNNs State of the Union.

They need to get out of Chicago if theyre not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do, Pritzker said. They need to get the heck out.

Heres the latest:

Illinois governor says he was told to call up your troops or we will

On Saturday, the White House announced the president had authorized 300 members of the Illinois National Guard to protect federal officers and assets in Chicago, a move Trump has been promising for weeks. Its a strategy he first deployed to quell anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles in June  the first time a president had federalized National Guard troops against the wishes of a states governor in over half a century.

Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like (Illinois Gov. JB) Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told CNN. President Trump will not turn a blind eye to the lawlessness plaguing American cities.

Hours before the announcement, the Illinois governor said he was dealt an ultimatum.

This morning, the Trump Administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will, Pritzker said on X Saturday. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.

They want mayhem on the ground, Pritzker told CNNs Jake Tapper on Sunday. They want to create the war zone so that they can send in even more troops, he said, referencing last weeks massive ICE raid at a Chicago apartment complex that shattered windows and detained dozens of people overnight.

Debris and personal items belonging to Venezuelan immigrants sit in the hallway of an apartment complex in Chicago on October 2, after an ICE raid days earlier. - Jim Vondruska/Reuters

Now theyre claiming they need 300 of Illinois National Guard. Well, we didnt need them before they showed up, the governor said.

Tensions around anti-ICE protests in Chicago escalated earlier in the day after a CBP agent shot a driver. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, described the shots as defensive and claimed the woman was armed with a semi automatic weapon, although the complaint doesnt mention that the woman was armed or used a weapon.

Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, McLaughlin said in a post. Law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at an armed US citizen who drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds.

On Sunday, Pritzker told CNN the Trump administration is releasing information before local officials have had a chance to assess.

What happens in these sorts of incidents is typically, ICE puts out a press release before anybody else can speak with the press and then it gets reported on social media and elsewhere, Pritzker said on State of the Union. They are just putting out their propaganda, and then weve got to later determine what actually happened.

DHS later identified the woman as 30-year-old Marimar Martinez and said she is in FBI custody after being discharged from the hospital. The complaint says she was treated for a gunshot wound. Martinez was named in an intelligence bulletin last week for doxing agents and posting online, McLaughlin said.

Another person, Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, 21, was involved in the ramming and is in law enforcement custody, DHS said. The two are facing federal charges related to Saturdays incident, authorities said Sunday in a news release.

Court documents say the two forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with an officer of the United States.

CNN is working to determine legal representation for Martinez and Ruiz.

The National Lawyers Guild Chicago, which sends legal observers to protests, says they witnessed many violent attacks by federal law enforcement on the community at protests over the weekend, both in Brighton Park and at the controversial Broadview Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility near Chicago.

The nonprofit legal group condemned the use of police violence and criminal charges, whether federal, state or local, to suppress the righteous dissent of the people.

The Cook County Sheriffs Office said no arrests had been made as of 10 a.m. on Sunday after six were arrested on Saturday in connection with protests in Broadview around the facility being used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

No danger of rebellion in Portland, judge finds

Federal agents, including members of the Department of Homeland Security, the Border Patrol, and police, attempt to keep protesters back outside a downtown US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Three hundred California National Guard members are on their way to Oregon on President Trumps orders after a judge blocked his deployment of federal troops to Portland, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Sunday.

The California governor is planning to sue over the deployment, Newsom said in a statement.

This is a breathtaking abuse of the law and power, Newsom said.

The state of Oregon likewise plans to return to court to challenge the deployment, the states attorney general said Sunday.

District Judge Karin Immergut had granted a temporary restraining order Saturday blocking Trump from sending the National Guard to Portland, ruling that city and Oregon officials are likely to succeed on their claim that the President exceeded his constitutional authority and violated the Tenth Amendment in ordering the deployment.

Immergut  a Trump appointee  said the president appeared to have federalized the Oregon National Guard absent constitutional authority and that protests in Portland did not pose a danger of a rebellion. The judge said Oregon attorneys showed substantial evidence that the protests at the Portland ICE facility were not significantly violent leading up to the presidents directive.

The Trump administration swiftly filed a notice that it will appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Protesters head toward a downtown US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The judge did note that recent incidents cited by the Trump administration of protesters clashing with federal officers are inexcusable, but said they are nowhere near the type of incidents that cannot be handled by regular law enforcement forces.

Immergut warned some of the arguments offered by the Trump administration risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power  to the detriment of this nation.

Roughly 200 National Guard troops were undergoing training in preparation for a potential deployment to Portland, a US Northern Command spokesperson told CNN Friday. The new ruling places the National Guard back under the command of Gov. Tina Kotek for now, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said.

The temporary restraining order expires in 14 days, but the state plans to request an extension, Rayfield said. CNN reached out to the governors office for details on any changes to the Oregon National Guards status.

Amid the legal victory for state leaders, crowds of protesters continued to gather late into the night Saturday outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland.

Demonstrators both for and against the National Guard deployment rallied outside the building, according to CNN affiliate KATU, whose crews reported seeing federal agents deploying multiple rounds of pepper balls, flash bangs and tear gas to clear streets.

Portlands police department said its officers did not see any crimes against people or property during Saturdays demonstration and that they made no arrests and did not use munitions. The department referred CNNs questions regarding reports of law enforcements use of munitions to federal authorities.

CNN reached out to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for further information.

CNNs Whitney Wild contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump warned of complete obliteration if Hamas insists on staying in power in Gaza, as negotiations to end the bloody war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group are set for this week.

Hamas said on Oct. 3 it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan and is expected to enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details in Egypt.

Gaza would also be redeveloped, according to the proposal text, with the option for Palestinians who want to remain in the country to stay. Hamas fighters would get amnesty and the territory would come under temporary governance by a new, Palestinian committee that would be overseen by a "Board of Peace." Trump would personally chair the panel, alongside other foreign leaders, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, advocate for Oct. 7 hostages, carries on in spite of broken heart Goldberg-Polin became one of the most distinctive leaders to emerge out of Israel and for American Jews since Hamas' attack on October 7. Her plight was made visible by a piece of masking tape and sharpie marker, which she has continued to count the days hostages remain in the Gaza Strip  even as her son was killed last August. Her tireless advocacy named her one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2024. But amid the chorus of voices, hers is a singular one: filed with resilience, fortitude, and a compelling moral calling in the face of calamity.

But missing from Hamas' response was a commitment to have no role in Gaza's governance. When asked by CNNs Jake Tapper what would happen if Hamas stayed in power, Trump wrote via text message, Complete Obliteration!

While the world holds its breath for a potential ceasefire deal in the region, Hamas' agreement quickly raised eyebrows among some American lawmakers. Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham wrote on X that Hamas response to Trumps plan is unfortunately unpredictable and a classic Yes, but answer.

No disarmament, keeping Gaza under Palestinian control, and tying hostage release to negotiations, along with other problems, Graham wrote. This is, in essence, a rejection by Hamas of President Trumps 'take it or leave it' proposal.

FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at Trump National Golf Club, in Rancho Palos Verdes, U.S., September 13, 2024. REUTERS/David Swanson/File Photo

When Tapper asked whether Graham is wrong, Trump answered, We will find out. Only time will tell!!!

Trump also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on board with ending its bombing campaign in Gaza and making Trumps peace proposal a reality. He said he will know soon whether Hamas is truly committed to peace, though he didn't immediately provide additional details.

Israel began attacking Gaza after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israeli forces have killed more than 67,000 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to area health authorities, which are run by Hamas.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers, Kim Hjelmgaard, Joey Garrison and Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump warns of 'complete obliteration' if Hamas stays in power in Gaza
LAS VEGAS -- Alex Pereira reclaimed the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Magomed Ankalaev in a stunning knockout just 1:20 into the first round of the main event at UFC 320 on Saturday night.

Pereira, 38, was seeking revenge for a decisive unanimous decision loss to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March, claiming he was only at 40 percent for that match. With a cleaner bill of health and a clear mind for vengeance, Pereira (13-3-0) stayed on the attack and didn't allow Ankalaev (21-2-1) to touch him.

Pereira's victory revives the light heavyweight title picture, taking the belt from a fighter in 33-year-old Russian Ankalaev who did little to inspire hope for the future of the division. With Jiri Prochazka also winning his bout by stunning knockout, it awakened the potential for a potential third bout against Brazil's Pereira for the belt.

Merab Dvalishvili (21-4-0) successfully defended his bantamweight title with a unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen (18-6-0) in the co-main event (49-45, 49-45, 49-46), dominating the last four rounds of the fight after taking complete control in the second. Dvalishvili, from the country of Georgia, nearly finished Sandhagen with a D'arce choke late in the fourth, but the American avoided tapping and brought the fight to the scorecards.

Sandhagen managed to keep the fight on foot for most of the first round, baiting Dvalishvili into favorable strike exchanges that allowed him to gain an early advantage. That would be the last window Sandhagen would have, as Dvalishvili seemingly flipped a switch in the second round and nearly finished the American with his fists in a 10-8 display that turned the fight.

The most anticipated action of the main card began with a light heavyweight war between Prochazka (32-5-1) and Khalil Rountree Jr. (15-7-0). With a loss likely in the balance late in the third, Prochazka landed a devastating combination that knocked Rountree out cold with two minutes left on the clock.

Rountree gained an early advantage by landing multiple series of high-caliber combinations in the first round that left Prochazka clearly stumbling into the second. The exchanges also tired Rountree, allowing Prochazka a chance to find a window with his third-round explosion.

Youssef Zalal (18-5-1) made quick work of Josh Emmett (19-6) in the main card's second fight, forcing the 40-year-old to verbally tap via arm bar 1:38 into the bout in a moment that left the T-Mobile Arena crowd stumped.

It wasn't immediately apparent why the featherweight fighters were being separated until the replay was shown. The realization of what occurred was met with dismay from a pro-Emmett crowd that moments earlier was engaging in "USA" chants. The finish marked Zalal's fifth straight victory.

Joe Pyfer (15-3-0) opened the main card with a second-round submission victory over Abus Magomedov (28-7-1), securing a successful rear-naked choke at 1:46 in the second round. Magomedov dominated the first, but Pyfer dropped Magomedov with a combo to begin the second and nearly made him tap with an arm triangle before locking in the finisher.

--Will Despart, Field Level Media
CBS Boston/YouTube Luz Pineda

NEED TO KNOW

The woman who pushed a 63-year-old off a bus in Boston has agreed to a plea deal

Luz Pineda, 32, was sentenced to two years of probation on Friday, Oct. 3, for the Sept. 8 incident

She has also been ordered to stay away and have no contact with the victim"

The woman who pushed a 63-year-old off a bus in Boston has agreed to a plea deal.

Luz Pineda, 32, was sentenced to two years of probation on Friday, Oct. 3, for the incident, according to a statement from the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office.

During her probation, Pineda can't ride the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (known as the MBTA), which is the public transportation system in the Greater Boston region. She has also been ordered to stay away and have no contact with the victim.

Her probation conditions also include a three-month period of home confinement, with the exception of medical appointments for herself or her children, and anger management and mental health treatment.

CBS News reported that Pinedas attorney said that the 32-year-old feels "deeply regretful and sorry" for her actions. "She makes no excuse for her conduct," the attorney said.

Pineda  who was charged with one count of assault and battery on an elder or disabled person with injury  initially pleaded not guilty, per the outlet.

The altercation occurred on Sept. 8 around 1 p.m. local time, according to the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office.

Officers were alerted of the incident "after a radio call for a disorderly subject."

Pineda and the victim "got into a verbal argument over the victim not getting off the bus to let Pineda out," per the statement.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

"The argument turned physical when Pineda pushed the victim off the bus onto the sidewalk," the D.A.'s office said.



Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty MBTA bus (stock image)

The female victim had a cut on the corner of her left eye and blood coming from her head, per the statement.

"Pineda changed her clothes and hairstyle after leaving the bus to avoid being identified," the D.A.'s office said in its statement.

Witnesses said the victim remained on the ground for about 10 minutes and later received medical attention, per Boston 10. The older woman was transported by paramedics to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for a concussion and broken blood vessels.

CBS News reported that Pineda, in addition to attacking the woman, also kicked her shopping cart off the vehicle.

Local outlet WCVB reported that Pineda had her 3-month-old baby with her during the altercation. Pineda's attorney said she was heading home from a medical appointment for her infant, per CBS News.

Read the original article on People
A woman and man are charged with assault for allegedly ramming their vehicle into a car carrying federal immigration agents on Chicagos Southwest Side on Saturday, prompting one of the agents to open fire.

Marimar Martinez, 30, and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, 21, both of Chicago, are each charged in a criminal complaint filed Sunday with forcibly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer.

The agent who was driving was unable to move his vehicle and exited the car, at which point he fired approximately five shots from his service weapon at Martinez, the complaint stated. Martinez was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where she received treatment for gunshot wounds and was released into FBI custody.

Initial court appearances have not been set. It was not clear if either defendant had retained an attorney.

According to the complaint, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent was driving south of Pershing Road near the intersection of West 39th Place and South Kedzie Avenue on Saturday with two other CBP agents as passengers.

The officers were acting as a security detail at the time, and were followed by a convoy of civilian vehicles, including a silver Nissan Rogue driven by Martinez and a black GMC Envoy driven by Ruiz, according to the complaint.

The convoy of civilian vehicles followed the agents closely and pursued the (border patrol agents) aggressively, the complaint stated, including disobeying traffic laws, including running red lights and stop signs, driving in the wrong lane, and driving the wrong way down one-way streets.

Martinez drove off but paramedics discovered her and her vehicle at a repair shop about a mile away, according to the complaint. Ruiz also drove away after the collisions, but law enforcement located him and his vehicle at a gas station about a half block away, the complaint stated.

All three agents were equipped with body-worn cameras, but only the camera of one of the passengers was switched on at the time of the incident, according to the complaint.

In separate national television interviews, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, also a Democrat, warned about a pattern of lies emanating from DHS and the Trump administration regarding ICEs aggressive enforcement.

Pritzker acknowledged on CNNs State of the Union show that its really hard to know exactly what the facts are, and they wont let us access the facts. They are just putting out their propaganda, and then weve got to later determine what actually happened.

Asked about the shooting incident, Duckworth said on CBS News Face the Nation, Well, they lie right? The Trump administration lies. We have a president whos a known liar, and they have been, theyve been lying about the situation all along.

Both accused Trump and aggressive federal immigration enforcement of creating confrontation.

They are using Gestapo tactics in Chicago, and this is what Trump wants to do, right? He wants to intimidate the people of Chicago. Thats not going to happen, Duckworth said.

Pritzker said it was the Trump administration and federal agents who are the ones that are making it a war zone. They need to get out of Chicago if theyre not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the President said they were going to do. They need to get the heck out.

They want mayhem on the ground. They want to create the war zone so that they can send in even more troops, Pritzker said.

Activists and rapid response volunteers  people tracking agents across the city in an effort to disrupt their actions by warning of their presence and filming arrests  have shared a far different initial summary than the government.

Our understanding of part of the incident this morning is that ICEs car collided with a civilian car and then agents shot five bullets, said Brandon Lee, a spokesperson for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

An online video purported to be of the collision was circulating Sunday on social media, but the shooting itself was not captured.

Elizabeth Ruiz, 51, said federal agents rammed the back of a car driven by her son, Anthony Ruiz, after the shooting. The mother said the agents then detained her son, a 21-year-old U.S. citizen, and confiscated the car.

They turned it all around, she said of the Trump administrations description of what happened.

Ruiz said she was on the phone with her son when the shooting began.

When she arrived at the scene, agents took him into custody. They later told her he could be released Monday, she said.

It was one of your guys that rammed my son, why are you arresting him? she recalled telling the agents after they detained him.

The shooting occurred on the same day that Pritzker announced the Trump administration had authorized a historic federalized deployment of National Guard members to the Chicago area over the governors objections.

That news stemmed from a memo sent Saturday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Illinois National Guard leadership stating that up to 300 of its members will be called into federal service effective immediately for a period of 60 days.

According to the memo, which was obtained by the Tribune, the president called on guard members to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective Service, and other federal government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where violent demonstrations against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.

The memo didnt specify exactly where the deployments would take place, but said the chief of the National Guard Bureau, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the commander of U.S. Northern Command would coordinate details about the mobilization with the Illinois Guard.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul did not have specific plans to file new lawsuits against Trumps administration early Sunday, after the Saturday news of the impending National Guard deployment and a Trump-appointed judges decision to issue a temporary restraining order blocking their deployment in Oregon.

Raoul spokesperson Annie Thompson said the attorney general is firmly committed to upholding the Constitution and defending the rule of law in a statement shared Sunday morning.

Our office will not hesitate to take legal action in the event of any unlawful deployment anywhere in Illinois, Thompson wrote.

One day after the shooting, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discussed the incident during an appearance on Fox News.

She called Chicago a war zone and contended the growing intensity of protests against federal law enforcement was part of an unprecedented effort by well-funded outside organizers and networks who are now being investigated by the government.

We had a really strange incident yesterday where we had a caravan of 10 different vehicles that were following our border patrol agents and officers that were out there on the streets of Chicago, and they had followed them and gotten them cornered, pinned them down. And then our agents, when getting out of their cars, they tried to run them over and had semi-automatic handguns on them, to where our agents had to protect themselves, and shots were fired, and an individual ended up in the hospital that was attacking these officers, Noem said.

You know this individual had threatened them previously and had told them that they all needed to go down and shouted expletives at them, she said. So our intelligence indicates that these people are organized. Theyre getting more and more people on their team, as far as attacking officers, and theyre making plans to ambush them and to kill them. We have specific officers and agents that have bounties that have been put out on their heads. Its been $2,000 to kidnap them, $10,000 to kill them. Theyve released their pictures, theyve sent them between their networks, and its an extremely dangerous situation and unprecedented.

Noem said a protective detail has been placed around federal agents who have been identified by protesters and that immigration enforcement officials have changed some of our operations to keep our officers safe.

But make no mistake, this isnt just about, you know, protesting free speech or that they dont like that. People out here are upholding the law of our country. Theyre actually going out there and saying, Kill these people, and well give you this much money to do it, she said.

On her television appearance Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard, sought to downplay potential confrontations with the Trump-ordered deployment of 300 Illinois National Guard members.

So theyll be homegrown Illinoisans, and theyre our brothers and sisters, our neighbors. I probably served with quite a number of them, certainly the leadership. And, you know, theyll be home. Well welcome them, she said.

Its a misuse of the National Guard. Theyre not needed, but were going to welcome them, because theyre our brothers and sisters, and were proud of our National Guard, she said.

Among those caught up in the activity in recent days was Ald. Jessie Fuentes.

Nearly every elected official in Chicago City Hall has signed a letter condemning her detainment Friday by federal agents.

Agents grabbed Fuentes, 26th Ward, and roughly handcuffed her in a Humboldt Park hospital emergency room as she demanded they show her a warrant for an injured man they had also detained. She was released moments later after insisting the agents say what crime she had committed.

Fuentes arrest is not new, nor an isolated incident, said the letter listing Mayor Brandon Johnsons name first and also signed by 37 aldermen.

ICE agents continue to violate civil liberties with impunity, and if we continue to allow this erosion of due process to go unchecked, we risk undermining the foundation of our democracy, it said.

_____

(Tribune reporters Jeremy Gorner and Caroline Kubzansky contributed to this story.)

_____
An aerial view of crews attempting to extinguish a large fire and explosion that occurred at the Chevron Refinery in El Segundo overnight Thursday. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

The explosion and hours-long fire at Chevron's refinery Thursday night in El Segundo deeply unnerved communities in the South Bay.

The blast sent shock waves throughout the refinery grounds, allegedly injuring at least one worker, and jolting residents as far as a mile away. A 100-foot-tall pillar of fire cast an orange glow over the night sky. And towering plumes of smoke and acrid odors drifted eastward with the onshore winds.

While local regulators are investigating the fire, environmental advocates lament that federal safety agencies likely won't be joining in the effort to find the cause of Thursday's explosion  perhaps preventing similar hazardous chemical releases in the future. The incident was one of the most perilous events in the refinery's 114-year history, adding to a long list of environmental and safety violations, according to public records reviewed by The Times.

Most staff at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency tasked with investigating workplace safety, is not working because of the ongoing federal shutdown. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Mitigation Board, which determines root causes from dangerous chemical releases, is also furloughed and could lose its funding because of proposed budget cuts by the Trump administration.

"The Trump administration has defunded the Chemical Safety board, and the federal government is shut down right now," said Joe Lyou, a resident of nearby Hawthorne and president of the Coalition for Clean Air, a statewide nonprofit. "So there is a very good possibility we are never going to know what really caused this, because the experts in figuring this stuff out are no longer there to do that."

Read more:El Segundo was born by oil. The massive refinery fire leaves residents rattled

Without clear answers, labor unions are fearful that a similar disaster could endanger thousands of workers at California's 15 refineries, which are mostly clustered in Southern California and the Bay Area.

"Companies are making billions in profits and still are making it nearly impossible to make sure were safe from terrible disasters," said Joe Uehlein, board president of the Labor Network for Sustainability. "In California, weve seen horrific injuries to workers and tens of thousands of residents have had to seek medical attention in refinery accidents. This time, we got lucky."

The Chemical Safety Board has identified causes of scores of refinery incidents over its history, including the 2015 explosion at the ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance that injured at least two workers.

In that incident, the board's investigation found multiple safety failures, including a severely eroded safety valve that allowed flammable gases to dangerously seep into unwanted areas. The board also discovered that a large piece of debris almost struck a tank of hydrofluoric acid, which could have resulted in a deadly release of the highly toxic chemical, leading to pressure to cease using the chemical.

But, for the Chevron refinery explosion, there is no guarantee such an investigation will take place. The Trump administration proposed eliminating the budget for the Chemical Safety Board this fiscal year, starting Oct. 1, sunsetting the 27-year-old federal agency. Environmental advocates say that is a mistake.

"They're undermining our ability to prevent these accidents by taking away the accountability mechanisms in the federal government," said Lyou. "That's a huge concern. It's not politics. Democrats and Republicans live around the Chevron refinery, and they both want to make sure that the refinery is operating safely."

Read more:Methane leaks at California oil facilities are also spewing toxic chemicals

In the absence of federal regulators, the South Coast Air Quality Management District is investigating potential violations of air quality rules and permit conditions. The refinery will also be required to submit a report analyzing potential causes and equipment breakdowns within 30 days.

So far, the air district has said the fire originated in the refinery's ISOMAX hydocracking unit, which uses hydrogen to refine oil into jet fuel and diesel. The refinery's air monitors detected a spike in airborne chemicals after the fire broke out, but air district officials say conditions returned to normal levels after a few hours.

Environmental advocates say the extent of the fallout may not be known until there is a larger examination of air quality monitors.

"I was very surprised that the air district reported they weren't seeing terribly high levels of pollution," said Julia May, senior scientist for California-based nonprofit Communities for a Better Environment. "Sometimes in a big refinery fire like this, it goes straight up. But then the smoke comes down in other areas. And that's a lot of pollution that's going someplace."

The Chevron facility had been cited numerous times for environmental and safety violations, according to local and federal records.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued 13 notices of violations over the last 12 months, and 46 in the last five years. Most recently, on Sept. 22, the air district cited the facility for a large chemical leak and failing to keep its equipment in proper working condition.

In August, Chevron representatives had also asked the air district for leniency in assessing compliance with air quality rules while it was working to remove unwanted buildup inside its furnace tubes  conditions that they said risked equipment overheating and potentially failing.

OSHA records show the agency conducted at least 15 inspections at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo over the last decade, identifying 17 violations.

In September 2023, OSHA issued citations related to heat illness prevention requirements, ladderway guardrails and a failure to conduct a thorough hazard analysis  an internal assessment intended to control fires, explosions and chemical releases.

In October 2022, after conducting a planned inspection of the Chevron refinery, OSHA records show the agency identified a serious violation of an agency standard requiring employers to develop, implement and maintain safe work practices to prevent or control hazards," such as leaks, spills, releases and discharges; and control over entry into hazardous work areas.

Read more:Chevron fire expected to spark jump in prices at the gas pump

During the government shutdown, it's unclear if OSHA's pared-down staff will be investigating Thursday's refinery fire. An OSHA media office phone number went straight to a recorded message stating that the line is not being monitored and "due to a loss of funding, certain government activities have been suspended and I'm unable to respond to your message at this time."

For some environmentalists, the Chevron refinery fire has underscored why it's necessary to transition away from fossil fuels altogether.

"They [the refineries] have great workers and great fire departments to respond, but this is an inherently dangerous operation that handles hundreds of thousands of barrels per day of flammable explosive materials under high temperature and high pressure," said May, the senior scientist for Communities for a Better Environment.

"When something goes wrong, you can have a runaway fire. They did a great job at getting it under control. But do we really want antiquated dirty energy in our communities?"

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
5 October 2025 15:15 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Today, water scarcity and mismanagement are among the most critical challenges confronting the world. Climate change, population growth, and inefficient infrastructure have made water security a top priority for governments globally. The key to overcoming these challenges lies in strategic planning, innovative technologies, and integrated governance.



Azerbaijan, like many countries, is not immune to these pressures. With increasing demand, regional disparities in water access, and aging irrigation systems, the nation stands at a pivotal crossroads. The recent Baku Climate Action Week 2025 offered a rare window into Azerbaijans evolving water strategyand the urgency behind it.



Aliagha Azizov, Head of the Science and Innovation Sector at the State Water Resources Agency, laid out Azerbaijans ambitious digital roadmap for water management. The development of a National Strategy for the Efficient Use of Water Resources aims to modernize how the country controls, protects, and allocates its vital water resources.



The accuracy of data is key, Azizov emphasized, underlining that a comprehensive digital platform will serve as the backbone of this strategy. The platform will integrate data collection, processing, and analysis of all water bodies in Azerbaijanfrom rivers and reservoirs to canals and pipelines.



This is a significant shift from the fragmented, analog systems that dominate water governance in many countries. Moreover, plans for a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Water Atlas will provide transparent, real-time access to water-related data for researchers, the public, and decision-makers.

Azizovs remarks also signaled a shift toward basin-level water management, a globally recognized best practice. The strategy calls for integrated oversight of both internal and transboundary water sources. This approach is especially relevant for Azerbaijan, where agriculture remains the largest water consumer.



By aligning water allocation with hydrological realities, and by improving real-time monitoring through sensor technologies, Azerbaijan is poised to enhance both water efficiency and agricultural productivity. The target? Minimizing water losses and leakages in drinking and irrigation systems by 2040, and ensuring 100% metering in drinking water networks. This aligns with international best practices that treat every drop as a data pointsomething essential for countries grappling with water stress.

ADB Support: A regional vision with global partners



Water challenges are rarely local in scope. Transboundary rivers, shared aquifers, and cross-border climate impacts require multilateral cooperation. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Azerbaijans water reform journey. Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, ADBs Country Director for Azerbaijan, noted that Azerbaijan could count on the banks support for modernizing irrigation infrastructure, integrating artificial intelligence into water data systems, and implementing its national strategy.



Water problems are not just climate-relatedthey are also political, noted Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, ADB Country Director for Azerbaijan. Citing examples from South Asia, she emphasized how subsidy policies and governance models can directly undermine water sustainability. Importantly, Durrani-Jamal highlighted the role of satellite monitoring and risk mapping to identify hot spots of flood, drought, and scarcity. Such advanced tools enable a shift from reactive crisis management to predictive, long-term water governance.



Building on this, Ilhama Gadimova, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, stressed that water reform cannot succeed without transforming agricultural water use. She underscored that sustainable irrigation and smart water management are no longer optional but essential.



Sustainable water management is impossible without innovation and cooperation, Gadimova said, calling for increased regional dialogue and cross-sector collaboration to achieve these goals.



Together, these perspectives illustrate the multifaceted nature of water challenges in Azerbaijanwhere political will, technological innovation, and cooperative governance must intersect to ensure water security for the future.



The Ministry of Agriculture is investing in digital education and AI applications within farming. These innovations are already yielding real changes, demonstrating that the future of agriculture in Azerbaijan is data-driven. Gadimova suggested that the country could soon be viewed as a model for others seeking to digitize their agricultural water systems. Her comments point to an important reality: water reform is not a sectoral issueit is a national challenge. Solutions must encompass education, technology, governance, and infrastructure. These insights from Deputy Minister Gadimova align closely with Aliagha Azizovs emphasis on the strategic development of key regions like Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur, highlighting how coordinated efforts across sectors and regions are essential to advancing Azerbaijans water management goals.

Azizov noted that Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur represent significant untapped potential in water resources. With ongoing reconstruction and resettlement, these regions are being positioned as models for integrated, secure, and efficient water systems. Developing these regions' water infrastructure is not just a logistical taskit is a strategic imperative for ensuring water security and regional stability.

The vision presented during Baku Climate Action Week 2025 is comprehensive and forward-thinking. Yet, turning strategy into impact will require institutional coordination, sustained financing, and public engagement. With a mix of international support, domestic innovation, and cross-sector collaboration, Azerbaijan has the opportunity to build a resilient water system that supports its economic, environmental, and social goals.



In a world where water scarcity is becoming the new normal, Azerbaijans steps toward digital transformation and integrated water management could serve as a valuable blueprint for others.
5 October 2025 11:45 (UTC+04:00)

The fifth day of the 11th Baku International Book Fair was marked by a rich and engaging program, leaving a memorable impression on attendees, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), the official media partner of the fair, is actively participating with its own exhibition stand, which has attracted significant interest from visitors.

As part of the event, Chairman of AZERTAC's Board Vugar Aliyev met with Vasif Qurbanzade, Head of the Book Industry Department at the Ministry of Culture and a writer-publicist. Their discussion focused on the state of book publishing in Azerbaijan, promoting reading habits among youth, and the media's role in supporting these efforts.

During the fair, Mr. Aliyev also visited the stands of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Sharq-Qarb Publishing House, and the F. Kocharli Republican Childrens Library. In a meeting with Sevil Ismayilova, Director of Sharq-Qarb, both sides expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation between the publishing house and AZERTAC, and discussed opportunities for expanding their partnership.

In a conversation with Shahla Gambarova, Director of the Republican Childrens Library, an agreement was reached to jointly implement projects with AZERTAC aimed at children with autism and other special needs.

Later, the AZERTAC delegation visited the stand of the State of Qatar, the fairs Guest of Honor. There, the agencys leadership was introduced to various elements of Qatari culture, including books, brochures, and cultural artifacts on display. A demonstration of poetry generation using artificial intelligence also captivated visitors.
5 October 2025 14:21 (UTC+04:00)

As part of the Korkut Ata Turkic World Film Festival held in Aktau, the National Center for State Support of National Cinema of Kazakhstan has signed memorandums of cooperation with state film institutions from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkiye, and Uzbekistan.

Azernews reports, according to Kazakhstans Ministry of Culture and Information, the agreements are part of a broader effort under the umbrella of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) to strengthen cultural unity among Turkic nations through cinema  a powerful medium that reflects shared values and historical heritage.

The memorandum signed with the Azerbaijan Cinema Agency outlines a wide range of collaborative initiatives, including co-production of feature films, documentaries, and animation projects; organization of masterclasses and workshops; and joint efforts in translation and dubbing.

Among the key priorities is the promotion of mutual cultural understanding and the preservation of friendly relations between the peoples of the Turkic world.
5 October 2025 12:43 (UTC+04:00)

A fire broke out at the AAAF Park residential complex in Khirdalan city, Absheron district, prompting an immediate response from emergency services.

Azernews reports, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES), the incident was reported via the ministry's 112 emergency hotline. In response, units from the State Fire Protection Service and the Special Risk Rescue Service were swiftly dispatched to the scene.

The fire originated in a technical room located in the basement of an 11-storey residential building, where several electricity meters were installed. Thanks to the rapid and effective intervention of firefighters, the blaze was quickly brought under control before it could spread to residential apartments or other areas of the building.

In total, 68 electricity meters and approximately 3 linear meters of electric cables running through a utility shaft were damaged in the fire. The affected technical room measured approximately 2 square meters.

As a precautionary measure, emergency personnel safely evacuated 15 residents from the building, including 3 children.

Thanks to prompt action by fire crews, all communication lines running through the shaft, parked vehicles in the underground garage, and residential units were successfully protected from fire damage.
5 October 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

President Donald Trumps administration is preparing to set a refugee admissions cap at 7,500 people this fiscal year, a record low that prioritizes white South Africans of Afrikaner ethnicity, three people familiar with the matter said, Azernews reports, citing Arab News.

If finalized, the planned cap would be a steep drop from the 125,000 put in place last year under former President Joe Biden and reflect Trumps restrictive view of immigration and humanitarian protection.

Trump, a Republican, slashed refugee levels during his 2017-2021 presidency as part of a broad crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration. After returning to office in January 2025, he froze refugee admissions, saying they could only resume if it was determined to be in the interest of the US

Weeks later, Trump issued an executive order prioritizing refugee entries from South Africas Dutch-descended Afrikaner minority, saying the white minority group suffered racial discrimination and violence in majority-Black South Africa. South Africas government has rejected those claims.

The first group of 59 South Africans arrived in May, reaching a total of 138 by early September, Reuters reported previously.

The White House, State Department and Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the planned 7,500-person refugee ceiling in fiscal year 2026, which began on Wednesday. The New York Times first reported the plans.

John Slocum, executive director of Refugee Council USA, urged other elected officials to push Trump to bring in more refugees, saying in a statement that such a low limit would be jeopardizing peoples lives, separating families, and undermining our national security and economic growth.

Trump officials had previously discussed annual refugee admissions ranging from 40,000 to 60,000, Reuters reported in recent months.

At a side event at the United Nations General Assembly last week, top Trump administration officials urged other nations to join a global campaign to roll back asylum protections, a major shift that would seek to reshape the post-World War Two framework around humanitarian migration.
5 October 2025 11:15 (UTC+04:00)

A missile launched from Yemeni territory toward Israel has been successfully intercepted, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Azernews reports.

The IDF noted that air raid sirens were activated in several border communities in response to the threat.

"Following air raid alerts in several regions of Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted," the IDF statement said.

It should be noted that Israel has a multilayered missile defense system, including the Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and Arrow systems, designed to detect and intercept various types of aerial threats. These systems have been on heightened alert amid rising tensions in the region.

No injuries or damage have been reported in connection with the latest incident.
5 October 2025 19:21 (UTC+04:00)

Meta Platforms, Inc. is reportedly nearing an agreement with Pembina Pipeline Corp. to build a new artificial intelligence data center in Alberta, Canada, according to a report by The Logic on Friday, Azernews reports.

The Logic noted that Pembina is expected to partner with Kineticor, a Canadian power generation company, to supply natural gas-fired electricity for the facility.

While the final terms are still under negotiation, sources say a regulatory framework announcement could come as early as today, pending approval.

Following the report, shares of Pembina Pipeline surged 5.54% as of 2:22 p.m. ET during Fridays trading session.

If confirmed, the deal would mark a significant expansion of Metas AI infrastructure and a noteworthy crossover between tech and traditional energy sectors in Canada.
5 October 2025 18:55 (UTC+04:00)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Sunday that Russias latest overnight assault involved the launch of 50 missiles and 500 drones targeting multiple regions across the country, Azernews reports.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky listed the affected areas as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad. According to preliminary reports, the attacks resulted in five fatalities and left ten others injured.

The president emphasized that rescue operations and restoration efforts are currently underway. We urgently need enhanced protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, Zelensky urged, stressing the crucial role of the United States and Europe in applying pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the aggression.
Andrej Babis, who earned the nickname "the Czech Trump" in a previous term is returning to power, with an impressive win for his populist nationalist anti-immigration ANO party in the Czech parliamentary election, soundly defeating the currently governing traditional conservative coalition led by the Civic Democrats. ANO means "Yes" in the Czech language and stands for the party's full name "Action of Dissatisfied Citizens."

ANO exceeded poll predictions, winning 34.6% of the vote and 80 seats in the 200 seat parliament. Babis has announced he intends to form a coalition with two other populist nationalist anti-immigration parties, Freedom and Direct Democracy which won 15 seats, and Motorists for Themselves, which won 13 seats. All three parties campaigned against illegal immigration and against the European Union's climate policy. Freedom and Direct Democracy openly calls for a referendum to leave the EU.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/2117215/czech-elections-andrej-babis-european-union?int_source=nba

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/andrej-babis-returns-as-ano-tops-czech-elections/

https://rmx.news/commentary/we-are-so-back-babis-win-in-czechia-is-a-huge-victory-for-european-conservatives/

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/czech-trump-andrej-babis-wins-election-returns-prime-minister-latest-european-populist

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/babis-kicks-off-coalition-talks-after-weekend-win/

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Original post:

In his first stint as prime minister, Andrej Babis was nicknamed "the Czech Trump". Now the last poll prior to Saturday's parliamentary election shows Babis poised to return to power in the Czech Republic with his populist nationalist anti-immigration ANO Party holding a ten point lead over its nearest rival, the currently governing traditional conservative coalition built around the Civic Democrats. ANO means "Yes" in the Czech language and is the initials of the party's full name, Action of Dissatisfied Citizens.

Babis has focused his campaign on two issues, rejecting illegal immigration, and rejecting the European Union's climate agenda which he calls "green madness". He is a staunch eurosceptic. Those policies are resonating with Czech voters.

Overall, the poll gives parties of the populist nationalist anti-immigration right 51% of the vote, the traditional right 31%, the traditional left 10%, the populist nationalist left 7%, and others 1%. The once powerful Social Democrats who held the prime minister's post just before Babis' prior term have totally imploded.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/eurosceptic-babis-on-track-for-election-comeback-in-czech-republic/

ANO leads with 31%, followed by the Civic Democrat led coalition, SPOLU at 21%. In third place, with 13%, is an even more strident populist nationalist party, Freedom and Direct Democracy, whose anti-immigration platform even calls for banning mosques in the country and also calls for a referendum to leave the EU. Tied for fourth at 10% each are another traditional conservative coalition, STAN and the more or less traditional left Pirate Party. The only other party of the left in the running is Stacilo, a populist nationalist left party that also wants a referendum to leave the European Union and has said it is willing to join an ANO-led government. Stacilo is in sixth place at 7%. In seventh, at 5%, right at the threshold to be awarded seats, is another populist nationalist right party, Motorists for Themselves who are fiercely opposed to EU climate policies and wokeness generally. Falling below the threshold at 2% in eighth place is the populist nationalist anti-immigration Prisaha Party.

It is expected that ANO and Freedom and Direct Democracy will be the core of the new government. If a third party is needed for a majority and it succeeds in passing the 5% threshold, Motorists for Themselves would round out the government If not, Stacilo would probably fill that role. They would be a better fit as the traditional conservative parties are too tied to the EU establishment.
"Transgenderism" has been at the core of leftwing violence lately, and another example has been the "transgender" thug who travelled to DC with a gun to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and was only blocks from arriving at Kavanaugh's house when arrested. Faced with the evidence, he pled guilty to the assassination attempt. Prosecutors who wanted to discourage political violence, asked for a prison sentence of 30 years to life as a deterrent.

Unfortunately, the sentencing came before a crooked politically motivated Biden autopen federal district judge. His buffoon actually told the attempted assassin he was giving him a LIGHTER sentence due to being a "transgender", and only sentenced him to a measly 8 years for attempted assassination of a Supreme Court Justice. One wonders what the sentence might have been if the target had been a crooked Biden autopen judge instead.

https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/04/biden-judge-gives-would-be-kavanaugh-assassin-light-sentence-as-left-wing-violence-skyrockets/

https://dailycaller.com/2025/10/06/jonathan-turley-flabbergasted-by-very-light-sentence-for-brett-kavanaughs-would-be-assassin/

Meanwhile in the UK, the Labour Party has cut the security for Reform Party leader Nigel Farage by 75% immediately after they began a false campaign of villification as a "fascist, enemy, nazi, etc."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2115555/nigel-farages-security-slashed-labour
Simon Wallis, CEO of German Doner Kebab, said the brand found the strength of the Irish economy particularly attractive

The German Doner Kebab (GDK) chain is opening in Belfast next year as the fast-food brand sets its sights on 30 venues across the island.
The scene in Pump Street in Londonderry where debris has fallen on to the city centre street which is currently closed

Residents in Londonderry city centre have been evacuated due to concerns regarding an unsafe building.

Pump Street has been closed, with cordons in place at the junctions with Ferryquay Street and London Street, and is expected to remain closed for some time.

The scene in Pump Street in Derry where debris has fallen on to the city centre street which is currently closed. Picture Martin McKeown. 05.10.25

It follows a weekend of disruption on Northern Irelands roads as 1,500 incidents were reported amid Storm Amy, including 1,018 obstructions such as fallen trees and more than 350 cases of flooding.

In a statement,Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins praised teams from the Department of Infrastructure who worked through Friday and the weekend to clear roads and tackle flooding during Storm Amy.

My sincere thanks go to teams right across DfI who worked tirelessly in response to Storm Amy, she said.

"The damage caused by the severe winds and heavy rain was significant with many roads, including the M1, M2 and M22, impacted by fallen trees and associated debris."

"The fact that 1,457 incidents, including 1,018 obstructions such as fallen trees and over 350 flooding incidents have been reported across the North paints a picture of the scale of what was being dealt with.

The scene in Pump Street in Derry where debris has fallen on to the city centre street which is currently closed. Picture Martin McKeown. 05.10.25

The Minister also paid tribute to DfI staff and all multi agency partners who were out on the front line during these very dangerous and challenging times.

She added: "They have been working hard to clear the affected parts of our road network, to mitigate the effects of flooding through proactive measures, maintaining critical drainage infrastructure as well as restoring power and water to homes and getting the public transport network back to normal.

"This is the work that so often goes unseen but is essential in reconnecting our communities and making our road network safe.
The Met Office has issued weather warnings for wind and rain, as gusts may bring a risk of injuries from flying debris. Credit: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

As Storm Amy batters Northern Ireland trees have been blown down and uprooted at Ballyclare Memorial par. Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

Around 3,000 properties remained without power on Sunday morning as Northern Ireland recovered from the impact of Storm Amy.

It follows two days of amber and yellow weather warnings for wind a rain, during which 65,000 properties were without power at the worst of disruption.

Alex Houston, NIE Networks Operations Manager, said: "Were now down to around 3000 and doing our very best to get as many as possible reconnected today.

"At this stage we would encourage anyone who has not yet reported their power cut to contact the customer centre on 03457 643 643 so we can ensure all faults are reported and in the restoration process.

The Met Office said that a gust of 92mph was recorded at Magilligan on Friday late afternoon during the storm, which caused roads to be blocked by flooding and fallen trees and schools to close early, with 18 reporting damages.

On Friday, Tommy Connors died in a weather-related tragedy in Co Donegal. It is understood he fell from a shed roof during a Status Red warning.

It is understood that he died at the scene of the incident at a domestic dwelling house.

His body was then removed to the morgue at Letterkenny University Hospital, where a post mortem examination will be carried out in due course.

Gardai continue to carry out enquiries and say the results of the post mortem will determine the course of those enquiries.

Heres how the storm impact was charted on our live blog:

Storm Amy has battered NI this weekend. Credit: Presseye/Stephen Hamilton

Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset
Mother of missing toddler stopped from flying to the United States

Days before attempt to travel, mother told Tusla her son was living with relatives

Daniel Aruebose pictured at the age of two-and-a-half

Ali Bracken Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 15:19

As garda fears heightened over the whereabouts of Daniel Aruebose in late August, the missing boys mother attempted to fly out of Ireland to the US.
Tommy Robinson  real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon  has been invited to Israel (Lucy North/PA)

Leaders of Britains Jewish community have criticised an Israeli minister for inviting thug Tommy Robinson to visit the country.

Amichai Chikli, Israels minister for the diaspora and combating antisemitism, said he was proud to host British patriot Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, later this month.

He lauded the far-right activist as a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam.

But the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said Robinson represents the very worst of Britain.

The invitation to Robinson was extended in the wake of the terror attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester.

The Jewish leadership groups said Mr Chiklis actions had hit the British community in its darkest hour.

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They said: Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain.

His presence undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion.

Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a diaspora minister in name only.

In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for.

Former Tory cabinet minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi also criticised the irresponsible and deeply dangerous behaviour of inviting a man with multiple convictions for violence and fraud.

Lady Warsi, the peer who was the first Muslim woman to serve in cabinet, said: At a time all communities in the UK are uniting to support our Jewish community as they grieve, the state of Israel is sowing division in our country, supporting and promoting those that platform hate and making our country unsafe.

Sunder Katwala, director of the think tank British Future, said: Tommy Robinson is a voice of prejudice and division. There should be cross-party and multi-faith pressure on the Israeli government to withdraw its invitation.

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Most British Jewish voices have consistently been clear that they reject Robinsons bogus claim to be an ally of their community. It is important that we hear that again now.

Robinson confirmed that he would accept the Israeli ministers invitation.

Robinson, who has previously been jailed for contempt of court, said Thursdays assault in Manchester has strengthened my conviction that the United Kingdom and Israel are fighting the same battle  against the scourge of Islamic jihad.

Mr Chikli wrote on X: Tommy is a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam.

At a time when Jews across Europe face rising antisemitism, it is vital to strengthen bonds with allies who refuse to be silent.

He has proven himself a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people, unafraid to speak the truth and confront hate.

Israel will always stand with the Jewish community and our allies worldwide. Together with friends like Tommy Robinson, we will build stronger bridges of solidarity, fight terror, and defend Western civilization and our shared values.

In a post on X responding to the Israeli politician, Robinson said he would travel to Israel immediately following my October 13 trial.

He said he would visit: Jerusalem, the West Bank, the site of the Nova Festival and other October 7 locations, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre Yad Vashem, the Jabotinsky Institute and Christian holy sites.

He said: I will visit the Knesset and meet with leaders of the Israeli government, including minister Amichai Chikli, Israels diaspora minister who invited me, as well as many others.

The Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom rally in central London on September 13 (Harry Stedman/PA)

I also hope to get into Gaza, he added.

Robinson, last month, organised a Unite the Kingdom rally in central London attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people.

More than 150 reports of anti-Muslim hate were made to the Tell Mama charity monitoring the issue in the seven days following the rally.

Robinson, who founded the English Defence League, was previously sentenced for contempt of court after repeating false allegations about a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for libel.

He also served time in prison in 2019 for putting grooming trials in Huddersfield at risk by breaking reporting restrictions that were in place to ensure the proceedings were fair.

Mr Chikli has been a vocal critic of the Labour Governments response to antisemitism, as well as the UKs recent recognition  alongside other western allies  of Palestinian statehood.

Other senior Israeli politicians also suggested Sir Keir Starmers administration bore responsibility for the deadly attack in Manchester.

Foreign minister Gideon Saar accused the Government of failing to curb rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement in Britain and demanded a change of course on tackling it.
Scotlands First Minister John Swinney has called for an immediate ceasefire (Jane Barlow/PA)

Scotlands First Minister has called for unity in defiance of violent division ahead of the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.

John Swinney said long-lasting peace is the only solution and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

He said the anniversary of the October 7 attacks will be even more emotionally distressing after the attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Two members of the public died and three people are still in hospital after the car and knife attack.

Mr Swinney said: As we mark the second anniversary of the heinous attacks, we must always remember that 7 October resulted in the worst single loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust.

Our Jewish communities remain extremely traumatised by these attacks  and the events that have followed  and I know that this year will be even more emotionally distressing after the horrific attack carried out at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester.

It was an attack made all the more cruel for being perpetrated on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, and my thoughts remain with the victims and their families, and with Jewish communities across the United Kingdom.

As we mourn all those who have lost their lives since 7 October, we must stand united in defiance of violent division. We must respond to the devastating conflict occurring across the Middle East by showing that long-lasting peace is the only solution.

We must see an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. It is the only way to stop death and displacement, violence and fear, unrest and division.

Israelis and Palestinians must be allowed to live safely side by side, with long-lasting peace, prosperity and security.

Four people arrested in connection with the Manchester attack remain in custody after police were granted extra time to question them.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while trying to stop Al-Shamie from entering the synagogue during the attack.

He died alongside Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the premises.

Mr Swinney said events in the Middle East cannot ever justify antisemitism, prejudice or any acts of violence and that all of Scotlands communities must feel safe and protected.

He said: Scotlands diversity and our inclusive outlook is one of our greatest strengths. All of our communities are equally integral, valued and permanent parts of our national life  their members are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues.

In remembering all those who lost their lives on 7 October and since, we do so in equal condemnation of all forms of terror and violence.
The then-Prince of Wales with his now-former longstanding confidant Michael Fawcett in 2019 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The King held a farewell audience with his former most trusted aide Michael Fawcett who quit over cash-for-honours claims, it has emerged.

Charles, who was seen driving himself and the Queen to church near Balmoral on Sunday, reunited with his controversial ex-valet and one-time closest confidante in a secret Windsor Castle meeting, The Mail on Sunday reported.

Mr Fawcett resigned as chief executive of Charless charity The Kings Foundation, then The Princes Foundation, in 2021 over allegations he promised to help secure a knighthood and British citizenship for a Saudi billionaire donor.

The King and Queen attend a Sunday church service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral (Paul Campbell/PA)

The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the alleged cash-for-honours scandal but announced in 2023 that detectives would be taking no further action.

The Mail on Sunday reported Mr Fawcett was welcomed back into the Kings charmed circle once again and smuggled in and out of the royal apartments in a military-style operation.

It is understood the meeting, which happened several months ago, was a final courtesy goodbye audience which the King holds as standard practice for departing senior staff, rather than Mr Fawcett being back in the royal fold.

The then-Prince of Wales (centre) with Michael Fawcett (right) in 2019 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Charles and Camilla were both seen to wave at wellwishers as they made their way to and from Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral in Aberdeenshire for a Sunday service, with the King at the wheel of their car.

A Palace source said: While we wouldnt comment on individual private meetings, His Majesty often holds farewell audiences for departing senior staff.

Some of these can been subject to delay, due to diary pressures, circumstance or ill health.

Camilla gives a wave after attending a Sunday church service with the King at Crathie Kirk (Paul Campbell/PA)

Mr Fawcett, who began his career as a Buckingham Palace footman, went on to become Charless most indispensable aide over the decades, with the prince once saying: I can manage without just about anyone, except for Michael.

The former royal valet quit twice before, including in 2003 when, as Charless personal assistant, he was accused and cleared by an inquiry of selling royal gifts, but was revealed to have accepted valuable gifts from outsiders.

He continued to have the princes patronage as a freelance fixer and party planner, and picked up an undisclosed cash severance package as well as an agreement to work as Charless events manager.

Mr Fawcett was appointed to the role of chief executive of the then-Princes Foundation in 2018 amid a reorganisation of Charless charities.

Michael Fawcett (left) during a garden party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in 2004 (PA)

An independent investigation in 2021 found Mr Fawcett co-ordinated with fixers over honours nominations for Saudi billionaire donor Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz.

In January this year, an inquiry by the Scottish charity regulator found Mr Fawcett exposed The Kings Foundation to substantial risk, but his actions did not amount to misconduct, over his failure to make sure high-value paintings loaned to the charity were insured.
Police have been urged to seek clarity on whether a suspected arson attack on a mosque in a seaside town was terrorism.

Officers said they are treating the fire which damaged the front entrance of the mosque and a car in Peacehaven, East Sussex, as a hate crime.

But Mothin Ali, deputy leader of the Green Party, said: The police need to urgently seek clarity on the motives of this attack and whether this hate crime constitutes an act of terrorism.

People were inside the mosque when it was firebombed and people in this community will be feeling frightened and targeted for their faith.

Sussex Police want to speak to this person about the fire in Peacehaven (Sussex Police/PA)

Sussex Police said they were called to reports of an arson attack in Phyllis Avenue, in which no-one was injured, just before 10pm on Saturday.

On Sunday afternoon, the force released images of two balaclava-clad people seen in footage approaching the front door, before spraying accelerant on the entrance to the mosque and igniting a fire.

Detectives are hunting for the suspects as they investigate arson with intent to endanger life.

A spokesperson for the mosque said: We are deeply saddened by the shocking arson attack that took place at Peacehaven Community Centre on the evening of Saturday October 4.

While the incident has caused damage to our building and vehicles, we are profoundly grateful that no-one was injured.

This hateful act does not represent our community or our town. Peacehaven has always been a place of kindness, respect, and mutual support, and we will continue to embody those values.

We ask everyone to reject division and respond to hate with unity and compassion.

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The mosque will be closed until police have completed their investigations, the spokesperson added.

Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said in a post on X: Appalled by the disgusting arson attack on Peacehaven mosque last night.

That there were no injuries is purely by chance. I have spoken with Sussex Police this morning, and Im very grateful to them and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service for their response.

This violence and hatred has no place in our peaceful, tolerant local community. We will root it out and we stand in solidarity with all affected.

Images and footage being shared online show a burnt-out car at the entrance to the mosque.

Police said one person in the pictures was wearing a distinctive black jacket with a Pre London logo in white on the chest, while the other had bright red gloves.

Detective Inspector Gavin Patch said: This was an appalling and reckless attack which we know will have left many people feeling less safe.

We are treating this as an arson with intent to endanger life and are continuing to pursue a number of lines of inquiry to identify those responsible.

Detectives also want to speak to this person, seen in footage wearing a balaclava and red gloves (Sussex Police/PA)

The leader of the local council, Lewes District, said she was shocked and saddened by the fire.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson said: This is a deeply distressing incident that strikes at the heart of our community.

On behalf of Lewes District Council, I want to express our unwavering support and solidarity with the Muslim community in Peacehaven and across our district. Be in no doubt, we stand shoulder to shoulder with you.

Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna said: We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result.

There is already an increased police presence at the scene and there are also additional patrols taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county.

Sussex Police takes a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and there is no place for hate across the county.

Describing it as a fast-moving investigation, she appealed for anyone with information or footage captured on CCTV, dashcam, doorbell or mobile phone to contact the police.

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The mosque spokesperson thanked the emergency services and the local community for their support in the wake of the fire.

We also extend heartfelt thanks to our neighbours, local faith leaders, and all those who have reached out in solidarity, the spokesperson said.

Your support strengthens us and reminds us that love and understanding will always overcome hate and division.

Mr Ali added: My thoughts are with everyone at the Masjid (mosque) and the wider Muslim community in Sussex, who will be feeling shaken and fearful today.

Protecting Jews and Muslims in their places of worship must be a priority.

We must redouble our commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder and bring communities together.

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said: We utterly condemn what appears to have been an arson attack on a mosque in Peacehaven.

Every faith community has the right to worship free from fear. Our country is better than this.

Over recent weeks there has been a lot of focus on how we have become a divided kingdom. But we are the United Kingdom. And we need to move forward against hate together.

Mr Patch added: We are releasing images of two people we wish to speak with, shown in the footage, wearing distinctive clothing. We believe there are people in the community who know who these two are.

If you have any information, no matter how small you think it might be, we urge you to do the right thing and come forward before any further harm is caused.

If you have any information relating to this incident, please contact us immediately by calling 999, quoting Operation Spey.
The Prince of Wales said he is excited to see what the next five years of the Earthshot Prize brings (PA)

The Prince of Wales has said the urgent optimism at the heart of his environmental Earthshot Prize feels unstoppable as the 2025 finalists are announced.

William founded the prize to recognise and scale up ideas to help repair the planet, with the five winning finalists each awarded 1 million to further develop their ideas.

Winners will be announced at the fifth Earthshot Prize awards in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday November 5.

The prize recognises solutions from different geographies, sectors and stages in their life cycle, and is dedicated to solving the planets greatest challenges.

The event in 2025 marks the halfway point in the Earthshot decade, with William pointing out that at the time of its launch in 2020, scientists made clear significant changes had to be made by 2030.

In a video message posted on social media, William, who will be travelling to Brazil in November, said: Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away.

But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.

The Prince of Wales attended the Investing for Impact event as part of London Climate Action Week earlier this year (Justin Tallis/PA)

The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters. 2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet.

He said he is deeply proud of what the Earthshot Prize has done in its first five years and is enormously excited for the next five.

Not just for the new finalists well welcome into our network, but to see the continued impact of our 60 existing finalists, he said.

Together, they are moving us towards achieving vital global goals that will improve and secure lives and livelihoods for all of us  goals such as protecting 30% of our land and sea by 2030.

It is impossible to hear these finalists stories, to see the impact they are already having and not feel encouraged by their energy and momentum.

The Prince of Wales and Earthshot Prize council member Cate Blanchett (Eddie Mulholland/Daily Telegraph/PA)

For me, it is that urgent optimism that has been at the heart of this prize from the beginning. And it feels unstoppable.

The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity  not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now.

Concluding his message, William said: The journey to 2030 is still ours to define. With the vision of these finalists and the support of all of us, a flourishing planet is already a reality.

Among the 15 finalists is a British company, Matter, headquartered in Bristol, whose simple washing machine filters remove the greatest cause of microplastics in the ocean.

Adam Root, chief executive and founder of Matter, said: Being a finalist for the Earthshot Prize and representing Matter at the awards ceremony is Rio is like winning an Olympic gold medal in innovation.

Matters mission is to create impact at a size and scale that meets the enormity of the microplastic pollution challenge.

Being at the ceremony in Rio provides an excellent platform to talk about that ambition and impact on a global stage  hopefully connecting us with some of the worlds most progressive companies so they can integrate our solutions into the largest supply chain.

Actress Cate Blanchett, an Earthshot Prize council member, said: Five years with the Earthshot Prize has shown me that optimism isnt abstract  its something made real by people bold enough to act now.

What Im especially proud of this year is the way in which entire categories of finalists are challenging our expected views and behaviours  the way we enjoy fashion, how we buy electronics, protect forests, even wash our clothes could be fundamentally different by 2030 because of them.

To serve on the prize council alongside Prince William and my fellow members is a privilege, and Im excited for the debates ahead as we choose our winners.
Fire and smoke after Israeli army shelling in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on Saturday (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza in the coming days, as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on Monday on a new US plan to end the war.

In a brief statement on Saturday, Mr Netanyahu said he has sent a delegation to Egypt to finalise technical details, adding that our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days.

He spoke after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the US plan.

US President Donald Trump welcomed the Hamas statement but on Saturday warned that Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off.

He later said the ceasefire would begin immediately once Hamas confirms the initial withdrawal line in Gaza. A map with his social media post appeared to show much of Gaza still open to Israeli forces.

Earlier Saturday, Israels army said the countrys leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the US plan to end the war in Gaza.

Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, said one official. The official said no forces have been removed from the territory.

But Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah told the Associated Press that Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians across Gaza City, while bombing had significantly subsided.

The army statement came hours after Mr Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza once Hamas said it had accepted some elements of his plan.

Mr Trump appears determined to deliver on pledges to end the war and return all hostages, ahead of the second anniversary on Tuesday of the attack that sparked it.

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His proposal announced earlier this week has widespread international support.

On Friday, Mr Netanyahus office said Israel was committed to ending the war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Mr Netanyahu is under increasing pressure to end the conflict.

The official told the AP that Mr Netanyahu made the rare late-night statement on the Sabbath, saying that Israel has started to prepare for Mr Trumps plan because of pressure from the US.

The official also said a negotiating team was getting ready to travel. Egypts state-run broadcaster Al-Qahera News, which is close to security agencies, reported that indirect talks between Hamas and Israel will start on Sunday.

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A senior Egyptian official said US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to head the US negotiating team in the talks to release the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli detention.

The talks also will discuss maps showing the expected withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas in Gaza, said the official.

The official involved in the ceasefire negotiations also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position on Gazas future.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful militant group in Gaza, said it accepted Hamas response to the Trump plan. The group had rejected the proposal days earlier.

Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages, about 20 of them believed to be alive, within three days. It also would give up power and disarm.

Destroyed buildings in Gaza City (Jack Guez/Pool/AP)

In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.

Hamas said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians.

Its statement also did not address the issue of Hamas demilitarising, a key part of the deal.

A group representing some families of hostages said the prospect of seeing loved ones return has never been closer.

They appealed to Mr Trump to keep pushing with full force and warned that extremists on both sides will try to sabotage the plan.

A plume of smoke rises above Gaza City (Jack Guez/Pool/AP)

Palestinians in Gaza tried to piece together what the plan means in real terms.

We want practical implementation. We want a truce on the ground, said Sameer Qudeeh in Khan Younis. He worried that talks will break down again.

I hope Hamas ends the war, because we are truly tired, said Mohammad Shaat in Khan Younis, as anxious Palestinians roamed the shattered streets.

Israeli troops were still laying siege to Gaza City, the focus of its latest offensive. On Saturday, Israels army warned Palestinians against trying to return to the city, calling it a dangerous combat zone.

Two Gaza City residents told the AP that since the morning, Israeli tanks and troops had not advanced but artillery shells and airstrikes were still heard.

We can still see the quadcopters everywhere, Mohamed al-Nashar said.

In southern Gaza, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said its Saraya field hospital received 10 bodies and more than 70 injured after Israeli strikes on Saturday.

Gazas Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war has topped 67,000.

The Health Ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead.

The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
They can have plenty of life left in them: NI mum on mission to get more people buying preloved Christmas presents
Notorious Belfast conman with up to a dozen aliases up to his old tricks, court hears

Former soldier accused of telling porkies over name and address to watchdog the Security Industry Authority

Swales on a flight

John Toner Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 16:00

A former British soldier turned conman who has changed his name at least eight times has been charged with lying to the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Police during disturbances in Portadown over the summer

A Portadown man accused of playing a central and directing role in anti-immigration rioting in the town has been refused bail over concerns he would commit further offences.

Paul Creaney appeared at Craigavon Magistrates Court last Friday via videolink from Maghaberry Prison where he is on remand charged with riotous behaviour, resisting police, assault on police, rioting and possessing Class C drug Zopiclone.
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PITTSFIELD  What better way to spark a childs imagination and curiosity than access to a big, bright red fire truck?

The Pittsfield Fire Department knows this. They also know that sense of wonder is a great way to teach kids basic fire safety concepts, too.

That was the point of the departments open house at its Columbus Avenue headquarters on Saturday morning. There was coffee for the grownups, pizza slices for everyone, and lots of important safety information to see, hear and bring home.

Just ask 2-year-old Shaelynn Robinson, who found her way to the driver side door of Engine 7, parked behind the station.

It turns out that Shaelynn is pretty good at climbing as well as fascinated by fire trucks. The first step up to the cab of Engine 7 is almost as high off the ground as she is tall, but she clambered her way up to the drivers seat and took her place behind the wheel.

One could only imagine that in her mind, Engine 7 was on its way somewhere. Her dad, Jamel Robinson, was there to make sure she didnt button-mash something important on the dashboard.

I think she might be applying for a job soon, he said with a smile.

Shaelynn wasnt alone in her enthusiasm. Another young boy arrived at the event wearing a yellow raincoat that, when paired with the toy plastic fire helmets the department gave away, made him look like hed shown up in his turnout gear for a service call. He happily spun a few laps around the station fire pole before heading outside to see Engine 7.

He loves fire trucks, an accompanying adult said. Every time they go by, he says wee-woo, wee-woo.

Out back, children interacted with Sparky, an animatronic Dalmatian in turnout gear driving his very own miniature fire truck. It was probably a coincidence that Sparky sounded a bit like Fire Department Lt. Scott McGinnis, who happened to be holding a remote control and wearing a headset with a microphone. Either way, Sparky made sure to ask the kids if they knew how to stop, drop and roll and protect their hands and faces.

Inside the service bay, a 5-year-old boy named Noah was learning from Christine Isca, County Ambulances director of training, how to raise and lower an ambulance stretcher with the push of a button.

For the kids, learning about how the equipment works in a fun, non-emergency environment means their first interaction with a fire truck or an ambulance wont be a scary real-life emergency, Isca said.

Grown-ups could sign up for Code Red, the citys emergency notification system. And informational handouts on fire safety were provided in English as well as Spanish.

For Fire Chief Thomas Sammons, the opportunity to educate is as important as welcoming residents in and letting them see how their dollars are spent to protect life and property.

We always make the kids answer a question. What number do you call in case of an emergency? ... What happens if a smoke detector goes off? Sammons explained.

We really try to reinforce fire safety, starting at a young age. But fire safety changes the older you get. So we also have elderly fire safety, and we really push it.

As for the number of enthusiastic kids in attendance, Sammons said recruiting has gone well for the department, and noted that seven new firefighters start Monday and will be headed to the state fire academy in January.

As for the fire danger facing the city and the county in the midst of a continuing drought and abnormally dry conditions, Sammons said the department continues to keep a close eye on potential threats and remains in contact with departments across the county.

That means enforcing a state burning ban intended to prevent a recurrence of last years Butternut Fire, which burned nearly 1,700 acres of forest late last fall and cost Great Barrington roughly $35,000 in salaries and overtime.

"There's quite a bit of enforcement, Sammons said. Our engine companies are getting called out a few times a day.

The risk, he said, is real.

When it's this dry out, a fire will run very, very fast, especially if the wind picks up, Sammons said. That's what happened last year. We had a couple of very close calls here in Pittsfield last year. So it wasn't just Butternut. It was all over, and I'm afraid we're back in that same area again.
Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital will each receive state funding to help offset anticipated federal cuts.

Specifically, the hospitals will receive a part of a $17 million allocation. The state rolled out than $122 million in funding last month to acute care hospitals. The specific amount each hospital will receive has not been released yet and is being calculated based on how many patients they have.

The allocation was part of a larger $234 million spending bill passed by the Legislature that also provides funding for the Massachusetts Health Safety Net Fund, which pays acute care hospitals and community health centers for essential health care services for qualified uninsured and underinsured residents.

The cuts stem from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will see millions lose Medicaid coverage without Congressional action. The bill also allows tax credits to expire at the end of this year that have made health insurance more affordable for millions since the pandemic, which are at the heart of the current federal shutdown.

Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President Doug Howgate said the federal spending bill will lead to reduced enrollment in insurance. The state allocation hopes to insulate hospitals from that.

What I really, really appreciate with the commonwealth is that we're very, very proactive, said state Rep. Leigh Davis, D-Great Barrington. We can see what's happening. We can read the tea leaves. This is basically a stopgap. We need longer-term planning.

According to a recent Berkshire Benchmarks survey, 1 in 4 participants reported that they do not have the finances or health insurance necessary for the care they need, with people of color disproportionately affected.

As federal budget cuts to Medicaid and premium supports for people insured under the Affordable Care Act take effect, Davis said the state will have to fill the gaps.

These shortfalls will only grow as federal cutbacks are implemented and more people fall off MassHealth and other government-funded plans. BHS and the states other hospitals are working with the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association on longer-term solutions for the upcoming fiscal year and beyond, said Berkshire Health Systems spokesperson Michael Leary in a statement.

This state relief funding is meant to act as a lifeline for local hospitals, and Davis said hospitals have been advocating for financial help. The funding will help hospitals and community health programs, especially smaller ones, stay afloat as they already deal with issues like borrowing costs.

The hospitals can know that they have a little bit of cushion and that the Legislature is there for the long ride. We're there and we're listening to them and we're responsive. This is just one step in a longer process of helping our health care system, said Davis.

The state is No. 1 in health care and we have a real, real commitment to ensuring that the residents are provided for. So you're going to see more of this, said Davis, adding that the funding should reach the hospitals by the end of the year.
Who would've thought your next potential house could be for sale on Facebook Marketplace for just $25,000? Well, Matt White's tiny home fulfills those requirements, but make sure your town is OK with wheels coming with the home.
GREAT BARRINGTON  Fairview Hospital purchased a neighboring property to be a space for contractor meetings and planning as the hospital makes strides on its $70 million renovation plan, hospital officials said.

The purchase of the five-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot property at 82 West Ave. for $1.1 million Sept. 25 is the latest step for the expansion.

The makeover includes constructing a new two-story outpatient building that will be 44,000 square feet next to the facility. Inside, there will be a long-awaited MRI machine, along with imaging and surgical suites. The emergency department is also going to be expanded, along with modernized renovations to the patient rooms in the original building.

"Together, these upgrades will offer more space for state-of-the-art treatment and technology, allowing Fairview Hospital to meet the changing needs of its community," said Anthony Scibelli, Berkshire Health Systems vice president and Fairview Hospital chief operating officer.

Fairview Hospital has been recognized 12 years in a row for Outstanding Patient Experience by Healthgrades, which puts it in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.

The federally designated critical access hospital is an affiliate of Berkshire Health Systems. The renovation is meant to expand services and modernize the facility, Scibelli said.

In a public meeting in July, BHS laid out some of the goals for the upgrade, including improving the flow of the facility, expanding emergency room capacity and addressing community demands, like having an MRI machine.

It's the only critical access hospital, a hospital geographically isolated from other hospitals, in Massachusetts that does not already have an MRI machine. For years, there has been a call for Fairview to add an MRI machine to eliminate the long travel time to other hospitals when the service is needed.

Construction is expected to begin next year.
Our Middle East correspondent @AdamParsons filmed this report from inside Gaza, under Israeli military escort and subject to security and censorship restrictions, with journalists barred from entering independently for nearly two years.



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On October 4, 2025, a powerful photo exhibition dedicated to the victims of landmines in Azerbaijan was held on Grote Marktstraat, one of the central streets in The Hague, Netherlands.

Azernews reports that the event was organized by the Gilavar Photo Club Public Union as part of its ongoing project, European Photo Exhibitions on Landmine Victims, with support from the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The projects local partner in the Netherlands was the Ana V?t?n European Azerbaijani Womens Association.

Rashad Mehdiyev, Chairman of the Gilavar Photo Club, explained the significance of hosting the final exhibition in The Hague:

The Hague is widely recognized as the international capital of law, home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and several other major tribunals. Thats why, after holding exhibitions in Germany, France, and Belgium, we chose to conclude this European tour in this symbolic city.

Over the course of nine days, the traveling exhibition reached five European cities, drawing large crowds and shedding light on the humanitarian consequences of landmines allegedly laid by Armenia in Azerbaijani territories. The photos captured the deep scars and human tragedies caused by these explosives, many of which continue to threaten civilians.

Mehdiyev emphasized that Azerbaijan has yet to receive accurate and comprehensive mine maps from Armenia, making demining efforts even more dangerous and costly.

We envision a South Caucasus free of mines and filled with peace. We demand justice for landmine victims.

The date of the exhibitionOctober 4was intentionally chosen to coincide with the anniversary of missile attacks on the Azerbaijani city of Ganja, which targeted civilians during the 2020 war. Mehdiyev described the attack as another attempt at a Khojaly-style massacre.

The exhibition concluded with a symbolic gesture: the planting of an olive treea universal emblem of peacenear the Khojaly memorial site in The Hague. The act was dedicated to the memory of those killed or injured by landmines in Azerbaijan.

This olive tree stands as a tribute to the innocent lives lost and affected by landmines planted across Azerbaijani lands, said Mehdiyev.
Former Dublin GAA manager Jim Gavin, Fianna Fail's presidential candidate, has withdrawn from the race.

In a statement released just after 10.30pm on Sunday night, Mr Gavin said he is withdrawing with immediate effect after recent days gave him cause to reflect.

He said that when announcing his intention to contest in the election, he did so "in a spirit of lifelong public service and a love of country."

Reports have arisen in the last number of days regarding stories about him failing to register a tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board, and allegedly owing money to a previous tenant.

He said that the office of the president is the "highest in the land and the pinnacle of public service", but added that "it is an office that must be untainted by controversy or distraction.

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"I always knew the campaign would be robust and challenging and anyone who knows me knows that I have never shirked from a contest," he said, "However recent days have given me cause to reflect.

"I made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself. I am now taking steps to address the matter.

"I have also thought long and hard about the potential impact of the ongoing campaign on the wellbeing of my family and friends.

"Taking all these considerations on board, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate effect and return to the arms of my family.

Mr Gavin added that throughout his campaign, he has been "humbled by the encouragement and kind words" he received from the public.

"I truly hope you understand my decision and do not feel left down," his statement said.

In a statement on the matter, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said that he can "fully understand his decision and believe it is the correct one.

"Jim has achieved an enormous amount in his life. His commitment to service and helping others has always, quite rightly, defined his character and his great standing with the public," the Fianna Fail leader added.

"Jim has accepted that he made an error in relation to an issue that has arisen in recent days," Mr Martin's statement said.

Mr Gavin is "clear" that he does not want to bring "controversy" into the office of Uachtaran na hEireann, Mr Martin said.

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"This has been a very difficult decision for Jim given his commitment to public service. I wish him well. I have no doubt that he will continue to make a significant contribution to Irish life and society," the Taoiseach's statement finished.

It was recently reported that a former tenant overpaid Mr Gavin 3,300 in rent that he has failed to return since 2009.

The Irish Independent reported that the former Dublin manager had failed to register the Smithfield property with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), as required under law since 2004.

After getting into financial difficulty, Mr Gavin and his wife, Jennifer, surrendered the home to the banks.

Speaking to the media following the RTE presidential debate on The Week in Politics, Mr Gavin could not provide any more information on what happened.

During the debate, he said, If it happened, Im sorry it happened.

However, it is worth noting that Mr Gavin's name is likely to remain on the ballot paper on Friday, October 24th, but with no campaign behind it, because of his late withdrawal.

Mr Gavin was among three candidates alongside Fine Gaels Heather Humphreys and independent Catherine Connolly, will remain on the ballot paper.

His decision to drop out came after a Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll put him in last place on 15 per cent, behind Ms Connolly (32 per cent) and Ms Humphreys (23 per cent).
A variety of stories feature on Sunday's front pages, from the presidential election to the upcoming budget.

The Sunday Independent lead with Catherine Connolly leading the Ireland Thinks presidential poll.

The Sunday Times lead with the Chinese "trying to infiltrate the Oireachtas."

The Business Post lead with a budget story claiming a 'pro-business' package will have workers missing out.

The Irish Mail on Sunday lead with Ursula Ni Shionnain, who was previously jailed on gun offences, having been under surveillance by anti-terror gardai following her release from prison and throughout her employment at Leinster House with presidential candidate Catherine Connolly.

The Irish Sunday Mirror lead with a man who died in Co Donegal during Storm Amy.

The Sunday World lead with the family home of a violent robber being burnt out just days after he clashed with Devon Hennessy in Mountjoy prison.
At least five civilians have died after Russia launched drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs at Ukraine overnight into Sunday, in a major attack that officials there said targeted civilian infrastructure.

Moscow sent more than 50 ballistic missiles and around 500 drones into nine regions across Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday morning.



Burned cars and damaged residential buildings are seen after a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia (Kateryna Klochko/AP)

Four people, including a 15-year-old, died in a combined drone and missile strike on Lviv, according to regional officials and Ukraines emergency service.

It was the largest aerial assault on the historic western city and surrounding region since Russias full-scale invasion on February 24 2022, according to Maksym Kozytskyi, the head of the local military administration.

Earlier in the war, Lviv was seen as a haven from the fighting and destruction farther east.

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In a Telegram post, Mr Kozytskyi said Russia launched about 140 Shahed drones and 23 ballistic missiles across the region.



A rescuer and a civilian check the debris of a destroyed house (Mykola Tys/AP)

At least six more people were injured, according to a statement by Ukraines police force.

The strike left two districts without power and public transport suspended for a few hours early on Sunday, mayor Andriy Sadovyi reported.

He added that a business complex on the outskirts of Lviv was on fire following the strike. It was described as a civilian facility that is not linked to Ukraines war effort.

One person was also injured in the Ivano-Frankivsk region south of Lviv, according to regional head Svitlana Onyshchuk.



The Russian bombardment hit Zaporizhzhia overnight (AP)

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a nighttime aerial assault killed a civilian woman and wounded nine other people, including a 16-year-old girl, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

He said Russia attacked with drones and guided aerial bombs.

Mr Fedorov said the strike destroyed residential buildings and left some 73,000 households in Zaporizhzhia and surrounding areas without power.

Russias Defence Ministry said the overnight strikes targeted Ukraines military-industrial complex and energy facilities that supply it.

Separately, six people, including a child, were injured in Sloviansk, a key city in the eastern Donetsk region that remains under Ukrainian control, after a Russian guided aerial bomb slammed into an apartment block, regional prosecutors said Sunday.



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Western partners to send additional air defences (Heather Khalifa/AP)

They said Russian airstrikes on Saturday evening damaged more than two dozen residential buildings in Sloviansk, as well as cars, shops and a cafe.

Mr Zelensky reiterated his call for Kyivs Western partners to send additional air defences to combat Russias aerial terror.

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Today, the Russians again targeted our infrastructure, everything that ensures people can live a normal life. We need more protection, a rapid implementation of all defence agreements, especially on air defence, to make this aerial terror pointless, he said in a Telegram post.



Rescuers search for victims in the debris of a destroyed house following a Russian rocket strike (Mykola Tys/AP)

Ukraine has for months conducted its own long-range strikes on Russia, many of which have targeted Moscows oil infrastructure and contributed to persistent fuel shortages.

Russias Defence Ministry said its forces shot down 32 Ukrainian drones during the night, with at least 50 more downed during the day over southwestern Russia.

Drones damaged several homes, cars and a power line in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, according to local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

Separately, he reported that Ukrainian shelling gravely wounded the deputy head of a border village.
The United States cannot ignore the impact the war in Gaza has had on Israel's global standing, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday, as Israel's diplomatic isolation mounts despite Washington's attempts to shield its ally.

"Whether you believe it was justified or not, right or not, you cannot ignore the impact that this has had on Israel's global standing," Rubio told CBS News' 'Face The Nation'.

He was responding to a question about remarks by President Donald Trump to Israel's Channel 12 in an interview published on Saturday: "Bibi (Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) has gone too far in Gaza and Israel has lost a lot of support in the world. Now I will return all that support."

The United States has for decades diplomatically shielded its ally Israel at the UN. Here's how that has played out during the Gaza war

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Has the US used its UN Security Council veto on Gaza?

The United States has cast six vetoes to shield Israel in the U.N. Security Council over the past two years on draft resolutions related to the war in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.

The most recent veto by Washington was last month on a draft Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel lift all restrictions on aid deliveries to the Palestinian enclave. The remaining 14 council members voted in favor, isolating the United States.

The UN did agree last month to a Security Council statement condemning recent strikes by Israel on Qatar's capital Doha, but the text did not mention Israel by name.

What has happened in the UN General Assembly?

The 193-member General Assembly has adopted several resolutions on Gaza, largely after the Security Council was blocked from taking action by the United States. The General Assembly votes have seen Israel and the U.S. overwhelmingly isolated.

General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry weight as a reflection of the global view on the war. Unlike the U.N. Security Council, no country has a veto in the General Assembly.

Most recently, the General Assembly demanded an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza and aid access. The resolution garnered 149 votes in favor, while 19 countries abstained, and the US, Israel, and 10 others voted against.

In October 2023, the General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza with 120 votes in favor. In December 2023, 153 countries voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Then in December 2024, it demanded - with 158 votes in favor - an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire.

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What action has there been on a two-state solution?

Rubio noted on Sunday that "because of the length of this war and how it's gone," some key Western powers - France, Britain, Australia, and Canada - had decided to recognize a Palestinian state.

France and Saudi Arabia convened an international summit at the UN in July, which was followed up by a summit at the UN last month, in a bid to outline steps toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

The UN General Assembly last month overwhelmingly voted to endorse a declaration from the July conference that outlined "tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps" towards a two-state solution. A resolution endorsing the declaration received 142 votes in favor and 10 against, while 12 countries abstained.

The UN has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders. Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, all territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war with neighboring Arab states.

The US says a two-state solution can only come from negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Netanyahu has bluntly said he would never allow a Palestinian state, though he has given his approval to Trump's plan to end the Gaza war, which offers a possible pathway, albeit a highly conditional one, to a Palestinian state.

How did the war start?

An October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and about 251 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. More than 67,000 people, also mostly civilians, have since been killed during the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities.

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Just weeks after the war started, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Reuters NEXT conference that the number of civilians killed at that point showed that there was something "clearly wrong" with Israel's military operations.

"It is also important to make Israel understand that it is against the interests of Israel to see every day the terrible image of the dramatic humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people," Guterres said. "That doesn't help Israel in relation to the global public opinion."
TikTok suggests sexualised search terms to new users registered as 13-year-olds, directing them to pornographic content within a few clicks.

A investigation by NGO Global Witness found that explicit content was suggested to new users, even while the 'restricted mode' was turned on.

According to TikToks own website restricted mode protects users from seeing sexually suggestive content.

Since July 25th, the UKs Online Safety Act has put a wide range of legally binding child safeguarding duties onto large online platforms, including social media. These findings show that TikTok is failing to meet the new laws requirements.

In a series of tests conducted before and after the acts July 25th deadline, investigators set up new TikTok accounts using a childs birthdate and turning on TikToks restricted mode.

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Investigators were not required to verify their age during sign up nor when being shown pornographic content.

Despite this, TikTok regularly suggested sexualised and explicit search terms when investigators clicked on the search bar of TikToks For You feed.

In all tests, investigators encountered pornographic content. In one test, such content was encountered within just two clicks from setting up a new account.

Lars Sellien, Senior Communications Advisor at Global Witness, described how pornographic content was often masked in a collage of harmless content as a way to evade the platform's content moderation.

He described one particularly sinister case of a video showing a television displaying footage of a combine harvester. In front of the TV was an iPad with porn playing, and you could hear the person filming moaning in the background.

Mr Sellien said: "They have billions, trillions of content and different content categories on there. They could recommend educational stuff. Why does it have to be porn?"

The investigation also found one case where a suggested search term referenced underage children.

Henry Peck, Campaign Strategy Lead for Digital Threats at Global Witness, said:

TikTok claims to have guardrails in place to make children and young people safe on its platform, yet weve discovered that moments after creating an account, they serve kids pornographic content. This was a huge shock to us as investigators  we can only imagine how shocking it must be to a child or their parents.

"UK law makes it clear social media platforms should prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content. TikTok isnt just failing to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content  its suggesting it to them as soon as they create an account."

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Global Witness investigators were first alerted to the sexualised and pornographic nature of suggested search terms during another investigation conducted in January 2025. They raised the issue directly with TikTok.

The company confirmed that it had taken action to remove several search recommendations globally. Yet follow-up tests showed that the issue persists.

Mr Sellien said: "It's a really clear example of prioritising engagement over safety and platform design. The main metric seems to be 'how can we get people to engage more and stay longer', rather than thinking about how can we build meaningful safeguarding tools that these platforms are now required under law to do?"

Especially among younger populations, TikTok is enjoying immense popularity, including as a search engine. Nearly half of Gen Z prefer TikTok over Google when searching for information online.

A recent report by Ofcom found that more than a quarter of five to seven-year-olds report using TikTok, and a third of them do so unsupervised.



Global Witness put their findings of this investigation to TikTok. The company said that they took action on more than 90 pieces of content, and are continuing to review their youth safety strategies.

TikTok did not comment on the main issue uncovered by this investigation - search terms prompting minors on restricted mode towards pornographic content on sign-up.

Global Witness has shared its findings with Ofcom, who oversee the regulation of major social media platforms in the UK, and is calling on them to open an investigation.
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LifestyleHealth & wellnessGender A place of their own: Why women-only environments are thriving Sara Mulcahy October 5, 2025  8:00am 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 9 View all comments

Women-only spaces have always been a thing. Some are so societally entrenched that no one bats an eyelid. Think womens health services, bathrooms, schools and shelters. Others, like gyms and workspaces, are a more recent addition. And then there are events such as the Ladies Lounge at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, that cause quite a stir. Historically, many cultures have embraced the concept of female seclusion to provide places or activities that are safe, supportive or empowering. When Amy Hart and Crystal Wells decided to start A Place to Pause, a series of Victoria-based women-only reading retreats, in 2024, it was simply something they wanted for themselves: a place to read with no guilt and no pressure. McIvers Ladies Baths in Coogee were rebuilt in the 1920s and have remained a popular spot for swimmers. We were both juggling busy lives, and while we always had great intentions to read during our downtime, the pile of laundry or the demands of work often called louder than our books, says Amy.

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Our focus on women came quite naturally. Mums, professionals or retirees  the common thread was a struggle to give themselves time and permission to read without the distraction of everyday life. The retreats were never designed to exclude men, but rather to respond to what we were hearing most clearly from women in our own lives. While discrimination based on sex is outlawed in Australia under the Sex Discrimination Act, women-only spaces are permitted under certain conditions. Basically, women-only spaces require an exemption from the Sex Discrimination Act and the state law (Equal Opportunity Act in Victoria), which both prohibit discrimination based on sex and gender identity, says Beth Gaze, an expert in anti-discrimination law and professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne law school.

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She cites Fernwood Fitness Studios as a women-only business that is built on an exemption under the Acts. Related Article Women's health Im supposed to be calm and loving: Untangling perimenopausal rage Their argument was that women would not use a mixed-sex gym because of fear of being ogled and excluded from equipment by men. That succeeded in the 1990s, and has carried on ever since. But some groups have not been successful in their applications for women-only events. Its a bit of a mess, opines Gaze. It should be sorted out, but politicians can only see lost votes and trouble, so they are not in a hurry to go there. In the meantime, here are some more places to try if you fancy some she time.

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Where to swim McIvers Ladies Baths at Coogee Beach in Sydney is Australias only ocean rock pool reserved for women and children (boys up to 13) to bathe, relax and learn water safety skills and how to swim. It opened in 1876, when women were barred from using most public pools, except for during short periods of allotted time. For more than a century, things went on just so, until a local man launched proceedings with the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board in 1995, claiming that his exclusion amounted to discrimination. He lost his case, and the pool was granted an exemption under the Anti-Discrimination Act. Coogee womens baths provides a rare sanctuary where women of all ages, cultures and backgrounds can feel safe, welcome, and free to enjoy the ocean without judgement or intrusion, says Randwick and Coogee Ladies Swimming Association president Alex Bowen. For over 150 years, the baths have given women a place to swim with dignity and privacy. Protecting this women-only space ensures future generations inherit the same freedom. McIvers Ladies Baths provide an environment for women and children to swim, cool down and relax in peace.

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Where to dance In November 2022, friends and colleagues Sarah Wills and Lise Carlaw hired a room at a bowls club in Brisbane and danced the night away with 80 BFFs. Since then, Disco Club has expanded into Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and beyond, bringing sell-out pop-up events to women who just want to enjoy a night of dancing and having fun with their mates. We had no idea it would grow and scale to the sellout phenomenon it is now, says Sarah. We even sold out Sydneys Hordern Pavilion. I mean, pinch me! Disco Club is everything we miss about clubbing, and nothing we dont. Weve seen first-hand, over and over again, the collective joy of women of all ages coming together in a happy, safe, judgment-free space. Women continually tell us its not just about the music  its dance floor therapy. Disco Club founded by Sarah Wills and Lise Carlaw has proven popular with women who just want to dance. MARY MILLER MEDIA

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Where to work In her 1929 essay A Room of Ones Own, Virginia Woolf argued that women need a private space to write and express themselves freely. Based in Melbournes Southbank, One Roof is a purpose-built community for women entrepreneurs and business owners. What started life as a women-focused co-working space has now gone online and supports women across every state. Related Article Domestic violence This got me through: A DV survivors guide to being an ally The inspiration was simple, and urgent, say co-founder Frances Goh. Talented women were building great companies without equal access to networks and resources. Women-only spaces create psychological safety and speed. They also reduce the invisible tax of bias, which frees up energy for execution. Members describe One Roof as a place where momentum feels shared rather than solitary and they are supported by an incredible community of awesome women.

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Where to travel Women are estimated to account for two-thirds of the global traveller population, many of them travelling solo or in groups with other women. When Hayley Morris founded Sisterhood Womens Travel 20 years ago, she was a pioneer in the Australian field. Related Article Courts Tickle vs Giggle: The case centred around what a woman means We went to VCAT (Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal) to legally run women-only tours under an exemption from the Equal Opportunity Act, based on a community need. We no longer run under the exemption as there are many companies now promoting women-only, but in the early days, it certainly gave us some credibility, she says. There are many advantages of a women-only travel experience  safety and comfort, a sense of community and belonging, and encouragement to get out of your comfort zone. Over the years, weve had many women from DV backgrounds who have travelled and regained their wings, and Im so proud of this.

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Where to work out Empowa Fitness launched in 2014 in Erskine Park NSW with a vision to create a safe, supportive space for women of diverse cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. Having a women-only gym removes intimidation and distraction, giving women the freedom to train in a supportive environment, says co-founder Dev (yes, hes a man) Krishna. It also allows us to design programs specifically for women, while fostering real connection and community that would otherwise prove difficult in a traditional male-dominant gym. Members describe Empowa as a second home where theyve gained strength, confidence, and friendships. Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.

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Women's health
Australians detained by Israeli forces after trying to reach Gaza on board an international aid flotilla claim they have been physically and mentally abused by their captors, their supporters say.

Supporter Jess Mamone said one of the Australians detained, Surya McEwen, had his shoulder dislocated, and his head slammed into concrete since being detained by Israeli forces last week.

An image from a video released by the Global Sumud Flotilla showing Israeli soldiers approaching one of the flotilla vessels off the coast of Gaza on October 2. AP

McEwens mother, Jacinta McEwen, said he was being tortured for trying to feed starving people.

My son has been threatened with sexual abuse, had his head slammed into concrete, and his arm dislocated, she said.

An Australian spokesperson for the Global Movement to Gaza delegation said that detainees were also subject to intimidation and sleep deprivation techniques, and deprived of essential medication.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment about the allegations.

On Sunday, the department confirmed officials from the Australian embassy in Tel Aviv were in Ketziot, the site of a prison in Israels southern Negev region, to support the detained Australians.

The Australian government has made clear to Israel our expectation that detainees will receive humane treatment in line with international norms, a spokesperson said.

The IDF has also been contacted.
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PoliticsFederalIsraeli-Palestinian conflict Greens leader Larissa Waters slammed by Labor, Coalition for Manchester attack remarks Paul Sakkal October 5, 2025  1:30pm 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

Greens leader Larissa Waters has been roundly condemned by Labor, the Coalition and Jewish Australians after she claimed the Manchester terror attack proved Australia should have taken stronger action against Israels campaign in Gaza, suggesting that pro-Israel governments fuelled violence towards Jews. Waters was repeatedly asked on Sunday about deaths of two Jews at a UK synagogue on Yom Kippur in an attack by 35-year-old Jihad al-Shamie. The incident sparked renewed debate about antisemitism as Israel appeared on the brink of a peace deal with Hamas to bring to an end its war effort, which was labelled a genocide in a landmark United Nations inquiry a fortnight ago. Senator Larissa Waters displays her Palestine earrings at the Midwinter Ball in Parliament House in August. Dominic Lorrimer Asked about her views on the danger of antisemitism, Waters said my heart goes out to the families of those people, but immediately pivoted to the Albanese government. No violence anywhere is acceptable and this is exactly why  Australia should have, two years ago, imposed serious sanctions on the Israeli government, she said on ABCs Insiders program. It is utterly appalling and yet we have been selling weapons to that conflict.

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Waters was interrupted by host David Speers, who said: Im asking about antisemitism and a fatal attack on a synagogue in Manchester. Related Article Violence The police tape in Manchester marks a line that should not be crossed  but it was We have condemned that, Waters said. We need to have social cohesion and part of that is Australia doing whats necessary to stand up for humanitarian justice, and thats why we need those sanctions and thats why weve got to stop selling weapons components that are dropping bombs on 12-year-olds. Speers interjected: You keep coming back to the weapons, but my question is about antisemitism. Waters responded: I think the reason why tensions are so inflamed is that weve seen a genocide for two years that our government has refused to condemn and, in fact, has been fuelling by sending those weapons.

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The Australian government has repeatedly made clear it does not sell weapons to Israel, labelling the Greens claims misinformation. Australian companies contribute to a global supply chain of parts that go into F-35 jets, along with countries including Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark. Israel owns such jets and has reportedly used them in Gaza. Waters also questioned the recommendations of Australias special envoy against antisemitism, Jillian Segal, contained in a July report, labelling them bizarre. Human rights organisations also criticised some of Segals urgings. Labor MP Josh Burns. Alex Ellinghausen Labor MP Josh Burns, who is Jewish, said Waters had made the most deplorable comments by someone who should know better and whos meant to be leading a major political organisation. I personally found the comments staggering. Either she misspoke or is completely unable to see the danger of excusing the violent murder of two Jewish people by somehow saying that is acceptable due to her opinion of what is going on in Israel, Burns said.

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By Larissa Waters logic, all Jews across the world are legitimate targets because of the actions of the Israeli government. Coalition frontbencher James Paterson, a supporter of Israel, said Waters must apologise for her remarks or it will be further evidence the Greens have learnt nothing about antisemitism. Senator James Paterson. Dominic Lorrimer It is completely unhinged to suggest an alleged Islamist terrorist in the UK cares or even knows whether Australia sells arms to Israel or that Jews might be less likely to be murdered while peacefully worshipping if we didnt. It is callous and cold to resort to standard Israel-Gaza talking points when talking about innocent people being killed for practising their faith, he said. Explaining her remarks on Insiders to this masthead after they were made, Waters rejected any mischaracterisation of her words. She said that ASIO had made clear that the war in Gaza was fuelling antisemitism and Islamophobia.

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Australia should have a fully funded antiracism strategy which combats antisemitism and Islamophobia, and Australia should also stop contributing to the genocide. Jewish people deserve to be safe from violence here and abroad, and Palestinians should not be slaughtered in their tens of thousands using weapons that Australia manufactured and sold to Israel, Waters said in a written statement. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances definition of antisemitism states that holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel represented a form of prejudice, in the same way that it would be wrong for Russian Australians to be targeted for the invasion of Ukraine. Some academics and commentators, including prominent anti-Zionist Jewish author Peter Beinart, have argued that Israels actions in Gaza had made Jews around the world a target. The Greens lost three of its four lower house MPs at the last election, including that of its former leader Adam Bandt as it campaigned hard on Gaza and received criticism from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for sowing division. Zionist Federation president Jeremy Leibler said Waters comments were some of the most egregious victim-blaming weve seen since October 7. She is effectively saying Jews are responsible for their own murders. Trying to score political points when two Jews were murdered on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar is exactly the rhetoric that has fuelled violent antisemitism on our streets. Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.
Ken Foxe

The HSE has spent more than 220,000 on burials for people who died in their care who had no family to organise a funeral.

The health services said they sometimes paid costs for people who were in long-stay care before being transferred to an acute hospital in their last days.

They said there were occasions when there were no records of living family members, and nobody came forward after the person died.

In 2024, around 116,000 was spent by the HSE on burial expenses for people without means.

The majority of the spending  some 82,000  was incurred in the HSE South and South East region.

A further 25,000 was spent in the Midlands Financial Region, and around 9,000 was paid by the HSE in the east of the country.

For 2023, expenditure totalled 106,000, with around two-thirds of the spending in the HSE South and South East region.

The HSE said that normally, burial expenses were paid for by relatives.

However, there were times when an HSE service, including acute hospitals, paid for funerals for people with no known relatives.

An information note said: While a person may pass away in an acute hospital, [they] may have been in a long-stay or psychiatric unit for years, before being transferred to an acute setting upon becoming acutely ill.

There may be no record of living family members who would have made themselves known to that unit.

The HSE said there were also cases where the family of homeless individuals who passed away in acute hospitals could not be traced.

They said in those circumstances, they would liaise with community services to try and find relatives.

The information note added: Where the burial expenses of a deceased person are to be met by the HSE, it is usually the coroner or the community welfare officer who arranges same.

The HSE also added that the figures only covered their services and not voluntary hospitals, which could have their own arrangements in place.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Fine Gael presidential candidate Heather Humphreys has defended her record in Cabinet during a televised debate.

It comes after former transport minister Shane Ross said Ms Humphreys opposed measures on drink-driving reforms before Cabinet agreed to the proposals and they were voted into law.

Speaking during the RTE debate, she said: I did not oppose it at Cabinet  and Cabinet is confidential  and thats the bottom line here, and Im not going to breach that confidentiality.

I did not oppose the legislation. I voted for it, as I said, not once but twice.

She said: You should not be drinking and driving, and that is it. End of story.

Elsewhere, presenter Aine Lawlor pressed the candidate on her record on providing for people with disabilities.

The family of Shane OFarrell (Niall Carson/PA)

Senator Tom Clonan previously said Ms Humphreys very strongly pushed for tiered welfare support for disabled people while she was social protection minister, and spread huge fear and consternation among the disability and caring community.

The former social protection minister said she withdrew the proposal for tiered welfare support because she knew activists were unhappy with it.

I have done so much over the years to help people with disabilities. I brought in a number of different measures.

She was also asked about the disappointment of the OFarrell family of her brief time as Minister for Justice.

Shane OFarrell was killed in a hit-and-run crash almost 14 years ago and his family said Ms Humphreys failed to back a campaign for an inquiry.

She said: What the OFarrell family have gone through is absolutely awful  they lost their son, Shane, and I often think about them.

There was a process when I was in Justice, and can I say I am glad that they have received an apology from the State, because they deserved it.

Ms Humphreys with Catherine Connolly and Jim Gavin during the debate (Conor OMearain/PA)

Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys said she believed that a woman is an adult female as she said she would describe someone who underwent a male-to-female transition as a trans woman.

Speaking to reporters after the debate, Ms Humphreys said it was an issue with complexities and added that trans people need support.

Responding to a question regarding the issuing of a gender certificate for a trans prisoner, Ms Humphreys said: A woman is a female adult and a man is a male adult. Thats my belief.

But we know the world is not black and white, and there are complexities there. Obviously, its a difficult situation.

Asked if that meant she would not classify someone who had undergone a male-to-female transition as a woman, she said: No, I would actually classify them as a trans woman.

She said: Theyre in transition. This is a very complex subject. Lets face it, its not black and white, and its something that needs sensitive discussion, and people need assistance, and they need support.

They need the support of their community. They need the support of their family, and sometimes they need medical support.
At first I was embarrassed. Next I was angry . Finally I was resigned to the awful fact that I couldnt find my glasses.

Its not as though it was a one and done, instead it was followed by the loss of the keys to my car and then the loss of my car in a supermarket parking lot with groceries in hand. You know the man - the one holding the keys to his car and pressing in hopes the alarm will go off and he will be united with that terrific blue Tesla momentarily,

Ultimately it was the loss of my innocence when I realized what growing old can mean to an old man who just discovered his car keys in his pants pocket. The upside being a chance to get in a number of steps on my handy dandy watch that knows and records your life moment by moment, step by step.

At work recently one of my favorite customers - they are all special in one way or another - showed me his newest toy, a pair of sunglasses that double as a movie camera. Thats correct, it is also a movie camera like that kiss cam that doomed the career of two people, not with their spouse, hugging it up then sinking to the ground when they realized they were the stars of the current motion picture, however brief that might had been.

As to found keys, those pants had deep pockets. No really down in there with all the loose change I couldnt find the other day when I had to pay a bill. It was a matter of two pennies and I struck out. Do you realize how much 98 cents can weigh you down? Luckily, I had remembered to wear a belt and clean underwear. My momma was right about that underwear!

Growing old has its perks, but the downside is like a ride on a Ferris Wheel when the operator has stepped away for lunch. Depending on what section of town you reside, there are actually some very nice young people including ones who drive an 08 Corolla and not the guys in their parents' Tesla - especially the ones in this terrific shade of blue that probably matches their blood type.

Another issue that crops up daily in my house is hearing. Speaking with my fellow workers I find that this is a similar problem in their houses as well. Is it selective hearing or problems with your hearing canal? I took an audiology exam not too long ago and found out that my hearing was very good for someone my age. That sounded like a left-handed compliment.

Does that mean that at my age I cannot hear much or I hear so much that I need to know if I can flood that pesky ear canal. Recently I had my ears cleaned out and found what appeared to be enough wax to make a candle. Okay a small candle. That was very alarming but then again it cut down on that amount of gibberish I hear in addition to the amount I get on my computer.

Where we live now life should be a no brainer. Only my brain isnt getting the message that all I have to do is show up and follow a program of daily activities that includes chair aerobics and foreign dominoes that sounds like something left over after the latest revolution. Also, there are three meals included where you select the main course, which usually features chicken. Makes you want to cluck or at the very least produce a couple of hard-boiled eggs.

Yes, I still work three days a week where I am considered a phenom to be working at my age. Actually, I am a star in the making. Other employees point me out with the phrase, Do you know how old he is?

Its all in your mind, sweetheart, except for the arthritis that makes me walk a little slower and not being able to remember where the heck I parked my fading silver Corolla, hopefully next to that awesome blue-colored Tesla!

* * *

Charles Siskin is a former Chattanoogan living un-retired in Florida with his bride, Cookie. He can be reached at charles.siskin@gmail.com




King broke into the Christian Contemporary Music scene after attending Covenant College in the late 80s and found himself writing songs for Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Michael Card and many others. King is also know for his album The Robe and songs like Life is Precious I Believe and This is the Time, a 1999 #1 hit by Michael W. Smith about the Columbine martyrs.





He will perform with his son, Harrison King.





Tickets are $19.50 at the door.More info at WesKingConcert.com





Song writing legend Wes King will perform Sunday at 6 pm at the Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave.
Home News Here are the countries where it's hardest to access the Bible: list

Nearly three-dozen countries have either "extreme" or "severe" restrictions on accessing the Bible, preventing millions of believers from reading God's Word, according to a new report from a Christian missions resource initiative.

The Bible Access Initiative, founded by Open Doors International and Digital Bible Society, released the findings of its "Bible Access List" on Thursday. The project examines restrictions on Bible access in 88 countries, due to issues such as persecution, high illiteracy rates, printing limitations or a lack of economic resources.

"A modern famine persists, not due to apathy, but because of barriers that prevent people from accessing the Bible," said Wybo Nicolai, the list's co-creator of BAL, in a statement provided to The Christian Post.

"These barriers differ in form, but the result is the same: millions live cut off from God's Word. Many have never seen a Bible in their language, format they prefer, or price range they can afford, or have no way to safely obtain one."

Somalia

Somalia ranked as having the worst access to the Bible, with the Muslim-majority East African country having "extreme access restrictions" due to legal persecution, threats of violence and limited economic resources.

"Bible access in Somalia is not just limited; it is outlawed. Under a strict interpretation of Sharia law, it is illegal to print, import, store, or distribute Bibles," explained the BAL profile on Somalia.

"Beyond legal restrictions, Somalia's deep poverty compounds the crisis. With more than 70% of the population living in poverty and widespread food insecurity following years of drought and conflict, basic needs often eclipse the possibility of purchasing a Bibleeven if it were possible."

Overall, Somalia ranks as having the second-worst atmosphere for Christian persecution on the annual Open Doors World Watch List, citing the presence of the Islamic extremist group Al-Shabaab and abuse from family members.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan, which has been under Taliban rule since 2021, was ranked the second worst for Bible access. With a population of 43 million, the Christian community in Afghanistan comprises about .02% of the population, most of whom are converts from Islam who face severe persecution. All forms of Bible printing or importing are illegal and digital access is forbidden.

"Access to Bibles in Afghanistan is not merely limited, it is nearly impossible," the report states. "Experts estimate that fewer than one-third of Afghan Christians have any access to Scripture."

"The Taliban's return to power in 2021 has only tightened restrictions, enforcing a harsher interpretation of Islamic law and actively monitoring online activity," the report adds. "As a result, even reading the Bible on a mobile phone is widely considered unsafe. The risk is not theoretical. Muslim Background believers or MBBs often face pressure from their own families, communities, and local authorities. Exposure can lead to forced marriage, imprisonment, or execution."

Yemen

Yemen ranked third on the list. In a nation with 35 million people, the Christian community is "barely visible," the report states, adding that fewer than a third of the estimated 17,000 Christians have access to a Bible under Yemen's Sharia-based legal system.

"Any perceived effort to share the Christian faith is considered blasphemy or apostasy, punishable by death," the report notes.

North Korea

In North Korea, which ranks as the fourth-worst country for Bible access, the control and censorship of religion is far from a secret. Under the control of the Kim family monarchy, North Korea is consistently observed as one of the world's top persecutors of Christians and "remains one of the most spiritually isolated and hostile environments for Christians in the world," according to the list.

"In North Korea, the Bible is not just banned  it is feared," the researchers noted. "The regime sees Christianity as a threat to the personality cult surrounding Kim Jong Un and his family, a direct challenge to the state's ideological control."

Mauritania

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania, located in North Africa, placed fifth on the list. With a population of around 5 million, only 11,000 are Christians, with less than 40% having access to a Bible because of severe restrictions.

The country's policies prohibit the printing, importation, distribution and display of Christian materials, and possessing multiple copies "can result in prosecution, with charges that, in some cases, carry the death penalty for proselytism or apostasy."

"The government's firm stance is rooted in Mauritania's constitutional identity as an Islamic state," the report explains. "Apostasy is a criminal offense punishable by death. Even online access is closely monitored; while nearly half of the country has internet connectivity, the risk of being linked to online Christian activity can carry severe, life-altering consequences."

Eritrea

Coming in at No. 6 on the Bible Access List is Eritrea, which has become known as the "North Korea of Africa" because of its authoritarian policies and crackdowns on religious freedom that are among the most severe in the world. Although almost half of the country identifies as Christians (1.7 million), researchers report that estimates show that not even 40% of Christians have access to a Bible because of restrictions.

The report notes that "government control permeates nearly every aspect of religious life."

"Bible ownership, distribution, and even private reading are severely restricted under Eritrean law. While Orthodox and Catholic Christians (who make up about 95% of the Christian population) may encounter slightly fewer obstacles, their access remains tightly monitored," the report states. "For Protestant house churches and Muslim Background believers or MBBs, the situation is drastically worse."

Libya, Algeria, Iran and Turkmenistan rounded out the top-10 worst countries for Bible access. In total, the report identified 15 countries as having "extreme restrictions." For the category just below that, known as "severe restrictions," the report listed 18 nations.

Bhutan topped the list of countries with "severe restrictions" on Bible access and was ranked 16th overall, with the report citing "stringent religious restrictions" and a literacy rate of only 70% as factors.

Other nations listed as having "severe restrictions" on the Bible included Saudi Arabia (No. 18), Pakistan (No. 20), China (No. 25), Azerbaijan (No. 30) and Kuwait (No. 32).

Armenia, which was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in the fourth century, is ranked 87th on the list. With 95% of the population identifying as Christians, there are no restrictions on owning or distributing Bibles in Armenia. However, a "quiet crisis of Bible scarcity" has arisen through "economic hardship, a shrinking church infrastructure, and outdated or limited distribution networks," the researchers report.

"Even in a country where Christianity is culturally dominant, the actual ability to read and engage with Gods Word remains limited for most," the report states.

Ranked at the bottom of the list at 88 was Brazil, a majority-Christian South American country that, according to researchers, struggles with Bible access in certain areas of the nation due to "extreme poverty."

"Even when Bibles are available for purchase, many families are forced to prioritize food and shelter over spiritual resources," stated Brazil's profile. "To make matters worse, high taxation and corruption drive up the costs of printed materials, including Bibles."

In addition to Open Doors and DBS, the 2025 report included the participation of partners, namely Frontlines International, Bible League International, Biblica, Bible League Canada and OneHope.
Home News Nelson Makanda wants to train 200,000 pastors to meet Africas Evangelical boom

NEW YORK  On a wet Thursday in September, the Rev. Nelson Makanda was busy appealing to the United States Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief as world leaders talked politics and diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly.

Since U.S. President George W. Bush started PEPFAR in 2003, it has been managed by the U.S. Department of States Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy. The program has invested more than $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, reportedly saving 25 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and supporting several countries to achieve HIV epidemic control, according to the programs website.

When Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that a significant majority of programs funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development would be canceled in March, Makanda, a former pastor-turned-vice chancellor of Africa International University in Nairobi, said it was devastating.

America is the single largest funder of HIV/AIDs programs in Kenya, and most of those funds came from USAID through PEPFAR, which has been frozen. Without the assistance, most people with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, where nearly 50% of the population lives on less than $3 a day, can't afford treatment.

In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 4.3% or some 2.4 million people in Kenyas 55.3 million population between the ages of 15 and 49 were living with HIV. Thats double the number of infected people in the United States, despite a significantly larger population of over 333 million.

When Rubio made his March announcement about the dismantling of USAID, Makanda says the impact was felt almost immediately in Kenya.

You find young people, you find children, you find teenagers, you find mothers, who can no longer access their medical care because of the withdrawal of that fund. And so we were trying to make an appeal to PEPFAR, to expedite in releasing the funds that are available, Makanda, who also has an HIV-infected adopted son impacted by the dismantling of USAID, told CP.

Once the announcement was made, the staffers that were working on different projects were given notice and were told, you have no jobs. Some of them were nurses working in clinics. Some of them were pharmacists working in hospitals. Some of them were caregivers that were receiving this funding, he said.

So in March, people go to their clinics, go to their hospitals and they find places are closed. There's nobody to do their tests so that they could check their CD4 count. There's nobody to dispense the medicines and products. There's nobody to do testing and counseling. It's been horrendous.

But Makandas flight to New York City wasnt just about appealing for the release of PEPFAR funds to help Kenya fight HIV/AIDS. He had come to learn how to better serve Kenya with the Gospel by immersing himself in a three-day Christian leadership conference at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, billed as The Calling.

I find that this gives me an opportunity to sit, to reflect, and be ministered to, he said of the conference a day before it would begin on Sept. 26.

The vice chancellor of Africa International University has been serving his country and the continent of Africa with the Gospel for decades.

Prior to his latest role in academia, Makanda was a pastor and associate pastor at Nairobi Baptist Church. He also served as the deputy general secretary for the National Council of Churches in Kenya. That umbrella organization represents more than 30 different Protestant denominations across Kenya with some 30 million members. Makanda was also the general secretary of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, representing an additional 12 to 15 million people.

In Africa, Makanda explains, thanks to a variety of factors, including the work of U.S. missionaries on the continent, Evangelicalism has been booming.

Data published by Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary shows that the number of Evangelicals increased globally from 112 million in 1970 to 386 million in 2020. The growth of Evangelicals in Africa, however, has been outstanding. In 1900, only 1.7% of Africas population was Evangelical, but it swelled to 42% by 2020. Researchers say if the trend continues, Africans will make up more than half of Evangelicals globally by 2050.

Pew Research data also shows that in 2020, almost 700 million people in sub-Saharan Africa identified as Christian, making them the largest religious group.

The Gospel as preached by Evangelicals provides hope to the poor, suffering, struggling and hopeful growing population of Africa, Makanda explained when asked what was causing the explosion.

As people are transitioning from the African traditional religion and that context, and beginning to experience Christian faith and modern life, but yet still trapped in sickness, trapped in poverty, trapped in illiteracy and trapped with issues of life. The gospel as preached by Evangelicals provides great hope, he said.

As birthrates fall in the developed world, Africa, buoyed by its status of having the worlds youngest population with a median age of 19, is expected to double its population and reach 2.5 billion.

And as more and more people are being reached by the Gospel, Makanda believes the blessing of youth on the continent will keep fueling the number of Evangelicals on the continent.

So this beautiful population rising up, it's a phenomenon that is contributing to the growth of the numbers of Evangelicals. And so, you might perhaps see this in another 10, 15 years. ... We will most likely be hitting another 400 million, 450 million, Makanda told CP. I think it's a combination of all those factors, growing population, the social economy, political context in Africa and perhaps great missionary activity from the American people.

The boom needs trained pastors, says Makanda, but their isnt enough of them to meet the demand. That is why AIU has launched a partnership with the Church Transformation Network with a goal of training 200,000 pastors in Africa over the next five years. CTN is a California-based nonprofit dedicated to training strategic leaders and pastors in biblical knowledge, led by Jerry Rueb, the lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Long Beach.

The AIU vice chancellor explained that the schools partnership with CTN will accredit a once-informal arrangement that provides training administered in a peer-to-peer setting.

I am hoping that in the next five years, African International University is going to train and certify at least 200,000 pastors, Makanda told CP.

Some reports suggest that as much as 95% of the worlds pastors have no formal training, and Makanda says the statistic holds true in Africa. The lack of professional credentials in some countries on the continent, like Rwanda, has also hampered the ability of pastors to preach.

In 2018, the Rwandan government made it a requirement that leaders of faith-based organizations in that country have at least a bachelors degree in theology or face the shuttering of their churches. Last year alone, thousands of churches were closed for failing to meet that requirement.

Before I traveled here (New York) , I spent my weekend in Rwanda. In Rwanda, 9,000 churches were closed last year by the government, Makanda said.

When asked if Makandas goal to train and certify 200,000 pastors in Africa in the next five years is realistic, Rueb told CP in an interview that he has already reached more than 25% of that target.

Yes, Rueb said without hesitation.

It's the most unusual, unwritten, unknown story because already what God is doing is a movement, and it's not the typical, Oh, here goes another missionary or a mission organization, Rueb revealed. We already have 65,000 [pastors] right now in training in Africa, and also in Thailand and India.

He said he recently returned from a five-week trip in Africa, where his organization visited five different major cities and met with leaders from 21 countries on the continent.

We have a memorandum of understanding with the Africa Evangelical Alliance, which is the largest umbrella of Evangelicals on the continent, they oversee 51 nations. So, what Makanda actually, in Kenya, has experienced, is we started, first of all in Ethiopia, with 10,000 pastors. It ended up being over 13,000 that we graduated a year and a half ago, Rueb explained.

In August, Rueb said he gave the keynote address at a graduation ceremony for 7,000 pastors from the program in the Anglican Church in Uganda.

Over the last decade, CP has reported on multiple stories of pastors in Africa directing their congregants to engage in unorthodox and dangerous behavior like eating grass or drinking poison to show their faith.

Both Makanda and Rueb agree that this is one of the problems that formal training is expected to address and what countries like Rwanda are trying to avoid when they set standards of practice for pastors.

One of the problems in Africa, anywhere where the Gospel goes and is so readily received, is that false teachers, just like the first century, much in the New Testament was written really by Paul the apostle, and John, about Gnosticism and other ... 'Christian' cults and false religions, and false doctrines, Rueb told CP. So governments have been alerted.

Makanda says AIU has been subsidizing a lot of the training of pastors in Africa with help from partners like Samaritans Purse, World Vision and American churches, but there is still a great need for support. Rueb, who is trusting God to continue to fund the work with AIU as it progresses, believes that Makanda will likely exceed his goal of training 200,000 pastors in the next five years.

When Makanda says 200,000 pastors in five years, it's no joke. It's for real, and we're actually seeing in the next decade, it could be as high as a million, Rueb said. It's possible if we have the proper resourcing, because the need is there and a desire.
Home Opinion Here's what is missing among Americas men

Following the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared on MSNBCs Morning Joe. With a solemn tone, she urged, We have got to stop demonizing each other  We have got to stop with the finger pointing and the scapegoating.

At first, that sounded like a hopeful statement. Yet my optimism was short-lived. Almost in the same breath, she pivoted to attack Republican policies: The idea that you could turn the clock back and try to recreate a world that never was  dominated by, you know, lets say it, white men of a certain persuasion, a certain religion.

No matter how carefully they frame it, the Left cannot hide its disdain for white, Christian men  men whose convictions give them the courage to stand for truth. I am often asked when I speak across the nation, Tony, what keeps you up at night? People expect me to say China, the national debt, or the Lefts anti-Christian, anti-family agenda. And yes, those are serious threats. But my greatest concern is something deeper: a lack of moral courage.

If we have moral courage  courage rooted in conviction and anchored in a transcendent cause  we will confront China. We will address fiscal recklessness. And we will resist the Lefts godless agenda. But without moral courage, we will fold under pressure. That is the most significant void in our culture today.

The nations response to Charlie Kirks death proves this point. Millions have spoken in honor of his life. Why? Because America is starving for examples of young men who refuse to bow to the so-called intelligentsia. His boldness inspired admiration because it revealed what our culture is missing: conviction matched with courage.

Meanwhile, the Left  on cable networks and even on Capitol Hill  has erupted in anger at the public displays of respect for Charlie. Why? Because they know that when men stand up and fulfill their God-given role, families grow stronger, communities grow safer, and the Left loses power. That is the bottom line.

The attack on masculinity is not new. It has been raging for decades. Yet one group has refused to surrender: Bible-believing men. Despite relentless efforts to emasculate men and de-Christianize our culture, a younger generation is rediscovering truth  and with it, their manhood. They have tasted the emptiness of secularism, and they are choosing something greater.

The Apostle Pauls charge to the church in Corinth rings out as clear today as it did two millennia ago: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

This is not a call to arrogance or violence, but to courage  to live as men and women of faith who will not shrink back. In this critical hour, the future of our families, our freedoms, and our nation depends on men and women who will rise with conviction, anchored in truth, and unashamed to act.

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Home Opinion I'm a Loudoun County teacher who fought gender ideology with love

Editors note: The following commentary is an excerpt from remarks presented before the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission on Sept. 29, 2025, with minor edits made only for readability.



For over 30 years, Ive had the privilege of serving as a high school teacher  for the last 21, in Virginias Loudoun County Public Schools, teaching government.



Being a teacher is one of the greatest blessings of my life. Every day I work for every student to know they are loved unconditionally. No matter what they are going through, what their grades are, or what their status is with their peers, at least one person loves them.



So every day when my students come and go, I tell them:



Mrs. Gill loves you.



I have a banner over my classroom door that reads, You Are Loved. And on every test, I include one bonus question: Mrs. Gill loves me: True or false? They have to put true to get it right.



Over the years, Ive built wonderful relationships with my students  learning their strengths, listening to their dreams, and walking with them in both struggles and victories.



My goal has always been to equip them not just with facts, but with truth  not just for a test, but for life. Because if we can root the next generation in truth, we can help them live full and flourishing lives.



But in the summer of 2021, I encountered a cultural battleground I didnt expect, nor did I feel equipped to take on.



Loudoun County Public Schools adopted a policy that forced teachers to deny the most foundational truths of what it means to be created male and female. The policy said teachers must treat boys as girls and girls as boys.



Loudoun County Public Schools gave teachers a choice: Deny truth, or risk everything  our jobs, our pensions, our students whom we loved.



For a moment, I was afraid. But when I prayed, I knew I could not say to God one day, Lord, I stayed silent because my pension was more important than your truth. I knew the only right choice was to stand in love and defend truth for my students.



So, with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, I filed a lawsuit against the Loudoun County School Board for its unlawful policy. The journey was hard, but God met me time and again with the strength to persevere.



One story Ill never forget: The year I filed the lawsuit, I got an e-mail from a young lady who was going to be in my class. She said that she didnt like seeing me on TV. She didnt like the things I stood for. She said that I was ignorant  that our culture was toxic, and I was a part of that toxicity.



I knew she needed to be loved. So, I placed her seat right in front of my desk, and I made a deliberate point to build a relationship with her. What started off as uncomfortable and awkward ended in a lovely relationship. As school wrapped up in May that year, she left me a note saying, Mrs. Gill, you are a really great teacher, and I am so glad I was in your class. She would go on to elect to take another class with me and ask me to write her letter of recommendation for college.



Thankfully, this past July, after a long legal journey, my lawsuit resulted in a victory for all teachers to freely speak the truth in love when Loudoun County Public Schools finally agreed to no longer require teachers to use pronouns inconsistent with a students sex.



It reminded me of what Pastor Billy Graham once said: Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.



To my fellow public-school teachers around the nation who find themselves discouraged: Dont ever doubt your calling to equip the next generation in truth.



I was reminded of this deeply a few years ago at a time where I felt heavy-hearted and discouraged. As I was cleaning up my new classroom at the start of school, I discovered a hardbound book tucked in a corner. I picked it up and dusted it off to see the title: Holy Bible. And I thought, What are you doing here? I opened it, and on the first page, in elegant penmanship, were the words: Presented by the Class of 1955.



My first reaction was cynical: Look how far weve fallen. Something like this would never happen today. But in that moment, the Lord got my heart and said, Monica, I didnt give you this gift for you to judge this place. I gave you this gift so that you would know: I have not abandoned this place. Ive placed you here to be My salt and My light, and Im calling you to stand  and to stay.



Friends, this is each of our callings: to be salt and light! God has not abandoned our schools, and He has not abandoned this generation, so neither can we.



We cannot let our children fall victim to lies, especially the lie that says theyre born in the wrong body or that their gender is fluid. We must show our students love, truth, and the path toward true joy. And we must hold accountable our public-school systems when they fail.



We are at what I pray, in Charlie Kirks honor, will be a turning point, because for us to win back our country, we must take a stand for truth without fear of the consequences.



In closing, I want to speak directly to any young people seeing my words today: You are loved. And you have a choice in how you will love one another  and how you will love this country.



And you have a choice to be courageous  to stand for what is right, true, and noble, even knowing that it may cost you greatly. My prayer is that you will remember that courage is contagious, and that youll look beyond your differences to what unites you:



You are each beautifully made in the image of God.
"Duck Dynasty" star Silas Uncle Si Robertson is recovering after being hospitalized with a severe sinus infection. (Pictured: Steve Doocy with The cast of "Duck Dynasty" Si Robertson, Jep Robertson and Willie Robertson visit "Fox And Friends" at Fox News Studios on September 9, 2013 in New York City.) (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images) Getty Images

Silas Uncle Si Robertson, the 77-year-old star of A&Es Duck Dynasty, has been hospitalized while battling a severe sinus infection, according to a family friend.

Justin Martin, a longtime employee and friend of the Robertson familys Duck Commander business, shared an update about Sis condition on social media.

Before any rumors get started, yes Uncle Si is in the hospital, Martin wrote on Instagram. Hes doing very well but was having a little trouble whooping a severe sinus infection.

Martin assured fans that the reality TV personality is recovering.

Hes very much on the mend and will be discharged soon, he said. Its awesome to be surrounded by guys who practice what they preach. Full story will drop on the @duckcallroom soon!

Fans responded with well-wishes in the comments section.

Get that man an extra strong batch of iced tea n hell be good to go, one user wrote, while another added, We love you Uncle Si.

Robertson became a household name when Duck Dynasty premiered on A&E in 2012, the New York Post noted.

The show, which featured the Louisiana-based Robertson family and their duck call business, ran until 2017. Sis brother Phil Robertson founded Duck Commander in 1972, 40 years before the familys television debut, the NY Post added.

The timing of Sis hospitalization comes as the Robertson family recently returned to television with Duck Dynasty: The Revival, which premiered in June after an eight-year hiatus.

The two-season reboot consists of 20 one-hour episodes and follows Willie and Korie Robertson and their growing family of adult children and grandchildren, the next generation of Robertsons living on the family homestead in Louisiana, according to the networks press release.

The shows return followed the death of family patriarch Phil Robertson, who passed away in May 2025 at age 79 after battling Alzheimers disease.

We celebrate today that our father, husband and grandfather, Phil Robertson, is now with the Lord, Korie Robertson shared in a statement at the time.

The new series features Willie, 53, and his wife Korie, 51, along with their children including Sadie Robertson, 28, and John Luke Robertson, 29. Other family members, including Will Jr., Bella, 23, and Rebecca, 36, also appear alongside Si and Kay Robertson.

This story was written with the assistance of AI.
A bipartisan proposal would ban counties from selling delinquent tax liens to private companies for collection because such practices are predatory and harm the taxpayer. Today in Ohio debates the practice in Friday's episode. (Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com) Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com

The heated debate over whether counties should be allowed to sell delinquent property tax liens to private collection companies reached a boiling point on Today in Ohio this week, with hosts mostly applauding lawmakers for introducing legislation to ban the practice statewide.

The timing couldnt be more pointedmerely three days after Cuyahoga County announced plans to sell up to $40 million in unpaid property taxes to a private collection company, Republican Representative David Thomas from Ashtabula County and Democratic Representative Daniel Troy from Willoughby Hills introduced a bill that would outlaw the practice entirely.

As Leila Atassi explained, Thomas says the whole system is predatory. He points to horror stories where people end up paying two or three times their original tax debt, yet they still face foreclosure because of interest and fees. He compared it to payday lending. He called it corporate greed at its worst.

The discussion highlighted fundamental questions about government responsibility. Should public functions like tax collection be outsourced to private entities with profit motives?

Ive never been comfortable with the idea of turning over a government job to a private company that profits from it, said Chris Quinn. This takes more money out of the system because they have a profit motive.

While county officials defend the practice as necessary for recovering millions in unpaid taxes that fund essential public services, critics argue the system preys on vulnerable homeowners who fall behind on their taxes, especially seniors and low-income residents.

Playing devils advocate on the podcast, Atassi raised the possibility of compromise: Instead of just banning the lien sales altogether, I feel like the state could mandate guardrails that prevent the worst abuses, but still let counties recover revenue. I mean, they could cap interest and fees so a $20,000 debt doesnt balloon into a $60,000 debt.

But Quinn pushed back against this middle-ground approach: I would argue the flaw in your argument is if there is a profit to be made by a private company collecting these debts, then its not that onerous on the county to do it because theres money be made doing it.

He added what may be the most revealing insight into the practice: I think this is a dodge. I dont think the county wants to put the screws to people.

The proposed legislation wouldnt take effect until 2027, giving counties time to adjust their collection practices. But the fundamental question remains unresolved: is this about efficient government operation or allowing private companies to profit from financial distress?

The podcast discussion revealed the deep philosophical divide at the heart of this issue. While everyone agrees that property taxes must be collected to fund crucial public services, the means of collectionand whether private profits should be extracted in the processremains contentious.

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 long-awaited Schengen-style unified tourist visa for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is on track for a pilot launch in late 2025, bringing almost all countries in the region closer to becoming a seamless travel destination. The development was confirmed by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Emirates Tourism Council, in an interview with the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM).According to Al Marri the initiative will deepen regional cooperation and position the Gulf as a singular, globally competitive tourism hub. The GCC Grand Tourist Visa, likened to Europe's Schengen system, will enable visitors to explore all six member states, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, on a single travel permit. The visa was approved by GCC ministers in 2023 and is currently in its final technical and digital integration phase.According to reports, the system will be supported by a centralised digital platform, allowing travellers to design multi-country itineraries with greater ease and fewer bureaucratic hurdles.Nonetheless, the announcement comes amid a surge in the UAE's tourism and hospitality sectors. As of mid-September 2025, the number of commercial licences issued across key industries including aviation, air transport, and hospitality had soared to 39,546, which is a 275% increase compared to 2020.Gulf News reported that Al Marri credited the growth in the sectors to ongoing regulatory reforms that have improved the country's investment climate and attracted global partnerships.Under the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, the Emirates aim to attract 40 million hotel guests annually and increase the sectors GDP contribution to AED 450 billion by the end of the decade.Moreover, GCC Secretary General Jasem Al-Budaiwi, who confirmed that the unified visa system is in the final stages and will be implemented before the end of the year. It will ne rolled out in phases across all member nations.
It wasnt a scar, as urban legend held, but that does allow you to adopt June Cleaver, retired streetfighter as headcanon, so its okay if you want to hang onto it

June Cleaver was the prototype of the proper 50s housewife, getting dinner on the spotless table by five and looking flawless while doing it. Who cares if it was a largely fictional invention because performing such strenuous labor in high heels and pearls would be completely impractical? Even Barbara Billingsley, the actress who played Americas mom on Leave It to Beaver, agreed that her costume bordered on Tolkien fantasy.

In fact, there was a practical reason for the charade; it was not because I was cleaning the house and vacuuming in pearls, she said in a 2000 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, complaining that when she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, expecting a conversation as meaty as her characters roasts, Winfrey couldnt think of another question besides high heels and pearls.

It all came down to the realities of filming. I have a hollow here, she explained, touching the base of her throat, and the lighting used on the set exaggerated it so much that producers worried viewers would be more concerned with Mrs. Cleavers tracheotomy than the antics of the Beaver. Cameras and films (were) not the same as they are today, and they couldnt get it  they showed this big hollow, she continued.

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It wasnt a scar, as urban legend held, but that does allow you to adopt June Cleaver, retired streetfighter as headcanon, so its okay if you want to hang onto it.

Wearing a necklace put a shadow across her throat that made its hollow less distracting, though at first, it wasnt pearls always. Then it evolved into pearls. The National Womens History Museum noted that Billingsleys throat was sometimes also covered with scarves or high-cut shirts, but pearls became her trademark in part because the clean, bright look of them translated well to film. It was the same (or rather, the opposite) reason the pavement in the Cleavers neighborhood was always wet: dry pavement was too bright and caused glare. It turns out it wasnt just zealous lawn watering.

As for those high heels, the boys grew! Billingsley said. She had to tower over her TV children, and at just 5-foot-5, that wasnt always an easy task over the course of six seasons. I wore flats in the beginning, but I knew pretty soon you got high heels because I had to be taller, she said, adding, I was lucky they didnt put me on an apple box.

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After all, they probably still would have made her vacuum.
Let me ask you a question, an honest question. How many Jewish terrorists have blown up stadiums full of excited, innocent teenagers in recent years? How many Jews have strapped bombs to their bodies and detonated them on Tube trains and buses?

How many Jewish paramilitaries have tortured or executed women for not wearing a headscarf, or for listening to music, or for daring to leave home without their husbands?

How many Jewish people have stabbed people peacefully going to their place of worship?

How many have flown aeroplanes into buildings full of innocent people? Driven cars into crowds of Christmas shoppers? Filmed themselves raping and mutilating infidels? Kidnapped entire schoolrooms of teenage girls and taken them as sex slaves?

Genuine question. Answer: none.

And heres another. What is the common denominator in all these attacks?

The answer is radical Islam. The glorification of death in the pursuit of a global jihad; the branding of non-extremist Muslims as apostates; the rejection of Western culture, and in particular the rights of women and minorities; the belief that only an all-encompassing Islamic state ruled by Sharia law can be legitimate  and the pursuit of that state by any means necessary.

No other faith on this planet has such an agenda. The Catholic Church may have been guilty of similar crimes in the past, but those days are long gone. Certainly not Christianity in its current form.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was shot dead minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester yesterday

And certainly not the Jews. All they are asking for is the right to exist, peacefully, to go about their business and practice their religion without being hounded out of existence. As they were in Europe in the 1930s. As they are being now, in the Middle East  but also, increasingly in traditional places of safety such as Britain and the US.

That is not to say that there have never been Jewish extremists. One thinks of the assassination of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, by one of his own people, Yigal Amir; the deplorable Jewish Underground, who operated in the 1980s; and the group responsible for the 1946 King David hotel bombing in Jerusalem. There are bad Jews, of course there are.

But in the recent annals of terrorism, by far the most prolific terrorists are those who subscribe to the most hardline forms of Islam, whether they be Al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Taliban, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah or Islamic Jihad. That is not propaganda, nor is it Islamophobia; it is just a fact  one that I am sure most Muslims find as disturbing as I do.

So, can we please stop the gaslighting? Can we please stop pretending that there isnt a problem here, a big problem, and that it has its roots not in the existence of a Jewish state but in the spread of a radical religious agenda whose prime target  the elimination of Israel  is just the first step in a clear and stated aim of eradicating all non-believers and establishing a global caliphate?

Can we stop pandering to this misogynistic death cult that oppresses its own people and has committed several well documented genocides, from the Yazidis in Iraq and Syria to the Darfur genocide of the early 2000s, in which 300,000 people were either killed or displaced?

Can we just stop victim-blaming and making excuses for Jew-hate?

I am not Jewish. Im good old C of E, that most vanilla of faiths, and it suits me just fine.

But I am furious on behalf of Jewish people.

A pro-Palestine march yesterday in Manchester in the wake of Thursday's terror attack

Once you start saying that Jews are causing a genocide, then the worst people feel emboldened to do terrible things, writes Sarah Vine

What happened in Manchester last week was a turning point, the moment when all their fears came true. It was the ugly culmination of month after month of mounting anti-Jewish feeling, in the streets of our cities, on college campuses, online: relentless, ill-disguised, ugly. And largely unchecked.

Britain fought an entire war to stop this kind of thing. My grandfather and many of his generation lost their youth and their sanity to that cause. We cannot stand by and let it happen all over again.

Whatever mistakes Israel has made, Jew-hate is not OK  just as Islamophobia is unacceptable regardless of how many crimes are committed in the name of a twisted interpretation of the Muslim faith.

Israel is the Jewish nation, but it is not all Jews. Conflating the actions of Israel with Jewish people everywhere is irrational, in the same way that conflating the EU with Europe was during the Brexit referendum. It is perfectly possible to criticise one without hating the other.

That is why we correctly and studiously do not judge the actions of all Muslims by, say, the behaviour of the grooming gangs, or by the atrocities committed by the Taliban or by Boko Haram.

But for some reason we do not afford Jews the same privilege. Why? Anti-Semitism.

Anti-Semitism is also why, if attacked, Israel is somehow expected to simply turn the other cheek.

What nation other than a Jewish one would be expected to behave this way? If America had suffered a similar assault as

the one carried out by Hamas on October 7, do you imagine it would have held back? Of course not.

Yet somehow, because Israel is Jewish, it is expected to put up and shut up.

In a world of woke and political correctness, it seems that Jew-hate is the only acceptable form of prejudice left. Thats why the police are reluctant to arrest anti-Israel protesters, even if they are chanting openly anti-Jewish slogans. Its fine.

Theyre untermenschen, so it doesnt count.

Thats also why, when I recently reported Dr Rahmeh Aladwan  the radical NHS doctor who has said that 90 per cent of Jews on Earth are genocidal, that she will never condemn the October 7 attacks and that the Royal Free Hospital in London is a Jewish supremacy cesspit  to the social media platform X, they wrote back to tell me she had not breached community guidelines.

Seriously? Substitute the word Jewish for black or Muslim and I doubt they would have been so lenient.

What happened in Manchester was a direct result of all this. Once you start saying that Jews are causing a genocide, then the worst people feel emboldened to do terrible things.

If the authorities and our politicians not only allow but, in some cases, also encourage the demonisation of an entire religion through the actions of its politicians, people get hurt.

Its the same as judging all Muslims by the actions of the Ayatollah Khamenei.

Im not religious, not particularly. I dont much mind what you believe in or how you express that belief, just as long as you dont expect me to do the same or abide by your rules. This is true of the Jews. They have their traditions, but they dont expect others to share them. They might keep themselves to themselves, but they dont hate those who dont believe what they believe. They dont vow to destroy everyone who is not them.

That is not true of radical Islam, which considers itself the only true faith and wishes to impose itself by any means possible.

The father of the man who stabbed those people at the synagogue glorified the perpetrators of October 7.

He praised them on Facebook, writing that images of fighters storming Israel with paragliders and motorbikes prove beyond a doubt that Israel would be destroyed.

That same man named his son Jihad, and so it came to pass.

His son fulfilled his destiny in Manchester.

How many more may follow him? How many more atrocities will be committed before we wake up and acknowledge what the real problem is here?
My name is Jana Hocking and I am a speedo chaser.

Yes, it's shameful to admit, but I just adore a man in 'budgie smugglers' and I'm happy to report they're on the rise (the swimsuits that is!).

From the sands of the south of France, where I spent a good part of this summer, to back home in Sydney and Bondi beach, I've been graced by the sight of men in briefs for months on end.

It's not the sun I've been chasing across hemispheres - it's the speedos.

Let's start with the moment that kicked it all off back in July when Cruz Beckham debuted a pair of tighty whities on the family yacht off the coast of St Tropez.

He's only 20, but trust me, several generations of women collectively choked on their Aperol Spritzes.

And if that wasn't headline grabbing enough, the aft deck was positively sizzling when dad, David, decided to show Cruz how it's really done and stepped out in a bright red pair of his own. Never has nepotism looked so sexy.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. As those pictures did the rounds, a photo of 'influencer' Andrew Tate resurfaced on my timeline and good lord, didn't that bring me back down to earth with a bump.

Let's start with the moment that kicked it all off back in July when Cruz Beckham (pictured) debuted a pair of tighty whities on the family yacht off the coast of St Tropez

As those pictures did the rounds, a photo of 'influencer' Andrew Tate (pictured) resurfaced on my timeline and good lord, didn't that bring me back down to earth with a bump

Now, I'm not one to body shame, but there was something delicious about seeing the poster boy of hyper-masculinity look a little less stud and a lot more Ken doll in his pale pink briefs.

But setting such small matters aside, while I'm delighted to report that Aussie blokes are finally waking up to the appeal of the speedos they've spent the past two decades ridiculing, the rest of the world has long since turned them into a flex.

Spend a summer in France and you'll see what I mean. On any given weekend at the pools or riversides, men of every age, shape and (let's be frank) package size, are unapologetically strutting around in swim briefs.

No fuss, no shame, no hiding behind yards of polyester. It's just: here I am. Take it or leave it. It's a glorious spectacle.

I can't tell you the number of times I found myself sitting poolside on a Paris rooftop, staring at a sea of smugglers and thinking: 'Actually this is kind of hot.'

Because speedos leave nothing to the imagination. None of that shapeless billowing you get with board shorts. No soggy fabric flapping around your knees. Just the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

My name is Jana Hocking, and I am a speedo-chaser

Dare I say it, they are the dating app of swimwear - no filters, no photoshop, just the goods up front.

A speedo says: 'I'm confident, I'm unapologetic and go on, have a little look.'

And if you think women don't appreciate that? Think again.

Now, I'm not saying every bloke needs to suddenly embrace his inner David Hasselhoff circa Baywatch.

There are rules. One must be realistic about fit. A speedo that's too small risks veering into Borat territory (and no one wants that outside of Halloween). Too big and you might as well have stuck with boardies.

Oh, and color matters, too. A clean black is chic; a bold red is iconic; a verging-on-see-through-white is fine for the exhibitionist, but neon tiger print is an unresolved midlife crisis.

For decades, women have been expected to display, flaunt and filter every inch of ourselves in swimwear, while men got a free pass to hide in oversized shorts.

Now, with the resurgence of loin huggers, the male body is being objectified in a way that women have endured forever, and in a strange way, I think it's progress.

The Beckham boys strutting in their skimpies isn't just thirst content; it's equality. Bravo Beckhams! But you don't have to have their six-packs to pull it off. What matters is the attitude.

The aft deck was positively sizzling when dad, David (pictured), decided to show Cruz how it's really done and stepped out in a bright red pair of his own

Pictured: Cruz and David Beckham

Nothing is sexier than a man who says, 'Yes, these are my thighs and no, I'm not embarrassed by them.'

And if you're still unconvinced, let me put it like this: do you think a woman would rather kiss a man who comes out of the water wearing a soggy, shapeless parachute of fabric plastered to his thighs?

Or one who emerges like an Adonis, water dripping off a perfectly sculpted - OK, maybe not sculpted, but certainly well-outlined - silhouette? Exactly.

So, this is my public service announcement: Men, it's time.

Ditch the board shorts. Embrace your inner Euro. Slip into something a little more revealing.

Because whether you're Beckham-level ripped, Tate-level tragic, or somewhere wonderfully in between, I promise you: women are watching, and they like what they see.
Yesterday, in the first part of Piers Morgans electrifying new book, he cast an acerbic eye over his ongoing war with Harry and Meghan. Today, the broadcaster launches a robust defence of traditional masculinity and argues that controversial influencer Andrew Tate might, in fact, have a point

I didn't think much of Adolescence, the dark, gritty and frankly boring British drama that everyone else greeted with hysterical acclaim and our prime minister said should be required viewing in every secondary school.

Its not even that original, just an updated re-telling of the same downbeat story that has dominated culture throughout the woke years. Girls should be instinctively fearful of boys, whose primal beastliness is an inevitable and grave threat.

In this Netflix series about a 13-year-old boy who kills a schoolgirl after being radicalised by toxic masculinity, viewers are catapulted into a hostile teenage world of always-online boys with malevolent expectations of girls and hapless adults whose children have been hopelessly corrupted by influencers like Andrew Tate.

Protagonist Jamie stabs a female classmate for spurning his romantic advances and teasing him for being an incel  a familiar online slur for young men who cant attract women.

Its not unusual for me to be bored stiff by a series that is hailed as a masterpiece or cynical about a work of fiction lauded for its clunky moralising of real-world social issues.

But the nauseating universal reverence for Adolescence was in a league of its own.

Netflix hit proves necessity of male role models, boomed the BBC News website.

'Wokeness sees men as undeserving champions who need to be knocked off their perch to make room for everybody else,' writes Piers Morgan

How Adolescence is making Britain face up to toxic masculinity, gushed the Guardian. Keir Starmer praised the series in Parliament and spoke about abhorrent violence that is carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online as a crisis needing urgent attention.

He welcomed its creators to Downing Street while MPs convened a special committee to ask the writers of the series for insights into the warped minds of their imaginary characters. On my television show, psychologist Dr Jordan Peterson tore into the prime ministers posturing as exactly what youd expect from the progressive playbook. Double down on the incels instead of trying to figure out that its the result of 60 years of radically demoralising, quasi-feminist, dimwit hedonistic Leftist propaganda shovelled at them from primary school all the way through university!

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was harangued after revealing she hadnt watched the series. Its fictional, not a documentary, she protested, lets talk about whats real.

The visibly offended presenters took turns grilling her on what shed just said, as if she had accidentally confessed to a murder herself. It felt like we were one short step away from having to show Adolescence passports to prove we could safely mingle in restaurants and stadiums.

The truth is that Adolescence gave lots of pompous people an opportunity to clutch their pearls about male issues. But the main message was, again, that males are the issue.

Boys are primitive receptacles for poisonous misogynistic messaging by malevolent men, whose villainy is destructive and damaging for victimised women.

The logic behind forcing children to watch Adolescence is that they will be shocked into heeding its dire warnings and fixing their wicked ways before its too late. Repeated references to manosphere figures like Tate are supposed to indicate where the responsibility lies.

Andrew Top G is the most infamous and prolific of the machismo online influencers. He racked up a staggering 14 billion views on TikTok before eventually being banned from the platform for his misogynistic views.

Adolescence's Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller and Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston

His success has spawned a vast network of acolytes and imitators who spew bile to generate clicks from mostly male followers.

They offer simple answers to complicated questions and have skilfully upended the narrative that masculinity is something to be ashamed of. The eternally virtuous find it very easy to be shocked and appalled by Tate but far harder to admit that, by creating the mindset under which boys are always the problem and never the solution, they are part of the reason he became so popular in the first place.

Wokeness sees men as undeserving champions who need to be knocked off their perch to make room for everybody else. Young men have duly been downtrodden and browbeaten by a society that systematically chides them for exploiting women.

They are bombarded with reasons to feel bad about themselves from the moment they are old enough to kick a ball, if indeed they are predictably boorish enough to want to do that instead of choosing to play with a doll.

Men have become the last remaining demographic for whom ridicule is not only accepted but encouraged. Teachers, politicians and experts glibly demonise their inherently ghastly traits while Hollywood films mock their buffoonery and celebrate their defeat by the flawless girl boss.

Boys are raised to expect that they will inevitably become greedy men who dominate boardrooms and profit from the gender pay gap. Even middling success in a menial role is probably at the expense of a woman who never got the chance.

The reality, however, is that they find themselves failing in a world they were always told was unfairly weighted in their favour. White working-class boys in Britain have the worst outcomes and lowest expectations by almost every available metric.

The stats are devastating. Men are four times more likely to commit suicide. Boys are more likely to be kicked out of school for bad behaviour, more likely to drop out due to poor grades, and more likely to end up in jail.

Andrew Tate on Piers Morgan Uncensored in 2023. Morgan describes Tate as 'sharp, suspicious, intensely focused and belligerently confident'

Young women in full-time work in the UK actually now earn almost 9 per cent more than young men. There will soon be two girls for every male graduate at university in the UK.

Were now seeing real harm resulting from years of demanding men apologise for who they are. Any other marginalised group with the harrowing outcomes and litany of crises facing young men would be a top priority concern for woke crusaders. But they all got so stuck on the idea that men are responsible for crushing all of the other oppressed groups, that they have simply been left to rot.

Yes, its a sad fact that some boys grow up to be appalling men who perpetrate the vast majority of all domestic violence  and worse. But we are more conscious of this than weve ever been and the lions share of men are repulsed by it.

We should be able to have difficult conversations about male violence and perversion without forgetting that a vast majority of men find it utterly reprehensible. Instead, the relentless societal focus on only the bad guys has become a bitterly ambition-sapping, spirit-crushing pill for young men to swallow. Which is precisely why millions of them tune in to Tates podcast and why more young guys stop me in the street to ask about him than anybody I have ever interviewed.

In person, Tate is sharp, suspicious, intensely focused and belligerently confident. Hes the centre of gravity in any room he walks into and capable of being disarmingly charming. I can understand why people are drawn to him.

In his world, classically male traits are not dangerous or shameful but are the essential foundations for lavish success. He sells a beguiling action-packed lifestyle of private jets, fast cars and big cigars with a compulsive dedication to fitness and a gleeful glorification of profit.

Mental health woes on Planet Tate are obliterated by exercising, socialising and succeeding.

Men can take charge of their own destiny  attracting women and accumulating great wealth  with relentless discipline, fortitude and perseverance. Failure is your own responsibility, not everybody elses, and being weak is, in fact, a weakness.

Morgan with Gabriela Peacock, left, and his wife Celia Walden

Its obviously all very cartoonish, and clearly there are plenty of valid reasons to consider Tate an extremely dangerous messenger, but the fact is there is nothing wrong with any of that part of his message.

Theres also a reason why it sounds good to many young men who have for so long been told that all of these intrinsic desires are repugnant and that they should strive to be precisely the opposite.

The MeToo movement rightly highlighted sexual harassment and abuse of women but it had an absurd by-product  the enforced feminisation of men in popular culture. Hulking, sulking, indomitable action heroes like Rocky, Dirty Harry and Die Hards John McClane gave way to an anxiety-ridden Spider-Man and an emasculated James Bond who just wants to sit and talk about his feelings. Action Man has roller blades and a water pistol instead of military hardware.

This insidious indoctrination has been gradually building to a climax for many years now, culminating in a load of gurning male celebrities including Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston vaunting their virtue by wearing T-shirts with This is what a feminist looks like emblazoned on them.

There ought to have been a middle ground between expecting men to repress their feelings and eulogising us for vaunting our vulnerabilities and getting pedicures.

Running alongside all of this was persistent hectoring on how male and female traits are simply hammered into us by a society of fossilised dinosaurs.

Boys and girls are really just a big soupy broth of gender fluidity, waiting to be poured into a bowl of their own choosing.

Morgan describes Adolescene as an 'updated re-telling of the same downbeat story that has dominated culture throughout the woke years'

I have three sons and a daughter, and I can tell you, as any parent can, that girls and boys think and behave differently, they experience emotions differently and they mature differently. Yet its become offensive to say it.

But no matter how many times we are sent to the naughty step for our natural urges, men are just not buying it. We are competitive, risk-taking and adventurous. We are ambitious and we want to make money because for thousands of years we have been hunter-gatherers or breadwinners whose natural aggression is of life-and-death importance for the people we most want to protect.

That inherent sense of purpose is what drives a lot of us to get out of bed in the morning and kick ass. Remove it at your peril.

Feminists and man-bun metrosexuals may sneer about Big D**k Energy but it sometimes comes in handy when we need men to fight in wars, build a house or squash a spider  often when theyd rather be doing just about anything else.

Judging by the many strong women in my life, they also quite like it when we pick up the bill, hold open the door or lug bags of compost in from the car.

Where Tate and his clones lose me is with their demeaning of women. A wretched subset of the so-called manosphere pushes the noxious idea that defending masculinity means asserting male superiority. Celebrating men suddenly lapses into bullying of women and the nonsense idea that stunning women will inevitably swoon over men who follow a simple programme of domineering and chauvinism.

I have grilled Tate on his extreme, dangerous and frankly ridiculous positions, such as claiming women should bear some responsibility for sexual assault and that women are male property who must obey. There is no justification for calling women bitches and hoes or boasting about violence towards women, all of which he has done too many times to count.

However, radical feminist types have tried in vain to poison gentlemanly gestures like holding doors, carrying heavy bags or paying for dinner as some kind of patriarchal power play. They are no such thing. Theyre a well-mannered expression of a mans respect for a woman  and most women appreciate it. The world needs more gentlemen, not fewer, and for me its a big part of what real masculinity is.

MeToo, as Ive said, was an important and necessary movement, but it moved on to terrifying all young men into thinking that expressing an interest in someone theyre attracted to is automatically at high risk of being deemed predatory.

But in this culture of condemning creeps and unwanted advances, Im prepared to die on the very lonely hill of defending male seduction. Most of us are attracted to beautiful women and like to think we have a shot with all of them. Theres nothing sleazy about fancying women or wanting them to know about it. In fact its somewhat fundamental to the continuation of our entire civilization.

Flirting, meeting and mingling  essential ingredients in the recipe for life  have reached a nadir.

Years of chilling warnings about the myriad ways a man can make a woman feel uncomfortable have left many young men too afraid to talk to them, never mind charm them. And the mass migration of young people to dating apps has poured fuel on the flames.

Seducing a woman used to involve social skills and bravery. A man had to summon the courage to chat up a woman, dazzle her with conversation or humour and persuade her that he was worthy of an hour of her attention.

Rejection was always a natural and healthy part of the process and it got easier to handle with a bit of practice, as many of us discovered with more regularity than we like to admit. But young people raised on medals for simply taking part in a competition, mental health days and dating apps have no tolerance for genuine rejection because weve given them so many ways of hiding from it. On a dating app the rejection is unseen and instantly forgotten.

People swipe compulsively through a meat market of faces and bodies, making instant judgements based solely on looks. Why risk real-world humiliation and awkwardness when you can just keep on swiping at home? I can see why its easy but its not how human beings are built to interact.

More than a third of women say they have been approached less often by men since the MeToo movement while close to two-thirds of young men havent approached a woman in real life at all in the past year and  staggeringly  almost half of them never have in their entire lives.

Unsurprisingly, roughly the same number of young men are single  which is almost double the number of single young women, many of whom are simply dating older guys who actually have status and money.

An average young man has to approvingly swipe on 1,000 different women to get a date with just one. Women now judge men briskly and brutally, with four out of five of them going for the 20 per cent of men with washboard abs, chiselled jaws and exciting jobs, immediately rendering the vast majority invisible.

And I really cant blame them because they are fed the polar opposite storylines to the ones used to trample on men.

For women the message is that they can do whatever they want and be whoever they want to be  which is laudable, until it reaches the part which entirely omits male involvement.

The celebration of female potential is now routinely bundled together with the complete erasure of men, as if one cant possibly succeed at the same time as the other. The grim result is that men in their 20s are far more likely than women to be isolated, bored, sexually dormant and lonely. They age into unattached men in their 30s who are statistically at ever greater risk of lapsing into drug use and crime.

Most men dont really want to be single, hence involuntarily celibate or incel, and they find solace in online communities with similarly aggrieved boys who blame women for denying them pleasure.

Yet, for all the attempts to feminise men by demeaning masculinity and celebrating the fawning or blubbering types, there is no evidence that women actually want it. They want men to chat them up. They still expect men to make the first move because the things they often find most attractive are confidence, humour and the ability to deliver prosperity.

But many men are now scared of making a move because theyre afraid of being smeared as a mini-Weinstein. They have been terrified into thinking that expressing an interest in someone theyre attracted to puts them automatically at risk of being deemed predatory. A third of couples used to meet at work but that number has plummeted because the guys dont want to be reported to Human Resources as creeps.

The whole notion of sexual energy has been stigmatised as akin to male harassment and violence. We have forgotten that it is mostly a very good thing. Men scale dizzying peaks when they find chemistry with a woman.

The impulse to go out and attract a partner is a massive motivation for men in all sorts of positive ways, including keeping fit and making money. Its driven by the natural desire to make and protect new versions of ourselves, without which there would be no humans.

Young men havent simply bottled up all of this desire and locked it away in the basement. They have mostly locked themselves away in the basement, where they are playing computer games and watching porn. About 30 per cent of all internet traffic is porn and 80 per cent of that is men looking for and watching it.

This is a ruinously vicious cycle that leads to more unrealistic expectations about women and what sex is really like, as well as snuffing out the healthy hunger to go and get it in real life. Its time to step away from the smartphone and try a bit of flirting again.

Instead of teaching boys they are all predators, we should be teaching them how to approach women in real life with agency, confidence and respect. But we are fighting a rising tide. Social media is really anti-social media because its whole mission is to replace eye contact with screen contact.

In his job as a psychologist, Jordan Peterson listens to thousands of young men, often bereft of role models, and finds them listless and despairing. They have been programmatically demoralised, he told me. More demoralisation is not the answer. But nor, he says, is Andrew Tate.

I wouldnt hold out much hope for the West if Tate is the direction they go. But if youre weak, dependent and demoralised by your culture, someone blustery and successful on the surface  aggressive and dominating in the power-mad way that he is  is going to look pretty damn attractive.

Hes right. Tate and the Tate-a-likes only exist as a bulwark against a culture that tells men their ambition is patriarchal and their desire is predatory. They can only be role models because the real role models have disappeared.

The number of fatherless homes has rocketed in the UK and in the US. The long quest for female representation in male-dominated roles has totally ignored the vital importance of male representation in roles that have the biggest influence on young people. There are now more female military pilots, proportionally, than male nursery-school teachers and more than three-quarters of all UK teachers are women.

Feminism used to be about equal rights and equality, which everybody should support and most who are sensible did, until it became a campaign to proactively kneecap men. As with every aspect of wokery, we are witnessing the unintended consequences and massive backlash to purges that began with perfectly good intentions.

Fembots will roll their eyes and say its about time women had their turn on top after their centuries of suffering. But the young men of today had no part in any historic suppression of women and they very clearly are not reaping any benefits from it either.

Love us or loathe us, the world needs men and men need masculinity. But men need to step up. If you dont like the new breed of boisterous male role models then try being a better one yourself. And look out for each other, because nobody is going to do it for you.

Well emerge from the crisis of masculinity by simply encouraging men to do the one thing they can do better than anything without even having to try. Be a man!
As Keir Starmer twists and turns over Labours record on immigration  one minute blaming the Left for being soft, the next decrying his opponents as racist  remember this: it is embedded in the partys DNA to throw open the borders, lie about the impact and then smear their critics as bigots.

The Prime Ministers duplicity was exposed after he used his address to last weeks party conference to recall his meeting with Joyce Todd. This ordinary working-class woman from Oldham had expressed her concerns about eastern Europeans who had moved into her street, routinely spitting on the ground and leaving rubbish strewn around the neighbourhood.

Starmer claimed the encounter made him realise that the Left had got it wrong on immigration.

Mrs Todd, however, has a very different recollection.

She says that, after describing her concerns, Starmer had actually declared: Mrs Todd, I think you could be racist!

Then last week, she summed it all up  explosively: Keir Starmer is a liar. He still doesnt get it.

It was just two days earlier that Starmer had used a BBC interview to brand Nigel Farage as racist  a move straight from the Tony Blair playbook.

But the reality is this: Britain has changed irrevocably because of decisions made in secret  and then disguised  by Blairs government. As voters witness first-hand the pressures on housing and public services and turn to Mr Farage in their droves, the finger of blame can be pointed directly at the very Blairites who are now pulling the strings of Starmers Downing Street.

Sir Keir Starmer addressed the Labour Party conference to tell his story of meeting Joyce Todd, an ordinary working-class woman from Oldham

When Blair won his landslide in 1997, the UK population was 58 million. It is now more than 69 million, and rising. The UK birth rate has fallen by more than 6 per cent over the same period, so the part played by immigration is clear. That rise of 11 million people over 28 years compares with just three million over the equivalent period before 1997.

This did not happen by accident. Under Blair, Downing Street deliberately opened the floodgates in an attempt to reinforce Labours grip on power.

The aim, as one of his advisers later admitted, was to rub the Rights nose in diversity and to portray opponents as racist.

It should come as no surprise that, at the time, Downing Street was run by Chief of Staff Jonathan Powell  who is today back in the heart of No 10 as Sir Keirs National Security Adviser.

Blair and his team naively assumed that hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals entering the country every year would translate into a growing block of pro-Labour voters. I well remember the casual blandishments of the Blairites over the likely impact of the population surge, and the dismissal of critics as racists.

I was working in Westminster for this newspaper in 2009 when we revealed that the nation-changing immigration report had been written by civil servant Jonathan Portes, by then a speechwriter for Gordon Brown.

Today, I am still working in the parliamentary lobby as I hear the Blairites puppet Prime Minister rehearse the same lines  even though, as latest polls have shown, they are helping to put Mr Farage on course to be prime minister.

And calling him or  as Starmer insists he meant  his policies racist has only made that outcome more likely.

Joyce Todd, 79, was introduced to the then newly elected MP Sir Keir when he visited her town during the 2015 by-election and she was working with the local council

Starmers current Chief of Staff and main strategist Morgan McSweeney has told friends that it was not his decision to smear the Reform UK leader in that way. He claims that Starmer acted alone under the pressure of a live interview with the BBC when he was asked about Mr Farages proposal to remove the right of some migrants living legally in Britain.

But Mr McSweeney is a protege of Peter Mandelson, the now ex-ambassador to the United States, who was a founding father of the Blair project.

Mandelson remained heavily influential up to the point of his sacking last month over his links to millionaire sex-trafficker and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Along with Mr Powell, there is Tim Allan  Starmers Executive Director of Communications  who was also a key member of the first Blair government. And Sir Tony himself remains on speed-dial to the Starmer administration.

Until he came to power, immigration had remained relatively constant since the 1960s at around 200,000 a year. By the time Gordon Brown finally wrestled away the keys to No 10 in 2007, eastern European countries had been admitted to the European Union and hundreds of thousands of their citizens had taken advantage of freedom of entry to this country.

Neither successive Conservative administrations nor Brexit did anything to stem the flow.

It is now running at three-quarters of a million per annum, which is equivalent to a city the size of Leeds being added to the population each year.

Andrew Neather, a speechwriter for Mr Blair at the time, later revealed that a driving political purpose of the Blair administration was to use mass immigration to make the UK truly multicultural but to conceal their work.

Migrants board an inflatable boat in Gravelines, northern France, as they prepare to cross the English Channel

A generation later, the effects have permeated every stratum of society and helped to feed the growing wokery displayed by public sector bodies.

Just last weekend, for example, The Mail on Sunday revealed that the National Health Service had issued official guidance citing the so-called benefits of first-cousin marriages, despite the proven increase in the risk of congenital birth defects that results.

One of the arguments against a ban on the practice  something supported by three quarters of Britons  was to avoid stigmatising certain communities and cultural traditions, said the guidance.

Dealing with the associated deformities is estimated to cost the NHS billions of pounds a year.

Dr Patrick Nash, an expert on religious law and director of the Pharos Foundation social science research group in Oxford, told us: Cousin marriage is incest, plain and simple, and needs to be banned. There is no balance to be struck between this cultural choice and the severe public health implications it incurs.

The origins of the move to change Britain so irrevocably can be traced back to a harmless-sounding report published by Jack Straws Home Office in January 2001. Called Research, Development And Statistics Occasional Paper No 67  Migration: An Economic And Social Analysis, it stated baldly: There is little evidence that native workers are harmed by migration. The broader fiscal impact is likely to be positive because a greater proportion of migrants are of working age and migrants have higher average wages than natives.

It added: Most Britons regard immigration as having a positive effect on British culture.

Mr Neather said: I remember coming away from some discussions with the clear sense that the policy was intended  even if this wasnt its main purpose  to rub the Rights nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date. That seemed to me to be a manoeuvre too far... there was a reluctance elsewhere in government to discuss what increased immigration would mean, above all for Labours core white working-class vote.

And he revealed that earlier, unpublished versions of the report had made it clear that one aim was to make Britain more multi-cultural for political reasons.

Other sources from the time have revealed it was decided to brand Tory leaders William Hague and Michael Howard as racists to deter them from investigating the covert initiative.

Now Starmer has followed suit by denouncing Mr Farage and Reform as the enemy. They would rip Britain apart, he says.

Mr Farage believes such tactics are counterproductive.

The use of the word racist may have frightened people in Blairs time but will now backfire, he told the MoS. We now see Starmer for who he really is: a shallow careerist who has sunk to the gutter to save his own skin.
In 1997, this country came under the control of a revolutionary regime, misleadingly dressed in reassuring clothing.

Led by the smooth-spoken public schoolboy Tony Blair, the new power sought to appear conservative and cautious.

It claimed to have cast off the radicalism of the old Labour Party and to be something completely new. Many were lulled. But one central statistic, only now available, reveals the deep, driving aim of the Blair administration.

It wished to transform the country, to make Conservative thinking and policies irrelevant, and to make any repeal of its agenda impossible.

Key to this was a level of mass immigration never before seen in the history of this country. This is the vital figure: in the 28 years between 1969 and 1997, the population of the UK rose by three million.

In the 28 years which have followed, it has risen by 11 million.

In many parts of the kingdom, this astounding increase is instantly visible. The country is noticeably more crowded.

Roads, public transport, schools, hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, water supply, sewerage, housing availability, are all under pressure as never before.

Kemi Badenoch greeting supporters waving Union Jacks as she arrives into Manchester for a crunch Conservative party conference

Tony Blair (left) speaks with Keir Starmer at a conference in central London in July last year

The Blairites never officially warned us of this, but one of their number, the speechwriter Andrew Neather, lifted a corner of the curtain in a 2009 article which candidly admitted 'a driving political purpose: that mass immigration was the way that the Government was going to make the UK truly multicultural'.

He confessed that he had come away from meetings 'with the clear sense that the policy was intended  even if this wasn't its main purpose  to rub the Right's nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date'.

He also disclosed that Ministers were frightened of discussing 'what increased immigration would mean, above all for Labour's core white working-class vote'.

Their fears were justified. Especially since the EU referendum of 2016, Labour's working-class voters have been leaving in great numbers. And the only weapon the Blairite elite have ever had against their critics, Tory or working-class Labour, has been to accuse those critics of racism.

They have been doing so incessantly for almost 30 years. Like a lot of false charges, it often sticks, and many in the Tory Party went along with the Blairite revolution for fear of such smears.

Nigel Farage, by contrast, walked through a blizzard of Blairite slime and came out spotless. Yet still, the real theme of Labour's pathetic conference in Liverpool last week was to hurl the same weary insult at Mr Farage.

It is no longer working. And it certainly cannot work against the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who knows that her party must once again respect its voters or die.

The new package on limiting immigration (and especially illegal immigration), which The Mail on Sunday reveals today, is a real step away from the Tories' previous complacency about the issue.

Mrs Badenoch deserves praise for breaking irrevocably with the Blairite consensus which has done so much harm since 1997. Let us hope that her actions have not come too late.

The Blairite plan to make traditional Conservative arguments 'out of date' has come close to succeeding.

And yet it may just be that as the hypnotic spell of Blairism slowly lifts, there is a last, unexpected chance for a Conservative renaissance. Let us hope so, and also hope that Mr Farage and Mrs Badenoch do not throw away that opportunity by fighting each other, while their real opponents benefit from their divisions.
Donald Trump is the most revolutionary President in US history. Because of his rhetoric about 'making America great again', many people think he is backward-looking.

Yet Trump has managed to overturn decades of consensus of how US policy should work, both at home and abroad.

The property developer at the White House does not believe in 'business as usual'  and nowhere is this more obvious than in his approach to the Middle East.

Almost two years after the brutal rampage by Hamas fighters into Israel, people feared that  because Trump's promises to end the Gaza war upon re-entering the White House initially came to nothing  he had abandoned both Israeli hostages and Palestinian civilians to their fate.

Not so. In the early hours of yesterday morning, the President took to social media to announce a breakthrough. A deal.

And he had achieved it not with the normal long-winded process of assembling the various interested parties and reaching some sort of rickety consensus, but through the ruthless prioritisation of America's strategic concerns and his own electoral interests at home.

Trump's antennae had picked up shifts in American public opinion which the wider Establishment has missed. Support for Israel had suddenly slumped at home.

As Trump well knows, moreover, he won over Muslim voters in a key swing state such as Michigan by promising to end the war in Gaza. So he took the initiative.

A plan for peace in the Gaza region was outlined in a meeting between Donald Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night

While it's true that Trump has threatened Hamas with 'all hell' if the terrorists refuse to release their hostages and accept his peace plan, the bigger point is this: he bounced Israel into accepting a ceasefire and ending its occupation of Gaza.

Trump put Benjamin Netanyahu's government on the spot, insisting that 'Israel must immediately stop bombing'. No Israeli government has faced such an American ultimatum before.

Prime minister Netanyahu, whose US education taught him how to appeal directly to the American public, has long been able to swerve the demands of diplomats and even presidents.

Trump, though, is the most media-savvy US President ever  and, in this way at least, is more than a match for Netanyahu. Trump is most authentically himself as a showman. He loves the drama of power. His critics focus on his vain demands that he be centre-stage. They see it as a weakness.

Yet while his opponents look the other way, they miss how the President manages to bend foes  and allies alike  to his will.

Trump is a seething mass of contradictions. He is unafraid to use force yet has refused to get bogged down in the forever wars of his predecessors.

Last June, Trump demonstrated full backing for Netanyahu when he dispatched B-2 bombers to join Israel's raids on the mullahs' underground nuclear facilities.

But no sooner had the mission been completed than Trump declared the targets destroyed and brought Israel's attacks on Iran to a sudden halt  well short of Netanyahu's goal of toppling the Ayatollah's regime.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday morning, the US president warned Hamas that they 'must move quickly, or else all bets will be off'

Trump wanted to protect Israel from destruction by an Iranian atomic bomb. But he did not want to reduce Iran to the kind of chaos that US-led regime change brought to Iraq in 2003.

It is possible that, to persuade Israel to sign up to his Gaza deal, the President has sweetened the pill  perhaps by assuring Netanyahu that the US Air Force would continue to suppress any renewed Iranian nuclear weapons project.

But make no mistake: on Gaza, Trump has squeezed Israel.

It was striking that in a video address yesterday, the President thanked a long list of Muslim states for helping him. But not Israel. Announcing a deal and seeing it through are very different things, of course.

Hamas will hope it has left itself some wriggle room. The terrorist group has agreed to Trump's demand for hostage releases but how the rest of the deal would be implemented has been left vague.

The fact that Hamas can still speak for anti-Israeli groups in Gaza suggests it intends to remain a player even if it promises to leave politics.

Splits inside the Israeli government and between the Palestinians mean the 'lasting peace' announced by Trump could yet be sabotaged.

But he has seized the initiative in a way no other US President has ever done.

How he will react to anyone defying him  and trying to wreck the deal  is very uncertain.

And that alone could be enough to deter hardliners in either camp from trying it on.
As Britain's first woman Prime Minister and a commanding figure of the 20th century, Mrs Thatcher's influence continues to be felt even today, 35 years after leaving office.

But one unexpected impact was The Iron Lady's effect on the concept of political power dressing.

Mrs Thatcher honed a signature look that became an indelible part of her identity: boxy skirt suits, pearls, top-handle handbags (which acquired such a life of their own that 'handbagging' became a word adopted by her ministers to mean a dressing-down from Thatcher) and a rigidly coiffed hairdo that, like her, was 'not for turning'.

Three of her most iconic outfits, including the one she was wearing when she famously took the control of a tank in Germany in 1986, are on show at the Tory conference in Manchester this week.

They have been loaned to the party by a wealthy supporter who bought them for his private collection.

There is the burgundy skirt suit she was wearing on her tearful exit from No 10.

Outfits worn by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher are on display during the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Britain, October 5 2025

And the royal blue suit, her favourite, which she bought in 1989, and was wearing when she famously declared in the Commons over EU expansion: 'No, No, No.'

Next week the party will honour Lady Thatcher at a glittering dinner at London's Guildhall for 525 guests on the 100th anniversary of her birth.

But there will be one conspicuous absentee. Kemi Badenoch, the party's fourth woman leader, who has an alternative engagement. Wrong place, wrong time, Mrs Badenoch.
During a trip to Bali in 2011, Ashley King, 19, was enjoying all of what Indonesian nightlife had to offer. She went out to a bar with friends, thinking she would have some fun and make memories - not come home with a permanent disability.

In the midst of the drinking and dancing, King unknowingly consumed a cocktail spiked with methanol.

The tainted beverage tasted and smelled like all of her others, and it wasn't until days later, when symptoms began to set in, that she realized something was seriously wrong.

Now 33, King shared the horrific ordeal exclusively with the Daily Mail while issuing a stark warning to others.

King - a Canadian from Calgary, Alberta - explained that she took a gap year from college and spent it traveling through Australia. Considering the proximity to Indonesia, she decided to head to Bali for a few days.

While there, she went to a nightclub in Kuta - a beachside town near the island's southern tip that has become well known for its stunning resorts and party-centric atmosphere.

'I ordered a vodka-based, fruity cocktail,' she told the Daily Mail. 'The bartender made it, and I was with a group of Australian friends I made that night.'

Two days later, King said she started to feel 'confused, anxious and nauseous' but brushed it off as stress from traveling. By the third day, she woke up struggling to breathe and couldn't see.

Ashley King (pictured in Bali in 2011) went out to a bar with some friends during her vacation to Bali. She was left permanently blind after her drink was tainted with methanol

King (pictured recently), now 33, shared the horrific ordeal exclusively with the Daily Mail while issuing a stark warning to others

'My vision was starting to go. Within the hour, I was in the dark - blind and unable to breathe - so I was rushed to hospital,' she said.

At first, doctors were stumped by her sudden onset of symptoms. But a blood test soon revealed 'a large amount of methanol in her system.'

Methanol is a solvent used in many chemicals including antifreeze and windshield washer fluid.

It is toxic and described as 'extremely dangerous' if ingested, per the National Institutes of Health. It causes vision problems, permanent damage to your central nervous system, and in extreme cases, death.

Doctors weren't sure if King was going to survive.

'They called my family back in Canada and told them to get on the first flight [out] as there was a good chance I would not make it,' she told the Daily Mail. 'It was absolutely shocking and terrifying.'

They started treatment immediately - which involved King consuming pure alcohol to stop the methanol from metabolizing in her body.

'The drunker they got me, the more I could see and the more I could breathe. continued. I then had... all my methanol tainted blood removed.'

King (pictured with a fellow traveler during the Bali trip) said the tainted cocktail tasted and smelled the same as any other she had consumed

It wasn't until days later when the horrific symptoms began to set in that she realized something was seriously wrong (King pictured during her trip in 2011)

Two days later, King started to feel 'confused, anxious, and nauseous.' By the third day, she woke up struggling to breathe and couldn't see (King pictured during the trip)

Soon after the life-saving procedure, King learned that her optic nerves had been damaged, meaning she would never get her vision back fully - she can only see shapes and contrast.

'I felt like my entire life was over and that I'd never have a normal life or do all the things I was planning,' she told the Daily Mail, recalling her reaction to the news that her eyes had been permanently damaged.

'I thought, 'I'll never get married, have a family, a career, a life with purpose.' The blindness diagnosis felt like a death sentence.

'I had to learn how to live my life all over again. From learning to cross the street, to getting dressed and doing my makeup.

'I lost friends and a clear path of how my life was going to move forward. I had to grieve a life I always envisioned for myself.'

Now, more than a decade later, King has learned to live with her disability. But she said it has taken 'plenty of therapy and years' to accept what happened to her.

'It still affects me to this day,' she told the Daily Mail.

'I'm reminded every day when I open my eyes about my lack of eyesight, but I aim to move forward and move on with my life - hopefully, bringing about change and making the most of what I've been dealt.'

King (pictured recently) never regained her vision fully and can only see shapes and contrast

Now, over a decade later, King (pictured recently) has learned to live with her disability but she said it's taken 'plenty of therapy' to accept what happened to her

King recently started a petition on Change.org in a bid to 'educate travelers on the dangers of methanol poisoning' via educational programming in schools and brochure distribution in airports. It has over 22,000 signatures.

She hopes her story she can help protect other travelers from enduring the same fate.

King shared her message for others with the Daily Mail: 'Be wary of drinking abroad. Be safe and avoid cocktails made at the bar that can come from bottles that have been tainted with and refilled and resealed with homemade alcohol.

'Steer clear and drink beer or duty free. And warn other travelers about the dangers of methanol poisoning while traveling abroad.'
Just as it seemed a long-running rift within the Danish royal household was finally easing, hopes of a reconciliation have been abruptly dashed.

Despite earlier signs of a thaw, Queen Mary's brother-in-law has confirmed his family will remain in Washington, D.C., for at least another two years  prolonging the distance, both literal and symbolic, between the two branches of the royal family.

The announcement stunned royal watchers, as Prince Joachim and Princess Marie's recent comments and actions had all pointed to an imminent return to Denmark.

But on September 28, a post shared to the Danish royal family's official Instagram account confirmed: 'His Royal Highness Prince Joachim and family extend their stay in Washington, D.C.'

It means Prince Joachim, 56, and Princess Marie, 49, along with their teenage children Count Henrik, 16, and Countess Athena, 13, will continue living in the U.S. capital, where the children have attended school for the past two years.

Joachim, the younger brother of Denmark's King Frederik X, later explained the decision to remain overseas was to ensure his teenage sons schooling continued uninterrupted.

'We're staying here so Henrik can finish high school,' Prince Joachim told Danish outlet Berlingske.

Pressed in the same interview about a possible return to Denmark, neither Marie nor Joachim gave a clear answer.

The Danish royal familys Instagram shared this image alongside a brief announcement confirming that Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and their family would extend their stay in Washington D.C. by another two years

King Frederik and Queen Mary were pictured in Copenhagen on October 1  just days after the latest royal announcement

Asked directly about their future plans, the couple replied vaguely: 'They can change continuously.'

Royal watchers were taken aback by the latest update from the Danish expats.

'Our beautiful and missed prince couple,' one fan commented. Another added, 'Oh, I had hoped they [would] come home.'

'I'm looking forward to times getting back to normal and we'll get the lovely family home again,' a third wrote.

But some Danes sensed something was amiss, with conspiracy theories quickly surfacing in the comments.

One intriguing response read, 'There's probably a reason for Prince Joachim,' accompanied by king and snake emojis.

'Wouldn't the family like to go back to DK? Is he allowed to choose for himself?' another queried.

King Frederik, Queen Mary, Princess Marie and Prince Joachim, pictured in 2022, used to regularly attend official royal engagements together. These appearances have become far less frequent since Joachim and Marie's family relocated to the U.S. in 2023

Although they've spoken openly about wanting to return to Denmark one day, Prince Joachim has now extended his work contract in the U.S. He and Princess Marie are pictured at a reception held in September at the Danish Embassy in Washington

Until this announcement, all signs suggested the King's brother was preparing to return to Denmark with his family.

Prince Joachim hinted at it himself in a TV2 interview in June, admitting he and his wife had 'a desire to come home' and confirming they had 'plans' to do so.

Although settled in the U.S., he admitted family life there just wasnt the same as being in Denmark.

'Overall, we can all feel it, and we can also feel it in the children, that it is at home in Denmark that we have our largest social base,' he said.

'We can't travel back and forth, after all, there is a six-hour time difference and an entire ocean in between. We take our time when we are home and enjoy it to the fullest. Perhaps that is the Band-Aid for being far away from home.'

When the interview aired, many expected an announcement was imminent  especially as Joachims contract as Denmark's Defence Industry Attache and Deputy Defence Attache in Washington D.C. was originally set to end in 2026.

There were other signs Joachim, Marie and their children were being welcomed back into the royal fold, following an earlier rift sparked by former monarch Queen Margrethe II's decision to slim down the royal family.

Most notably, King Frederik, 57, and Queen Mary, 53, recently granted honorary titles to Prince Joachim's eldest sons, Count Felix and Count Nikolai, from his first marriage to Countess Alexandra.

During a return visit to Copenhagen in August, Princess Marie (centre), along with her teenage children Countess Athena (far left) and Count Henrik (far right), attended a food festival

During the same visit, Prince Joachim gave an address at a celebratory dinner in Copenhagen - again highlighted by the royal familys Instagram account

The prestigious honour, bestowed in May 2025, was widely seen by royal commentators as an olive branch after previous tensions between Joachims family and the senior royals.

Another hint at a homecoming was the sudden prominence of Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and their children, Countess Athena and Count Henrik, on the royal familys official social media channels.

During their late August visit to Denmark, Joachim and Marie featured prominently in a series of Instagram posts - including one of Joachim delivering a keynote speech at a Copenhagen awards ceremony.

Another light-hearted post showed Marie with the children attending a food festival.

'Lovely to see Princess Marie and the children at home in Denmark,' one fan wrote.

Despite the warm welcome, the family's return to Denmark was brief.

Pundits also noted that Marie and Joachim were absent from joint public appearances with senior royals, including King Frederik and Queen Mary.

Back in 2017, Mary and Frederik (far left) and Joachim and Marie (far right) were regulars at official Danish royal engagements. They are pictured here with (from centre, L-R) the late Prince Philippe, Queen Margrethe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Royal family tensions date back three years to Queen Margrethe's reign.

In one of her final acts as monarch, the now 85-year-old unexpectedly stripped four of her eight grandchildren of their royal titles - aiming to 'future-proof' the family and slim down the court.

All of Joachims children were affected - his elder sons Nikolai, 26, and Felix, 23, as well as his younger children with Marie, Henrik and Athena.

As a result - and unsurprisingly - Prince Joachim was far from pleased.

In the aftermath, Joachim, Princess Marie and his ex-wife Countess Alexandra publicly criticised the decision - with the prince angrily declaring his children had been 'mistreated'.

'Why should their identity be removed? Why must they be punished in this way?' he asked.

As news of the royal demotion made international headlines, Queen Margrethe eventually conceded she had 'underestimated the extent to which my younger son and his family feel affected and for that I am sorry.'

Despite the apology, the damage was done - and it deepened a simmering rift between Prince Joachim and the core members of the royal family.

With his childrens titles downgraded, Joachim soon took up a role as Defence Industry Attache at the Danish Embassy in the United States - relocating with Princess Marie and their two youngest children to Washington D.C. in mid-2023.

King Frederik bestowed honorary titles on Prince Joachim's eldest sons, Count Felix and Count Nikolai, at a ceremony on May. In recent years, both Felix and Nikolai have spent more time living outside Denmark

Princess Marie and Prince Joachim, for the time, being have committed to staying in the U.S. The Princess is pictured left during a visit to the Danish Home of Chicago. Prince Joachim is seen right at a reception held at the Danish Embassy in Washington

They have remained abroad ever since - seemingly to keep their distance from the rest of the royal family after the titles controversy.

More recently, even Joachim's adult sons have left Denmark - with his second eldest, Count Felix, confirming this week he was heading to Mexico on exchange.

His older brother, Count Nikolai, has also spent extended periods living in Sydney and Paris.

The latest announcement confirms the royal rift remains - with a 6,500km gulf between the two factions.

They say time heals all wounds - perhaps another two years will tell.
When Ripon Ray's offer was accepted on a stunning new home overlooking the River Wey in Surrey, he felt on top of the world.

The debt consultancy CEO, 44, had lived in London his entire life, first in Tower Hamlets and then in Hackney.

But in April last year, he realised he could no longer tolerate the 'hustle and bustle' of an 'overcrowded' city life, and after a terrifying robbery on the doorstep of his 1.8 million home in the East End, he made the move.

Hoping to escape breathing difficulties from the grimy city air, Ripon bought a home in Weybridge, an exclusive Surrey town populated by celebrities and billionaires.

'You've got others who are also very wealthy living there. I thought, well, it's great, why can't I live there?' he told the Daily Mail.

But after making the move to his idyllic four-bed home, worth almost 2 million, with his partner in April last year, Ripon quickly realised that he hated the 'boring area' and his new, slower-paced style of living that he had so readily signed up for.

'It was a shock to me,' Ripon said while recalling the evenings spent with 'tears in his pillow', saying, 'I suddenly realised I had to get used to silence... and I hated it.'

The self-described busybody quickly learned that Weybridge's food scene had nothing on Hackney's 'vibrant and diverse' offerings, while its small community barely catered to his interests, making him feel like he'd unknowingly 'left behind' major parts of his identity in London.

However, after mingling with locals, he quickly realised that there was something even more alarming at play than him trading off parts of his personality - not being accepted into his new community.

Rippon Ray (pictured), 44, left Hackney, London, and moved to Surrey's exclusive Weybridge in April last year - but things didn't go as smooth as expected

Ripon, who is of Bengali heritage and felt at home his whole life in Hackney, a melting pot of cultures where 'anything and everything goes', found himself receiving uncomfortable 'stares' from locals, and his fears intensified when he met individuals supporting political viewpoints pitted against his own.

Ripon also met neighbours who attended Tommy Robinson's recent Unite the Kingdom march.

'The white setting of Weybridge made me feel really insecure, which was a shock when I had so much community in Hackney,' he said.

The realisation that he could no longer purchase world foods and engage his 'varied taste palette' hit him like a ton of bricks. 'There's a limit here... it's not as much as I'm used to.'

'I think it's the diversity I miss... diversity in people and diversity in food,' he said, adding, 'That's what I yearn for, especially since I was brought up in that setting.'

He found himself isolated in an area so different from the 'urban jungle' that he once knew, and when he searched for distractions, he was met with silence. 'I was looking for that busyness around me, but all I was seeing was more trees.'

'It was also really boring - I have ADHD and I need a lot of stimulation, which you don't really get in a quiet countryside town.'

'In Hackney, you have lots of creatives, you have graffiti everywhere, you've got artists everywhere, you have inspiration everywhere, and I felt I was part of it. That's why, when I moved, it was a shock to my system.'

The CEO struggled to adapt to a slower-paced life in the Surrey countryside (pictured on his new boat)

Ripon left his 1.8 million home in 'overcrowded' London for a stunning abode that overlooks the River Wey

The process, he admitted, was comparable to mourning a great loss. 'It's like a grieving, bereavement process.'

Now living over an hour's car journey from London, Ripon was also experiencing a disconnect from his friends and family, all while struggling to make new social circles.

Before he knew it, Ripon realised that he had to find a reason to spend time in the capital, and so he established his current debt consultancy business, providing him with a legitimate excuse to travel back to London three times a week.

'I set up my own business in London, which basically takes me back to the place that I left behind,' he said, adding, 'The travel made it easier, in a sense of, I can still get out, but it still isn't the same because there's a huge physical difference between London and Weybridge.'

Ripon was also forced to look into his past when socialising, connecting with old friends and travelling to and from London to chat with familiar and friendly faces, or asking them to get the train to Weybridge.

'It's quite hard, actually. But what I did was gradually reconnect with my friends. There's a lot more planning that goes on. Before, it would be like, 'What are you doing tonight? Let's go to the party or something.'

'Now, if I want to meet my friends, we need to plan it... check the calendar and book it in.'

The ordeal left him reconsidering whether the move was worth it in the first place, and he questioned 'several times' whether he and his partner should move back to London and live the life they always knew.

In London, Ripon built a fulfilling network with friends and family - but initially struggled to establish connections in his new area

But even after all the late-night tears and questions about whether he should move back to London, Ripon forced himself to remember who he is as a person and why he moved in the first place, encouraging him to stay put.

'I had to overcome [difficulties] because I'm not white... but I left behind the place where everything and all shades go.'

'So, I have to adjust and the locals have to adjust because I'm here to stay,' he said, adding, 'I have a strong attitude and personality... and I've got the confidence to talk. I think that shifted the narrative.'

'Yes, when I'm in a cafe, I might stick out like a sore thumb. I carry that with me. But what can I do? Am I meant to feel sorry for myself? That's just boring.'

Fortunately, Ripon has invested time into himself and his hobbies, and has taken to photographing Weybridge's peaceful scenery and enjoying boat rides in his new motor. 'It's a new world, but it's a great thing to explore. '

He's turned to his neighbours to find relationships in close proximity, and is now part of a WhatsApp chat with a group of 'friendly' locals willing to build new bonds and show Ripon what Weybridge is all about.

Though he's traded a bustling nightlife, eclectic dining out scene, and lifelong friends, Rippon is adjusting to life in the quiet country, admiring the nature around him and learning that fast pace need not correlate to fulfillment.

All of course, while still visiting his native London, where possible. 'I don't think I'm ready to let go of London just yet,' he said. 'It's good to have that breath of fresh air, but I still want that urban connection.'
Meghan Markle's first appearance on European soil for more than two years was announced with a dash of theatre - as observers noticed the Duchess of Sussex appeared to be sashaying as she left the Balenciaga show in Paris.

The Duchess, 44, cut an elegant figure in a stylish white oversized button-through ensemble with an incorporated cape and, according to some observers at least, certainly had the strut of a fashionista.

Appearing amongst high-profile celebrity guests such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, FKA Twigs and Anne Hathaway, Meghan had her own catwalk moment as she channelled her inner supermodel in front of numerous cameras while exiting the star-studded show.

With her lips slightly parted, the Duchess struck her best pose as she confidently exited the venue with her entourage.

She then paused before getting into her blacked out minivan.

One person commented on the video: 'Why is she walking like that?'

Another replied: 'Thought the same thing. Thats the "Im very important you know" walk.'

A fourth wasped: 'Shes trying way too hard. It almost looks like parody.'

Regal catwalk: It appears Meghan had her own model moment as she strutted in front of numerous cameras while exiting the star-studded show Balenciaga show in Paris this weekend

However, others complimented the Duchess and said: 'Love that energy. Channel your inner princess,' and another said: 'She is so elegant and has always had style.'

The chic ensemble the former royal wore was a custom piece from Balenciaga, made by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who is also Meghan's friend.

A spokesperson for the former working royal told People that made a surprise appearance at the show on Saturday evening in support of Pierpaolo, who has recently become the creative director for the brand.

The mother-of-two paired the look with a black suede Balenciaga bag, glitzy oval diamond earrings and 745 black Balenciaga Knife heels.

It was her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Meghan wore her chocolate brown tresses in an effortlessly elegant slicked back bun and minimal makeup.

She was previously a regular at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks whilst working as an actress on US drama series Suits.

A spokesperson for Meghan told PEOPLE: 'She has long admired [Pierpaolo's] craftsmanship and modern elegance, and tonight was no different. This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.'

According to the publication, the pair have worked together closely over the years and would often 'collaborate' on designs for 'key moments'.

Her chic ensemble was a custom piece from Balenciaga, made by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who is also Meghan's friend

There was mixed reaction to Meghan's supermodel walk, with some praising her for her style and others saying it looked 'like a parody'

For her first Paris fashion week event in many years, the Duchess decided to go for monochrome looks, as she also sporting an all-black ensemble went she went out for dinner in the French capital.

She was snapped leaving her hotel in a custom black Balenciaga dress by Pierpaolo Piccioli black dress, which she also paired with the same heels.

Crowds of photographers, journalists and fans gathered outside in a bid to catch a glimpse of the former actress.

But Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen as his wife was flanked by security who escorted her to a waiting car.

A source close to the Sussexes told the Daily Mail: 'The couple always like to make sure that either mum or dad is at home to put the kids to bed'.

It comes amid revelations that the estranged prince lambasted 'men in grey suits' at Buckingham Palace, accusing aides of trying to sabotage his reconciliation with the King.

The Duke's furious broadside is an extraordinary echo of his mother Princess Diana's criticism of shadowy royal courtiers  who she also derided as 'the men in grey suits' and accused of undermining her.

Harry is understood to be infuriated at what he sees as a concerted campaign by unnamed Palace officials to torpedo his efforts to strike a rapprochement with his father by giving hostile briefings to newspapers.

'The relationship between the Duke and His Majesty The King is a matter for the two of them and the two of them only,' a source close to the Duke told The Mail on Sunday.

'The men in grey suits should stay out of it.'

Earlier, he said he 'would love' to spend more time in the UK going forward and has told his delighted father it could even be every few months in 2026.

But the Duke of Sussex insists that he will never move back to Britain because 'he's genuinely very happy in California'.

In response, King Charles is said to have been 'absolutely clear' that his youngest son cannot be a half-in, half-out working royal - and Harry is said to swear blind that there is 'no move' being made 'to be back in the institution'.

Meghan was also snapped leaving her hotel in a custom black Balenciaga dress by Pierpaolo Piccioli black dress, which she also paired with the same heels

The monarch desperately wants a relationship with his youngest son - and especially his grandchildren Lilibet and Archie - with insiders claiming Charles may even be willing to offer the Sussexes their own pied-a-terre in Britain.

Earlier this week, Meghan's estranged father declared he is 'fine' after fears a huge earthquake had trapped him on the 19th floor of his Philippines apartment block.

Thomas Markle, 81, said 'please don't worry about me, everything is okay' after it was revealed he was unable to leave this home. He then thanked 'everyone' for their 'concern'.

The worry was sparked by Duchess of Sussex's half-sister, Samantha Markle, who posted on social media that her father was unable to leave his flat after the 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit 10pm local time (3pm BST, 10am ET) on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Meghan recently gave fans a rare glimpse inside the $14million mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in California.

She took to her Instagram account last Friday to show off what appeared to be her cosy living room in her Montecito home.

Sharing a clip on her story with her 4.2million followers, the mother-of-two showcased an elegant floral arrangement and her beagle, Mia, sleeping on a stunning cream armchair and matching cushioned footstool.

The eye-catching flowers were placed in a white stone vase, embellished with the logo from Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever.

It was recently revealed that Meghan and Prince Harry are heading to New York City this month, where they will accept an award for their mental health advocacy.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been given the Project Healthy Minds Humanitarians of the Year Award in recognition of their campaigns to make the online world a safer place for families and young people, according to PEOPLE magazine.
A new book written by two French mathematicians claims to give a definitive answer to a question that has been asked since the beginning of time: does God really exist?

Science has traditionally been the counter argument for the existence of one divine creator, but the authors of God, the Science, the Evidence: The Dawn of a Revolution, which is about to be released in the UK and US, say reason and science now show proof of God.

West London-based Olivier Bonnassies, 59, and Michel-Yves Bollore, 79, from Paris, both mathematicians and entrepreneurs, first penned their book in 2021, and have since sold 400,000 copies and seen it translated into other languages.

Both men also religious, with computer engineer Bollore Catholic from birth and his co-author finding his Christian faith in his twenties.

Bonnassies, who lives in Paris, claims 'Science is now Gods ally' and far from providing evidence as to why such a deity doesn't exist, 'the pendulum of science has swung back in the opposite direction'.

In an interview with Publishers Weekly, the scientist explained the reasoning behind the 580-page book.

He explained: 'Our work is based in three scientific conclusions: that we live in what we call space-time that inextricably links matter, space, and time together; that all this seems to have a beginning; and that the parameters of the universe are very fine-tuned so that if you change a little, life is impossible.'

The duo have even persuaded other key voices from the world of science that science and religion could intertwine.

The Creation of Adam, a fresco painting by Michelangelo at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, shows the moment humanity was created through the hands of God - a new book by two French mathematicians claims science now backs up the idea of one creator

After selling 440,000 copies of their book, God, the Science, the Evidence: The Dawn of a Revolution, since its release in 2021, French scientists Michel-Yves Bollore, 79, (left) and Olivier Bonnassies, 59, (right) are now bringing it to the UK and US

Physicist Robert Wilson said the idea that there is one creator 'doesn't provide a satisfying explanation for me' but he agreed to write the foreword for the book.

He writes: 'Although the general thesis that a higher mind could be at the origin of the universe does not provide a satisfying explanation for me, I can accept its coherence. If the universe had a beginning, then we cannot avoid the question of creation.'

Scientists generally agree that the universe sprang into existence when the Big Bang, a theory used to describe the beginning and the evolution of the universe, occurred around 14 billion years ago.

In 1920, Edwin Hubble observed that the distance between galaxies was increasing everywhere in the universe - meaning galaxies had to be closer to each other in the past.

While some Christians think the Big Bang needed a divine creator to occur, many academics have refuted this suggestion, including the late Stephen Hawking.

The legendary English physicist said the Big Bang was inevitable due to the law of gravity, contesting Sir Isaac Newton's belief that the universe must have been designed by God as it could not have been created out of chaos.

In his 2010 book 'The Grand Design, Hawking said 'the universe can and will create itself from nothing', sparking a religious debate.

'It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touchpaper and set the universe going,' he said, adding: 'Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing.'

The book, released in the UK next week, claims that 'Science is now Gods ally'

Meanwhile, British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins famously identified seven milestones that categorize the belief in the existence of a deity.

It ranges from 100 per cent sure there is a God (theist) to 100 per cent sure there is no God (atheist)  with 50 per cent sure (completely impartial) in the middle.

While some may argue the existence of a God may depend largely on personal belief and faith, Dawkins, an atheist, thinks the concept of personal god qualifies as a delusion.

In The God Delusion, he wrote: 'There is something infantile in the presumption that somebody else has a responsibility to give your life meaning and point.

'The truly adult view, by contrast, is that our life is as meaningful, as full and as wonderful as we choose to make it.'

Although it's unlikely to threaten the best-selling book of all time, that being the actual bible, Bonnassies and Bollore's book distributer, Joseph Montagne at Abrams, says the authors are optimistic the book will do well.

He told Publishers Weekly: 'We believe the books fresh perspective, showing how science increasingly points toward the existence of a creator God rather than away from it, will resonate with many.'

Earlier this year, a poll suggested that teenagers and those in their early twenties are half as likely to identify as atheists than their parents.

Those aged 18-24 - who are all Gen Z - were the most spiritual age group in the UK, with just 13 percent identifying as atheists.

Another 62 percent describe themselves as 'very' or 'fairly' spiritual, the research by OnePoll found.

And when asked what the biggest factors in declining Christianity rates in the UK, Gen Z cited the 'inability to grapple with scandals involving abuse' as well as generational change.
An interiors author has slammed the 'soulless' luxury that dominates modern homes, saying in her new book that surrounding ourselves with clutter and things that have personal meaning is what really makes people feel at home.

India Knight, who lives in a characterful pink and green home in West Sussex, and has penned a new book called Home, says sleek and Scandi is slowly being usurped by chintz and kitsch.

In a bold rejection of the sterile, beige-on-beige aesthetic that has dominated British homes for the past two decades, Knight is championing the return of personality, clutter, and personality into our homes.

Once banished to the attic in the name of modernity, floral fabric is making a defiant comeback, she says, along with the idea that homes shouldn't be curated for Instagram.

Knight has taken aim at the current obsession with 'luxury' interiors; cold, showroom-style spaces furnished with little more than expensive appliances - as recent reports suggest, brands once considered staples of middle-class households are rapidly going out of fashion.

According to her, price tags and prestige brands don't guarantee good taste, in fact, the more costly the interior, the more likely it is to feel 'soulless'.

And with British brand Laura Ashley, once a symbol of floral excess, making a triumphant return to the UK high street - via a brand new 10,000sqft store - it seems the tide really is turning.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Knight said: 'Too many of us live in a sort of stage set, a space decorated not to satisfy the yearnings of one's private heart but instead designed to impress or awe or provoke envy in other people. That is no way to live. It's time to break free!'

Author India Knight, from West Sussex, revealed minimalism and contemporary Scandi design is finally on its way out, as she claimed chintz is back in her new book Home (stock image)

While status-symbol items like Smeg fridges and Le Creuset casseroles once signalled domestic chic, even these are now thought to be falling out of favour with interiors fans.

Instead, Knight argues, it's time to look backward and embrace the comfort, colour and joy of the things we genuinely love.

She wrote: 'Individuality, spirit, confidence, eccentricity and quirk all evaporated seemingly overnight, replaced with identikit decor that would offend nobody.'

Central to her message is the idea that our homes should reflect who we are, not what trends dictate.

For Knight, that means surrounding ourselves with beloved books, treasured objects, family heirlooms and patterns with a story, the exact kind of 'stuff' that glossy interiors magazines have long advised us to hide away.

She said: 'Your house isn't for other people. It's not for Instagram. It's for you. I think we have really lost track of that.'

In her book, she wanted to 'celebrate stuff' and explain how to display it in your home to make the most of it.

She referred to a cultural shift from the mid-90s message that urged Britain to 'chuck out your chintz.'

In a bold rejection of the sterile, beige-on-beige aesthetic that has dominated British homes for the past two decades, Knight is championing the return of personality, clutter, and identify into their homes

An IKEA campaign at the time encouraged Brits to bin their floral furnishings and embrace a stripped-back Scandinavian look (stock image)

Once banished to the attic in the name of modernity, the once-maligned floral fabric is making a defiant comeback, along with the idea that homes should be filled with character, not curated for Instagram

An IKEA campaign at the time encouraged Brits to bin their floral furnishings and embrace a stripped-back Scandinavian look.

She claimed the aim was to create order, calm, and simplicity, but in doing so, a great deal of charm and individuality was lost.

Knight revealed that now, in a twist of fate, even IKEA has started producing bold, richly patterned textiles that wouldnt look out of place on a chintz-upholstered armchair- perhaps a sign that even the champions of minimalism are finally seeing the light.

It comes after recent reports revealed brands once considered staples of middle-class households are rapidly going out of fashion.

Luxury appliance brand Smeg  maker of pastel-hued retro fridges and food mixers  has warned of a slump, amid a 'challenging economic landscape'.

Aga Rangemaster, the parent company of Aga, has seen a sharp drop in UK sales of its iconic cookers.

Le Creuset, which saw a surge in demand during the pandemic, is also fading  fast. Youll find its crockery going cheap at John Lewis and TK Maxx, as well as 50 Le Creuset mystery boxes a clever way to get rid of old stock, direct from the warehouse  going viral on TikTok.

Top chefs now prefer trendier ovenware from brands such as Our Place and HexClad instead.

So why are the middle classes turning their backs on classic cookware? In a cost-of-living crisis, most of us cant justify splurging 14,000 on an Aga or 300 on a saucepan.

Meanwhile British brand Laura Ashley, known for its floral designs, returned to the high street last week, five years after falling into administration and shutting 150 stores.

The retailer opened a flagship 10,000sq ft store at Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock, Essex, which offers a 'comprehensive lifestyle destination under one roof', Retail Week reported.

Shoppers can browse homeware, decor, women's fashion, sleepwear and children's clothes - and all nearing the brand's trademark floral designs.

A dedicated design hub features Laura Ashley's signature made-to-measure fabrics, alongside wallpaper and paint collections. The store is operated in partnership with Next.

Laura Ashley's revival comes just eight months after it was sold to Marquee Brands, the US owner of Ben Sherman.

The new owner said it was looking to reintroduce Laura Ashley as a 'refreshed retail concept'.

Marquee Brands chief commercial and growth officer Rachel Terrace said: 'Laura Ashley stores have always been destinations of inspiration, where consumers could explore and immerse themselves in the brands's world of design.

'This opening represents a significant milestone in Laura Ashley's return to the UK retail market and signals the next phase of growth for the brand.'

A spokesperson for Next said it was 'excited' to be partnering on bringing the brand back to the high street.

The firm had been a favourite on UK high streets and counted Princess Diana and Holly Willoughby among its fans.

But it ran into financial difficulties at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and forced to close all its stores, leaving hundreds of employees out of a job.

The business came from humble beginnings.

Welsh designer Laura Ashley started out by sewing headscarves and napkins on her kitchen table in Pimlico, London in 1953.

Having gained quilting experience with her local Women's Institute, she would make garments while her husband Bernard printed them and they would take mail orders and sell to High Street retailers such as John Lewis.

The business moved to Kent and then her native Wales in the late 1950s and early 1960s, as the brand established itself and gained momentum.

Its signature flowing, floral dress became a staple of the late 1970s all around the world.

Diana was often seen in her dresses and unwittingly shut down production once after she wore a 50 granddad collar gown to a photo call, with staff unable to cope with demand.

But after the 'Diana effect' died down, the brand had to rely increasingly on its homeware to make money.

Heath Golden, chief executive officer of Marquee Brands, said at the time of the acquisition: 'Laura Ashley's licensed business model and robust group of high-quality partners makes the brand a seamless addition to Marquee Brands.

'We are excited to harness the strong affinity for this iconic brand and drive expansion across new platforms and partnerships.

'With the existing UK team in place, we are primed and ready to leverage Laura Ashley's seven-decade legacy to unlock its future potential as a full lifestyle brand innovating new products and categories, offering unique collaborations and engaging multi-generational audiences in key markets worldwide.'

Laura Ashley is the latest brand name to enjoy a return to the high street, following Topshop which has opened a concession in Liberty London.

Home by India Knight (Penguin 22) is published on October 16th
Princess Catharina-Amalia looked effortlessly regal as she stepped out in a luxurious green ballgown during a gala in Luxembourg.

The daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, 21, attended a dinner at the Ducal Palace on Friday evening to mark the Abdication of Grand Duke Henri, 70, and the accession of his 43-year-old son, Crown Prince Guillaume.

And the royal certainly turned heads with her wardrobe choice. Putting her best fashion foot forward, the heir to the Dutch throne donned a stunning jade off-the-shoulder ballgown embroidered with glittering diamantes.

It was designed by Filipino creative Monique Lhuillier and retails for an eye-watering 7,600.

Amalia paired her head-turning look with metallic heels from Aquazzura, a silver clutch bag and emerald drop earrings which belong to her mother.

She wore her golden blonde tresses up in a low bun, making room for the heavy Queen Emma Diamond Tiara, which sat elegantly on her head, perhaps giving the young Princess an idea of what is to come when she is crowned Queen of the Netherlands.

The sparkling tiara has three centrepiece diamonds that can be detached and replaced with other stones and is thought to be the royal's favourite.

It appears that Princess Amalia decided to opt for a more scaled down version of the headpiece, as it can be topped with five other diamond stars, according to Tatler.

Putting her best fashion foot forward, Princess Catharina-Amalia donned a stunning 7,600 jade off-the-shoulder ballgown embroidered with glittering diamantes on Friday evening

She wore her golden blonde tresses up in a low bun, making room for the heavy Queen Emma Diamond Tiara

The tiara belonged to her grandmother former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, who has taken the heirloom around the world on state visits.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, Princess Amalia opted for glamorous makeup for the occasion, which included shimmery eye-shadow, blush and pink lipstick.

During the glitzy gala, which was attended by numerous European royals, Amalia was seen curtseying to Stephanie, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, 41, upon her arrival at the palace.

Alongside the Grand Duchess was her husband, Grand Duke Guillaume, 43, and Princess Elisabeth, 23, who is the heir to the Belgian throne.

Elsewhere, Princess Amalia's parents, Queen Maxima, 54, and King Willem-Alexander, 58, were also at the event.

The King looked typically dapper in a white-bow tie and polished shoes and his wife opted for a stunning navy blue sleeveless patterned frock, which she paired with the Dutch Sapphire Tiara.

The showstopping headpiece is made up of 33 sapphires and 655 diamonds and was originally purchased in the late 19th century by King Willem III of the Netherlands for his wife, Queen Emma.

Pictured L-R: Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Stephanie, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Guillaume and Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands

During the glitzy gala Amalia was seen curtseying to Stephanie, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg upon her arrival at the palace

Queen Maxima wore the Dutch Sapphire Tiara, which is made up of 33 sapphires and 655 diamonds

On Friday, Luxembourg installed a new head of state, with Grand Duke Henri, 70, abdicating the throne and his son Guillaume, 43, taking his place.

Henri revealed in a shock announcement last December that he would be bringing his then-24-year reign to an end.

On Friday, having reached 25 years as head of state, he stepped down during an event at the Grand Ducal Palace.

Then, Guillaume was crowned during a ceremony at the palace, where he also swore an oath to Luxembourg's constitution, in front of the 60 elected members of the parliament, known as the Chamber of Deputies.

Following this ceremony, the gala dinner was then held in Luxembourg City, attended by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

The grand duke role filled by Henri - alongside his Cuban-born wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa - is a largely ceremonial one.

During Henri's time as head of the state, the government steered the country through various troubles - notably the 2008 financial crisis, the greatest shock to Luxembourg's economy since the 1970s.

Henri was educated in France, Switzerland and at Sandhurst military academy in Berkshire.
A Sydney mum thought she was finally getting relief from crippling back pain with a routine breast reduction - only to wake up and discover her surgeon had found a cancerous lump.

Paula Correa went into hospital in August 2020 at 41 expecting smaller breasts and a fresh start.

Instead, she left with a stage three breast cancer diagnosis that turned her world upside down.

'Thinking back, I experienced two short electric shocks on my breasts over Christmas 2019, but I brushed it off because it never happened again,' she told the Daily Mail.

'I didn't know what to look for, or that it could be a symptom of cancer.

'But if my doctor hadn't taken that lump out, I would never have known. He saved my life.'

Paula had booked her surgery during the pandemic after an unexpected spot opened up.

While operating, her plastic surgeon spotted something unusual and decided to remove it.

A Sydney mum thought she was finally getting relief from crippling back pain with a routine breast reduction - only to wake up and discover her surgeon had found a cancerous lump

Determined to channel her experience into change, Paula joined the non-profit organisation So Brave, which supports women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer

A week later, he called Paula back in - telling her to 'bring someone' with her to the appointment.

'I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know what,' she recalled.

'I remember seeing on the chart that he'd sent something off to pathology, but I didn't think much of it.

'When he said cancer, my heart just dropped. He had already set me up with an oncologist and surgeon so I saw them immediately after my appointment.'

Scans confirmed the disease had spread to her lymph nodes.

Eleven were removed during surgery, three of which tested positive.

'It was so traumatic and unexpected. One day I was excited about getting my back fixed and healing from the pain, the next I was fighting for my life.'

The mum then went through 16 rounds of chemotherapy, followed by six weeks of daily radiation. Paula is now on long term hormone therapy for 10 years - ending in 2030.

Paula Correa went into hospital in August 2020 expecting smaller breasts and a fresh start

The diagnosis triggered anxiety so severe Paula couldn't even walk into a shopping centre.

'I felt like the world was caving in, that everyone was staring at me,' she said.

Yet even while hooked up for hours of treatment, Paula refused to stop working.

'I'd take my laptop to chemo just to keep my mind off it. I'm not someone who can sit still - I always try to soldier on.'

Her turning point came when she spotted a young boy at the hospital with no hair.

'I thought, I've had 40 years of life - I've worked, had a child, travelled. That poor boy hadn't even lived yet and he was already going through this trauma. From then on, I realised there's always someone worse off.'

Paula began blogging her journey to spread awareness, encouraging other women to get their breasts checked.

'The more I spoke about it, the more I was able to help others. It turned something terrifying into something positive.'

The diagnosis triggered anxiety so severe Paula couldn't even walk into a shopping centre

Now five years on, Paula takes daily tamoxifen and monthly Zoladex injections.

But as doctors prepare to stop the treatments, she admits the fear of a recurrence lingers.

'It's like taking away my security blanket,' she said.

Paula admitted she now lives with constant health anxiety.

Every ache and pain is enough to send her rushing back to her GP in fear the disease has returned.

'Whenever I get a new pain, I panic,' she confessed.

'I've had a sore back that wouldn't go away, and straight away I thought I was sick again.'

The same happened with her arm after fostering a little boy who would often pull on it.

'I had an ache in my arm and immediately thought it was bone cancer. I went through all the scans before finally finding out it was just torn tendons - but in my head, it was already the worst-case scenario.'

Doctors even checked her heart recently after concerns about the heavy medication she's been on for years.

'I didn't have symptoms, but because tamoxifen and Zoladex can affect your heart, they ran the tests just to be safe.

'Thankfully, everything came back clear.'

Paula's diagnosis also forced her to see who in her life would stand by her - and who would quietly drift away.

Her teenage son was just 17 when she broke the news, blurting it out the same day she learned the truth.

'He had a friend over at the time, and he was really taken aback,' she recalled.

'Like most kids, he jumped straight on the internet to look up the life expectancy for someone with breast cancer.

'That was the first thing he did. But then he came back to me and said, "Mum, there's so much research, so many treatments - you're going to be alright".'

While her son's reassurance gave her strength, not everyone around her coped as well.

Friends rallied at first, but some slowly disappeared.

'I did lose close friends along the way,' Paula admitted.

'I think they just didn't understand what I was going through, or didn't know what to say. Others seemed to feel the attention wasn't on them anymore - and of course this isn't a spotlight anyone wants.'

Paula's diagnosis also forced her to see who in her life would stand by her - and who would quietly drift away

One friend even criticised her for being 'too positive', struggling to accept that Paula chose to talk openly about her journey.

'That didn't bother me,' she said firmly.

'The more I spoke about it, the more I was able to help other women in the same situation. That was what mattered.'

If old friendships faded, new ones blossomed.

Through her blog and social media, Paula connected with other women living with breast cancer.

But those bonds were bittersweet.

'Some of the women I met, their breast cancer came back and spread. Some are still fighting, but others didn't make it,' she said.

'That's why awareness is so important. Too many women don't realise they have cancer until it's too late. It's heartbreaking.'

Determined to channel her experience into change, Paula joined the non-profit organisation So Brave, which supports women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer.

She was shocked at how many were diagnosed during pregnancy, their symptoms dismissed as normal changes in breast milk.

'Campaigns such as Uncomfortable Cup start important, often avoided, conversations and remind people that early detection matters and that breast cancer isn't always obvious.

'I hope it encourages more people to talk openly, get checked, and support one another through difficult journeys because silence can cost lives.'

Through her blog and social media, Paula connected with other women living with cancer

The symptoms to watch out for

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australian women, with more than 20,000 diagnoses every year.

While survival rates have improved, early detection is critical.

Doctors warn women to look out for:

New lumps in the breast or armpit

Changes in size or shape of the breast

Persistent pain in the breast or armpit

Dimpling, puckering or redness of the skin

A nipple turning inward or unusual discharge

Anyone noticing unusual changes is urged to see a GP immediately. Regular mammograms are recommended for women over 40, while those with family history should seek advice about earlier screening.

'Don't wait,' Paula said.

'I was lucky. If my surgeon hadn't found that lump, I might not be here today.'

Breast Cancer Network Australia helps ensure that all Australians who are affected by breast cancer receive the very best care, treatment and support.

Together with Tetley, BCNA has launched a new national initiative called The Uncomfortable Cup to encourage Australians to have difficult but necessary conversations about breast cancer.

Tetley is raising funds to support the BCNA through a limited-edition pink pack of Tetley Tea Cup 100s. Five cents for every pack sold will be donated to BCNA. Learn more and donate at www.tetley.com.au/theuncomfortablecup/

For more information go to bcna.org.au or call the free and confidential hotline on 1800 500 258.
NHS bosses were today accused of adopting IVF policies that are 'discriminatory' towards straight parents.

The Daily Mail can reveal that the number of women with male partners undergoing cycles of taxpayer-funded fertility treatment each year has fallen 28% since peaking in 2016.

The decline coincides with the rationing of IVF, with barely any NHS commissioning bodies in England now abiding by official access guidelines.

Desperate to start their own families, the 'postcode lottery' has forced some couples to sell their homes to pay up to 20,000 to undergo the treatment privately.

Despite the drop in straight women accessing NHS-backed IVF, the number of single women gifted free fertility treatment has more than doubled in the same time frame.

Almost half of them were aged 18 to 34, meaning they may still have years of natural opportunity left.

Campaigners said the figures were proof prejudicial favouritism had slipped into NHS thinking, although health officials denied the claims and said straight couples are still overwhelmingly the most likely to receive NHS treatment.

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Desperate to start their own families, the 'postcode lottery' has forced some couples to sell their homes to pay up to 20,000 to undergo the treatment privately. Picture: Close up IVF

Lucy Marsh, from the pro-family research charity the Family Education Trust, told the Daily Mail: 'It is grossly unfair for lesbian couples and single women to be given priority for NHS IVF treatment.

'Not only is this discriminatory against straight couples, but it is also not in the best interests of the babies who will be born with the intention of not having a father.

'All evidence shows children have the best outcomes when they are raised by their biological mother and father within a stable family, so to purposely create fatherless children who are more likely to grow up with emotional issues, is not only selfish, but hardly the best use of taxpayers' money.

'If the NHS were more selective on prioritising straight couples suffering with infertility rather than helping lesbians and single women to have a child, we wouldn't be in the situation where straight couples have to sell their houses to go private.'

In 2023, the most recent year figures are available for, 20,540 cycles of NHS-funded IVF or ICSI  a spin-off treatment that works in a very similar fashion  were handed out.

That is down by around a quarter on 2016, when figures peaked at 27,890.

Over the same time frame, the number of IVF cycles being funded privately has risen by 40%, from 40,075 to 56,175.

It means around one in four cycles are now on the NHS.

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Heterosexual couples still make up nearly 90% of all IVF and ICSI treatments

When only looking at straight couples, the number undergoing NHS fertility treatment has dipped from 27,420 to 19,660.

For patients with a female partner, it has jumped from 15 cycles when records began in 2008, to 405 in 2023.

Likewise, for those with no partner, the amount has gone from just 25 cycles to 460 in 2023.

Heterosexual couples still make up nearly 90% of all IVF and ICSI treatments, however.

Officials deny any rationing and say social trends have changed, with a growing trend of women wanting to raise children alone.

While most women in same-sex relationships historically used donor insemination to help them have a baby, they are now using IVF more often.

And although there have been increasing numbers of lesbian couples and singletons having fertility treatment, the HFEA said they were both still less likely than opposite-sex couples to receive NHS funding.

It said 16% of lesbian couples and 18% of single patients had NHS funding for their first IVF treatment, compared with 52% of straight couples aged 18-39.

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In 2022, the government promised fairer access to NHS fertility treatment for same-sex couples and single women.

However there are still large numbers of straight couples being forced to use the private sector, which has been steadily increasing over the past decade, minus a blip during Covid.

Experts warn long waiting lists are forcing patients into the private sector, despite each cycle of IVF or ICSI typically costing between 4,000 and 10,000.

Current official National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines state that women under the age of 40 struggling to have a child should get three cycles on the NHS.

But only three parts of the country abide by this access criteria.

The majority of NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), who are allowed to make their own access rules, offer only one cycle of IVF. Success rates for one cycle can be as high as 32% for women in their mid-30s.

Some outright deny it to women over 35. Others even refuse to pay for the procedure if they or their partner already have any children or forbid obese women from trying.

Critics say NHS access should be made available evenly across the board, as the soaring numbers going private show the demand is still there.

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Sharon Martin, of Fertility Network UK, said: 'The key problem is not that one group is being prioritised over another, but that inequality of access remains entrenched.

'The postcode lottery means people's chances of starting a family depend far more on where they live than on their own circumstances.

'What we want to see is the government, NHS and ICB's commissioners ensuring that the NICE guidelines are followed consistently, so that all patients are treated with fairness.

Ms Marsh added: 'IVF should be available to straight couples wherever they live in the UK rather than the current situation of being a postcode lottery.

'However, it must be based on genuinely being unable to conceive naturally, rather than being considered an automatic right for older couples who put their careers ahead of starting a family.'

Julia Chain, chair of the HFEA, said: 'In the UK, different family groups can access a wide range of reproductive options when starting their fertility journey.

'While the number of female same-sex couples and single patients having fertility treatment continues to rise, we continue to see lower rates of NHS-funded treatment.

'While the HFEA does not regulate funding, we encourage those who commission fertility services to review their eligibility criteria and consider whether these have an adverse impact on access to treatment.

'We also encourage healthcare providers to make sure the information they provide represents the diversity of families and patients accessing treatment, so that everyone can receive an inclusive experience.'

Family campaigners recently slammed 'grossly discriminating' plans to give trans men and lesbians access to NHS-funded IVF two years ahead of heterosexual couples.

Under the controversial proposals covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire, trans men  those born as women who now identify as men  will be automatically assumed to be unable to conceive, as will lesbians and single women.

The proposals are still being developed, but if they go ahead, it means they will be immediately eligible for IVF on the NHS if they meet strict other criteria.

Heterosexual couples, on the other hand, will still have to prove they can't have a baby naturally within two years.

And in February, it was revealed that patients born female who want to transition may get their eggs frozen for free on the health service  but women who want to wait due to work pressures will not be offered the service.

Instead, their only option is to pay thousands of pounds to have their eggs frozen privately.

Typically only women who face cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy  which can damage future egg production  will have the treatment funded by the NHS.

Even those with medical issues such as endometriosis, a painful condition affecting 1.5million women in the UK which can make it hard to conceive, are often refused funding.
Over-the-counter medication taken by millions could put people at risk of stomach ulcers, liver failure and kidney damage if mixed with alcohol, experts have warned.

Everyday remedies such as Lemsip, Strepsils and ibuprofen are safe when used as directedbut drinking while taking them can cause lasting harm, they say.

Kiran Jones, a clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy, urged caution: 'Mixing over-the-counter meds like cough syrup, cold remedies or painkillers with alcohol can be extremely dangerousand even deadly.'

Dr Dean Eggitt, a Doncaster GP, echoed the warning: 'It's a huge problem and people just don't recognise the risk.'

Millions turn to painkillers, cough mixtures and cold remedies for everything from headaches to period pain.

The danger comes because many of these products already tax the liver and kidneys as they are broken down, or irritate the stomach lining.

Adding alcoholwhich affects the same organsmagnifies the strain and can tip the balance from safe to seriously harmful, experts warn.

So what exactly do you need to avoidand what are the safer alternatives? We spoke to the experts

Some of the most commonly taken over-the-counter cold and flu medications could be putting people at risk of liver failure and kidney damage when taken with alcohol, experts have warned

Mixing common cough remedies with alcohol can cause drowsiness, dizziness, stomach upset, trouble breathing, headache and even respiratory failure

Cough syrups

A cough and sore throat are among the most common complaints as the weather turns colder.

But reaching for a hot toddy or glass of wine while also sipping cough remedies could be a serious mistake, pharmacists warn.

Kiran Jones explained that many productsincluding Covonia, Benylin and some Strepsilscontain dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant.

'Mixed with alcohol, you could experience drowsiness, dizziness, an upset stomach, trouble breathing, headache, a fast heart rate and impaired co-ordination,' he said.

'These effects can last for hours and, if abused, may trigger hallucinations, a drop in body temperature or even respiratory failure.'

Dextromethorphan works by dampening the urge to cough, easing sore throats and helping patients restbut combining it with alcohol can turn a simple remedy into a serious risk.

If you plan on drinking, avoid remedies with paracetamol, ibuprofen or dextromethorphan, experts say. Safer options include honey and lemon, numbing throat sprays and lozenges until you can take medicine alcohol-free.

Cold and flu remedies and Ibuprofen are taken by millions to alleviate symptoms from headache, fever and body aches and pains, but experts warn that mixing the drugs with alcohol could cause permanent liver damage

Cold and flu remedies

Medicines such as Lemsipwhich contains paracetamoland decongestants like Sudafed are among the most popular choices for easing colds.

But experts warn combining them with alcohol can be a 'recipe for disaster', as they often contain a cocktail of ingredients including paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride and guaifenesin.

Dipar Kadmar, a pharmacist and fellow at Kingston University, explained: 'Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm.'

The danger lies in how the liver processes paracetamol.

As it breaks the drug down, it produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI. Normally this is neutralised by the body, but alcohol puts extra strain on the liver, meaning the toxin can build up and cause potentially life-threatening damage.

Decongestants like phenylephrine are designed to shrink swollen blood vessels inside the nose to make breathing easier. But experts have long questioned their effectiveness, as much of the drug is metabolised in the gut and liver before it even reaches the nasal passages.

If you've got a cold and plan to drink, opt for simple fixes like steam inhalation or saline nasal spraysall of which ease symptoms without putting extra strain on your liver.

Anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen

These painkillers are widely used for backache, period cramps, headaches, colds and flu symptoms, and to reduce inflammation from muscle strains.

They work by lowering levels of hormones that cause pain and swelling, but the NHS advises against taking ibuprofen for more than ten days without medical advice.

Dr Dean Eggitt, a Doncaster GP, said the danger comes from the way the drug irritates the stomach lining: 'Painkillers like ibuprofen are designed to relieve inflammation, but really all they do is irritate the stomach, increasing the risk of painful stomach ulcers which in some cases can lead to peritonitis.'

Alcohol has a similar effect. It relaxes the valve that keeps stomach acid in place, raising the risk of heartburn, reflux and, in heavy users, ulcers.

Combined with regular painkiller use, this can result in serious complications such as peritonitis  an infection of the stomach lining which, if untreated, may be life-threatening.

The British Liver Trust also warns that just two glasses of wine a day can cause fat to build up in the liver.

Ongoing damage, made worse by frequent ibuprofen use, can lead to inflammation and scarring known as fibrosis.

If you need pain relief while drinking, pharmacists recommend gentler options such as hot or cold compresses or restand to save ibuprofen for when you are alcohol-free.
When new mother Katelyn Bonacasa developed a bumpy red rash shortly after giving birth, she thought little of it. The spots cleared quickly after a dermatologist visit. But within weeks, far more troubling symptoms appearedand they didn't go away.

'My face lost all shape and became a complete circle,' recalls Katelyn, 30, from Long Island, New York. 'It was red, burning hot all the time  and then my hair began falling out.'

She lost nearly a third of her hair, while coarse new growth sprouted across her face from forehead to chin. Acne erupted, her skin bruised easily, and the smallest cuts took months to heal.

'I was unrecognisable,' she said.

'I gained 30lbs so quickly, couldn't keep my eyes open from fatiguebut I also couldn't sleep. I was depressed, anxious, angry, constantly on edge. I felt like I was losing my mind.'

Her periods stopped, her thyroid appeared enlarged, and blood tests showed she was developing insulin resistancea sign her body was no longer processing sugar properly and a potential precursor to diabetes.

Yet for eight months, doctors dismissed her concerns.

'I couldn't even get a sentence out before my first endocrinologist interrupted me to say, 'You're fine',' she said.

Katelyn Bonacasa,30, suffered from a swollen face acne and her hair falling out

The mother was eventually diagnosed with Cushings disease

@katelyn.bonacasa a 1.5 cm pituitary tumor absolutely wrecked me  nothing will humble you more than having to live as a version of yourself you do not know or recognize and having zero control over it. this too shall pass - it gets better  #cushingsdisease #braintumor #pituitarytumor #recovery #remission  original sound - <3

'He told me it was probably just postpartum. He ordered the most basic thyroid test, nothing comprehensive, and wrote in his notes that he had 'no suspicion of anything'.'

Another doctor brushed off her skin changes as adult acne. A specialist even told her to try running on a treadmill. 'These things are normal as a woman,' one endocrinologist told her flatly.

But Katelyn knew something wasn't right. Determined to find answers, she began researching her symptoms.

The more she read, the more convinced she became that she had Cushing's diseasea rare hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone.

Tests confirmed her suspicion. Her cortisol levels were three to four times higher than normal.

A 24-hour urine test came back at 720when the healthy range is between 3 and 45. 'From the very first time I had blood work done, I never once had a normal cortisol reading,' she said. 'That's when I knew it had to be Cushing's.'

Cushing's disease is usually triggered by a benign (non-cancerous) tumour on the pituitary glanda pea-sized structure at the base of the brain which acts as the body's hormonal control centre.

The tumour causes the gland to pump out excess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands above the kidneys to flood the body with cortisol.

Tests revealed she had high levels of the stress hormone, cortisol

While cortisol is essential in small dosesregulating blood pressure, blood sugar, metabolism and the immune responsesustained high levels wreak havoc.

Patients often experience rapid weight gain concentrated around the trunk, while the arms and legs remain thin. The face becomes roundedthe classic 'moon face'and fat can build up between the shoulders to form a 'buffalo hump'.

Skin thins and bruises easily, purple stretch marks appear across the abdomen, and hair growth changes. Muscles waste away, leaving profound weakness.

Excess cortisol also affects mood and memory, raising the risk of depression, anxiety and even psychosis. Blood pressure soars, insulin resistance develops and patients may go on to develop full diabetes.

Bones weaken, leaving them vulnerable to fractures. Left untreated, the disease can be fatal.

Part of the problem, experts say, is that symptoms can mimic common conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, menopause or simple post-pregnancy changes.

The disease is rare, affecting just one to two people per million each year. Many doctors may only see one or two cases in their entire careers.

Professor Ashley Grossman, an endocrinologist at the University of Oxford, explains: 'Cushing's can be difficult to diagnose because many of the featuresweight gain, mood changes, acneare so common. But when they occur together, and in a relatively short space of time, it should raise a red flag.'

For Katelyn, the delay in diagnosis was devastating. 'The hardest part was watching how everything kept getting worse and just hoping it would be reversible one day,' she said.

A brain scan eventually revealed a 1.5cm tumour on her pituitary gland. In a delicate operation through her nasal cavity, surgeons removed it.

Most patients respond well to surgery, though some require medication to suppress cortisol or, in severe cases, removal of the adrenal glands.

Recovery can be slow: it may take months or even years for cortisol levels to return to normal and for the body to heal.

Today, Katelyn is in recovery and shares her story on TikTok, reaching thousands with videos about her symptoms, diagnosis and the dismissals she faced.

'I was the one who connected the dots and pushed for the right tests,' she said.

'A 1.5cm pituitary tumour absolutely wrecked me. Nothing will humble you more than living as a version of yourself you don't recognise. But this too shall passit gets better.'

Since posting her videos, Katelyn has received hundreds of messages from people worried they may have similar symptoms.

'It makes me sad that people have to dig through external sources and fight so hard for answers when something as simple as a blood test could change everything,' she said.

Experts stress that while Cushing's disease is rare, it should be considered in patients who present with the tell-tale cluster of features.

'If you have rapid, unexplained weight gain, thinning skin and bruising, irregular periods and psychological changes, it is important to ask your GP for comprehensive hormone testing,' says Professor Grossman.

'A simple blood or urine test can give the first clue, and early diagnosis makes treatment much more effective.'

The red-flag symptoms include rapid weight gain around the trunk and face, thinning skin, purple stretch marks, easy bruising, hair growth on the face and body, muscle weakness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Although rare, the condition can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Katelyn says she is determined to raise awareness so other women don't suffer in silence as she did.

'I trusted myself, and that's what saved me,' she said. 'For months I was told it was all in my head. But I knew my body, and I kept pushing. If my story helps just one person get diagnosed earlier, it will have been worth it.'
A measles outbreak has hit South Carolina, as cases of the potentially deadly virus hit record highs across the country.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health announced on Thursday that a confirmed outbreak has hit the upper region of the state, bringing the total number of known cases to eight.

Five of the individuals caught the virus within the past month. DPH defines an outbreak as three or more cases that are linked to one another.

The department added that all those involved in the current outbreak were unvaccinated and didn't have immunity.

Dr. Linda Bell, the state's epidemiologist and director of the Health Programs Branch, said that they have yet to identify where two individuals contracted measles.

She added that the department anticipates more cases will be identified and urged people to stay away from others if they experience any symptoms associated with the virus.

Symptoms of measles can include fever, cough, red eyes, and a runny nose, followed by a nasty rash that begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body, typically lasting five or six days.

Measles spreads through the air and remains airborne for up to two hours after the infected person leaves.

A measles outbreak has been reported in the upper region of South Carolina, with the Department of Health confirming eight cases in the area

Measles cases exceeded 800 in Texas in the last two years, with New Mexico and Arizona also reporting high numbers of infections

Measles is a highly contagious virus with symptoms that include fever, cough, red eyes, and a runny nose, followed by a rash that begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body, typically lasting five or six days

DPH strongly urged anyone with symptoms to avoid contact with others due to the extremely contagious nature of measles.

Even those with mild early symptoms can spread the virus, and those infected can be contagious for four days before they even start to see a rash.

Health officials reiterated the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of measles, adding that it is 97 percent effective at preventing infection.

Children are encouraged to receive two doses of the vaccine: the first between 1 year and 15 months old, and the second between 4 and 6 years old, according to DPH.

'Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination remains the most important tool for preventing measles infection and spread,' Dr. Bell said.

'We strongly encourage everyone to review their immunization records and make sure they are up to date on all recommended vaccinations, including MMR'.

So far this year, there have been 1,544 cases nationwide, a record high for the past 33 years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts have advocated for the vaccine to prevent measles outbreaks. Many states have less than 90 percent vaccination rates

The last time measles cases exceeded 1,000 reported cases was in 1992, when 2,126 people contracted the virus.

The year with the highest number of recorded cases in the last 40 years was 1990, when 27,808 people contracted measles.

A year later, measles elimination efforts expanded throughout the US, and children aged 9-15 began receiving the vaccine, according to the World Health Organization.

Since 1997, measles infections remained under 200, with some years even falling under 50 reported cases.

However, cases have skyrocketed in recent years, and there have already been three confirmed deaths this year from the virus, according to the CDC.

The Minnesota Department of Health announced on Wednesday that the state has 10 new confirmed cases, bringing the total of infected individuals up to 18.

West Texas experienced a significant outbreak earlier this year, with 762 confirmed cases, including 99 hospitalizations, and two deaths in school-aged children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement that advocated for vaccines and dispelled claims that the virus was treatable

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came under fire during the outbreak for promoting vitamin A and drugs budesonide and clarithromycin as recovery methods for measles.

The American Academy of Pediatrics dispelled the claim, releasing a fact sheet that read: 'There is no scientific evidence that inhaled steroids like budesonide or oral antibiotics like clarithromycin are beneficial for treating measles.

'Promoting medications to treat measles, particularly when those medications are not recommended, suggests that measles is treatable, which it is not'.

Daily Mail has reached out to the HHS for comment on recent measles outbreaks.
For a long time, I was no fan of Sober October. It struck me as a daft idea that one could make up for drinking too much simply by stopping for a month.

Thats not how the body works. If youre worried about your boozing, far better to moderate it in the long term than cutting it out for 31 days.

The problem is a lot of people with alcohol problems can white knuckle it for a month.

They grimly hold on for dear life using sheer willpower, safe in the knowledge that as soon as November starts, theyll get plastered again.

My concern was that by managing to go alcohol-free during Sober October, these people would be convinced they didnt have a problem, when they did.

However, over the past few years, many of my patients have confided about their Sober October experiences and it has been eye-opening.

A lot of people with alcohol problems can white knuckle it for a month, according to Dr Max Pemberton

In a volte-face, I am now a fan. The real benefit isnt about the physical effects but the mental. It helps you think about your relationship with alcohol.

You can view this month as an experiment to discover what happens, how you cope and what you feel when alcohol is suddenly no longer in your life.

Lots of people do not realise  or want to admit to themselves  that they have an issue with alcohol.

Its not until you stop for a time that you will see whats really going on.

I recommend everyone try Sober October, but the key is to reflect on how you feel during this time. I urge my patients to ask themselves six questions

Do you think about alcohol a lot?

If youre constantly aware of the absence of alcohol, checking the calendar repeatedly, or finding your thoughts drifting to what youll drink once October is over, thats telling you something pretty important.

For people without a problematic relationship with alcohol, not drinking for a month is generally no big deal. They might miss a glass of wine with dinner occasionally, but theyre not preoccupied by it. If alcohol is taking up a lot of mental space during this month, it suggests it might have a bigger role in your life than youve acknowledged.

Are you counting down the days?

This is a classic red flag. If youve already planned your first drink for the stroke of midnight on November 1, thats worth examining.

People who dont have issues with alcohol are not marking their calendars for when they can start drinking again. Theyre not watching the days tick by with anticipation or impatience.

The NHS has begun to offer ovarian cancer screening for women with BRCA1 and 2 gene mutation, also known as the Angelina Jolie gene. This gives them the option of keeping their ovaries, and offers a degree of reassurance. Advertisement

Have you stopped going to social events?

Avoiding socialising during Sober October is missing the point of the exercise. If youre finding it difficult to imagine being in a pub or a dinner party minus a drink, thats significant.

The question to ask yourself is whether youre avoiding these situations because you think theyll be boring without alcohol, or because youre worried about being the only sober person.

Either way, it points to alcohol playing too central a role in how you navigate the world.

Are you irritable or short-tempered?

Mood changes during a period of abstinence can be revealing.

Of course, everyone has off days, but if youre snappier with your partner, less patient with your children or more on edge, its worth considering why.

For some, alcohol is a way of managing stress or winding down at the end of the day.

If youre struggling with irritability, it doesnt necessarily mean youre an alcoholic, but it does suggest youre using alcohol as a coping mechanism rather than finding healthier ways to deal with lifes pressures.

Will you bend Sober October rules?

Perhps youve told yourself that one glass doesnt count, or that it doesnt mean you have to give up alcohol at that wedding youre attending mid-month.

The mental gymnastics some perform to justify having a drink during their alcohol-free month can be impressive. But all this negotiating and rule-bending is just your brain trying to convince you that you need alcohol.

Feeling good but still yearning for a drink?

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This is the most revealing question of all.

If youre sleeping better, waking up feeling fresher, getting more done, feeling mentally sharper, but still eager to start boozing again, you need to ask yourself why.

Logically, if something is making you feel worse, youd normally want to avoid it. But addiction doesnt work on logic.

If all the evidence is pointing to the fact that your life is better without alcohol, but you still cant wait to reintroduce it, thats your answer right there.

The beauty of Sober October is that it holds a mirror up to your relationship with alcohol.

These questions arent designed to make you feel guilty or to diagnose you with alcoholism. They are prompts to help you think honestly about the role drink plays in your life.

And if you dont like the answers youre coming up with, well, perhaps that month off doesnt need to be a one-off after all.

It's good to talk about your grief

Prince William has opened up about missing Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Apple TVs The Reluctant Traveler with actor Eugene Levy. When asked if he misses his grandmother he replies: I do actually, yeah, I do miss my grandmother, and my grandfather. Its been quite a bit of change, so you do sort of, you think about them not being here any more, and particularly being in Windsor  for me Windsor is her.

Grandparents are incredibly important figures for so many people, yet its a bond that we dont often celebrate. Time and again Ive seen patients who say their relationship with a grandparent has been vital. They give a perspective on life that only comes from having been there, done that. The skills and resilience they encourage in the younger generation are ones that will equip them for lifes vicissitudes long into adulthood.

The Prince of Wales's grandparents, the late Queen and Prince Philip, died in 2022 and 2021, respectively

After the terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester last week, its time doctors took the rampant anti-Semitism that has lodged itself in the profession seriously. For example, London-based NHS doctor Dr Rahmeh Aladwan posted: I dont condemn Hamas. I dont condemn October 7. I condemn Israel.

She was allowed to keep her job as a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon after a medical tribunal decided she would remain free to practise while the General Medical Council investigates. Disciplinary proceedings are ongoing.
Plans to abolish NHS England as part of a war on waste are floundering amid a lack of Government direction, health leaders warn.

Sir Keir Starmer announced in March that he would shutdown the worlds largest quango as it duplicates work done by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The closure was expected to lead to the loss of almost 10,000 jobs and save hundreds of millions of pounds a year in admin costs that could be spent on frontline care.

But the two-year process is already grinding to a halt amid a row over who will cover the eye-watering 1 billion cost of redundancy payments and a lack of parliamentary time to pass the legislation required to axe the organisation.

The Treasury is understood to be resisting requests for extra money to cover the bill, while NHS officials say they cannot afford it from existing budgets.

Unions today described the original timeline as wishful thinking as they accused ministers of dragging out the process and distracting staff from the important job of tackling waiting lists.

Some NHS England functions that are due to be transferred to DHSC even risk collapse as fed-up staff abandon ship for more stable jobs elsewhere, they added.

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, told staff last week that there is no longer a rush to transfer staff to new roles at the DHSC.

Sir Keir Starmer used a speech at the Reckitt offices to announce the abolition of NHS England

Speaking at an internal staff briefing, he said the process of merging NHSE duties with DHSC  and cutting both their central staffing in half  would be more of a gradual, managed process than signalled in the spring.

In comments first reported by the Health Service Journal, Sir Jim said: The transformation process wont be that big, dramatic overnight thing that we thought was going to be the case.

Were still heading towards a similar sort of objective, around the scale of the reduction and joint working with DHSC, but its going to be more of a gradual, managed process now over the next couple of years.

The downside is, itll take a bit longer. The upside is  and especially if we can resolve the [voluntary redundancy] situation  we work through this in a more thoughtful, organised and controlled way over the next couple of years.

He added: The thing thats changed is theres no rush to transfer employment.

Addressing the reluctance of The Treasury to grant additional funding for the restructure, Sir Jim said the alternative would probably involve a more managed process over a period of time where we use some more of our own internal resources for the business case.

There is also doubt about whether legislation can be drafted and passed through Parliament in time to formally abolish NHSE within the next two years, the timetable set in Julys 10-Year Health Plan.

Jon Restell, chief executive of the Managers in Partnership union, which represents some NHS England staff, told the Daily Mail: The assessment of our members is that the government is floundering with its system changes.

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England

It's now clear that the fast timetable for cutting staff, announced in March, was just wishful thinking.

People are not clear about what the government is trying to do and what the end point looks like - this is a terrible way to start big change in any organisation.

Policymakers seem oblivious to how their decisions affect working people.

The uncertainty and confusion are causing real distress and some members are going off sick.

If this change programme continues to be dragged out and poorly communicated, then it will further undermine managerial focus on removing bureaucracy, improving productivity and cutting waiting lists.

Functions, such as digital development, may simply collapse as people vote with their feet and seek certainty in other jobs.

On top of this, the redundancy bill is going to be eye-watering and, if it is not funded by government, will hit NHS finances at a time when they are already being squeezed.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents healthcare organisations, told the Mail: The NHS needs stability and clarity if it is going to improve performance, implement the government's ambitious reforms and make the required efficiency savings.

Health leaders will support the notion that a restructure is best done right over being done quickly, but only so much progress can be made when burning questions around funding arrangements for redundancy payments remain unanswered.

They are experiencing this themselves with the planned consolidation of integrated care boards hanging in limbo.

It is crucial that these next steps are communicated clearly and as soon as possible to the staff affected.

Transformation programmes of this scale can be hugely distracting and demoralising if not handled sensitively and effectively.

Having initially targeted an October 2026 abolition, in recent months ministers and officials have been working towards the following April.

But the Health Service Journal said the government is now unlikely to lay its health bill in Parliament until spring 2026, rather than this autumn, as had been hoped.

The time it will take to pass is highly uncertain, but it could take until late 2026, or spring 2027.

This in turn could be too late to enact the abolition of NHSE by April 2027.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This government will abolish NHS England and transfer all functions from NHS England to DHSC or the wider system.

Abolishing NHS England will make the NHS more efficient and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, while bringing its management back into democratic control.

This will enable us to divert millions of pounds to the frontline for our hardworking doctors, nurses and healthcare staff - and improve waiting times and GP access for patients.
Into the Groove By Justin Lewis (Elliott & Thompson, 16.99)

Into The Groove is available now from the Mail Bookshop

Named after one of Madonnas more grievously pathetic singles, Into The Groove is a history of 1980s pop music, something the world probably needs more than it realises.

Justin Lewis is an old hand at this sort of lucky-dip trivia book, and here he is studying pops silliest decade, the decade of Wham!, of Prince and Michael Jackson, of Bruce Springsteens more bombastic albums, of Madnesss many number ones, of Ultravox and undone bow-ties, of Renee and Renatos Save Your Love and some songs that were even worse (Ive Never Been To Me by Charlene comes immediately to mind.)

Like much of the music it describes (though not Ive Never Been To Me by Charlene) its almost indecently entertaining.

Lewis starts at the very start of 1980, when Pink Floyds Another Brick in the Wall was number one, and I find I can still whistle David Gilmours limpid guitar solo forty-five years later. Michael Jackson is outlining his plans for the 1980s in Billboard magazine, with films and concept albums lined up. But it wont be for a while. One thing I hate is overexposure, he says. Good luck with that, Michael.

Madness stage an afternoon concert at the Hammersmith Odeon for under-sixteens, which is adjudged such a success that they embark on a national tour of matinee gigs for their young fans. Tickets cost 1.

Paul McCartney records coming Up entirely by himself, and in New York, John Lennon hears it on a car radio. F*** a pig! Its Paul! Is his reasoned assessment. Its enough to tempt and motivate Lennon back into a recording studio for the first time since 1975.

In Hartford, Connecticut, Queen add Another One Bites the Dust to their live act, on the suggestion of Michael Jackson, who asked why they werent playing it. Later it will become the groups second US number one single.

In the US still, Ronald Reagan is elected their fortieth President. In the UK, Stiff Records release a vinyl record called The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan, on which both sides of the vinyl are completely blank.

Don't Stop Me Now: Another One Bites The Dust was Queen's 2nd No.1 in America

A Star Wars cash-in single, What Can You Get a Wookie for Christmas?, reaches number 69 in the US. But singing lead on the B-side, R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas, is the little-known Jon Bon Jovi. Its his recording debut. Living on a Prayer, says Lewis, is six long years away.

Duran Duran enjoy their third hit Girls on Film, whose video, directed by Godley and Creme, features writhing, wrestling women and is the first ever X-rated video. It will be shown in clubs but never on television.

In November 1981, Haircut One Hundred have a hit with Favourite Shirt. Songwriter and lead haircut Nick Heyward used to work in advertising, and designed the Ready Brek cereal packet. In an album track called Love Got Me in Triangles, they are believed to be the first band ever to cite Toblerones in song.

Joan Jetts I Love Rock n Roll reaches number one in America, but its not a Jett song. She saw a teenybop group called Arrows perform it on childrens TV in Britain in 1975, liked the song, bought it and took it back to the US with her. Presumably she added the huge crunching metal riffs a bit later.

Its all like this: 300-odd pages of stories, anecdotes, fascinating facts and notable events. When it ends in December 1989 youre exhausted, but not in a bad way as Lewis writes well and lovingly on this ridiculous decade.
Veteran left-wing political strategist Van Jones applauded Bill Maher while he eviscerated Kamala Harris on HBO's Real Time - months after lamenting her loss as a 'nightmare' for Americans while on the verge of tears.

The CNN host could be seen clapping and laughing as Maher tore into Harris's new book on Friday.

Maher began by joking that the book 'should have been called Everyone Sucks But Me' rather than '107 Days' while panning Harris for finger-pointing 11 months after her failed campaign.

'In 107 days, nothing is ever Kamala's fault,' Maher, 69, said.

As he riffed, the camera continued to cut away to Jones, who guffawed and clapped.

On November 5, he was warning CNN viewers that it would not be the liberal elites who suffer under a second Donald Trump term, but many of the conservative's supporters.

The former Obama aide self-admittedly voted for Harris.

On Maher's show Friday, he voiced 'concern' about Democratic leaders' decision-making, as the government remains shutdown following their failure to sway Republicans into making concessions for a funding bill for next year.

Senior CNN political commentator Van Jones could be seen clapping and laughing on Bill Maher's Real Time Friday as the host tore into Harris's new book, 107 Days

Maher began by joking that the book 'should have been called Everyone Sucks But Me' rather than '107 Days' while panning Harris for finger-pointing

'The weird thing is, I talked to Chuck Schumer about this like three months ago, and he was kicking me in the butt because I had been tough on him for not allowing the government to shut down,' Jones said.

'And he convinced me that shutting the government down is stupid. Then I turn on the TV and he says, "We're now shutting the government down."'

'Maybe it'll work,' he said of his party's strategy.

Democrats have blamed the shutdown on Trump and the GOP, claiming they are refusing to protect millions of Americans' healthcare.

Republicans - who have a 5347 majority - need seven Democrats to vote for a resolution to get their version of the bill passed.

The Democratic party has been prone to in-fighting since House Minority Leader Schumer cut a deal with Republicans back during separate funding talks in March without making any concessions.

Previously, Jones - a senior CNN political commentator - propped up at Harris as the solution. He became audibly choked up as it became clear Trump would earn his second presidential election victory during CNN's election coverage last year.

'Im thinking about the people who are not a part of anybodys elite who are hurting tonight,' Jones said at the time while wearing his 'I Voted' pin.

On November 5, an emotional Jones warned CNN election coverage viewers that it would not be the liberal elites who suffer under a second Donald Trump term but Trump's supporters as it became clear the conservative would win

Jones also voiced 'concern' about Democrat leaders like Chuck Schumer's decision-making, as the government remains shutdown following their failure to sway Republicans to make concessions for a funding bill for next year

'There are African American women who know a little bit about being talked down to, and know a little bit about having their economic dreams crushed, who tried to dream a big dream over the past couple of months.

'And tonight, theyre trading in a lot of hope for a lot of hurt. They were hoping that maybe this time - this time - one of their own could be seen as worthy.'

Jones also shared a video of his speech on social media, writing, 'People woke up this morning with a big dream. They are going to wake up tomorrow in a nightmare. But we will find a way through.'

He told Rolling Out a few weeks before: 'Ive known Kamala Harris for 30 years. I voted for Kamala as District Attorney in San Francisco when we were growing up.

'I voted for her for attorney general, senator, vice president, and will vote for her for president.'
Joy Reid has unleashed a fiery response to JD Vance after the vice president told her to show 'a little gratitude' in a post to X.

'JD Vance, since you're paying attention to me: F**k you!' the former MSNBC host said during an interview with political commentator Tommy Christopher.

'And I say that on behalf of every black woman who heard you call Kamala Devi Harris the trash.'

Hours before, Vance had re-shared footage of a recent conversation Reid had with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates in March where she complained about how, when her mother emigrated from Guyana in the 60s, 'she realized it is not a land of opportunity for people like us'.

An accompanying caption painted the progressive as ungrateful.

'Like, f**k you, forever!' Reid, 56, ranted in return on Christopher's Substack.

'Theres nothing you could ever say that I would take as advice, friendly or otherwise,' she further told Vance.

'I dont need advice from you. You need to learn how to be a decent human being and you need to apologize to Kamala Harris for what you said. So lets start with that,' Reid fumed.

Joy Reid responded to JD Vance saying she is an ungrateful American in a Thursday interview Friday, calling the vice president 'racist' in the process

'JD Vance, since you're paying attention to me: F**k you!' the former MSNBC host said as well. Vance is seen here at Wednesday press briefing at the White House

The polarizing pundit had been referring to separate comments from Vance offered up on the campaign trail, that characterized Harris as 'trash'.

Reid raged: 'But what happens is if you are black, you immediately come here and it isnt long before you are treated the same way that America treats all of its black citizens, as second class citizens - as people who need to, quote unquote, be grateful for white people apparently giving them opportunity.'

She branded Vance 'a racist a**hole' for his remarks.

He wrote on Thursday: 'Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most. Yet she oozes with contempt.

'My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much happier person if you showed a little gratitude.'

'You cant accept that my mother, who became a PhD holding college professor, earned her opportunity to be a professor,' Reid said in return.

'You think that someone white gave her that opportunity or that she stole it from, or, you know, Charlie Kirks version is, she stole from somebody white.'

Reid and Kirk - who was assassinated last month at a college campus in Utah - notably sparred about affirmative action policies after the Supreme Court removed them from university admissions processes in 2023.

Hours before, Vance re-shared footage of a recent conversation Reid had with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates (seen here) where complained that when her mother arrived in the 60s, 'she realized it is not a land of opportunity for people like us'. A caption painted the progressive as ungrateful

On MSNBC, Reid maintain she was qualified to attend Harvard but would have never made it into the Ivy League institution without such policies.

Kirk, who was 31 when he was killed, claimed those who benefited did not rightfully earn their spot, singling out Reid and former first lady Michelle Obama as well.

Reid, 56, wrote about Vance's comments on her own Substack as well, where he she has amassed more than 170,000 followers since she began writing in earnest following her February ouster from the network.

She joins a long list of journalists like Jim Acosta and Terry Moran to go independent after bitter breakups with their mainstream outlets.

Reid rankled MSNBC brass with her extreme online rants, and she was fired in late February by the network's new boss.

An insider at MSNBC told Politico that her controversial social media posts - including shamed Latino Republicans for voting for Trump and claiming the media's preoccupation with Russia's invasion of Ukraine was motivated by the victims being 'white and largely Christian' 'gave the Standards Department heartburn.'

In January, Reid compared President Donald Trump to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Network bosses began plotting to get rid of Reid in late 2023 and ultimately offered her a one-year contract extension, while also cutting her pay in the hopes she'd take the hint and quit, sources also told Daily Mail.

Reid, who rankled MSNBC brass with her extreme online rants, was fired in late February by the network's new boss

When Reid was finally let go, her ratings were down from a high of 3 million viewers per episode in her first year on the air in 2020 to a low of 1.1 million.

While it's unclear how many of her 168,000-plus followers shell out the $8 monthly subscription fee, even a small percentage of paying customers would potentially net Reid six figures per month.

While her salary while at MSNBC remains unknown, Reid said in August that she was paid 'a tenth' of what her male counterparts did.

'I worked in a business where I was paid a 10th of the salary of people who did literally my same job, the whole time I worked there,' she said of the network, since renamed to MS NOW.

'We knew that any man that was doing what I was doing was going to make more than me. And that they were going to be able to negotiate higher salaries, even at lower ratings.'
CNN's Jake Tapper is receiving flak online for touting an interview with Donald Trump as 'exclusive'.

The Sunday Q&A was noticeably curt, contained virtually no detail, and was administered entirely via text, which Tapper still showed off on-screen.

Several State of the Union viewers looking to hear the latest on the status of the president's stalled ceasefire deal surrounding Hamas and the ongoing government shutdown were left frustrated.

Some accused the host of misleading viewers with 'non-answers'.

'These answers remind me of the Twilight Zone episode with [William] Shatner and the cafe fortune telling machine. Vague, pre-printed, random one liners that could be answered to any question and apply,' wrote one user on X.

'This was NOT an interview. If you are just going to air his propaganda, have the human decency not to call it exclusive interview,' another added.

'Jake is the worst thing that ever happened to journalism,' scathed someone else.

A fourth noted how the texts - which contained only around 20 words or so - revealed nothing new aside from a promise of 'Complete Obliteration!' for Hamas if the terror group insists on staying in power.

CNN's Jake Tapper is receiving flak online for touting an interview with Donald Trump as 'exclusive' on State of the Union Sunday

The Q&A, however, was administered Saturday via text and contained essentially no new information. He is seen here during an interview with Fox News' Martha MacCallum last month

'But we still don't know exactly what he meant by that,' the user wrote.

'Will forever be Tapper's personal legacy that he conducted a nat'l media blitz *concern* tour about a different president.'

The host recently wrote a book about high-ranking Democrats' alleged campaign to cover up former President Joe Biden's cognitive decline during his days in office.

He claimed that he and fellow journalists were duped in the process.

On Saturday, Tapper asked Trump via text whether he agreed with Sen. Lindsey Grahams assessment over the weekend that Hamas had likely already rejected the terms of Trump's ceasefire plan.

In on of five messages sent back, Trump told him: 'We will find out. Only time will tell!!!'

The president also said he expects clarity 'soon' on whether Hamas is genuinely committed to peace. He added Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fully on-board with the plan - by answering yes to one of Tapper's questions.

'I HOPE! Working hard', he added when asked if the Arab League is also committed to his peace plan.

Other users who saw the interview questioned why the conservative conducted it over text in the first place, before honing in on recent rumors surrounding his health.

The Q&A had surrounded Trump's Hamas ceasefire deal and ongoing government shutdown, with showrunner touting the texts as an exclusive interview

Several State of the Union viewers looking for answers were left frustrated, social media posts published immediately after the interview aired show

One CNN viewer wrote: 'So Donald Trump is in such bad condition that he cant even do a telephone interview?

'Since when did a [sic] actual reporter read an interview conducted via text messages on the air?'

The theories stem from a lack of public appearances from the president and recent photographs showing bruising on his hands as well as swelling along his ankles.

'What proof is there that it was actually Trump who was texting with Tapper?' one X user wrote.

'Why wouldn't Trump do a phone interview? It could have been anyone responding to Jake's text questions. Is @jaketapper so naive as to believe it was Trump?' another added.

On Monday, the 79-year-old raised alarms when he appeared to forget the year he was inaugurated for the first time, during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two leaders are engaged in talks with Hamas for a week. The group said Friday it would return all remaining hostages in Gaza, dead and alive, provided that 'appropriate field conditions' were met.

Twenty hostages are thought to still be in the group's hands.

A promise of 'Complete Obliteration!' for Hamas appeared to be the only new information from the president

In one exchange, Tapper asked Trump via text whether he agreed with Sen. Lindsey Grahams assessment over the weekend that Hamas had likely already rejected the terms of Trump's ceasefire plan. Trump responded with a vague answer

'I HOPE! Working hard', Trump said when asked if the Arab League is also committed to his peace plan

He said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on-board with the peace plan, which was drafted last week

Tapper's book about Biden's mental decline, meanwhile, came out last May, and it is already a New York Times bestseller.

During a conversation with Megyn Kelly that same day, Tapper admitted legacy media failed on covering Biden while conservative outlets, for more than a year, had it right that he was not fit for office.

'Knowing what I know now, obviously I feel tremendous humility about my coverage,' Tapper told Kelly, while also admitting that 'conservative media was correct' in how it handled the story.

Biden's mental state was 'not covered sufficiently' by stations like CNN, he said. 'Conservative media was right.'

'There should be a lot of soul-searching not just among me but among the legacy media to begin with - all of us - for how this was covered or not covered sufficiently,' he continued. 'I wish I could do differently.'

'Conservative media absolutely has every right to say, "We were hip to this and the legacy media was not."'

Egypt is set to host discussions meant to address Hamas's reservations over Trump's 20-point peace plan on Monday.
Margaret Hulley likes to use cash as much as possible. The 86-year-old withdraws it from her local bank branch in Sheffield when she needs it.

While she will visit the cash machine from time to time, she spends on a card only occasionally  usually to buy something from Amazon or for a grocery shop, which her granddaughter, Katie Lee, has helped her to set up.

Margaret says: 'If you have cash in your purse, then once it's finished, that's done. When I was brought up, if you didn't have the money for it, you didn't have it. You had to save.'

But her cash use is bucking the trend. Figures released this week by banking industry group UK Finance revealed cash is now used for less than 10 per cent of all payments for the first time.

Cash was used for nearly half of all transactions a decade ago, but now this has shrunk to just nine per cent.

The UK Finance report said age was the 'most accurate predictor' of cash use, with the younger generation leading the way in ditching it  40 per cent of under-25s spend with physical money only once a month or less.

Two of a kind: Margaret will have takeaway coffees only as a treat and Katie is paying off her mortgage with a social media trick

Katie, 26, rarely carries cash and mostly doesn't even use a bank card. Most of her payments are done by tapping her phone, where she uses Apple Pay.

Thanks to a variety of apps, she also uses her phone to check her savings, stocks and shares Isa, and make mortgage overpayments.

She argues that avoiding cash and using technology helps rather than hinders her budgeting.

Katie says: 'I learned about making overpayments on social media. My generation are lucky we have access to so much information. It's easy to find little tips and tricks.'

So, who is right? The 80-something grandmother who believes cash is still king, or the 20-something granddaughter who says mobile payments are best for budgeting?

We spoke to both, so you can decide if younger savers have something to learn from their elders, or whether the TikTok generation have it all sorted.

WE WOULD MAKE DO AND MEND, NOT LIKE TODAY

Born in 1939, Margaret grew up with rationing. 'It was austere, and we didn't have a lot of luxury  but it was the same for everyone,' she says. 'I learned how to cook economically. We darned our socks and fixed a button when it came off. We would make do and mend. Not like people today.'

Margaret married Michael Graham, now 94, when she was 20. Thanks to careful budgeting, the couple saved enough for a deposit on a 650 two-bed terrace. Watching the pennies continued and it was two years before they could afford to install an indoor bathroom by building a dividing wall in the spare bedroom.

'Every penny was allocated, for groceries, electricity and gas. I'd bake cakes and knit all the children's clothes. If you had enough you might go on a caravan holiday, but if not, you did without,' she says. 'I think our children and grandchildren have seen that, and the way we managed our money.'

After their third child was born, Margaret took jobs cleaning and working in a factory, before joining the local GP surgery where she became practice manager. Michael Graham worked as a National Coal Board engineer.

He was largely in charge of family finances and the couple were serious savers. Michael gave up smoking when money was tight, while thrifty Margaret cut costs by batch cooking. Rather than hire tradespeople, they would do tasks like wallpapering themselves.

Buying anything on credit was avoided but not unheard of. The first time they did this was for bedroom furniture. A 20 Bosch radio was next. Margaret says: 'It was always one thing at a time, and it would upset my husband until it was paid off.' She says that the modern world seems to take spending and making things last more lightly. Margaret says: 'Now, it feels like a throwaway society. Young people waste money on everything  it's all tattoos and takeaways. I'll have a coffee as a treat, but they don't think anything of doing it every day.'

Today, the couple are still prudent but live comfortably. As well as a small income from her NHS pension, Margaret paid her Married Women's Stamp, the forerunner of National Insurance contributions, so gets the full state pension. Michael Graham is also entitled to the full state pension, as well as a pension from his career with the coal board. Is there anything Margaret thinks she could improve on with her finances and that the younger generation do better? She says: 'I'm not very good at comparing prices. Young people do their shopping online and get bargains, but I just like Marks & Spencer.'

IT'S A BALANCE BETWEEN SAVING AND PLEASURE

Katie lives a digital life but thinks this makes her engaged with her finances  and says saving matters. She saves 8 per cent of her salary into her company pension scheme, puts 200 a month into her employer's share save scheme, and recently opened a stocks and shares Isa, into which she invests 75 a month.

Last year, she and her partner Charlie used Lifetime Isas to buy their first home  a three-bed semi-detached house in York for about 300,000. They opted for a 40-year mortgage term to make the monthly payments more affordable but hope that making overpayments will help them pay off the loan more quickly.

Margaret says she is baffled by the amount the couple had to pay for their home, while Katie says she got there thanks to having learned a lot about saving from her grandmother.

She carries flavoured syrup in her handbag to add to her takeaway coffee rather than buy the more expensive option, always looks for discount codes online, and sells old items on Vinted. Katie tries to avoid debt, but uses a credit card for online orders to avoid paying out from her salary for an item she may have to return.

She says: 'Granny is a really good cook and I think she is the reason I don't buy takeaways or ready meals. She and my mum drummed into me that you don't need a new outfit for every occasion, and that if you buy cheap, you'll buy twice.'

They might do things differently to previous generations, but research suggests that like Katie those aged 25 to 34 are on top of their finances. Some 67 per cent of this cohort regularly review and adjust their financial goals, compared to 49 per cent of people across all age groups, according to a survey of 2,000 adults by Aviva.

Katie also credits social media for many of her best money habits. It's where she found out about making mortgage overpayments and automating her savings. Like 50 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds, Katie has direct debits set up to transfer money to savings. A further 39 per cent use budgeting apps and tools to track their spending, set limits and monitor their progress, a survey by Aviva found.

A separate survey of 2,000 adults by wealth management platform Stratiphy found 47 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 have invested in the stock market in the past 12 months, compared to just 23 per cent of those over 55. Katie admits there is still room for improvement for her generation and says that those from her grandmother's era benefit from not living an online life. She says: 'If I see something I want, I usually just buy it. But I wonder if I'd still get it if I waited a week. Granny always waits to go to the shops and buy things in store. I should take more lunches to work rather than buying them, but it's hard when you're busy. It's getting that balance between saving and enjoying life.'

Dr Eliza Filby, a historian and expert on generational change, says Katie isn't unusual among her financially literate generation.

She says: 'This generation has grown up in the shadow of economic instability  from the 2008 financial crisis, through Covid and the cost-of-living crisis  and as a result has become financially pragmatic and digitally confident. They're not just reacting to financial pressures, they're actively reshaping how they think about money and their futures.'

At home, Katie and Charlie make money decisions together and, while they don't have a joint account, the outgoings are split equally, with transfers made to each other quickly and easily through their banking apps.

'We are comfortable talking about money, and we support each other,' says Katie. This is one thing Margaret admires about the younger generation. She says: 'It seems more equal today. Katie and Charlie are more aware of each other's earnings and share more. They've got everything planned before getting married.'
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Ms J.K. writes: I am the treasurer of a village charity.

We have a Lloyds Bank account and in July last year I found a direct debit had been set up by Scottish Power, with 53 taken from our account.

However, we have no premises or utilities and have never set up any such direct debit.

Tony Hetherington replies: Last week I reported that an 85-year-old pensioner had seen 4,399 vanish from his account at Halifax, which is now run by Lloyds Bank. Again, this was an unauthorised direct debit. I intervened and the bank immediately replaced the missing money. It has since made a goodwill payment of 75 to the pensioner.

Lloyds explained that the transfer from his account had been made using the Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service  AUDDIS  which allows businesses to tell your bank that they have your approval, and the bank simply hands over your cash.

Watt a mess: The Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service system can lead to fraud and mistakes

There is no check to see that the customer ever signed a direct debit agreement and if anything goes wrong, it is up to the customer to try to reclaim the cash from the bank.

The 4,399 payment turned out to be part of a wider fraud. But your village charity has not been defrauded. It has simply become a victim of the AUDDIS system itself.

When 53 was taken by Scottish Power, you protested and Lloyds put the money back in your charity's account. The bank said it would contact Scottish Power but in September last year another 58 vanished from your account. Again, the bank replaced the money and said it would speak to Scottish Power.

Well, it didn't. In January, Scottish Power pocketed 163. This time, you complained to both the bank and Scottish Power. The money was replaced, only to be taken again in February. In April, the bank told you: 'The direct debit is now cancelled and we have added an indicator to your account which should prevent any new direct debits being set up without your authorisation.'

Well, it didn't. In May, Scottish Power raided your charity's account again, taking 460. At this point you contacted me, and Lloyds told me the bank industry's AUDDIS scheme trusts companies to dip into customer's accounts without signed consent. It was up to you to sort this out with Scottish Power, the bank added. I questioned Scottish Power too and it said it would discuss the payments with you. After some time, it found it has a business customer with a bank account number one digit away from your own. The customer provided your account by mistake, it added. By now it was August, and Scottish Power offered its apologies and an assurance that the bank details had been corrected.

They hadn't. Another 760 disappeared from your bank account into the coffers of Scottish Power. It denied having any record of complaints from you or Lloyds Bank, before I first alerted its staff.

When I provided chapter and verse of when complaints were made, it found them, saying: 'We are incredibly sorry for the issues Ms K has been facing and have reached out to her to apologise.'

The final 760 has now been returned to your account, and Scottish Power is sending a further 400. Lloyds Bank has also made goodwill payments to your village fund.

AUDDIS is a flawed system. It relies on bank customers to spot fraudulent or mistaken direct debits. I invited Pay UK, the body which oversees AUDDIS, to comment but there was no reply as we went to press. It's only customers' cash at risk, after all.

WE'RE WATCHING YOU: Arrest in will payout row Police probing a will writing and probate company I made claims against in The Mail on Sunday have arrested a woman. Last year I alleged that the company had failed to pay 200,000 due to the family of a man who died in 2017. The company was responsible for administering the estate, turning the deceased's assets into cash and then distributing bequests. Assets were valued at below the inheritance tax threshold of 325,000, despite the deceased having investments and property worth more than this. The estate also held premium bonds, though prizes can only be paid for a year after the bondholder's death. Some bequests were paid but years after probate was granted, a large sum was allegedly unaccounted for. Police told me: 'We have arrested a woman on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position and acquiring/using/possessing criminal property. She was released on conditional bail.'

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
After 26 years of socialising and stock-picking, the Jester Investors club, set up in 1999 by a group of enterprising female professionals, is set to liquidate its 90,000 portfolio.

But the reason behind the move is not a falling out over strategy, nor even panic about the global economy. Instead, as club chairman Victoria Provis explains, Interactive Investor, the DIY investment platform through which the West London group manages its portfolio, has said it no longer wants Jester Investors  or any other investment clubs  as clients.

These associations of colleagues, friends or neighbours are also not welcome at rival platforms such as AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown, with more platforms expected to follow suit.

Interactive Investor has told the club that it would rather focus on its other investment products such as Isas and self-invested personal pensions (Sipps).

But the decision threatens to undermine Chancellor Rachel Reeves' plan to encourage Britons to put more of their savings into shares, with an emphasis on buying British companies. It may also spell the end for investment clubs, which boomed in the 1990s but have dwindled in number in response to tax changes and as investing online has become easier.

The abrupt closure order came despite the collective wisdom of the Jester club having so far paid off for its members.

Shunned: These investment associations of colleagues, friends or neighbours are now not welcome at investment platforms

They had used their monthly contributions to the club's pot of money to back top-performers such as Rolls-Royce and Nvidia. But Interactive Investor has put paid to the fun and profit-making.

Provis said: 'In late August we received a horrible letter out of the blue from Interactive Investor. It said that, following a review, our club's trading account would be closed on October 27.'

Provis, once a top headhunter who now has directorships at arts organisations, said the decision to wind up the club was taken with considerable regret.

Share picker: Victoria Provis

She added: 'Over the years, the club's membership has ranged from seven to 12 people, mostly women. We're a mix of professionals and small business owners. Together we have had some wonderful discussions over which shares to buy, sell and hold.

'Some of our choices turned out to be duds, but our final portfolio contains some gems.'

Provis said the club also served a valuable social purpose, adding: 'We each took it in turn to host.

'But we are also keen investors and have learnt so much. You take better decisions together.'

A spokesman for Interactive Investor acknowledged the role investment clubs play in people's lives, adding: 'We recognise  and very much advocate  that discussion, debate, and community can be one of the most rewarding parts of investing. We are actively offering other routes to support this through our online ii Community, a hugely popular way for investors to share ideas about any number of topics or investing strategies.'

Other clubs are finding themselves under threat as a result of anti-money laundering checks.

The shareholder advocacy group ShareSoc said other platforms were refusing to take on investment clubs as clients because of Politically Exposed Person (PEP) legislation. These are laws which state that financial companies must subject individuals in public office to greater scrutiny since they are seen to represent a higher risk of laundering money gained by bribery and corruption.

ShareSoc said one platform had 'declined' to take on investment clubs arguing each member had to be vetted under anti-money laundering and PEP rules every year.

While the process is automated for individual accounts, the platform said the checks would need to be done manually for club members and would result in 'excessive costs and complications'.

The letter to Jester Investors, which has been seen by The Mail on Sunday, did not cite PEP as a reason behind the closure. Aberdeen, Interactive Investor's parent, also said there was no link.

ShareSoc director Amit Vedhara noted that US firms such as Interactive Brokers still accept investment clubs as clients.
GSK boss Emma Walmsley has fired a parting shot at Labour, saying that its refusal to back down in a drug pricing row puts the UK's 'globally competitive' industry under threat.

Walmsley, who announced last week she would quit GlaxoSmithKline in three months, became the latest to speak out over a pricing regime that has infuriated the pharmaceutical sector.

Under the rules, designed to save the public money, the NHS claws back up to 23 per cent of the cost of newer drugs that it has bought from pharma firms.

This rate is much higher than what was anticipated when the regime was introduced in 2024. It is also much more than what is clawed back under similar schemes in other countries.

It has prompted companies to warn of lower investment in the UK, and suggest that British patients could find it harder to access cutting-edge medicines.

Pharma firms argue that too tight a squeeze on their profits reduces the incentive for them to spend years and large sums of cash on drug development.

Speaking out: GSK boss Emma Walmsley has fired a parting shot at Labour

'It will be very difficult for the UK to have a life sciences industry that is globally competitive without a competitive commercial environment,' Walmsley told The Mail on Sunday.

'I think it's absolutely essential that we continue to have constructive relationships between industry and the Government.

'We also need constructive industrial policies, constructive healthcare policies.'

Walmsley said she recognised the Government had a 'difficult job' but stressed that  at a time when the Government says it is prioritising growth  'all the data shows the health of the nation impacts the wealth of the nation'.

Stand-off: Health Secretary Wes Streeting walked away from talks with an industry group after it failed to agree to new Government proposals

'We need to make this a good place to launch innovation with fair value recognition,' she said.

'I hope and I hear that we can continue to be in dialogue to get to a more constructive resolution. I do believe we're better placed between industry and Government to address these things by working together.'

The comments come as the Government and industry remain locked in a stand-off over the drugs pricing policy.

In August, Health Secretary Wes Streeting walked away from talks with an industry group after it failed to agree to new Government proposals.

He has said he 'won't allow big pharma to rip off our patients or taxpayers'. In recent weeks however, Whitehall has struck a more emollient tone.

Lord Patrick Vallance, the Science Minister, told the Financial Times in September that Britain needed to 'fix the commercial environment' to bring companies back and benefit patients and that 'means probably for medicines, we need to pay a bit more for some of them'.

It comes after several firms pulled out of or paused investments in the sector. Last month, US drugs giant Merck said Britain was 'not internationally competitive' as it scrapped a 1 billion London research centre that was already under construction and due to open in 2027, resulting in 125 scientists and support staff being laid off.

And David Ricks, the boss of Eli Lilly  maker of fat jab Mounjaro  also sounded a warning to the UK after the firm paused plans for an investment to help fund new biotech companies.

Ricks said Britain paid less for drugs than other developed countries and 'unless that changes, I don't think they will see many new medicines and

I don't think they will see much investment'.

He told the FT that Britain was 'probably the worst country in Europe' for drug prices.

Meanwhile, UK-based drugs giant AstraZeneca has paused a planned 200 million expansion of its Cambridge research site.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has highlighted figures showing that a 'remarkably low' 9 per cent of total healthcare expenditure in the UK goes on medicine, compared with 15 per cent in France, 17 per cent in Germany and Italy, and 18 per cent in Spain.
Norway has become the latest European nation to cash in on the UK tourist tax blunder as more visitors opt to splash their cash on the Continent.

Steen & Strom, which claims to be the oldest department store in the world and Oslo's equivalent of Selfridges, reported a 27 per cent rise in tax-free sales to tourists in the first eight months of this year.

'Many customers tell us they are choosing to make luxury purchases abroad rather than in London,' said David Wilkinson, executive director at the store. He said the UK tourist tax was a 'large factor' behind the shop's decision to open a new refund service for tourists in June.

Annette Lund, boss of Promenaden, which runs Steen & Strom, said Norway's VAT-free shopping was 'resonating strongly with British visitors', more of whom were heading to the Continent to shop tax-free.

The Norwegian figures come after the Office for National Statistics revealed inbound visits and spending in the UK to be still languishing below pre-pandemic levels while other European nations see a rebound in both the number of tourists and their spending.

More than 500 UK business leaders have backed a Mail campaign to bring back tax-free shopping for foreign visitors to encourage tourism. But the Treasury is not planning to address the issue at the Budget in November.

Scandi style: Tourists are flocking to Steen & Strom, Oslo's equivalent of Selfridges

Among those pushing for tax-free shopping to be reinstated are Harrods, Primark and Marks & Spencer, and luxury brands Burberry and Mulberry.

Lifting the tourist tax would make the UK the one European destination to offer rebates to 450 million EU customers, as well as tourists from elsewhere.

Before the Conservatives axed tax-free shopping in 2021, tourists from outside the EU could receive a 20 per cent VAT refund on purchases in the UK. Now the UK has left the EU and its customs union, EU residents could shop tax-free alongside high-spenders from China and the US.

Calls for the Government to help business come among fears of another tax raid on firms this autumn as the Chancellor struggles to make her Budget numbers add up.

The bosses of Sainsbury's, Tesco, John Lewis, Boots and Currys wrote to Rachel Reeves last week to warn her against further tax rises on business.

Retailers say that measures in last autumn's Budget have already cost them 7 billion.
Former jewellery tycoon Gerald Ratner made a 1 million bid for collapsed accessories chain Claire's before it was snapped up by a private equity firm, The Mail on Sunday understands.

Last week, Claire's, which holds a special place in the memories of many Britons with its racks of sparkly earrings and glittery hair scrunchies, was rescued from administration by Modella Capital, which also owns Hobbycraft and TG Jones, the new name it gave to the former High Street stores of WH Smith.

The private equity firm warned it had only bought 156 of the 301 Claire's stores across the UK and Ireland, and that job losses and shop closures were 'inevitable'.

But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Modella was not the only bidder for the chain, with a consortium led by Ratner having made its own tilt at the retailer.

The former jewellery boss's offer included 500,000 for 'fixtures, fittings and IT' and an additional 500,000 to cover 'estate costs,' according to details of the bid seen by this newspaper.

A source close to the discussions also said the consortium had been prepared to 'take on all of the stores', potentially saving even more jobs than the rescue by Modella, the price tag of which has not been revealed.

Saved: Claire's, which holds a special place in the memories of many Britons with its racks of sparkly earrings and glittery hair scrunchies, was rescued from administration

The latest revelation comes as Ratner, 75, mounts a campaign to return to the High Street more than 30 years after an infamous joke about the quality of his company's products brought his career crashing down.

At its peak, Ratner's was the UK's largest jewellery chain with 2,500 stores, including 1,000 in the US, and a turnover of nearly 200 million a year. But in April 1991, Ratner told a conference of the Institute of Directors at the Albert Hall that one of its products was 'total c**p'. He later apologised, saying newspapers misinterpreted his speech. But it led to a plunge in sales and 500 million being wiped off the value of the business. The episode achieved legendary status among businesspeople, with 'doing a Ratner' referring to executive gaffes. He returned to the business world in 1996 when he started a health club, which he sold for 4 million in 2001.

In June, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Ratner was plotting to buy back the UK arm of his former business, which includes H Samuel and Ernest Jones, from its US owner Signet. He is also eyeing other High Street targets, according to a source, as retailers struggle under pressure from Labour's tax raid on businesses and the cost of living crisis.
Sir Iain Duncan Smith led the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2003, helped to set up the Centre for Social Justice think tank in 2004 and then served as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2010 to 2016, writes York Membery.

Born into a forces family, he trained at Sandhurst and was in the Scots Guards for six years before going into business and then becoming the MP for Chingford in 1992.

The 71-year-old has been married to his wife Betsy, daughter of the 5th Baron Cottesloe, since 1982 and they have four children.

What did your parents teach you about money?

I was one of five children and had a happy childhood. My father, Group Captain WGG Duncan Smith, was a wartime Spitfire pilot, winning five gallantry medals  he was a real war hero  and my mother Pamela was a ballet dancer before starting a family.

Dad stayed on in the RAF after the war, serving everywhere from the US to West Germany, so we had a peripatetic but comfortable upbringing.

He urged me to 'neither a borrower, nor a lender be', and though we all have to borrow money from a bank when we take out a mortgage to buy a house, I think Shakespeare's famous advice still holds true. We all know people who've lent money to friends and relatives that wasn't repaid, resulting in family disputes.

Sense of freedom: Sir Iain Duncan Smith on his Triumph Trident 660

Have you ever struggled financially?

Money was tightish when I left the Army and married Betsy.

We lived in a bedsit, with a single bed, in a rundown Victorian house in Hackney, London, for six months while we were saving up the deposit to buy a flat.

If we ran out of coins for the gas fire meter in winter it could get pretty chilly.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

No, I wish [chuckles]. I'd done reasonably well before politics financially but being an MP for more than 30 years, and a government minister, doesn't pay 'silly money'.

What do I think about MPs' salaries? I've got no complaints, but the truth is we get paid less than MPs in most comparable countries, and less than MEPs. Much as I admired Mrs Thatcher, I don't think she fully got this  you have to be prepared to pay MPs decent money to attract good calibre people into Parliament or you end up with the abortive 'expenses scandal'.

What was the best year of your financial life?

I can't think of any one year that stands out as being particularly lucrative. Yes my 2003 thriller, The Devil's Tune, did reasonably well, selling out in hardback, but it wasn't a huge money-spinner. Who knows, perhaps one day I'll get around to writing another novel...

The most expensive thing you bought for fun?

An ex-demonstration Triumph Trident 660 motorbike, which I bought for a few thousand pounds.

People are always telling me that riding a bike is 'dangerous' but being on it gives one such a sense of freedom  and it is great for getting into London during Tube strikes.

What's Betsy think about me riding a motorbike at my age? You'll have to ask her!

What is your biggest money mistake?

Investing around 20,000 in a hygiene business ten to 15 years ago. Sadly, shortly afterwards the company's share price plummeted, and I was left holding shares that were pretty much worthless.

An eighth-hand BMW I bought for a few hundred pounds in the 1970s was a bad buy too: the speedometer conked out when I was on a motorway.

Making a point: Sir Iain led the Conservative Party from 2001 to 2003

Best money decision you have made?

Besides property, my Morgan Plus 4  the last wholly British car in my mind  which I bought a number of years ago for around 20,000, but which has since gone up in value. It's been pretty reliable but isn't the best car to drive in winter when it's pouring with rain.

Will you pass your money down or spend it all?

Yes, I'll do all I can to help my children when they want to buy their own place and have children. Everybody wants to help out the next generation.

Do you have a pension?

Yes, I'm eligible for the state pension and a parliamentary and ministerial pension when I eventually step down as MP, though I've no plans to do so right now.

I'm a great believer in saving for pensions and worked closely with the then pensions minister, Steve Webb, when the coalition government rolled out employee auto-enrolment in 2012.

I think it was right to introduce the 'triple lock pension' in 2011 to help tackle pension poverty at the time, but this government, or the next one, is going to have to look at how we reconcile keeping pensioners out of poverty with the ever-growing cost of the state pension.

Do you own any property?

My first property was a little flat in Fulham that Betsy and I bought for around 15,000 in the early 1980s. A few years later we traded up to a 95,000 terraced house in the same area, but we subsequently sold that and bought a house in Chingford when I became the local MP.

If you were Chancellor, what would you do?

I think Rachel Reeves made a major mistake in increasing employers' National Insurance and reducing the point at which employers pay National Insurance on salaries to 5,000  that hit the creation of new part-time jobs in small businesses.

I'd want to reverse that and try to reduce the tax burden down on both businesses and people in the middle-income bracket.

I'd also increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP to counter the twin threats posed by Russia and the rise of China.

What is your number one financial priority?

To not be a burden to my children in my later years, and to also be able to help them out financially from time to time.
Opinion / Columnist

The Madlanga commission is likely to have a much more substantial impact on the country's political landscape than all the others held since the end of apartheid. It is likely to bring down ANC leaders, cause the party's support to plunge to 20% in next year's local government elections and potentially lead to the early exit of Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC and South African president.Though the Zondo commission was widely seen as an inquiry into the ANC, with Ramaphosa admitting the party stood accused of corruption, it is in fact the Madlanga commission that will uncover the truth about the liberation behemoth.The ANC's control of the police, through its deployment of police ministers that serve the party's interests rather than those of the public, as well as its past appointment of national police commissioners who were cadres rather than professional police officers, allowed the party to control investigations into its senior ranks.Competition to become ANC public representatives has increasingly become based on slates, where even local candidates are elected in alignment with those for national leadership. But the various slates, especially at the local level, often result in the violent elimination of opposing candidates, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. The political killings task team (PKTT) investigated many of these alleged ANC political assassinations.An ANC faction controlling a particular municipality, province or ministry often awards tenders to businesses linked to it. In many cases, competing factions violently eliminate potential rival contractors. The PKTT investigated such killings as well. It is therefore no surprise that many ANC leaders wanted to close down the PKTT, just as the party scuppered the Scorpions in 2009.Past inquiries, such as the Zondo commission, were established so the government would be seen to be doing something about graft. They had little impact on the ANC and its leaders, even if they were implicated in wrongdoing.It is likely Ramaphosa and the ANC thought the Madlanga commission would be a means to kick allegations of wrongdoing into the long grass.Ramaphosa has in the past publicly stated his priority is to ensure the unity of the ANC. Senzo Mchunu is a crucial member of the Ramaphosa faction in the ANC, as well as being an important figure in KwaZulu-Natal, where the ANC is not only deeply divided by pro- and anti-Ramaphosa sentiment but also faces tough competition in next year's local government elections from the MKP led by Jacob Zuma.The difference between the Madlanga commission and the others that preceded it is that, for the first time, a senior government official, KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, played a crucial role in pushing for the inquiry, has evidence in his possession and is willing to make that information public.Other commissions often relied on more lowly whistleblowers, as well as those still in the government's employ, to present evidence  and these officials did so carefully, without endangering their careers or lives. Making public allegations of wrongdoing against powerful ANC and government leaders, not to mention criminal and BEE syndicates, is career-destroying and potentially life-threatening. Powerful ANC and government officials could use the state security, revenue and intelligence services to tarnish the reputations of these individuals.And presentations made to previous commissions often did not have enough hard evidence.Mkhwanazi and the senior police officers testifying at the Madlanga commission are experienced police officers, better able to deal with security threats - whether from rogue ANC leaders or criminal syndicates  than ordinary whistleblowers.The information that will come out of the Madlanga commission is likely to pit ANC leaders and factions against each other, as well as widen factional divisions in the party, and may even determine who becomes ANC president after Ramaphosa.The Madlanga commission is also likely to accelerate the decline of the ANC. The revelations may detrimentally affect the ANC's electoral support to such an extent that the party loses next year's local government elections.In the years to come, ANC leaders and Ramaphosa may look back at the Madlanga commission and ruefully conclude it would have been better if Senzo Mchunu had simply been fired as police minister after he was accused by Mkhwanazi of political interference, as the consequences for the party would probably have been less severe had this course of action been adopted.----------------William Gumede established the Democracy Works Foundation and is the author of Restless Nation: Making Sense of Troubled Times (Tafelberg)
There has been speculation that he was wearing a toupee, and his estranged wife has demanded that he get a haircut, but suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann's changing locks could point to more than him just trying to look good for his next court appearance.

Heuermann, 61, has been behind bars since July 2023 after he was charged with the murder of seven women in Long Island, New York.

For more than two decades, the architect and married father of two from Massapequa allegedly led a double life that he was trying so desperately to hide.

His alleged crime spree spanned more than two decades, from 1993 to 2011, and most of his alleged victims were found along Ocean Parkway in Suffolk County, New York.

Investigators were able to finally catch him after a hair found on one of the victims matched Heuermann's DNA that was collected from a discarded pizza crust.

Heuermann has pleaded not guilty to all seven murder charges. However, his alleged crimes are not the only reason that have got people talking about his court appearances.

Heuermann's hair with dramatic side parting has got people talking, with his ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, telling a reporter outside one of the court hearings in March that her ex 'needs a haircut'.

According to forensic criminologist Laura Brand, hair is typically all about 'control and identity'.

Alleged Gilgo serial killer Rex Heuermann is seen during his most recent court appearance last week at Suffolk County Court on September 23

Rex Heuermann is seen in his first court appearance on August 1, 2023, after his arrest

She told Daily Mail: 'In prison, some men grow their hair long or shave it off completely as a way of reclaiming control over their bodies when so much else is dictated,' she said. 'It becomes a subtle form of identity or rebellion.'

Brand, who has interviewed more than 50 serial killers on death row at San Quentin State Prison in California, said 'hair is one of the easiest and most immediate ways people, including criminals, alter their appearances since it is one of the simplest disguises.

Before their arrest, offenders, she said, 'often change hairstyles, grow beards, or dye hair to avoid recognition'.

Other factors include aging, stress, and the prison environment. 'Stress from arrest, incarceration, and court proceedings can accelerate graying and hair loss.

'Many offenders appear dramatically different within just a couple of years,' she told the Daily Mail.

Vicki DiStefano, the PIO at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, told Daily Mail that there is a barber at each of their correctional facilities in Riverhead and Yaphank.

The barber, she explained, is usually a fellow inmate who has experience cutting hair. They follow a schedule but will take special requests from inmates, if appropriate. Prisoners are not allowed to use any dye on their hair.

A former NYPD detective, who reviewed some photos, called Heuermann's outlandish prison haircut 'dopey'.

Rex Heuermann is pictured during a court appearance on September 3, 2025

Heuermann sits next to his attorney Michael Brown on April 15 this year

He said that Heuermann 'did have a good head of hair in high school' but as he got older, his locks took on a life of their own.

'Toupee? Hair plugs? It is weird and doesn't look very natural,' the former detective remarked.

Many people who have been following the case have also commented on Heuermann's hair over the last two years, with many debating whether the accused killer wears a toupee or not.

'I am fairly certain that is his real hair,' one person wrote on Reddit. 'The police would not allow someone to wear a toupee. They make African Americans remove their wigs, so not sure how this would be overlooked.'

Another person agreed: 'Yeah, theres no way they would let him keep a hairpiece on for a booking shot.'

Others compared Heuermann to the late murderer Phil Spector, the music producer who shot dead actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion in 2003.

Spector had a wild head of long hair, but in his July 2013 booking shot, he was partially bald.

The former NYPD detective said that, on viewing his mugshot, he believes it is his own hair.

Heuermann appears expressionless during his October 16, 2024 court appearance

Heuermann's mugshot taken July 14, 2023, after he was charged with murder

Laura Brand, a forensic criminologist, told Daily Mail that ''Many offenders appear dramatically different within just a couple of years'

'The way he combs it - you can see he leaves that giant gap on the left side. The hair is no longer over his ears; it is now shaved around his ears,' he said.

Its a little shocking that he is accepting a haircut like that. Even when you go to a barber, you tell them what you want, and that is what you normally get, but I dont know whats going on there, he said, referring to his latest photo in court.

The former detective added: 'Maybe he is trying to cover a bald spot or some recession, but the way he combs it doesn't give him any justice at all.'

Looking back at old photos of the architect, it would seem that as his life began to unravel, so did his hairstyles.

In 2004, at the height of his crime spree, when he was allegedly torturing and murdering young women sex workers he met on Craigslist, his hair looked more untamed.

Nearly 20 years later, in July 2023, when Heuermann was arrested, his mugshot shows longer and messier hair.

For his first court appearance, a month later, his hair looks even longer and is entirely different from the hairstyle he now boasts in prison.

His hair seems grayer and thinner with a more pronounced receding hairline.

Last month, the defense lost its bid to separate Heuermann's case into multiple trials.

Judge Timothy Mazzei sided with the prosecution and ruled that the case would proceed to a single trial.

Heuermann is pictured with his co-workers at a bar in midtown Manhattan in 2004

Heuermann is seen in his 1981 yearbook photo above

Heuermann is seen above in a bathroom selfie discovered by investigators in an AOL account

The prosecution argued that the murders of the seven women were committed in a similar manner, and the evidence they had overlapped.

Disheartened, Michael Brown, Heuermanns attorney, accepted Judge Mazzei's decision but, after the hearing, expressed his disappointment.
McKenzie Wisdom was paranoid. Sleep was impossible and there was a dull ache in her liver and kidneys. One minute she was shivering, the next she was dripping with sweat.

'Every task, even getting up to take a shower, felt like moving a mountain,' Wisdom, 29, told the Daily Mail.

It is one year since Wisdom suffered the agonies of withdrawal as she kicked what she claims was a substance as addictive as any opioid. By then she had a habit that dominated three years of her life, cost her tens of thousands of dollars and ultimately saw her check herself into rehab.

And it all began with a sip from a little blue bottle purchased in a high-end health food store in Los Angeles.

Marketed as a 'plant-based productivity booster,' when Feel Free tonic hit the wellness market in 2020, it was billed as a safe alternative to alcohol, caffeine and pharmaceuticals.

The main active ingredient in Feel Free is kratom - an herbal whole leaf extract derived from leaves of an evergreen tree called Mitragyna speciosa, native to Southeast Asia.

Research conducted by Columbia University and published in Scientific American found that the herb's active compounds bind to the brain's opioid receptors producing pain relief and, at higher doses, a feeling of euphoria.

According to one expert with whom the Daily Mail spoke, the fact that Feel Free is sold over-the-counter has led many to falsely assume that it is harmless supplement.

McKenzie Wisdom suffered the agonies of withdrawal as she kicked Feel Free tonic which contains whole leaf kratom

Marketed as a 'plant-based productivity booster,' when Feel Free tonic hit the wellness market in 2020, it was billed as a safe alternative to alcohol, caffeine and pharmaceuticals

Board certified internist and longevity medicine specialist Dr Amanda Kahn said: 'I don't think consumers are necessarily informed of the risks involved, or they don't discuss it with their healthcare provider because they don't think they need to.'

'It can turn into a massive problem,' warned Kahn.

Wisdom first purchased Feel Free tonic from a trendy health food hotspot, in Los Angeles in 2021.

She was sober curious, with just one week left in a 90-day alcohol-free stint, when she heard about the drink on one of her favorite wellness podcasts.

Wisdom, who is the founder of luxury wellness retreat company The Wise and Well Collective, was attracted to the product marketed as a 'natural alcohol alternative' and 'social lubricant.'

She said: 'At the time, I was working a full-time marketing job and I had also just started a business in the wellness space, so that piece of it was also very appealing.'

She started drinking half of the two-ounce blue bottle  which the label says is one serving  for socializing or to help her focus on her business when working at night.

Feel Free, she said, made her feel, 'happy, light, like my most confident self.'

She explained: 'It was subtle enough where I wasn't like, "Oh my god, I'm high."'

But as time went on, that euphoric feeling didn't last nearly as long. Chasing her original buzz, Wisdom downed more tonic every day in a pattern of behavior that, she claims, led to a dependence on the product.

She said: 'I started noticing - and I didn't really realize what was happening at the time - I was having these comedowns. I would just not feel great after and then I would lose all productivity.'

At the height of her addiction, Wisdom was drinking six or seven bottles a day, and sometimes as many as nine (18 times the recommended serving limit), which would cause her to vomit.

She was hemorrhaging $2,500 a month to buy Feel Free which was available everywhere from the shelves of celebrity favorite, Erewhon grocery store to health food stores, boutiques and even her local yoga studios.

'It was very much in the wellness space,' Wisdom said. 'I think that just continued to make me think it was okay. That's what helped me justify the addiction for so long.'

And yet, if she went without, she would experience symptoms she likened to withdrawal: depression, anxiety, hot and cold flashes, restless legs, insomnia and that ache in her kidneys and around her liver.

Finally, when she could take no more, Wisdom sought help  checking herself into the holistic rehabilitation center, The Sanctuary at Sedona, in Arizona.

Wracked with what she claims were withdrawal symptoms, when she could take no more, Wisdom checked herself into the holistic rehabilitation center, The Sanctuary at Sedona, in Arizona

She says she spent five weeks and an eye-watering $45,000 working with practitioners there to kick her habit once and for all.

Kahn told the Daily Mail that she has seen multiple patients with kratom addictions, including those who have never abused illicit drugs before but have, 'inadvertently become addicted' to the herbal extract.

The New York-based provider said: 'It's very troubling as a primary care physician to see that patients and the general population could get access to something that has opioid receptor binding and opioid-like effects so easily.

'It's a gateway to other, stronger opioids because you're accidentally addicted to something that you didn't know had opioid-like effects.'

In March 2023 a class action lawsuit was filed against Feel Free manufacturers Botanic Tonics LLC and Hydra623 Holdings LLC in which claimants alleged that Feel Free was falsely advertised as a safe, sober and healthy alternative to alcohol.

The parties reached an $8.75 million settlement, earlier this year with a final approval hearing scheduled for October. Neither defendant admitted wrongdoing but they agreed to add a disclosure to the drink's packaging that reads: 'This product contains leaf kratom which can become habit-forming and cause serious adverse health effects. Consider avoiding this product if you have any history of substance abuse.'

Dr Amanda Kahn a New York based internist warned that kratom was a gateway to opioids

In a statement to Daily Mail, Botanic Tonics stressed that those with addiction issues should abstain from Feel Free entirely: 'The minority of consumers who abuse Feel Free by consuming doses higher than specified on the label almost always are people with a history of prior substance abuse. We warn against use by those individuals on the label. Our product is designed to be consumed by healthy adults, not by those who suffer from substance abuse disorder.'

Additionally, Botanic Tonics said that Feel Free does not contain high potency kratom concentrates, extracts, or synthetics of any kind, which have drawn particular concern by the Federal Drug Administration.

On July 29, the FDA announced that it is moving to regulate synthetic and concentrated kratom (also known as 7-OH) products under the Controlled Substances Act.

Meanwhile tales of consumers grappling with their dependence on the whole leaf kratom tonic and seeking answers abound online, with thousands visiting the sub-Reddit 'quittingfeelfree,' where users ask for help with detoxing and share sobriety milestones.

For 30-year-old Jasmine Adeoye, finding that forum was a wake-up call and a salvation.

In 2022, Adeoye had recently quit alcohol when she discovered Feel Free and, like Wisdom, found the prospect of a natural alternative to drinking appealing.

Despite feeling sick after she first tried the tonic, she was convinced by its rave reviews to give it another shot, purchasing one of the small blue bottles from an upscale wellness store in Austin, Texas.

'That's when I experienced the euphoria,' she told the Daily Mail.

With half a bottle, she was more talkative, felt more creative and found otherwise mundane topics incredibly interesting. But what started as an apparently innocent social crutch spiraled out of control.

Looking back, account manager Adeoye said: 'There was always a little voice in the back of my head that was like, "be careful," but I told myself that it wasn't anything to worry about because it was a wellness tonic.

'Like, who gets addicted to something like that?'

By the fall of 2023, she was consuming three bottles daily. By the following January, she was drinking anywhere from nine to a dozen.

Her days, she said, consisted of multiple trips to her local gas station - first thing in the morning, then going back throughout the day every few hours for more.

'My whole life revolved around it,' Adeoye said.

By the fall of 2023, she was consuming three bottles daily. By the following January, she was drinking anywhere from nine to a dozen

Adeoye (pictured after she kicked her habit) told herself that there was nothing to worry about because Feel Free was a 'wellness' tonic

She spent an estimated $3,000 a month on Feel Free, draining her savings, maxing out her credit cards and taking out a loan just to afford it.

In total, she racked up about $15,000 in debt. Physically too, her habit took a toll as she struggled with fatigue, lethargy and hair loss.

She told anyone who noticed the change in her appearance that it was because of her high-stress job. It was only when her mother came for a surprise visit in March 2024 that Adeoye was forced to confront the truth.

That weekend, embarrassed by the volume of empty bottles in her trash and full ones in her fridge, she came clean and asked for help.

Now Adeoye has launched a petition to urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to completely ban Feel Free beverages.

As of this year, at least eight states have banned kratom and 18 others have enacted regulatory measures such as age restrictions for their purchase.

Now, it is mostly sold in convenience stores, smoke shops and gas stations, as well as in bulk online and each bottle of Feel Free bears a warning.

But those deterrents came too late for Wisdom and Adeoye.

Adeoye reflected: 'This drink had such a hold on me. It's something that, until you experience it, you don't really know what the grips of addiction can be like.'

For her part, Wisdom, now living in Chicago, cautioned: 'It happened very sneakily.

'You don't really realize what's happening until all of a sudden, you're deep in the hole.'
He was the faceless predator who hunted children on the streets of Washington D.C., snatching, raping, and strangling at least six little girls during his 17-month reign of terror.

The serial killer, who called himself the Freeway Phantom, tortured and murdered his young victims  one just ten years old  before dumping their bodies on the side of the freeway.

From April 1971 to September 1972, he terrorized the nation's capital and to this day has never been identified. His heinous crimes should place him among America's most notorious serial murderers: Son of Sam, the Zodiac killer, the Boston Strangler or now the Gilgo Beach killer.

Yet outside of D.C., very few people have even heard of the mystery murderer or his killing spree.

The reason, investigators now admit, is as disturbing as the murders themselves: the killer's victims were poor black girls from neglected neighborhoods, and didn't matter to law enforcement at the time.

'Those black girls didn't mean anything to anybody  I'm talking about on the police department,' Tommy Musgrove, who had once headed the D.C. homicide unit, told the Washington Post in 2018.

'If those girls had been white, they would have put more manpower on it, there's no doubt about that.'

Now more than half a century after the murders America chose to forget, the case has been dragged into the spotlight thanks to a podcast, Monster: Freeway Phantom, which explores the shocking failures of the investigation.

From April 1971 to September 1972, the Freeway Phantom serial killer terrorized Washington D.C., murdering six young girls between the ages of 10 and 18, in a case that has never been solved

The Phantom's killing spree began on April 25, 1971, when 13-year-old Carol Spinks walked to a 7-Eleven convenience store to buy groceries.

She never returned home and her body was found six days later on an embankment next to the I-295.

Post mortem tests showed she had been sexually assaulted before being strangled.

Just three months later, 16-year-old Darlenia Johnson vanished on her way to a summer job. Her body lay undiscovered for 11 days, just 15 feet from where Spinks was found.

Less than three weeks later the Phantom struck again in a particularly chilling case.

Ten-year-old Brenda Crockett called home to tell her family she had been abducted.

'A white man picked me up and I'm heading home in a cab,' she said, before calling again minutes later to relay the same message.

Her body was found the next day by a hitchhiker by the I-50.

The Freeway Phantom killer's spree began with the murder of 13-year-old Carol Spinks, who went missing while walking to get groceries at a 7-Eleven in Washington, D.C. on April 25, 1971

Romaine Jenkins, the first female homicide detective in the D.C. police department later reopened the Freeway Phantom cold case in the mid-1980s, a decade before her retirement

The killer targeted two more victims within October and November that year.

Nenomoshia Yates, 12, was kidnapped, raped and strangled, followed by fifth victim, 18-year-old Brenda Woodard.

The Phantom wouldn't claim his final victim, Diane Williams, a 17-year-old high school senior, until almost a year later in September 1972, when the teen's body was found strangled and dumped  again along the I-295.

Disturbingly, the six victims had several similarities.

All were petite, all but one were found barefoot, and strangely, four of them, Spinks, Johnson, Woodard and Williams, all shared the same middle name  Denise.

It was only after the first four victims were found that police realized the murders were linked and they were dealing with a serial killer. They began to call the case, 'The Little Girl Murders'.

That soon changed when victim number five, Brenda Woodard was found in November 1971.

Police discovered a handwritten note from the killer in her coat pocket challenging investigators and giving himself a new nickname.

The case became known among law enforcement as 'the little girl murders', until the November 1971 discovery of fifth victim, Brenda Woodward, who was found with a note in her pocket

The killer taunted investigators in a handwritten note signed 'Free-way Phantom'

'This is tantamount to my insensititivity (sic) to people especial women. I will admit the others when you catch me if you can!' it read, signed, 'Free-way Phantom'.

Despite leaving behind a tangible piece of evidence, he was never caught.

Whatever public attention the case had receive quickly faded.

By the early 1980s, after a decade of dead ends and no solid evidence leading to the killer, the investigation was quietly called off.

At the same time, disagreements had arisen in the office of Earl Silbert, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia on how to proceed with the case.

Though Silbert had failed in capturing the Freeway Phantom, he gained national attention for leading the prosecution of the Watergate burglars, which resulted in President Nixon's resignation.

For a time, there was one suspect, a computer technician who had served time for fatally poisoning a D.C. prostitute in 1938, but there was not enough evidence to charge him.

In 2023, retired FBI profiler Jim Clemente was brought in to investigate the long-dormant case for the eight-part podcast.

Jenkins with case files in her home in January 2018. The retired detective was committed to solving the case before her death last year at the age of 81

The freeway near the northbound lanes of I-295, where the bodies of Carol Spinks and Darlenia Johnson were discovered

Monster: Freeway Phantom is hosted and co-written by longtime public radio correspondent and investigative reporter Celeste Headlee.

Working from FBI reports and files preserved by retired D.C. police detectives who originally worked on the case Clemente has been able to piece together a new profile of the serial killer.

Clemente is convinced that the killer is black, was in his 20s or 30s, and from the D.C. neighborhoods where the victims lived.

But he is 'invisible as someone part of the neighborhood.'

He described the Phantom as what he called 'a preferential child sex offender' who saw in his victims 'vulnerability, accessibility, and desirability,' and who had a specific sexual preference for the victims he chose.

'There was a reason why he chose these particular victims  petite girls, young teen,' Clemente said. 'This guy decided I'm going to actually act on my desires.'

Clemente believes the killer chose freeways to drop off his victims' bodies because rarely does anyone walk along them, and with traffic whizzing by, it makes the sides of freeways easy to conceal bodies.

Regarding the eerie note the killer left in victim Brenda Woodard's coat pocket, Clemente believes he knew it would receive media attention, and 'he's obviously loving the moniker.'

Brenda Crockett was the youngest of the six victims at just 10 years old. She was also the only one to contact her family after being kidnapped but was found dead the following day by a hitchhiker

There was a near 12-month gap between the Phantom's penultimate and final victim, Diane Williams, a 17-year-old high school senior, whose body was found strangled and dumped  again along the I-295 in September 1972

He believes the Phantom wanted to revel in getting a nickname that 'fed his ego.'

Still, there was no evidence for Clemente to point to a specific suspect.

Romaine Jenkins, the first female homicide detective in the D.C. police department, who worked with Clemente and the podcast to develop the profile, had, on her own, reopened the Freeway Phantom cold case in the mid-1980s, a decade before her retirement.

Podcast host Headlee called Jenkins 'the core to the story' because she was 'driven by a need' to close the Freeway Phantom cases.

But Jenkins said her fellow detectives had been 'blindsided' by the serial killings.

She admitted they were 'totally, totally unprepared' to know how to investigate such a crime.

'The term serial killer was not even thought of at the time,' she said in an interview before her death last year at the age of 81.

Moreover, the nation's capital at the time of the first murder was 'in total uproar' because of anti-Vietnam War demonstrations.

'If you wanted to be a criminal,' she noted, 'this was the time to do it because all the police were pretty much tied up.'

At the start of the investigation, she revealed, 'everybody was a suspect  priests, four-star generals.

'But they were looking at the wrong suspects because females were murdered, but they had a bunch of men investigating.'

And because the victims were black, Jenkins believed the case wasn't enough of a priority to fully investigate.

Worse still, she stated, evidence had been lost or destroyed, and she thought, 'Well, that's D.C.'

With the Freeway Phantom cold case still officially open, there's a reward of up to $300,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murders.
Having been coined the best place to live in England it may come as no surprise that Withdean Woods in Brighton is home to some of the city's wealthiest residents.

But well-to-do locals claim their sweeping views of South Downs are being ruined by three rotting homes that have been abandoned by a Russian oligarch.

The million pound mansions have been sitting completely empty for nearly a decade.

Infuriated residents told the Daily Mail the negligence has transformed the once imposing homes into a derelict playground for teenage boys to host regular parties.

The properties are owned by Russian tycoon Sergey Fedotov and his glamorous Swiss wife Kira Fedotovato.

He purchased the first two for 2.8million and 1.5million in 2012 and the third for 2.5million in 2014, a year after marrying his wife.

He also spent 2million renovating the homes, including building a summer house, swimming pool and installing marble fittings.

In 2016, he was reported to have transferred two of the houses to his estranged wife to avoid public scrutiny in Russia.

The pair were later embroiled in a bitter legal battle over antiques and sculptures worth 800k.

Since then, the prime real estate has been ransacked multiple times to the dismay of the peaceful communities' neighbourhood watch.

Pictured: Russian tycoon Sergey Fedotov and his glamorous Swiss wife Kira Fedotovato

Pictured: Ms Fedotovato's mansion that is now being rented out as a bnb

Pictured: One of the most expensive homes in Brighton, just round the corner from the crumbling homes

The million pound mansions have been sitting completely empty for nearly a decade

However, three months ago a cleaner trusted by residents received a mysterious call from Ms Fedotovato asking her to watch over one of the abandoned homes.

'They have turned the house I watch into an bnb,' Rachel Bates told The Daily Mail. 'I come in here everyday to clean for guests.'

Ms Bates explained that when she was asked to start cleaning one of the homes, which had been tidied up, she was surprised.

She added: 'I've never even met the owner but we chat over Whatsapp and she pays well.'

Even though the home allegedly operates as a bnb, the metal bars that were meant to be protecting the home when it was empty were still in place.

'We've had a lot of problems because we've had school kids breaking in. They would cover the walls in graffiti and throw parties,' Ms Bates added.

Meanwhile, Jasmine Dyas, the local postwoman said that the area felt more like a ghost town than a thriving suburb.

She said: 'It's the richest place in Brighton but I don't really see the people, I deliver parcels most days and I've never seen people.

'I think it's people who have a lot of money and buy the houses for the sake of it.'

The properties were bought by Russian tycoon Sergey Fedotov. He purchased the first two for 2.8million and 1.5million in 2012 and the third for 2.5million in 2014, a year after marrying his wife

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Others explained that the eerie homes make them feel uncomfortable to walk past at night.

Following data analysis by the Daily Mail, Withdean Woods was found to be the best neighbourhood out of almost 7,000.

It scored 85.2 out of 100 when judged across eight metrics, which also include transport links, deprivation, air quality, income and easy access to green spaces.

Brighton, as a whole, fell within a desirable 'wedge' which swept through the south east, encompassing swathes of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex.

Resident Russell Church was unsurprised. He said: 'It's very quiet with great views.

'There's no crime, I don't take any notice of what's going on elsewhere.

'I'm a Brighton boy and this has always been the place they call it Hollywood hills of Brighton.'
Dog the Bounty Hunter is preparing to go to war for his son Garry Chapman  blasting city officials who fired the young cop over a tragic Alabama police chase that left a teenager dead.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Garry's lawyer Scott Morro revealed the reality TV star is furious at how his son has been treated by Priceville officials, and is expected to make his feelings clear at an October 13 hearing before the city council.

'I don't anticipate him speaking other than jumping up and calling them a bunch of a** wipes,' Morro said.

'Because they're damaging his son.'

The 24-year-old officer  who appeared as a child on his father's hit show Dog the Bounty Hunter  was fired last month following a September 6 pursuit of suspected drugged driver Archie Hale.

The chase ended when Hale allegedly plowed into a minivan in Hartselle, Alabama, killing 17-year-old Tristan Hollis.

Mayor Sam Heflin and Police Chief Jerry Holmes ruled Chapman had violated pursuit policy and terminated him, despite Chapman's insistence he followed both department training and US Supreme Court precedent.

Morro says the decision is about politics, not policing.

Dog the Bounty Hunter star Duane Chapman's, 72, police officer son, Garry Chapman, 24, was fired over his involvement in a fatal crash that left a teen dead; Chapman pictured with his father at his Police Graduation in Alabama

Chapman, seen here in his police uniform, will fight to be reinstated at an October 13 meeting of the city council

'Because of media attention and politics, they've abandoned Garry and are trying to make him a scapegoat,' the lawyer said.

Morro insisted Chapman is not hiding behind his famous father's celebrity.

'He's trained by his father. His father's excellent at what he does, but Garry wants to stand alone,' said Morro.

'He's his own man. And he's gonna be an excellent police officer slash attorney someday. This is just a bump in the road.'

Lawyer Scott Morro says Chapman is a 'scapegoat'

Chapman, the son of Duane and his late wife Beth, had been working drug interdiction patrols in north Alabama.

On September 6, officers tried to pull over Hale on suspicion of DUI.

Hale allegedly fled at high speed, leading officers through Priceville and onto Main Street in Hartselle before running a red light and slamming into a minivan carrying four teens.

Hollis died later from his injuries. Hale was badly injured and now reportedly faces charges of murder, DUI, reckless endangerment and multiple drug offenses.

Morro says dashcam footage proves Chapman acted responsibly throughout the chase.

'It shows the initial traffic stop, the suspect fleeing, other vehicles moving out of the way, and Garry keeping his distance with lights and sirens on,' Morro said.

'He did everything he was supposed to do, and probably saved lives  because the guy would have been driving recklessly anyway.'

Priceville's policy states officers must end a pursuit if they believe the risks outweigh the benefits. Morro says that decision lies with the pursuing officer.

Chapman was sacked over his involvement in a chase on September 6 that left six people hospitalized and resulted in the death of 17-year-old Tristan Hollis; Chapman pictured on September 7

Hollis, who died in the accident, pictured in a post shared by his grandmother, Beth Campbell Vinson

The crash site pictured in news footage

'The key word is "believes,"' he said. 'Garry believed the greater risk was letting him go.'

Morro says if the city council does not reinstate Chapman, he will take the fight to county court  and may make the dashcam video public to clear his client's name.

The lawyer said the tragedy was caused by the suspect, not the officers trying to stop him.

'Any police officer is devastated when something like that happens, including Garry, but he shouldn't be blamed. It's the criminal that is to blame,' Morro said.

Mayor Heflin said he could not comment on Chapman or other staffing matters in Priceville, a city of some 4,000 people.

The city and its police enforce the law 'proactively and fairly' and 'consistent with applicable law and the Department's Policies and Procedures', he added.

Duane 'Dog' Chapman, 72, is the larger-than-life bounty hunter who shot to fame in the 2000s with his hit reality series, tracking down fugitives from Hawaii to Colorado with his late wife Beth and their sprawling brood of 13 children.

Known for his mullet, wraparound shades and no-nonsense style, Dog became a household name.

Garry grew up in front of the cameras, appearing on the show as a teenager before pursuing a career in law enforcement in Alabama. Beth died of throat cancer in 2019.

Chapman was recently featured on the Priceville Police Department's social media in April

He shares Garry with his late fifth wife Beth Smith, who died from stage II throat cancer. The two also welcomed daughter Bonnie Joanne; Duane and Beth pictured 2005

Hollis' grandmother Beth Campbell Vinson last month shared a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook, posting a photo of the 17-year-old.

'It's so hard to believe! My sweet 17-year-old grandson Tristan Hollis is in Jesus' arms.' she posted.

'He passed away from injuries he sustained in a horrible auto accident last night in Hartselle. Please, please pray for my daughter Rachel, our family and the Hollis family.'

Morro says the city is trying to avoid liability, but at the cost of destroying a young officer's career.

'Policing critical incidents is not a pretty thing. It's dangerous, and officers put their lives on the line every day. They shouldn't be made scapegoats because a criminal causes a tragic accident.'
Joe Biden is facing a struggle to raise money for his presidential library and may end up with one a fraction of the size of some former presidents.

It comes as potential donors remain 'furious' about his decision to attempt to run for a second term in his 80s, which ultimately ended in Kamala Harris being defeated by Donald Trump.

Democratic insiders said the respect many donors had for his decades of service had been 'squandered' and they would not be helping.

Money that could have gone to Biden's project will go to boosting Democratic candidates in the 2026 midterm elections instead.

'The level of dismay amongst many of us Democrats is still very strong, and I don't see abating anytime soon,' an official who worked with Biden in the White House told the Daily Mail.

'He was selfish, he decided that the presidency was intoxicating, a comfortable spot for him, and he didn't surround himself with advisers who were willing to speak truth to power.

'They did the country a disservice, but ultimately, the buck stops with him, and he bears the responsibility for what was a very reckless decision.'

The Presidential Library system started in 1939 when President Franklin D Roosevelt gave his records to the government and donors raised money for a library.

Former President Joe Biden (right) on the beach in Delaware, the state where he plans to build his presidential library

Republicans, and some Democrats, have joked the former president will have to put his library in a Bookmobile (pictured)

Since then, all presidents have done similar, with the most expensive being Barack Obama's massive project in Chicago - which has a fundraising goal of $1.6 billion.

It has been hit by cost overruns and controversy, and is expected to open next year.

Last month, Biden, 82, announced his library will be built in Delaware - the state in which he grew up, and which he represented for 36 years in the Senate. But the exact location has not been announced.

The goal is to build an 'immersive' museum which will showcase his efforts to respond to the pandemic, his infrastructure policies, and his work in international relations.

Board members for the project include former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House adviser Steve Ricchetti.

Biden had previously suggested the library could be built at the University of Pennsylvania, in the state where he was born.

'University of Pennsylvania, which has the Biden School of Foreign Policy, wants me to do it up there,' he claimed in January.

But the university said there had been 'no conversations about hosting the library.'

Pictured: Former President Barack Obama's library, which had a fundraising goal of $1.6 billion, in Chicago

Biden's presidential library will be much smaller than Barack Obama's

Reports emanating from the Biden camp have suggested the goal is to raise several hundred million dollars, but there is skepticism about whether that will be possible.

Donor John Morgan, a high-profile Florida lawyer who previously gave $1 million to Biden's campaign, said jokingly to NBC: 'I dont believe a library will ever be built unless its a bookmobile from the old days. It is my opinion no significant building will be built.'

Meanwhile, Republicans have started mocking Biden over the plan.

Sean Spicer, Trump's former press secretary, said: 'I actually feel bad, and I'm being serious, he's going to get like a food truck for a presidential library if he's not careful.'

Some Democrats feel Biden should have done more while in office to raise money for his library.

For comparison, Obama selected his site before leaving office, and Bush Sr announced more than a year before his term was up that his library would be at Texas A&M University.

One former Democrat official said: 'I think there's a sense he's not as relevant to the debates that we're having right now.

'I do not expect that donors or organizations are going to seek him out in large numbers.'

Pictured: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California

President Trump (pictured) has big plans for his presidential library

President Trump has already raised more than his predecessor for his library, with over three years of his term left.

Money left over from the $239 million raised for his inauguration, and a $15 million settlement from ABC News in a defamation case, will go toward Trump's eventual library.

There are fears among some of Biden's potential donors - individuals and companies - that they could be targeted by President Trump on social media if they give money to the project.

But Democratic fundraiser Rufus Gifford, who is on the board, expressed confidence that money would come in.

Gifford said: 'Theres certainly folks who may have been not thinking about those kinds of issues who are starting to think about them.

'That being said, were not going to create a budget, were not going to set a goal for ourselves that we dont believe we can hit.'

Critics say Biden waited too long to start raising money for his library

Biden announced a fundraising effort eight months after leaving the White House

It comes as the costs for presidential libraries have soared exponentially, even before Obama's behemoth.

In 1997, the George HW Bush library cost $43 million. Bill Clintons was $165 million, and George W Bushs $500 million.

Biden's is expected to buck the trend by costing much less than its predecessor.

It is expected to be 'somewhere in the middle' between Bush Sr's and Obama's, according to Gifford.

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer welcomed Biden's decision to base his library in the state.

Meyer said: 'To Delaware, he will always be our favorite. The new presidential library here in Delaware will give future generations the chance to see his story of resilience, family and never forgetting your roots.'

This week, Florida officials set aside nearly three acres of prime downtown Miami real estate as a potential site for Trump's library.

Trump has already indicated that a $400 million Air Force One replacement from the Qatar government will be donated to his future presidential library. Similarly, a former presidential plane already sits in Ronald Reagan's California library.

Michael Boulos, husband of Tiffany Trump, is part of the foundation for President Trump's library. He is seen here escorting the Princess of Wales at the state banquet in the UK in September

Pictured: An aerial view of a parking lot that was voted by Florida officials to be donated as the potential site for President Donald Trump's future presidential library

Pictured: Protesters hold signs as they demonstrate against plans to build a Trump library near Miami's Freedom Tower

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet voted to hand over the plot, which may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

They said the property - currently owned by the state-run Miami Dade College - would provide a 'greater benefit to the public' and 'increase economic development activities' if it were to become the library.

The property is flanked by glitzy condos in an iconic stretch of palm tree-lined Biscayne Boulevard. It overlooks the waterfront park and sits across the street from the Miami Heat's home court.

Miami Dade College has used it as an employee parking lot.

The foundation overseeing Trump's library is led by three trustees including his son Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trumps husband Michael Boulos.

Eric said: 'Consistent with our family's DNA, this will be one of the most beautiful buildings ever built, an icon on the Miami skyline.

'It will be the greatest Presidential Library ever built, honoring the greatest President.'
Just 64 people live in the smallest county in the US, but over 100 people can vote in its elections.

Loving County, Texas, has been dogged by political drama and allegations of voting irregularities for generations.

Later this year, an election will be repeated. The results were originally supposed to come out in 2022.

Steve Simonsen, the county attorney, told the Daily Mail: 'Is it somewhat disruptive? Certainly, but that's the deal.

'It's not the first time that it's happened in this county like that. It won't be the last.'

Loving County, where literally every vote counts, is loaded with oil money.

The tiny Texan community stretches 680 square miles, just south of the New Mexico border. It is almost completely isolated.

Simonsen said: 'The nearest movie theater is 110 miles, the nearest grocery store is 25 miles. If you really want to go to a big grocery store, it's another hundred miles.

Loving County Judge Skeet Lee Jones poses in front of the Loving County Court House in Mentone, Texas

A flare burns excess natural gas in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas in this 2019 file photo

Loving County is sparsely populated but it has one of the highest per-capita incomes thanks to its booming oil industry

Steve Simonsen, the county attorney, spoke to the Daily Mail about what life is like in Loving County

'There's a reason why there's so few people in this county. It's pretty desolate.'

However, Loving County's budget for next year will be around $60million - a stark contrast to its approximate $2million in 2008.

Everyone wants a bite, but the only way to have one is by holding office.

Simonsen said: 'Oil has come back since they came up with fracking. How long that lasts, who knows?'

The lights in nighttime Loving County can parallel those of Austin or Dallas, but it's not because of skyscrapers or bustling city streets.

It is due to the abundance of oil activity in the area, which can even feel dangerous.

Travel blogger Jeff Vaughan, who has visited Loving County, told the Daily Mail: 'We were in an SUV and it was even harrowing during the day. Fast moving, big oil field trucks. Big equipment.'

He described the experience as 'a whole bunch of rigs that are way bigger than you' driving on 'terrible' roads.

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas in this 2019 file photo

Loving County is the least populated county in the US. The sparse landscape is seen above

Loving County's population was last estimated at 64, according to the 2020 US Census. Most of its county positions pay $126,000 per year.

County judge Skeet Lee Jones determined that salary raise when the oil started flowing in, but that decision now stands as 'the biggest mistake I ever made', he told Rolling Stone.

Jones's family runs most of Loving County, where residency has almost perennially been a salient issue.

After all, there are more voters in the county than there are residents.

This murkiness is due to Texas election laws, which state that a person's residence is 'one's home and fixed place of habitation to which one intends to return after any temporary absence'.

Voters cannot vote in two separate counties; however, they can choose to vote in the county they intend to return to - even if the later date is totally unspecified.

This gray area allows people to hold and wield power in Loving County, but it also culminated in the arrest of three local officials.

In 2022, then-Justice of the Peace Amber King had Matthew Jones, Ysidro Renteria and William L. Jones Carr arrested for contempt of court after allegedly lying about their places of residency.

Loving County's only town is Mentone. Mentone's biggest attraction is the town's small courthouse in the town, which was built in 1935

Sam's eatery, which is open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 7pm, specializes in a variety of Louisiana-inspired dishes

They had all been summoned for jury duty, upon which King had reportedly read aloud that the requirements included being a resident of Loving County.

Jones was Skeet's son, while Carr was his nephew. The county judge had also been arrested days earlier on charges related to livestock theft.

King allegedly held grudges against the Jones family - and Renteria, a county commissioner, was an ally.

He lived in an address where eleven 11 were registered to vote, but then-county sheriff Chris Busse told NBC News in 2022 there had 'never, ever, ever been any of the Renterias - not even Ysidro - occupying it'.

Jones, Renteria and Carr later sued King and Busse, but they were shielded by judicial immunity.

In his majority opinion, the judge Don Willett described the stakes on the line in Loving County: 'Sitting atop some of the nation's richest oil and gas reserves, this patch of West Texas - where pump jacks outnumber people - has long been home to bitter feuds among powerful families vying for political control over a massive tax base swollen by sky-high land values.'

That same year, three races in Loving County were closely contested.

Susan Hays, an Austin attorney, was asked to investigate the election for Justice of the Peace, County District Clerk and County Commissioner in Precinct 2.

Skeet Lee Jones, the Loving County Judge, checks one of his petroleum pump-jacks for maintenance in Mentone, Texas, in this April 2007 file photo

Loving County's only town is Mentone that was established in 1931

There are many abandoned buildings in Mentone, such as this old gas station

She claimed that votes had been moved into Loving County.

'People who don't live there vote there,' Hays told NewsWest 9. 'When we were serving these disputed voters with their subpoenas to come to trial, we had to serve them in places as far away as Amarillo, Lubbock and Fort Worth because that's where they really live.'

She explained the supposed strategy: 'Someone's worried about the reelection, so they call up their relatives and ask them to register in Loving County and vote there even though they know full well the relative lives in Lubbock or Montgomery or some other place far away.'

Looking towards 2026, a new arrival to Loving County is looking to reap the benefits of what Hays described.

Dr. Malcolm Tanner, who describes himself as an 'entrepreneur, philanthropist, educator and federal politician,' posted a video of himself in Loving County across his social media accounts.

He said: 'If you want to get home and stop paying rent, your mortgage or even them taxes on it, we're going to build you a home right here, for free.

'We're looking to have 100 homes out here with the intentions of putting [down] 2,000. If you're ready, say yes in the chat.'

On September 16, Tanner posted a video on TikTok saying he would 'bring 10,000 people here' and 'win every election.'

Loving County has a population of just 64 residents according to 2020 U.S. Census data

The county has been marked by political drama and allegations of voting irregularities for decades

Tanner, who has more than 300,000 followers online, recently purchased two parcels in the remote county, according to public records.

Locals also reported 'unfamiliar faces around the Loving County courthouse,' according to The Houston Chronicle.

Simonsen, the county attorney, acknowledged Tanner's plan had caught his eye: 'Their eventual aim is to, as he has said many times, take over Loving County.'

To succeed, Tanner might only need about 75 votes, Simonsen said.
An infuriating optical illusion has once again left social media users furious.

Reddit user NateDoggFDFL posted a photo to the site's Find the Sniper page, a thread dedicated to finding things hidden in plain site.

The post asked viewers to: 'Find the black foam earpod cover.'

The search was labeled 'difficult' and chaos quickly ensued in the comment section.

It seems that the patterned rug was the perfect hiding spot for the rogue headphone.

Even the poster had trouble looking for their lost head phone in real time.

They said: 'You should have seen me and my mom trying to find it irl!'

Can you beat the odds and find the black foam headphone cover camouflaged in a black rug?

The optical illusion was rated 'difficult' and stumped most Reddit viewers

Many people gave in before the hunt even started.

One user wrote: 'No I dont think I will.'

Another said: 'I tried to find it, but I died and went to hell after a couple of minutes. No really, I'm burning in HELL--

'I guess I'm never gonna find it, bruh.'

A third commented: 'Is it sad that I looked at this and my kneejerk reaction was justNO.'

People use the embellishments on the rug as a grid, saying the headphone was located seven flowers down and four flowers over

Even those that did find it said it was difficult.

One person commented: 'It low key pops right out at you.'

Another wrote: 'That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I think I got it.'

A third added: 'I only found it because it's slightly darker than the rest of the carpet.'

If you weren't able to find it, you're in the majority.

The earbud is located just write of center. Several users counted the white embellishments on the rug to describe its location.

Counting seven flowers down and four flowers over, you should be able to see the missing earpod.
Separate mass shootings that happened within 12 hours of each other were perpetrated by US military veterans last weekend.

Only about seven percent of Americans are veterans, per the US Census Bureau - but 26 percent of mass shooters over the last six decades had military experience, according to data from The Violence Project.

Carl Castro, who is a professor at the University of Southern California's Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, told the Daily Mail that the reason for that could be the emotional, cognitive and financial challenges that veterans face after 'moving back into the civilian world'.

Castro, who served in the US Army for over 30 years, said: 'They think that transition is going to be a piece of cake.

'But there's a significant number who struggle in that transition because they didn't anticipate a lot of the challenges they're going to have.'

He said that many veterans are looking for compatible lifestyles after becoming civilians, only to find that impossible.

Castro said: 'They don't understand that if they want the same lifestyle as a civilian that they got in the military, they need to have a job that's going to pay them $90,000-$100,000 a year. They're not going to get that coming out of the military.'

Iraq war veteran Thomas Sanford, 40, was identified as the Michigan church shooter. He is seen here in military uniform. He allegedly killed four

Nigel Edge, 40, allegedly killed three people and injured five in Southport, North Carolina

That system shock can often be accompanied by difficulties in friendships or relationships, Castro added.

'They're not ready for the emotions that they have when they look around and all of their high school peers are much further along in their careers than they are,' he said. 'They are starting over again.'

For some veterans, that restart can often feel meaningless.

Castro explained: 'This feeling of 'what I did in the military was important,' and now what I'm doing is like, 'Who cares even if I did this job that I'm doing?'

That contrast can become even starker when veterans compare their current lives to their time serving.

For some, Castro said, the experience of being deployed and in combat can never be topped - but it goes away after leaving the military.

He said: 'They may not be there right away, but in about two-to-three years, they start looking fondly back upon their time in the military.

In many cases, it's one of the best times of their life.'

Sanford allegedly rammed his car into a Mormon church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, before setting it ablaze and shooting at congregants

The car Sanford allegedly drove into the church is seen above. Pictured: Firefighters work to contain the blaze on Sunday

Edge allegedly used an assault rifle to shoot at a waterfront bar from a boat on Saturday night. A scene photo is seen above

But then, veterans return to real life and face various forms of 'rejection', Castro said.

That can result in 'lone wolf' shooters, which is what happened last weekend as the figure of mass shooters with prior military experience grew to include Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, and Nigel Edge, 40.

Both had been deployed to Iraq.

Edge allegedly killed three people and injured five in Southport, North Carolina, on September 27 around 9.30pm after using an assault rifle to shoot at a waterfront bar from a boat.

He is a combat veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, Southport police chief Todd Coring said at a news conference.

The 40-year-old - whose birth name was Sean William Debevoise - was a Purple Heart recipient. Edge's last assignment was with a Wounded Warrior battalion.

In addition, he was awarded the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, two Iraq Campaign Medals, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

Edge was deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 and 2006, and served about six years in the Marines from 2003 to 2009, according to ABC News.

According to Facebook, Sanford has a wife and child and he served in Iraq

About 12 hours later, Sanford rammed his car into a Mormon church in Grand Blanc, Michigan, before setting it ablaze and shooting at congregants, killing at least four and injuring eight.

He was shot dead by police in the church's parking lot.

The former Marine served from 2004 to 2008, working as an automotive mechanic and vehicle recovery operator.

Sanford was also deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from August 2007 to March 2008.

He left the Marines ranked as sergeant.

One family friend told journalist Ty Steele that Sanford had been battling post-traumatic stress disorder.

She said: 'It's hard to feel sad for someone who did something so terrible, and I still feel sad. I had heard through family events that he had had PTSD.

'He would make comments occasionally and it was something that was kind of talked about. It wasn't talked about in depth... so I don't know the depth of his issues.'

Sanford was a father-of-one.

Gene Petrino, a retired SWAT Commander, said that Sanford and Edge's stories were part of the wider trend regarding the abandonment of veterans.

Grand Blanc is a suburb of Flint, located around 60 miles northwest of central Detroit

Petrino told the Daily Mail: 'What ends up happening is you're just like, cut off. You are released from the military and you're expected just to survive on your own.

'There's really not a lot in place to help the soldiers transition to civilian life - especially those that are really struggling.'

He added: If you think about it, you're with a group of people that you're with 24/7 and then all of a sudden, you're not.

'You're abandoned by your brothers, essentially, and so you have that loneliness.'

Both shootings in Michigan and North Carolina, Petrino said, were preventable.

Going forward, he wants to see more done to safeguard veterans after they leave the military.

Petrino said: 'My opinion is that it's really a failure that we are not doing more when they're exiting the service. It needs to not just be once just a one time thing. There needs to be continuing follow-up with them as well.

When it comes to the military, I think that we really are failing the veterans.'

Nidal Malik Hasan shot and killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas on November 5, 2009

Military jury sentenced Hasan to death for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood

Military service is not a predictor of mass shooters, as only a minuscule portion of veterans carry out these heinous acts. Time in the military also does not mean combat experience.

However, veterans show up much more frequently among shooters than in the general US population.

Veterans carried out four of the 15 deadliest mass shootings in modern American history: the 1966 UT-Austin Tower shooting that killed 15, the 1991 Luby's Cafeteria shooting that killed 23, the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shooting that killed 26 and the 2023 Lewiston shootings that killed 18.

The full list is extensive.

In 2002, the deadliest mass shooting in Massachusetts history was executed by Michael McDermott. The US Navy veteran gunned down seven of his coworkers using an AK-47 variant rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .32 caliber pistol.

Seven years later, then-major Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 at Fort Hood, Texas. It was the worst mass murder at a military base in US history.

Earlier this summer, Army Sergeant Quornelius Radford shot and injured five soldiers at the Fort Stewart base in southeast Georgia.

Radford, who was a supply sergeant, enlisted in January 2018. He had not been deployed.

Following the Grand Blanc, Michigan, shooting, Donald Trump posted that Sanford, the suspect, was dead and 'there is still a lot to learn.'

The US president added on Truth Social: 'In the meantime, PRAY for the victims, and their families.

'THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!'
Scotland has long regarded itself as a sanctuary for refugees in Britain.

Left-leaning Scots will boast that they did not vote for Brexit and are keen to distance themselves politically from their southern neighbours across the border.

Glasgow is arguably the most liberal of the Scottish cities, known for being a 'melting pot' where those of all backgrounds have thrived.

It was recently branded the 'asylum capital' of the UK after figures showed it housed the highest proportion of asylum seekers of any local authority - 65 per 10,000 residents, totalling 4,023.

But as the city comes under increasing pressures over housing shortages and strains on homelessness services, attitudes seem to be shifting.

Glasgow City Council proudly signed itself up for the Home Office's asylum seeker dispersal scheme in 1999 and was the first of any Scottish city to do so.

But now council chiefs have called for asylum seekers to be housed in other cities, with council leaders calling for Glasgow's role as a dispersal city to be 'paused'.

Politicians say the batch processing of asylum seekers by the Home Office, paired with more 'generous' Scottish laws regarding homelessness, means they are being overwhelmed with arrivals, without sufficient funding from Westminster.

To find out how moods are changing on the ground, the Daily Mail visited parts of Glasgow that have been adorned with saltires, in what is thought to be the Scottish extension of the Raise The Colours campaign in England.

Saltires and Union Jacks were seen hung from flats and attached to lamp posts in Bridgeton, Glasgow

Saltires have been put up on long stretches of road across parts of Glasgow including Maryhill, Possilpark, Bridgeton and Tollcross

For miles leading up to the high street in Possilpark, which sits in the north of the city, every street is flooded with the St Andrew's Cross.

Traditionally used as a symbol for Scottish independence, hundreds of flags have been attached to every lamppost coming up to the main road, though hanging rather limp in the rain.

Referred to in short as Possil, it is one of the most deprived areas in the city.

It is overrun with drugs and crime, and suffers some of the worst rates of poverty.

In 2018, it was ranked the most deprived community in the whole of the UK.

Here, two locals, Helen Penmen, 66, Jacqueline Houston, 60, told the Daily Mail: 'Where do we start?'

Ms Houston said: 'I think it is ridiculous because were losing out on a lot.

'My son and my daughter-in-law both work full-time and cant get a place to live. They can't get a house so they are sofa surfing.

'But all around where I am are asylum seekers. There's two houses with 40 of them in each house. It's ridiculous.

'And I'm not a racist, Ive got black family, I'm no racist at all.

'But they making me racist, I'm getting annoyed.'

Ms Penman chimed in: 'I've got one (a migrant) up my close, a man, and he's been at my door at quarter to 1 in the morning.

'On one day he came to the door again, I was watching coronation street, no top on, no shoes on, just boxers. Asked for a lighter.

'I'm terrified. I'm a pensioner. I dont know his history.

'Theres a lot of things happening here because of asylum seekers.'

She added: 'Not every asylum seeker is the same.

'You get some good ones and some not so.

'You see them ones that are coming on boats without their wives, why are they coming without their family? What are they coming here to do?'

The council has forecasted the costs of housing homeless refugees could soar to 66million next year.

The issue is exacerbated by more 'generous' homelessness laws in Scotland which mean that the council is legally obliged to house every homeless person.

Saracen Street, in Possilpark, one of the most deprived areas in Glasgow. The street is filled with multicultural grocery stores, Turkish barbers, nail shops and betting stores

Geraldine Gallagher told the Daily Mail she did not feel that immigration was causing an issue and said what is missing is 'a sense of community', which was gone 'long before refugees moved here'

This differs to England where they are housed by 'priority' needs.

It is understood this 'loophole' has seen refugees - who have been granted leave to remain by the Home Office - migrate from other parts of the UK such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, to Glasgow for guaranteed accommodation.

Once asylum seekers are granted leave to remain and become 'refugees' they are no longer accommodated in Home Office-funded housing. The move-on period, to leave Home Office accommodation was temporarily extended from 28 to 56 days in December last year.

Scotland's homelessness laws, paired with the Home Office's batch processing of asylum seekers, means both are arriving in Scotland's biggest city in large numbers.

As of August, 44 per cent of all people presenting as homeless in Glasgow came from refugee households, with refugees also accounting for more than half of all temporary accommodation placements, according to the Herald.

While in 2023-24, the council received 694 homeless applications from those who were granted leave to remain in other cities, this soared by 51 per cent to 1050 applications in 2024-25.

However, while the council urge the Home Office for more funding, they want to make clear the problem is not caused by asylum seekers.

Council leader Susan Aitken said of the housing crisis: 'I understand that a lot of people are having a really hard time of it. The UK came out of Covid and straight into a cost of living crisis; growth has collapsed and the UK economy is not delivering for too many people.

'However, we need to be really clear that absolutely none of that has been caused by asylum seekers or refugees. Im afraid anyone telling you otherwise is not only lying to you  but they are taking advantage of your misfortune to push their own bigoted agenda.'

Asked about Glasgow's more lenient policies which bring in more asylum seekers, Ms Penman said: 'They shouldnt be more lenient. This is our country. Do you know what I mean?

'It's putting a strain on housing, benefits, healthcare, it's all been cut, everything. Big time.

'It shouldnt be the case up here either with homelessness.

'Its stressing a lot of people out because of it. People are committing suicides over this, benefits being cut, people are getting lot less people to live on.

'And it's not just housing, theyre taking over all the shops. Theyre coming with nothing, theyre getting free furniture, free food, everything.

'I say bring your kids in, send the adults back.'

While one local told me 'these flags don't represent me', and another shouted 'I didn't put these things up, they have nothing to do with me', it cannot be ignored that public opinion is changing.

Reform councillor Thomas Kerr said the council, and Scottish government, needed to urgently address the 'loopholes' in homelessness housing that were allowing refugees to relocate from other cities

In 2023-24, the council received 694 homeless applications from those who were granted leave to remain in other cities, this soared by 51 per cent to 1050 applications in 2024-25

The city was recently branded the 'asylum capital' of the UK after figures showed it housed the highest proportion of asylum seekers of any local authority - 65 per 10,000 residents, totalling 4,023

Reform has worked its way up as the third largest party in Scotland, after the SNP and Labour, as polls show immigration has become a top priority for one in five voters.

Reform councillor Thomas Kerr spoke of the growing issue: Its not that people arent welcoming, its not that were a city that want to turn our back on people now, its just that the city is at breaking point and we cant continue the way its going.

When you dont have the infrastructure and you dont have the funding coming from the Home Office or the UK government, it does come to the point of what else can Glasgow try and do to tackle the issues.

We declared a housing emergency two and a half years ago, and nothing has really been done to solve that. So were still bringing loads of people here but were not fixing the infrastructure issues that are here.

I think communities in Glasgow are just at a sense of we want to bring people here we want to be as diverse as possible as a city, we love that, but its just too much."

In Scotland in particular the legislation is much weaker. So then we have an issue where most people coming to the city are either asylum seekers because were a dispersal city or theyre granted leave to remain so theyre coming straight to Glasgow, saying that theyre homeless and theyre automatically housed.

And council officers have said on committees that I sat on privately that there are bus loads, I remember that was the phrase that was used, that there are "bus loads" of young men coming from the north of England and from Belfast across to Glasgow.

Glasgow has to stop being a dispersal city. It should be paused, I think we should leave entirely. And the Scottish Government needs to end that homelessness loophole and build more homes.

The concerns are clearly echoed by residents, particularly, as Cllr Kerr points out, in more deprived areas where there are higher concentrations of asylum housing.

'The problem is you don't know them', John Mcauley, 56, a local in Possilpark told our reporter.

'There's far, far too many coming in. Half of my child's school is full of asylum seekers now. And I'm not racist in any way, in the past maybe five or six years it's just been an explosion of immigration.

'They let them in but they dont know if they are criminals, they dont know their backgrounds. Apparently a lot of them throw away their passports before they come here.

'Scotland has always been a tolerant, welcoming place, we've always been that way, but it's not sustainable. It's not sustainable to keep it like that now.

'A British white person or a Scottish white person, we shouldnt be the minority in our country.

'Now there's more immigrants around our neighbourhoods than our own people from growing up.

'I know plenty of Scottish friends even at my age who cant get a house and are still living with their parents. They've been trying for years but can't get anything, yet the whole community seem to be flooded with migrants.

'And I know a lot of people that have got the same sort of view.

'They're put up in the hotels and a lot of money is being put out. But homeless people are not getting housed.

Asked about the homelessness laws in Scotland, he said: 'That's probably part of the reason.

'The laws are more suitable up here for immigrants to come here.

'Theres quite a few migrants that live above my sisters' house, from India, Vietnam, Caribbean, all over, and they all lived in England for two or three years and then for this reason come to Glasgow.'

An ex-serviceman echoed his concerns, claiming that refugees were being housed while veterans were having to live on the streets.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said: 'Theyre getting housing that veterans arent getting.

'I don't mind people that are coming and working and helping, like the nurses. We need that.

'But people need to contribute.

'I'm an ex-soldier myself. And I know lots of veterans, friends, who are sleeping under Waverley station in Edinburgh or on the streets in Glasgow. They're not getting any housing.

'Of course I understand they are fleeing their countries, but some of them aren't.

'They're getting so much in benefits they're apparently travelling back to their country for holidays, the same countries they are apparently fleeing from.

'I've heard that from my friend who is a council worker.

'The are taking up everything that our own people cant get.

While some locals in the Possilpark area felt there were no issues with immigration and said people should 'stop blaming others', some were enraged that the city were taking in 'too many arrivals'

'I know guys who are sleeping on the streets.

'It's a problem across Britain. People are just fed up. Its not a problem if they are going to contribute.

'And why is it never a man, a wife and a couple of wee kids. It's always grown men, its 1830-year-olds. Why are they not staying in their countries.

'Families with kids are more than welcome is they are coming from a war-torn country.

'But I always say, this is an island, there isn't endless space, where are we going to put everybody?'

But there is without a doubt still a mix of views in the city.

Geraldine Gallagher, 60, told the Daily Mail that she doesn't 'see the problem' with taking in refugees and thinks the issue lies with a lack of integration.

She said: 'I don't mind it. I don't think the refugees are the problem.

'I think the sense of community is lost, but that was the case well before the asylum seekers started coming in. There should be more done for the community to involve people and get them together.

'The local authority needs to do more integration. That's what is missing.'

Speaking from the Scottish Trades Union Congress office in Bridgeton, deputy general secretary Dave Moxham said: Its part of a Scottish-wide, UK-wide, in our view misguided response to some very genuine problems.

We probably wouldnt disagree with many of the core motivations of the people who think this. They are concerned about jobs and services just as we are.

The problem is instead of blaming the decision makers, the people who command our economy, they are blaming very scared, very vulnerable people who are here largely because they are in desperation to seek safety in our country.

I want to say for 10 or 15 years at least Glasgow has been identified and responded very positively as a key destination for asylum seekers.

Ive been really proud about the way thats been done.

But clearly allocating asylum seekers without the sufficient support to do it at the same time that youve got a broader housing crisis which has multiple causes and its not asylum seekers, then brings us to a point of crisis, where the general problem with housing, and the smaller specific problem with dispersing, come together.'

Over in Bridgeton's high street, in Glasgow's Southside, the trio of Union Jacks, saltire, and the Royal Standard, fly in unison.

But many say they do not identify with the flags.

One local said: I grew up in Pollokfields where it is full of Indians and Pakistanis. And I think its great. Ive got nothing against it.

The money is going on fighting foreign wars. Stop the wars and stop displacing people.

The people who are here were displaced by our wars.

And then they make them (the public) go against them.

Theres less jobs, theres less social stuff happening, so people look for someone to blame, and everybody blames them.

But I grew up with them and Im not really seeing it become a problem.

And it must be hard for them to adapt here, we dont exactly speak Queens English, it must be a very, very difficult community to fit into.

When theres on finger pointing at someone else theres three fingers pointing back at you.

The Indians and Pakistanis, they put up shop work constantly to build it up. And then they buy another and they employ their people.

Most of us work until 5pm, they work all day.

Why cant we do that?

Set up shop, build it up, buy another.

But were too busy trying to get money off people and finding someone to blame.

Another Bridgeton local, who did not wish to be identified, said he sympathises with refugees but also understands why public opinion is changing.

As well as saltires, the Royal Standard, known as the Lion Rampant, have also been put up in Bridgeton

He said: 'To invite more people in is putting of a strain on services.

'Its not about racism, it's not about colour, there's just too much of a strain. There's no housing.

'I'm a concierge man so I see what's happening and I appreciate whats going on.

'Thats why all these flags are up, it's a solemn state really.

'The flags don't represent me in that sense.

'There is just no forward planning by the government. Its alright saying "were welcoming people" but wheres the housing?

'You cant turn around and say "alright buddy come here" and you dont have the facilities to accommodate them.

'And they've known it for a long time that it's not enough. And you can't just build it overnight.

'I understand peoples point, I wish politicians would take their finger out and look at it.

'People get the impression that immigrants are getting treated before locals, and I see where they are coming from.

'When I was a concierge at a high-rise flats, there was a certain amount of flats set back for the asylum seekers, and they would do them up. Strip back the walls, new paint, new furniture.

'I was homeless at one point in my life and what I got was a joke. A wee tabletop oven, a single bed in a flat that needed badly renovated.

He added: 'I've been brought up working with different cultures, I worked at Glasgow University for 15 years, then as a concierge, so it's easy for me to adapt, I've grown up with a mix of cultures.

'But for other people its harder for them.

'And people aren't mixing, there's no integration. Instead there are ghettoes being built.

Thats what the problem is. People need to integrate.

Im not against the refugees. I always say if I was one of these people I would do the same. If I was an immigrant facing what they are facing I would do the same.

'Half the problems are caused by the UK and America anyway.

But this council, they see stuff happen then they react instead of being proactive.

Wheres the housing? You need to build the housing.

The Union Jack is always up in Bridgeton, but the Royal Standards and Scottish flags are not usually here.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on Sunday that Russias latest overnight assault involved the launch of 50 missiles and 500 drones targeting multiple regions across the country, Azernews reports.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky listed the affected areas as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad. According to preliminary reports, the attacks resulted in five fatalities and left ten others injured.

The president emphasized that rescue operations and restoration efforts are currently underway. We urgently need enhanced protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, Zelensky urged, stressing the crucial role of the United States and Europe in applying pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the aggression.
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The number of children in England suspected of being abused because of witchcraft, sorcery and black magic beliefs has surged to its highest level on record, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Official figures show 2,180 children were identified as potential victims of abuse linked to faith or belief last year- a rise from 2,140 in 2023 and 1,960 in 2022.

The disturbing figure represents a 49 per cent increase on 2017, when 1,460 suspected victims were identified by social services.

Experts believe the true figure could be even higher due to under-reporting and a fear that officials are too afraid of intervening for fear of offending religious beliefs.

Megan Manson, of the National Secular Society, said: 'It is alarming that thousands of children in England are suffering abuse relating to religion or belief - and that these numbers are increasing.

'We know that fear of criticising religious or cultural beliefs can impede tackling these serious forms of abuse.

'Authorities must ensure that the safety and wellbeing of children are always prioritised above any reluctance to criticise religion or culture.'

Abuse cases linked to faith or belief have seen children accused of harbouring demons subjected to exorcisms and ritualistic 'cleasings' to deliver evil.

Eight-year-old Victoria (pictured) died 25 years ago after being tortured during a sadistic campaign of abuse by those closest to her

Others have been harmed because relatives believe their actions have brought bad luck - such as dialling a wrong number and supposedly allowing malevolent spirits to enter the home.

Among the most notorious cases was eight-year-old Victoria Climbie, tortured to death in 2000 by relatives who believed she was possessed.

She had been sent to England by her parents who hoped she would gain a better education than in her native Ivory Coast.

Instead she was starved, tortured, beaten with bike chains and kept prisoner in a freezing bathroom by her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao and her partner Carl Manning.

When she finally died of hypothermia and multiple organ failure in a squalid flat in Haringey, east London, she was discovered with 128 separate injuries on her body.

Kouao and Manning claimed they believed Victoria, who died weighing just 3st 10lb, was possessed by evil spirits, before being jailed for life in 2001.

In 2002, former bus driver Manning apologised to Victorias parents for his part in her 'sickening' death. He last month lost a bid to be released on parole.

A decade later, 15-year-old Kristy Bamu was beaten and drowned on Christmas Day 2010 by his sister and her boyfriend in east London after being accused of being a witch.

Over four days, Kristy was subjected to torture with knives, sticks, metal bars, a hammer and pliers.

He was forced to pray for 'deliverance' and denied food and water. His siblings were also beaten alongside him but escaped further attacks after 'confessing' to being witches.

Marie-Therese Kouao (left), Victoria's great-aunt, was complicit in her murder

15-year-old Kristy Bamu was beaten and drowned on Christmas Day 2010 by his sister and her boyfriend in east London after being accused of being a witch

Following the murder, Magalie Bamu (left) and Eric Bikubi (right) were jailed for life

Bikubi and Magalie were both sentenced to life in prison, with Judge David Paget telling them: 'The belief in witchcraft, however genuine, cannot excuse an assault to another person, let alone the killing of another human being'.

Just days before Kristys death, a mother in Hackney disembowelled her four-year-old daughter during a frenzied attempt to exorcise 'evil spirits'.

Shayma Ali strangled the child before stabbing her 40 times with a kitchen knife.

She later told police that she believed her daughter was possessed by a spirit described in the Quran.

Ali, who gouged out the eyes of her daughters dolls to prevent them 'seeing evil', was later detained indefinitely in a mental hospital.

Officials say the problem - long associated with some African and Asian diaspora communities but which is not confined to one faith, nationality or ethnic group - is widely thought to be under-reported.

Disabled children, twins and those with epilepsy, autism or even minor behavioural problems have historically been more vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft.

Nimco Ali, chief executive of the The Five Foundation, said: 'No community is immune to the sad reality of child abuse. But the rise in violence against children under the label of witchcraft is deeply disturbing.

'This is a complex issue. Many abusers also struggle with mental health, but complexity cannot be an excuse for inaction. Cultural sensitivity, as we saw in the response to female genital mutilation (FGM), has too often meant turning a blind eye.

'It has contributed not only to the lack of prosecutions but also to the absence of prevention measures.

We must do more to protect children. That begins with naming this abuse for what it is and tackling it head on.

'Safeguarding professionals must be clear eyed: this is not culture, it is abuse.

They must see not communities, but vulnerable little girls and boys who need protection.'

Perhaps the most chilling and enduring mystery remains the case of 'Adam', a young African boy whose mutilated body was pulled from the River Thames in London in 2001.

A passer-by spotted his torso floating near Tower Bridge.

His head, arms and legs had been expertly removed, in what detectives believe was a ritual 'muti' killing - a ceremony in which body parts are believed to produce potent magical remedies.

The boy, aged between four and seven and found wearing only a pair of distinctive orange shorts, had recently arrived from Nigeria.

To this day, his real name and killers have never been identified. He lies in an unmarked grave in south London.

Mardoche Yembi, 33, was aged just 12 when he was branded a witch and subjected to two months of exorcisms.

Mardoche, now 33, was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to the UK after his mother died

Mardoche's story was turned into a film, Kindoki Witch Boy, which documented how he was exorcised by a pastor in the British-Congolese community

Mardoche Yembi, 33, was aged just 12 when he was branded a witch and subjected to two months of exorcisms.

Mardoche was sent from the Democratic Republic of Congo to live with his aunt and uncle in North London when his mother died during childbirth.

But relatives accused him of bringing his family bad luck and the result of Kindoki - a term for witchcraft used in the central African country.

His traumatic experiences were turned into a firm called Kindoki Witch Boy earlier this year.

The Local Government Association described the figures of suspected faith-based abuse as 'deeply worrying' and called for council social services to be better funded.

A spokesperson said: 'These numbers are deeply worrying, and councils are determined to act on any signs of abuse.

'The reality is councils receive around 1,700 referrals to childrens social care services every day, and continue to face mounting pressures providing support to children and young people.

'It is vital childrens services are adequately funded in the Autumn Budget so that councils have the resources to invest in early help and intervention, to prevent children reaching crisis point.'

Professor Charlotte Baker, of Lancaster University, said: 'Abuse linked to faith or belief occurs across the United Kingdom, often targeting children or vulnerable individuals and may result in physical, emotional, or psychological harm.

'These abuses include spirit possession, witchcraft, ritualistic abuse, and related harmful practices, which occur in many parts of the world today.

'These types of abuse are very difficult to detect and address, and efforts have gone into improving understanding among those who may come across victims of these abuses in their work.'

Colleague Leethan Bartholemow, of the International Network Against Witchcraft Accusations and Ritual Attacks, added: 'It is much more of a problem then we recognise that it is.

'There is much more work that needs to be done.'
Perched on an unassuming hill in Dorset, hemmed in on all sides by congested main roads, rolling green fields and huge building sites - sits the small town of Poundbury.

The peculiar idyll has long been considered a vanity project of King Charles' but now it has seemingly become Labour government's blueprint for a new Britain.

This week, the under-fire party brashly announced they would create twelve entirely new towns to combat housing inequality which has seen generations of Briton's priced out of the property market.

Sir Keir Starmer suggested he would take inspiration from the Kings developments, such as Poundbury and Nansledan, a 540-acre extension to the seaside town of Newquay, which he visited with the monarch earlier this week.

The King has previously spoken of the importance of new housing developments respecting the land, and that his two developments demonstrate the kind of places he believes should be created.

Asked if he would take inspiration from the Kings communities, Sir Keir said he was really interested and his recent visit had left him struck by the quality of the buildings.

Labour's plans could deliver up to 300,000 new homes across 12 sites, three have been described as the most promising.

The bullish party claimed they were due to start work in Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank in West Yorkshire and Crews Hill in Greater London before the next general election.

Poundbury, a Dorset town long-considered King Charles' vanity project, has seemingly become Labour government's blueprint for a new Britain

Sir Keir Starmer suggested he would take inspiration from the Kings developments, such as Nansledan, a 540-acre extension to the seaside town of Newquay, which he visited with the monarch earlier this week (pictured)

Charles has previously spoken of the importance of new housing developments respecting the land like he claims Poundbury in Dorset (pictured) does

Your browser does not support iframes.

However, behind the congratulatory back slapping that defined Labour's Liverpool conference, there has been much skepticism that the often maligned Poundbury is actually a blueprint for anything.

The Dorset development is located less than a mile from Dorchester and since being built in the 1980s has not integrated as seamlessly into the existing community as expected.

The town is the King's personal vision of an utopian idyll, where private and affordable housing mix with boutique shops, places of work and services like schools and medical centres within walking distance.

The reality and reputation it has gained since the first tenants moved in, is somewhat different.

It has been described as a 'ghost town' due to the lack of foot traffic through many of the residential lanes and a 'feudal Disneyland' by detractors who have taken umbrage with the town's faux-Georgian period aesthetic.

TripAdvisor reviews from holidaymakers who took time to examine Dorset's 'Royal estate' for themselves are equally revealing.

One user writes after a visit: 'Why anyone should think that building ersatz Georgian terraces on a bleak hilltop outside Dorchester was a good idea is a mystery.

'Once in the complex, you will find yourself lost in a mishmash of architecture, roads that lead nowhere and streets empty of people.'

Another frustrated tourist agreed, saying they had been lured in by the promise of 'world-leading architecture, total sustainability, shops and cafes everywhere, and much more.

'What we got was a soulless, largely deserted, and confusing set of empty roads, empty except for the cars which were absolutely everywhere, either parked or passing through (perhaps no wonder, as the bus services were so minimal).

'The architecture was only very mildly interesting, the shops and cafes were very well-hidden and very sparse, there were no public seats, litter bins, or public loos.'

The King's designs do have some supporters though - it was even named one of the best places to live in Britain by The Sunday Times last year.

However of late, Poundbury's reputation has become somewhat mixed

Many of the retail spaces in Poundbury are not occupied as of this week

Development on the ambitious project, labelled a 'toy town' was set to end this year but will now finish in 2028

One TripAdvisor user seconded this, gushing: 'The whole place feels very surreal like a Hollywood movie set.

'The pristine architecture is just beautiful and not shrouded in graffiti like Rome or decaying in need of attention like Baths Crescent. There were no ambulance or police sirens like other cities. It was strangely peaceful and quiet.

'No loud car exhausts or thumping noise pollution and Hip Hop emanating from teens in cheap cars. Poundbury felt very safe it was like going back in time.'

But when the Daily Mail visited the Dorset site in April this year, we were similarly unimpressed by the lack of facilities, the confusing layout and sterile atmosphere of the town.

When creating the town, the then 45-year-old Prince of Wales hated much of Britain's modern architecture (an 'unmitigated disaster'; a 'monstrous carbuncle', to use some of his phrases).

So he commissioned Luxembourg architect Leon Krier to build a town of his own, using 400 acres of land and money from his charity the Duchy of Cornwall.

Everything in Poundbury had to be walkable, look classical and be to Charles's taste - but in practice, this makes for a somewhat mixed pedestrian experience, especially when the pressures of the outside world are involved.

In the past, residents have grumbled of traffic problems in the area with one of the major roads to Dorchester cutting through the town from the A35.

There are also issues with gravel in the area, due to 'Charley boy's' (as the locals call him) preference for just a single layer of tarmac on all Poundbury pavements supplemented with gravel, ostensibly so they more resemble the streets of Kensington and Chelsea.

Despite the issues though, Poundbury remains one of the most sought after locations in the UK with the average price of the identikit newbuild homes sitting at around 400,000.

And reacting to the news that the government saw their town as the blueprint for progress, Poundbury residents couldn't have been more bullish.

Local butcher Henry Maughan told the Mail the Duchy of Cornwall had cut their rent relief

New residents John Charlesworth and Stephen Wainwright moved to the town from Lincolnshire and claim that every town should be more like Poundbury.

John told the Daily Mail: 'I think this is the perfect model for Labours new towns. Theres a great variety here of affordable housing and larger properties which truly works.

'A lot of the buildings arent occupied yes - there should definitely be more shops.

'When you look at it, it's beautifully planned and theres lots of green spaces.'

The pair have just been to Waitrose, the most popular store in the town by virtue of it being broadly in the centre and also the only supermarket they have.

Commenting on the lack of retail spaces in the town, which has led to its 'ghost town' reputation, Stephen explained: 'Its the lack of footfall. In Poundbury, you dont walk past a good shop - you have to go to it, do you understand?'

Situated close to the Waitrose, which was opened a few years ago to some controversy, is the local butchers which is still going strong despite losing its rent relief from the Duchy of Cornwall.

Speaking to the Mail, butcher Henry Maughan explained that the town, whilst new, was slowly becoming part of the local fabric even though house prices remain higher than average.

He said: 'Were the only butcher around now as there isnt one in Weymouth now so we get their customers. The overheads are high here, the Duchy actually stopped our rent relief a few years back so costs have been higher.

'I used to live here but I moved out as I wanted more for my money.'

Poundbury has an elderly demographic with the vast majority of residents in the town consisting of retirees.

Despite this, it has a thriving community scene and is defended vigorously by Dorchester deputy mayor Cllr Robin Potter.

Speaking to the Mail, Mr Potter said: 'As an urban extension to Dorchester, Poundbury generally works very well as a community for its residents, while still having access to Dorchester with its greater opportunities for employment, secondary school, banks etc.

'It is important to note that Poundbury has had a coherent masterplan which was agreed between local interests, planners and developers and which has been kept to.

'The concept that residents would be able to live, work and play within walking distance of home led to planning that encourages pedestrians above car traffic, though there are many car users who access the assets of Poundbury.

'Future new towns, villages or town extensions should learn from Poundbury the importance of an agreed plan which local councils can hold developers to if things change.'

But the town's elderly residents, model town aesthetic and perceived 'elitist' attitude are often mocked by some neighbors in downhill Dorchester where property prices are almost 50,000 cheaper on average.

Shop owners Ally and Eddie Cookson told the Mail they would never consider opening up shop in the new-build estate as it lacked footfall.

Ally explained: 'Its about time Dorchester stopped building. Half of Poundbury is empty why keep building over the countryside for it.

'Its a really weird place. If they build these new towns like Poundbury - it wont be successful.'

Eddie agreed: 'Theres no footfall - it is so spaced out. Everything is a long walk - it isnt connected and the roads dont tally up well.'

Another resident, who preferred to stay anonymous was more scathing in his assessment.

He said: 'Its too expensive for local people to live there and the only shops there are unaffordable designer ones. If he wants to build them like Poundbury, it's a waste of time -hes just name checking the King.

'Poundbury is an exclusive retirement town - new houses need to be built for the people - half of Poundbury is empty.

'I am sad that all the fields where it was are gone. I prefer nature to so-called progress, places like Poundbury arent progress.'

In total, 12 sites across Britain have been earmarked for the development of new towns.

Each town will have at least 10,000 homes with at least 40 per cent affordable housing and half for social rent.

Among the dozen locations are sites in Cheshire, Manchester, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Plymouth and London.

It could collectively result in 300,000 houses being built across England.

In its manifesto, Labour pledged to begin work on 1.5 million new homes over the course of the Parliament, to expand homeownership to more Britons.

Another new development that Labour has said it has been inspired by is the Cornish settlement of Nansleaden - another King Charles project which is perhaps even stricter and odder than Poundbury.

Anybody wanting to live in the town, must first sign up to a binding 38-page 'covenant' including a staggering 85 rules to prevent any changes to the look of their property.

Attaching anything to the outside of the house from washing lines to satellite dishes, flags, drain pipes or cameras is forbidden and 'enforceable by the Duchy of Cornwall' - although doorbell cameras are permitted.

The rules have not been without pushback, as earlier this year residents staged a protest against the rules on CCTV cameras following a series of break ins.

Work began on the development - a sequel to Poundbury in Dorset set on the edge of Newquay - in 2014 and was personally overseen by Charles while he was Prince of Wales although responsibility has since passed over to Prince William.

The 38-page Design and Community Code includes rules and restrictions banning visible washing lines, satellite dishes, no ball games and even bans having noisy arguments.

The rulebook was created to 'protect the character' of Nansledan, where neo-traditional properties costing up to 500,000, and built from local slate, echo 1930s architecture.

It adds: 'The stipulations are binding for all properties, their owners and occupiers. As and when new buildings are completed, purchasers are supplied with the stipulations so that all owners and occupiers are aware of them. Breaches of the stipulations could result in enforcement action and may prejudice the sale of individual properties.'

And it warns that the stipulations are enforceable by the Duchy of Cornwall.

When the Daily Mail visited this week we found a town still very much under construction.

Little wonder as so far just 840 houses have been built out of an intended 3,700 since the project started in 2014 when Charles was Prince of Wales and owned the Duchy of Cornwall.

Bex Osman, 46, owner of vintage clothes shop Love of Lemons has been trading in Nansledan for four years.

She remembers the King visiting her shop with Starmer in February and believes that was the day he sold the PM on his vision for the town.

She said: King Charles and Keir Starmer came in together and he was showing him how the town is working.

My only criticism is its happened slowly - weve taken a long time to get to where we are and thats hard on small businesses - but now its working.

This is King Charless dream and its a beautiful thing to be a part of that

Bex says despite being a new town the architecture is so authentic-looking it has even fooled foreign tourists who have visited believing its a historic town.

She said: Weve had some Japanese tourists coming round with cameras asking about the history but we have to disappoint them and say its only a few years old.

Aaron Smith, 35, moved into Nansledan seven years ago and now runs a florist and homeware boutique.

He said: Everything has been thought about in the design, you dont have to drive away to do anything.

I think people here are more healthy as a result, the on-foot neighbourhood is a good thing but for a small business nearby parking is essential.

We have two parking spaces in a layby for about 10 businesses, its just not enough.

The fact its restricted to a certain look stops it looking old. Its a self-sustaining community with loads of green spaces, they ask us what we want here.

I dont find the guidelines difficult, the purpose is so it keeps its look without aerials and things hanging off peoples houses.

Its just starting to settle itself in now.

Rob Small, who owns The Punk Potter which sells ceramics and teaches groups to throw pots, has recently bought a house in the suburb.

He says there are some noticeable design issues.

The angled granite kerbs are stupid because they rip up tyres, he says.

There is a local tyre company that comes round and leaves me business cards because it happens so often - I send half a dozen people a week to them.

They need to change the road layout, simple things like putting dropped kerbs opposite each other.

The Duchy also seem to hate having traffic signs around which can be a pain in the arse for drivers.

Despite this he says the town is a good place to liver and has even helped to regenerate its neighbour Newquay.

He said: Most developers just build houses but they have thought about what people want.

The royal links definitely help put Nansledan on the map but it does attract a certain type of person to want to live here.

Im ambivalent to the royals so I tend to hide in the back when King Charles turns up.
A young woman accused of trying to kill her sister by setting her bed on fire while she slept made bizarre Facebook posts days before her arrest.

Addison Brown, 22, allegedly lit the blaze at their home in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 1 before fleeing and leaving her to burn.

Her older sister Breah Brown, 24, 'woke up with flames next to her' but was able to roll out of bed and put them out with a pillow and escape injury, police said.

Brown was arrested on September 12 after a months-long investigation and charged with arson, domestic violence attempted murder, and four counts of wanton endangerment.

Days before her arrest she seemed resigned to her fate and made several posts about how she was soon going to jail.

'I can't believe I'm going to prison but whatever,' she wrote.

She later commented below it: 'Your honor it actually wasn't that big of a fire. Like seriously.'

Addison Brown, 22, allegedly tried to kill her sister by setting her bed on fire while she slept

Days before her arrest she seemed resigned to her fate and made several posts about how she was soon going to jail

Breah Brown, 24, (pictured) 'woke up with flames next to her' but was able to roll out of bed and put them out with a pillow. She later defended her sister online

Brown also shared a photo of a suspect from the Louisville Mugshots Facebook page, writing, 'This is gone (sic) be me. I ain't tryna get posted no way.'

A few days later her mugshot was indeed posted on the page.

The accused sister replied to friends asking why she was going to jail, frankly explaining the charges.

'I allegedly lit my sister's bed on fire while she was sleeping... I go to jail tomorrow,' she wrote.

Breah surprisingly defended her sister in her own Facebook comment, claiming Brown was suffering a psychotic break when she lit the fire.

'She is a good person... she didn't know what she was doing or saying, she was fighting mental illness,' she wrote.

'I know who she is in her heart, she loves everyone, she is friendly, she cares deeply for people. My sister is not some cold-blooded monster.

'I love my sister, I would do anything for her... we are gonna try to fight this.'

Brown also shared a photo of a suspect from the Louisville Mugshots Facebook page, writing, 'This is gone (sic) be me. I ain't tryna get posted no way'

A few days later her mugshot (pictured) was indeed posted on the Facebook page

Louisville Police alleged in court documents that Brown sent texts to several people 'admitting to intentionally setting the fire in an attempt to kill' Breah

Breah said her sister was receiving mental help and 'wasn't in her right mind' when she set the fire, and she believed Brown was innocent due to insanity.

'She is in her right mind again, she don't remember anything. I don't blame my sister for having a mental illness,' she wrote.

Another comment insisted: 'Im not dead Im alive. No one is dead, everyone wants her out.'

Louisville Police alleged in court documents that Brown sent texts to several people 'admitting to intentionally setting the fire in an attempt to kill' Breah.

Her sister was one of the people Brown allegedly sent the messages to.

Three other people including a child were at the home when the fire started, which caused $500 worth of damage.

'The defendant manifested an extreme indifference to the value of human life,' police alleged in the arrest warrant.

Brown was booked into the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and is yet to be released on bail.
Flaunting silk pyjamas, bikini-clad women and wads of cash at his Thai 'mansion' - self-styled millionaire George White poses as the king of horse racing tips.

His social media is a never-ending reel of excess - the carefully curated image of a playboy living a life of untouchable luxury after beating the bookies.

To thousands of his paying subscribers, White is a Champagne-swigging horse racing expert who turns ordinary bets into extraordinary wins.

Videos show him rolling in cash, encouraging subscribers to 'lump on' massive stakes, while he promises that anyone can win if they pay him a monthly fee.

However, there's just one problem.

George White doesn't exist.

In reality, the man behind the Moosh empire is Jason Haddigan, 54 - a convicted fraudster, lifelong gambling addict and banned from every betting shop in England and Wales.

The Daily Mail can reveal how the man known as 'The Moosh', or 'Mooshtips', to his 161,000 Instagram followers is nothing but a trickster who once toured the country with his father scamming bookmakers.

The phenomenon is part of a new breed of tipster culture fuelled by social media, where desperate gamblers and wide-eyed novices alike are seduced by the illusion of easy wins and lavish lifestyles, handing over hundreds or even thousands of pounds each year for so-called insider tips.

Convicted fraudster Jason Haddigan, 54, flaunts his playboy lifestyle on social media under his alias 'MooshTips'

The social media star regularly posts videos from his Thai 'mansion' which he claims he earned from his betting winnings

Haddigan is regularly seen around Pattaya, singing and shouting in his 45,000 BMW convertible

Haddigan lies front and centre - using social media, digital ad vans and newspaper advertorials to lend a veneer of legitimacy.

And his outlandish blagging is not limited to just that. In an interview with The Daily Mail, he boasted that he was earning 100,000 per month from his luxurious seven-bedroom bolt hole in Pattaya, Thailand, dubbed 'Moosh Mansion' which comes with its own swimming pool.

He regularly posts videos of himself with a string of scantily clad women at his home or moving around Pattaya singing and shouting in his 45,000 BMW convertible or Honda Goldwing motorbike as he laps up the 'good life.'

He flaunts cash and boasts of sleeping with 4,000-plus women in one post, writing: 'Even the calculators give up counting my body count'.

Haddigan conceded somewhat tongue in cheek that his posts could be seen as 'vulgar' but insisted that he was not being 'flash.'

He said: 'A lot of people think I'm showing off but I'm not. All my life I've been a loser, a scammer, a drunk and a hopeless gambling addict. I've never tried to hide that because that's what I was.

'I've had a s**t life and now at last, everything is good for me because for the first time, I've found some success.'

But despite claiming to be a reformed character, in a rambling interview he continually contradicted himself, was unclear about how his business operates and even admitted that his 'success' was actually in breach of horse racing rules, further adding to his notoriety.

Haddigan says he moved to Thailand after getting 'sick of life' in the UK and after falling in love with a local woman

He regularly shares videos with bikini-clad girls and boasts of sleeping with 4,000-plus women

Haddigan shows off his millionaire lifestyle including his Honda Goldwing motorbike

He admitted: 'I'm not going to tell you how I give so many winning tips because that would be giving my secrets away. But what I can say is that I have insiders in the horse racing industry-jockeys, trainers and owners who give me very good information and I pay them for that.

'So, while I may be making a lot of money, I also have to pay out quite a bit too.'

The British Horse Racing Authority specifically states that jockeys, trainers, and owners cannot provide information for betting purposes and that it could lead to them being banned.

Haddigan offers a range of betting services priced from 7.79 a month, with a 41.99 per month deal or 360 for a suite of tips annually.

In a recent Instagram post, he claimed to have 2,100 subscribers paying an average 40 - meaning he could be earning 10.8 million each year.

His now-viral Mooshtips Dance - a celebratory move performed after every major win - has become part of betting culture, with fans mimicking it across social media platforms.

But not all those who pay for his betting tips are left in such celebratory mood. Trustpilot and X are awash with testimonies of destruction with punters claiming to have lost everything after placing bets on tips provided by him.

One review warned: 'Avoid Moosh Tips at all costs - he destroyed me. Following his so-called tips wiped me out completely. House? Gone. Bank savings? Gone. Wife's jewellery? Gone. My grandad's gold watch, my kids' bikes, even my car - all gone.'

The 'tipster' pictured in his seven-bedroom bolt house in Pattaya, Thailand, dubbed 'Moosh Mansion'

'His advice is nothing but a fast track to being broke and homeless. If you want to end up sleeping in a shop doorway, follow Moosh Tips. If you value your money, your family, and your sanity - stay far, far away.'

Another wrote: 'Gave him another try today. Told members to have 40,000 on his Super Max Lump. Thought it must be a good thing so spent my rent money on it. It finished 5th so my landlord is complaining. Two of his tips pulled up yesterday on the flat. I give up now. I don't even think he's a proper tipster as he only tips favourites.'

Other reviews lampoon the absurdity of his tips. One reads: 'Without a doubt the worst horse racing tipster since horses were invented. He would struggle to pick a winner in a two-horse race where one of them only had three legs.'

One man claimed his 97-year-old grandfather, who suffered from dementia, lost 30,000 after subscribing to MooshTips.

He told how the losses were only uncovered following the death of the former miner in February.

Speaking anonymously, for fear of reprisals, the grandson said: 'My grandad was 97 when he died. He'd worked in the mines all his life. He was working class, solid, salt of the earth.

'He loved racing. That was his passion. He'd sit there with the Sporting Life, picking out his horses, never chasing big money, just small wins here and there.

'But in the last years, he had dementia. He had an iPhone, and it was all saved log-ins. With dementia, that was a disaster. He could bet with one tap.

Haddigan often shares pictures from bars in Pattaya where he drinks champagne with bikini clad women

'He got sucked in through TikTok. Thats where he found MooshTips. Id never even heard of him until after my grandad passed away.'

'When we looked through his bank, we were stunned. Hed lost 30,000.

'And the subscription - 84 a month - kept rolling even when he was in no state to cancel. For years it drained his account.'

The family approached Haddigan for answers but claimed to have no reply.

The grandson said: 'Obviously, legally we couldn't do anything. My grandad placed the bets and with his dementia, his brain just couldnt filter out losing tips."

The grandson, who now runs a profile on X warning people to be wary of MooshTips, added: 'This guy's got no morals whatsoever. His moral compass is so warped and twisted.

'His whole business model revolves around click-baiting people into believing his life is real and he can achieve what he's got.

'But it's all a facade. Everything he's got is rented. He's living from a suitcase, going from Airbnb to Airbnb. He does things for clicks, for likes, and for new sets of eyes. He epitomises the word 'fake'. He's the biggest fake there is.

Haddigan's book How And Why I Conned The Bookies was withdrawn from sale after bookies threatened legal action

'He portrays himself to be a high-flying success but it's all staged. The guy's a narcissist. He's a delusional Walter Mitty character.'

But Haddigan appears to have little sympathy for those who have lost fortunes on his tips claiming that he is the victim of an online smear campaign designed to damage his reputation, which he admits is not 'too great' in the first place.

He said: 'I know what a lot of people say about me and to be honest, given my past, I can't blame them. I've been in and out of prison and was a scam artist, but I am not one anymore.

'I'm not forcing anyone to have a bet. I don't say every horse will win and that you will be a millionaire. You would have to be stupid to think that every horse you bet on will win.'

He revealed that his mobile number was recently posted on X by a disgruntled punter leading to him receiving 200 death threats.

Haddigan added: 'Sometimes horses pull up or don't win and everyone starts calling me a c**t. Then I give a tip the next day for another horse, it wins, and I go back to being God again.'

A social media profile monitoring Mooshtips claimed Haddigan had posted 68 horse racing tips in August, resulting in 49 losses. It said that if a punter had placed a 10,000 stake on the 31 tips described by Haddigan as 'lump-ons', they would have lost 191,760.

The X account, MooshTipsBeware, warns: 'Moosh tips is run by a degenerate gambler, a self-confessed con man and a man that manipulates results to look like a winner. 1000s of people have lost it all!'

In one post he shared an image with his feet up, enjoying a Guinness and a vape

But a defiant Haddigan, who during the interview unashamedly painted himself as a the 'punters messiah' on account of how many winning tips he provides insisted: 'I get a lot of online hate. I suppose it's just the price you pay for fame.

'But 'I have paid for people's weddings, holidays, cars and houses because of my tips. When I give a tip, I pray for that horse to win because nothing makes me happier than to see my punters win.'

Haddigan's reinvention is less a redemption story than a grotesque masquerade.

He began gambling aged nine and in his twenties toured the country with his father, Brian, conning bookmakers.

Between 2012 and 2013, they visited more than 30 betting shops from Scotland to Cornwall, using messy handwritten slips and sleight-of-hand tricks to claim winning bets after the races had finished.

He was jailed in 2014 for 14 months after being extradited from the United States and handed a five-year ban from all betting shops in England and Wales.

Judge Roger Dutton called their operation 'persistent, ingenious, and widespread'. He subsequently wrote a book entitled How And Why I Conned The Bookies - later withdrawn from sale following legal threats from bookmakers who objected to the information it contained on how Haddigan and his father carried out their scams.

By the age of 30, Haddigan had already lost over 300,000, endured four failed relationships, and seen his businesses of a sweet shop in Hampshire collapse.

A betting slip shared on X by Haddigan, who is banned from every betting shop in England and Wales

He told The Daily Mail: 'I emptied out the till and gambled all the money away. I lost everything, even my partner who I really loved.'

In 2021, after returning from an overseas trip, he was arrested at Gatwick Airport and sentenced to 21 weeks in prison for fraud. A court heard he had 23 previous convictions for 68 offences, 22 of which related to fraud.

Haddigan revealed that after getting 'sick of life' in the UK he went to Thailand a year later and after falling in love with a local woman, decided to operate Mooshitps from there.

His business history is as mired in confusion and chaos as his personal life. Moosh Racing Tips Limited, set up in April 2022, was dissolved in June 2023 without filing any accounts.

That same month he set up another company Moosh Racing Tips (Hampshire) Limited based at an accountancy firm in Hayling Island, near Portsmouth, but then closed this down voluntarily in the following December, again without publishing accounts.

In August last year, using the name George Albert White, he set up a third company Moosh Subscriptions Limited, based at an accountancy firm in Emsworth, Hampshire. This company has also yet to file any accounts and the first set of financial data is not due until May next year.

In a further twist he claimed that he legally changed his name to George White because each time he searched for his birth name on the internet all that came up were details of his shady past.

But he maintained: 'I'm not trying to hide who I am.'
It took almost three weeks of digging in a vast marshy wasteland in north Dublin to find the skeletal remains of three-year-old Daniel Aruebose  the grave where he lay was so shallow that gardai believe it was dug by hand.

The little boy with huge brown eyes disappeared in the summer of 2021, but nobody reported him missing. Indeed, it has since been revealed that many of his relatives didn't even know he existed. Now, because Daniel's remains were so decomposed, there is a very real fear that we may never know exactly how or why he died.

This week, the head of the Irish child and family agency Tusla admitted that the case was 'absolutely harrowing'. However, Kate Duggan also said that after an internal inquiry, the organisation had uncovered 'no child protection concerns'.

'He was not open to a child protection service,' she told the Government's Public Accounts Committee on Thursday. She also confirmed that the results of the internal review had been sent to the Department of Children, and that she'd 'absolutely support' them being published publicly if it didn't prejudice the ongoing Garda investigation into Daniel's death.

While there is still mystery around how he died, we do know a significant amount of detail about the years that led up to his parents, Maria Aruebose and Ciaran Dirrane, trekking 3km or so from their home in Donabate to an isolated scrub ground in the middle of the night, with Daniel's small body in a holdall bag.

It's understood that Aruebose first claimed to gardai that Daniel had been killed, but later changed her statement, saying he had 'died in his sleep', and in a panic the couple decided to bury his body.

It's likely their extraordinary decision might never have come to light, except that a couple of months ago, in the run up to the new school year, a social welfare claim was made in Daniel's name. As part of the paperwork, his mother falsely alleged he was attending a local school, but when checks were made it was discovered that Daniel had never been listed on the roll call.

The Department of Social Protection then contacted Tusla, and after making inquiries, the agency alerted the gardai on August 29 about its concerns.

It took almost three weeks of digging in a vast marshy wasteland in north Dublin to find the skeletal remains of three-year-old Daniel Aruebose (pictured at around two years old)

Ciaran Dirrane (pictured) is the father of Daniel Aruebose. He is from the west of Ireland

Over the weekend of August 30-31, officers were dispatched to technically examine an apartment at The Gallery complex in Donabate, where Daniel lived with his parents for almost two years.

It's been since reported they found nothing in the apartment to show that it was once the home of a little boy. Not a trace of Daniel remained, apart from one photograph, taken when he was about two-and-a-half. Wearing a red long-sleeved top with a picture of a bear on the front, he stares dolefully at the camera. This is the heartbreaking image  now etched in most of our minds  that was later released to the media as gardai appealed for information from the public.

It prompted Daniel's one-time foster sister to come forward with fresh photos of him, ones that showed the smiley, happy baby who her family had come to love and cherish.

For the rest of us, it came as a relief to know that 'baby Danny' had been much adored and wanted, and for the first 18 months of his life had regular contact with a foster family who held on to him for as long as they could.

Daniel was born at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin city on December 12, 2017. At the time his parents were living in shared accommodation in Portmarnock, a seaside suburb on the northside. Their then landlord has told how he picked the couple up from Heuston train station to drive them out to their new home.

Clutching just two plastic bags of personal belongings, they told the landlord they were sick of their previous home in Galway and 'decided to come up to Dublin and give it a try'.

It's now known that Ciaran Dirrane is originally from the Aran Islands, while Maria Aruebose lived in Cork up until she was 18. She was born in Nigeria but moved to Ireland with her parents in 2003, when she was five years old.

The eldest of six children, her family are described as devout Christians and despite being very bright at school, Aruebose rebelled against her parents, left home at 18 and moved to Dublin. She kept in contact with her siblings and mother sporadically by phone over the next ten years, but they had no idea of what she was doing or who she was with.

The little boy (pictured) with huge brown eyes disappeared in the summer of 2021, but nobody reported him missing

They were also clueless that she had given birth to a baby boy.

It wasn't until gardai called to the family home on August 28 that Aruebose's mother learned that she'd had a grandson. In the middle of doing housework, she answered the door and was asked if Daniel was staying there. Stunned, she told them she had never met him, and up until that moment never knew of his existence. Neither had she ever met or heard of Ciaran Dirrane.

It would seem that Aruebose and Dirrane had always been secretive.

Certainly their landlord in Portmarnock had no clue that Aruebose, who has been described as an avid online 'gamer', was expecting a child and was shocked to learn she'd gone into the Rotunda maternity hospital.

'She wasn't pregnant when I met them,' he told the Irish Independent. 'They would lie in their room watching television. I just kept to myself. I was never aware she was pregnant until this particular day I said to Ciaran, "Where is Maria?'" and he said, "Oh, she's gone to the hospital to have a baby." I said, "You must be joking!" and he said she was gone to have a child.'

It's thought they gave Daniel up to be fostered on the day he was born because they believed their shared accommodation was an unsuitable place to raise a baby.

Daniel's foster sister, who is now in her 20s, told The Journal website that he came to live at her home for the first full year of his life and that he 'became a part of the family quickly'.

'He was with us for just under a year,' she explained. 'We got him the first day he was born, and we had to give him back the day before his first birthday, when he went back to live with his biological family.

Now, because Daniel's remains were so decomposed, there is a very real fear that we may never know exactly how or why he died. Pictured: The scene in Donabate earlier this month after Irish police uncovered his skeletal remains

Ciaran shared a photograph from a plane as he left Ireland in 2023. He is now in a new relationship and living in Brazil

'Then he would come for a few days a week not long after that, he'd go back and forth, for about six months.'

It's clear Daniel was much loved during his time in foster care.

'He was the sweetest little baby ever,' the young woman said. 'We were all absolutely beside ourselves [when we got him]. He was so cute. We always joked that every child we fostered looked like part of the family, but obviously Danny didn't, and people had questions, they were just curious about him.'

She added: 'He was so clever. I obviously might be a little biased, but he already had a strong personality, he loved dancing, he loved laughing, and he loved showing off that he understood you. Like we'd go "where's the light?'" and he'd know from only a few months old, he'd point up at the light. He was just a very clever baby.'

Daniel went back to live with his biological parents full-time in the summer of 2019, which is the last time his foster sister saw him.

'I'd help my mum a lot with the kids, I am the eldest. We had other babies come to live with us after Danny, but I found it difficult to connect since having to give him back,' the foster sister said.

Shortly after news broke in early September that a three-year-old child had gone missing in Donabate, the foster family were contacted by a social worker, who confirmed to them that it was Daniel Aruebose.

'I don't live at home any more but I am very close with my mother,' said the foster sister. 'She talks to me a lot. She rang me and asked where I was, and she was sobbing. She said, '"our baby is dead'". I thought something else was going on at first and she said "no, it's Danny, our baby, Danny". Then it hit me and kind of registered. It took me a few seconds to understand what she was saying. I think we're more angry than anything. How could this happen?'

Officers were told the location where his body had been buried. But given the length of time that had lapsed and the circumstances, they were unable to pinpoint exactly where the shallow grave was. Pictured: State pathologists Dr Heidi Okkers (right) and Dr Yvonne McCartney leave the scene, where tributes were laid

She then added: 'We didn't want him to go [out of our care].'

After it was established in late August that Daniel had disappeared four years previously, both his mother and father were questioned on his whereabouts. The couple broke up around the time of his death but continued to live together for a while.

In social media posts from late 2022, Ciaran Dirrane was shown searching for his lost passport.

A few months later he shared a photograph from a plane as he left Ireland in 2023. He is now in a new relationship and living in Brazil.

He has been helping gardai with their investigation from his new home and it's been reported that both parents now claim their son died of natural but unexplained causes.

Officers were also told the location where his body had been buried. But given the length of time that had lapsed and circumstances, they were unable to pinpoint exactly where the shallow grave was. The area was sealed off and the gardai and a forensic team launched a painstaking search of the landscape.

Despite Aruebose going to the site on a few occasions to try to show officers where the grave was, it took them almost three weeks to find the remains of Daniel's body.

Around five days later it was revealed that the postmortem had failed to establish his cause of death.

It's been revealed that four years ago Aruebose advertised online (pictured) for someone to 'mind my child for a week while me and my partner are on holidays'

It's now feared that the two people of interest to the gardai might only face charges of deception, for falsely claiming children's welfare and unlawful burial of a child, if a cause of death is not determined.

'If, say, the child had been smothered, drowned in a bath etc, they will not be able to discover that from skeletal remains,' a source told the Irish Mail On Sunday. 'If there are no injuries on the skeleton, all they might get them for is unlawful burial and deception. The deception charge could result in a jail sentence.'

More pathological tests are ongoing, and it's hoped scans, including DNA and toxicology, will help determine if Daniel's death was accidental, from natural causes or deliberate.

In the meantime, it's been revealed that four years ago Aruebose advertised online for someone to 'mind my child for a week while me and my partner are on holidays'.

The ad on suresitter.com was placed in the same year that Daniel went missing and stated that applicants 'ideally must be garda vetted'. Offering a payment of 600 for the week, it also stated: 'We also have a little dog that would also need minding. Feel free to message me if interested.'

Tusla has confirmed that from 2017 it engaged with Daniel at the request of his biological family and organised for him to be fostered. However, their dealings with him ceased in 2020 after his parents decided they would take care of him full-time.

Questions have been raised by fostering advocates about how 'child-centred' the current system is and whether the decision to return him to his birth parents was about their rights or Daniel's best interests.

Tusla is now carrying out 'well-being' checks on around 42,000 children whose cases were closed during the Covid pandemic, a move that is expected to cost between 2.5 and 3million. It's a small price to pay for the safety of possible 'at risk' children.

While it's too late for Danny Aruebose, his tragic death must serve as a sharp lesson for those who hold the lives of our most vulnerable in their hands.
Scotland under the SNP is becoming a country for skivers, not strivers, according to the leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

In a speech to the Tories UK conference in Manchester today, Russell Findlay will accuse the nationalist government of discouraging enterprise and aspiration while failing to manage the economy.

He is expected to call for radical policy reform to tackle Scotlands economic despair and allow the country to be open for business once more.

Attacking the SNP for creating stagnation during 18 years of power at Holyrood, he promised the Tories would always support the entrepreneur, the innovators, the ambitious, the aspirational, the small businesses who make our country tick.

Changes in income tax introduced by the nationalists mean anyone earning above 30,318 a year now pays more than they would in the rest of the UK.

Council tax bills have also risen to a record high, with the average bill for a Band D property now 1,543 a year.

Meanwhile, spending on benefits has spiralled, with the Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasting that the annual welfare bill - which totalled 6.1bn in 2024-25 - will soar beyond 9bn by 2029-30.

Mr Findlay will tell party members that growing Scotlands economy is the key to fixing public services.

Russell Findlay will accuse the SNP of discouraging enterprise and aspiration

The MSP will call for the SNP government to stop treating the private sector as the enemy and demand a seismic change so that Holyrood no longer views tax hikes as virtuous and tax cuts as vulgar.

He will tell the conference: The SNPs biggest failure is on the economy. Under the nationalists, there are too few opportunities for the aspirational and ambitious.

Whole communities are held back. Workers cant reach their full potential. Entrepreneurial risk-taking is not rewarded. Huge numbers of people suffer a life of reliance on the state. Many families do fine but dont see any way to do better, no matter how hard they toil.

Instead of seeking to advance opportunities for everyone who wants to work hard, the SNP want to turn Scotland into a country that rewards skivers, not strivers.

Tackling Scotlands economic despair is what the Scottish Conservative Party, under my leadership, is setting out to do.

He will add: We must be the true party of business once again. Always on the side of the entrepreneur, the innovators, the ambitious, the aspirational, the small businesses who make our country tick.

We will renew our focus on growth and stand for strong Conservative economic values of fiscal responsibility, sound money, efficient spending, self-reliance, more freedom for people to aspire and cutting red tape.

We will do so because driving up economic growth is key to fixing everything else in Scotland. A stronger economy can bring bills down; unlock faster GP appointments; raise school standards; fix the roads and everything else that needs to change.

The Scottish Government was approached for a response.
Explosive texts have exposed Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones gloating about the idea of putting 'two bullets' through the head of the Virginia House Speaker.

In a private 2022 exchange with Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner, the attorney general nominee shockingly suggested that his political rival, then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert, deserved to be brutally murdered.

'Three people, two bullets,' Jones wrote in the text obtained by Fox News. 'Gilbert, Hitler, and Pol Pot.'

'Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,' the former member of the Virginia House of Delegates continued.

'Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time.'

The alarming revelation ignited fury across party lines - with even Democrats condemning the remarks - as the Republican Attorneys General Association demands that Jones drop out of the race against incumbent AG Jason Miyares, CNN reported.

'What he said was not just disturbing but disqualifying for anyone who wants to seek public office,' Coyner told the outlet.

'Jay Jones wished violence on the children of a colleague and talked about shooting Todd Gilbert,' she added. 'It's disgusting and unbecoming of any public official.'

Explosive texts exposed Democratic attorney general candidate Jay Jones (pictured) gloating about the idea of putting 'two bullets' through the head of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert

In a private 2022 exchange with Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner (pictured), the attorney general nominee shockingly suggested that his political rival, then-House Speaker Gilbert, deserved to be brutally murdered

During the phone call, Jones allegedly doubled down in the exchange, fantasizing about a scenario with 'two bullets' and vowing hed shoot Gilbert (pictured) 'every time' - despite having two dictators hypothetically in front of him

The explosive damning messages came to light Friday after they were reviewed by National Review.

On August 2, 2022, Jones appeared to accidentally send Coyner a text mocking Republicans for their 'glowing tributes' to the late Delegate Joe Johnson, 90 - noting that even Gilbert joined in the praise.

Jones, 36, quickly followed up with another text: 'Damn, that message was for Mark.'

Even after realizing hed sent the message to the wrong person, he kept venting to Coyner, sneering at what 'that POS' Gilbert 'would say about me if I died.'

'If those guys die before me, I will go to their funerals to p*** on their graves,' the politician continued. 'Send them out awash in something.'

Coyner replied with a terse, 'Jay Jones' - seemingly scolding him for the disturbing direction his messages had taken.

Rather than pull back, Jones doubled down in the exchange, fantasizing about a scenario with 'two bullets' and vowing hed shoot Gilbert 'every time' - despite having two dictators hypothetically in front of him, according to the messages.

Jones former colleague quickly intervened, writing 'please stop,' while he responded with a casual, 'Lol. Ok, ok.'

During a call with Coyner, Jones allegedly expressed that he wished Gilberts wife could see her own child die in her arms, hoping it would make Gilbert rethink his right-wing political stance (pictured: text exchange)

A source claimed that on the phone call, Jones said that policymakers only act when they feel pain - likening it to the grief parents endure when their children are killed by gun violence (pictured: Gilbert and family)

Undeterred, Jones kept texting Coyner (pictured), insisting he was only asking simple questions

'It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them,' Coyner wrote.

'It isn't okay,' she added. 'No matter who they are.'

According to a source familiar with the matter, the two later spoke on the phone, where Jones reportedly tried to ease the tension, as reported by Fox News Digital.

Jones allegedly doubled down yet again during the call, claiming that policymakers only act when they feel pain - likening it to the grief parents endure when their children are killed by gun violence, according to National Review.

According to the source, the AG candidate pressed her to come up with counterexamples to challenge him, but he instead took the discussion to an even darker place.

The source said Jones allegedly expressed that he wished Gilberts wife could see her own child die in her arms, hoping it would make Gilbert rethink his right-wing political stance.

Coyner then reportedly ended the call in utter disgust.

Undeterred, Jones continued texting, insisting he was only asking simple questions - a claim Coyner strongly disagreed with.

The alarming revelation has ignited fury across party lines - with even Democrats condemning the remarks - as the Republican Attorneys General Association demands that Jones (pictured) drop out of the race against incumbent AG Jason Miyares

'I wasn't attacking you, I was trying to understand your logic,' Jones said in the texts.

The Republican delegate fired back, scolding him: 'You weren't trying to understand. You were talking about hoping Jennifer Gilbert's children would die.'

'Yes, I've told you his before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy,' Jones responded, admitting to his heinous wish.

Despite increasing backlash, Jones pressed on with his attacks, again directing them at the children of the Republican politician.

'I mean do I think Todd and Jennifer are evil? And that they're breeding little fascists? Yes,' he told Coyner, according to the messages.

His comments sparked a firestorm, with many in the political sphere warning that escalating violent rhetoric has already resulted in people being harmed.

Del. Geary Higgins told Fox News: 'They shot the president. They killed Charlie Kirk. They threatened to kill Kim Taylor. They said they'd kill me at my next rally, then my kids.'

'Is this what "letting your rage fuel you" looks like?' he added.

Initially, Jones never denied the wording in the texts, and instead, lashed out at his GOP rival, Jason Miyares - accusing him of 'dropping smears' to destroy his name (pictured: Gilbert and family)

In a later statement, Jones admitted feeling 'sick' over his remarks and said he has since apologized to Gilbert (pictured with wife) and his family

Democratic colleague Abigail Spanberger said she confronted Jones 'frankly' after the texts came to light, expressing her 'disgust' at the violent language he employed, according to the outlet.

'I will always condemn violent language in our politics,' she said.

Initially, Jones never denied the wording in the years-old texts - instead, he lashed out at his GOP rival, Jason Miyares, accusing him of 'dropping smears' to destroy his name.

'Like all people, I've sent text messages that I regret and I believe that violent rhetoric has no place in our politics,' Jones said in a statement to the Virginia Scope.

'Lets be clear about what is happening in the Attorney General race right now: Jason Miyares is dropping smears through Trump-controlled media organizations to assault my character and rescue his desperate campaign,' he added.

'This is a strategy that ensures Jason Miyares will continue to be accountable to Donald Trump, not the people of Virginia. This race is about whether Trump can control Virginia or Virginians control Virginia.'

In a later statement to WRIC 8 News, Jones finally admitted feeling 'sick' over his remarks and said he has since apologized to Gilbert and his family.

'Im sick to my stomach when I read those words,' Jones told the outlet.

'Certainly theyre objectionable, theyre abhorrent, they have no place in Virginia, no place in this countrys discourse. Again, I am so deeply, deeply sorry,' he added.

'Virginians deserve honest leaders who admit when they are wrong and own up to their mistakes. This was a grave mistake and I will work every day to prove to the people of Virginia that I will fight for them as Attorney General.'

Despite the controversy, Jones has no plans to end his campaign. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Mail.
A doctor who was allowed to keep her job after she allegedly denied the Holocaust has claimed that media focus on the Manchester synagogue attack is an example of 'Jewish supremacism'.

Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, a trauma and orthopaedics doctor of British-Palestinian descent, also claimed that the decision by Manchester A&E department to temporarily restrict access in order to prioritise victims from the attack placed 'a specific communitys security above the healthcare of the entire population'.

The fresh comments come days after Dr Aladwan was allowed to keep her job despite having allegedly denied the Holocaust, describing it as a 'concept'.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) ruled that Dr Aladwan would be able to continue to practice after concluding her previous posts did not amount to 'bullying or harassment'.

This was despite the doctors' watchdog, the General Medical Council (GMC), telling the medical tribunal that Jewish patients would not feel safe under her care.

Following the ruling, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he had no faith in the medical regulator.

'The racist language of "Jewish supremacy" reflects the values of Nazis, not the NHS,' he wrote on X.

Dr Aladwan has sparked fresh controversy after sharing a news article which confirmed that members of the public had been urged to stay away from A&E departments in Greater Manchester unless they were in need of urgent medical treatment.

She shared the post on Thursday - just hours after Jihad Al-Shamie carried out a terrorist attack outside a synagogue in Manchester which resulted in the death of two people.

Dr Rahmeh Aladwan leaves a medical tribunal in Manchester City Centre. She has sparked fresh controversy for posts online following the Synagogue attack

Dr Aladwan shared a post from a Palestinian journalist named Abubaker Abed

In a response, Dr Aladwan claimed that the decision 'effectively places a specific communitys security above the healthcare of the entire population, creating a dangerous and discriminatory precedent'.

She did later clarify that the lockdown only applied to A&E services.

Dr Aladwan also shared a post from a Palestinian journalist named Abubaker Abed, which read: 'Apparently, the lives of 4 Jews in Manchester are more significant than 53 lives of Muslims in Gaza. This is racism and Jewish supremacism. This is Western civilisation.'

Responding to Dr Aladwan's latest comments, Streeting told The Times: 'The NHS is a universal health service, which means that everyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed, should feel safe seeking its care.

'Doctors making racist comments about Jewish people at any time, let alone in the wake of a despicable and deadly attack on our nations Jewish community, is sickening and demands action.

'It is clear that the current medical regulatory system is completely failing to protect patients and NHS staff, so I am looking at how we can overhaul the current regime which has been found completely wanting.'

The controversy surrounding Dr Aladwan started earlier this year after several social media posts from the NHS doctor were uncovered.

This included a claim that 'British Jewish children are taught that they are superior to non-Jews, that they have the right to colonise Palestine, and are groomed through birthright trips to become colonisers'.

On July 30, she claimed that the Royal Free Hospital in north London, which serves a large Jewish community, was a 'Jewish supremacy cesspit' has also previously said 'I will never condemn the 7th of October'.

A post shared by Dr Aladwan following the Synagogue attack on Thursday

Dr Aladwan sparked outrage for her many controversial post on social media

In other social media posts, believed to be written by Dr Aladwan, she described anti-Semitism and the Holocaust as 'concepts' used by Jewish people to 'promote a narrative of victimhood'.

Following her comments, the General Medical Council, which regulates the conduct of NHS doctors, referred her to the MPTS.

The GMC had asked the had asked the tribunal to impose an 12-month interim order of conditions on Dr Aladwan while an investigation is carried out.

This would have placed restrictions on a doctor's practice, including that they are supervised or requiring them to undergo further training.

Counsel for the GMC, Isobel Thomas described these conditions as necessary due the 'nature and seriousness of the allegations'.

She told the hearing that Dr Aladwan's posts 'appear to demonise Israelis and Jews' and described the Holocaust 'as a fabricated victim narrative'.

The tribunal ruled there was not sufficient evidence to show that Dr Aladwan posed a real risk to patients.

It added that allowing her to remain practicing would not undermine public confidence in the medical profession.

In a speech after she left the tribunal building, Dr Aladwan said she hoped the ruling would encourage other medical professionals to 'speak up'.

Daily Mail has approached Dr Aladwan for comment.
A Kansas professor has been placed on leave over social media posts she made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination.

Nuchelle Chance, an assistant psychology professor at Fort Hays State University, posted several controversial statements to Facebook following Kirk's death.

On September 10, the day Kirk was fatally shot at a Utah university, Chance wrote, 'Me thinks the word "karma" is appropriate. Sad day all around.' The post was also linked to a partial quote from Kirk regarding the Second Amendment.

Two days later, after authorities identified Tyler Robinson as the shooter, Chance posted again - this time taking at 'white American men' specifically.

'But when we tell y'all that statistically White American men are the most dangerous animals on the planet we're wrong. Let's not be hasty they say' she wrote on Facebook.

The posts then began circulating widely online after they were amplified by the conservative account Libs of TikTok.

Several days later, on September 29, Chance took to TikTok to defend her comments.

Nuchelle Chance (pictured), an assistant psychology professor at Fort Hays State University, posted several controversial statements to Facebook following Charlie Kirk's death

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk (pictured), 31, fatally shot while speaking Utah Valley University on September 10

'It's always ironic that the shooters, the perpetrators of these mass incidents, they always tend to fit a certain demographic White American men they're the perpetrators of these crimes the average person sees that and understands that,' she said.

She also said she was being 'targeted' by 'MAGA' and argued that her initial 'karma' comment had been mischaracterized as celebrating Kirk's death, something she described as immoral.

Chance, who posted under the name 'NuNu LA Chance' on Facebook, also drew a distinction between her online persona and her professional identity.

'Who I am as a person outside of my professional spaces shouldn't be put under attack, but that's where we are right now,' she said.

'Who NuNu LA Chance is on Facebook shouldn't necessarily be used to judge or have some sort of retaliation on who Dr. Nichelle L. Chance is in the classroom.'

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Chance said her posts were 'misinterpreted - intentionally and deliberately.'

She described the backlash as a 'manufactured outrage campaign rooted in misogynoir,' a term she uses to describe the intersection of racism and sexism faced by Black women.

Though the university has not yet confirmed whether disciplinary action has been taken, Chance's faculty profile has been removed from the school's website

After authorities identified Tyler Robinson (pictured) as the shooter, Chance posted on Facebook, calling 'white American men' the 'most dangerous animals on the planet'

She added that her use of the term 'animal' was drawn from behavioral science, not meant to be degrading.

'I have never discussed my political views in the classroom. That would be inappropriate and unprofessional - and, frankly, asinine,' she said. 'My role as an educator is to foster critical thinking, not to impose personal belief.'

Chance went on to say that her scholarship and teaching reflect a commitment to equity, justice, and inclusion.

'I welcome diverse perspectives in my classroom and remain committed to creating a space where every student feels seen, heard and respected,' she said.

'I am deeply concerned that the image of Fort Hays State University is being shaped by veiled, anonymous trolls whose goal is not dialogue, but disruption. These actors do not represent our values, and their tactics - doxxing, misrepresentation and intimidation - undermine the mission of higher education.'

The university has since addressed the situation in a public statement, noting that 'individuals who post commentaries to their personal social media accounts do not speak for the university.'

The university has since addressed the situation in a public statement, noting that 'individuals who post commentaries to their personal social media accounts do not speak for the university'

Chance, however, confirmed her status writing in an automated email reply: 'I am currently on a two-week administrative leave from Fort Hays State University and will not be checking my university email regularly during this time.' Pictured: Charlie Kirk speaks on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 15, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The university added that it is reviewing the matter as a 'confidential personnel' issue.

'We are reviewing this situation as a confidential personnel matter and ask for your patience as we address it with the seriousness it warrants.'

Though the university has not yet confirmed whether disciplinary action has been taken, Chance's faculty profile has been removed from the school's website.

However, in an automatic email reply from her university account, Chance confirmed she has been placed on 'administrative leave.'

'I am currently on a two-week administrative leave from Fort Hays State University and will not be checking my university email regularly during this time,' the automatic email read.

Daily Mail has reached out to Nuchelle Chance and Fort Hays State University for comment.
The family of a four-year-old missing in the Outback are being targeted by cruel trolls spreading conspiracy theories with a friend demanding they stop.

August 'Gus' Lamont was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents' homestead on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta last Saturday, September 27.

Fleur Tiver, 66, said the tight-knit community in eastern South Australia still hopes Gus is hiding on the property.

Her ancestors have lived on a station alongside the Lamonts since the late 1800s.

News of Gus's disappearance prompted Ms Tiver to leave her home in the Adelaide Hills and return to the rural area to assist in the search.

In spite of the family's best efforts to stay hopeful, police gave up on the search on Friday.

That heartache has only been multiplied by an onslaught of vile conspiracy theorists falsely claiming Gus' loved ones are responsible for foul play.

'The family would not have harmed this child even if the world was about to come to an end, which it really has now for them,' Ms Tiver told the Adelaide Advertiser.

August 'Gus' Lamont (pictured) was last seen at his grandparents' homestead on September 27

Police called off the widespread search for the four-year-old on Friday (pictured, searchers at the scene)

Police don't believe Gus was taken by a third party due to the remote nature of the property (marked on the map above)

'There is no way they've harmed this child. I think it's unfortunate people are speculating, because things like this pain the family, but I do understand that when there are so many unanswered questions, people will naturally try to fill in the gaps, even if their theories are implausible and impractical.'

Ms Tiver said she knew the Lamont family 'well' and described them as 'kind', 'gentle', 'reliable', 'trustworthy', and 'truthful'.

'They embody everything about humans that can be good,' she said.

Police began searching the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared at about 5pm on September 27.

When he disappeared, the little boy was wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from the movie Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots.

On Thursday, Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus admitted the odds of survival were fading fast without food, water or shelter.

'A four-year-old doesn't disappear into thin air; he has to be somewhere,' Supt Syrus said.

'Hopefully he's hanging in there alive, but we are now in recovery phase, and the fact he's been gone over 100 hours and six days, that's a long time to be out in the elements.

'We always believe Gus is a tough little country lad. He may be curled up under a bush somewhere, and we're determined to find him.'

Family friend Fleur Tiver said Gus' loved ones have been heartbroken by theories they harmed him (pictured, search party at the scene)

Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus (pictured) hoped Gus could still be found alive

Police threw everything at the search for Gus, including specialist divers to check water tanks and dams, infrared cameras, dogs, ATVs, and drones.

But all that effort came to an end on Friday when searchers packed up their gear and left the property.

Now the only sign that remains of the tragedy is a few forgotten knots of police tape tied on the station's gates.

'We've all been hoping for a miracle, but that miracle has not eventuated,' Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said on on Friday.

'At this point, no trace of Gus has been located. No tangible pieces of evidence, such as footprints, a hat or clothing, have been located to identify any direction of travel to assist searchers.

'Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to locate him, and, unfortunately, we are now having to scale back this search for Gus.'

Police do not believe a third party took Gus due to the remote nature of the homestead, which sits more than 25km from the highway.

Ms Tiver hopes Gus has 'got into a little creek down under a bush and has just hidden there'.

A family friend hopes Gus has 'got into a little creek down under a bush and has just hidden there' (pictured, the homestead)

Family friend Bill Harbison (pictured) said Gus' family is 'holding onto hope that he will be found and returned safely'

Family friend Bill Harbison read a statement on behalf of Gus's family on Tuesday.

'This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,' it read.

'Gus' absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express.

'Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.

'At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police.'
Police have identified two hikers found frozen to death near Victoria's highest peak as travellers from overseas, with speculation swirling they may have met their end after taking a wrong turn.

The women, who were aged in their 20s and 30s, were discovered by two hiking doctors around 1pm on Friday near Cleve Cole Hut, a remote shelter popular with adventurers heading to Mount Bogong.

Despite being close to the hut, the pair were found huddled together and exposed on an open plain at Lendenfeld Point, with no protection from the severe weather.

Police are now working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and trade to contact their families overseas.

Experienced adventurers and others who know the mountain area well have taken to social media to share their condolences.

The experts have also put out suggestions the women were ill-prepared for their hike after it was revealed they may have died from hypothermia.

It's believed the women had no communication or safety equipment and had the incorrect gear for the notoriously brutal region.

Locals say the area during daylight is manageable, but conditions can turn quickly with one theory the women took a wrong turn during a day hike and became caught in freezing conditions.

Emergency crews launched a major recovery operation involving more than a dozen police and SES volunteers

The bodies of the two women were sadly discovered by two hiking doctors around 1pm on Friday near Cleve Cole Hut (pictured)

A Victoria Police helicopter was used in the recovery

Locals suggested the women may have signed a book at the foot of the Bogong Staircase and predicted investigators have checked the book and any unattended cars in the trailhead carpark.

Emergency crews launched a major recovery operation involving more than a dozen police and SES volunteers after the bodies were found huddled together.

However, worsening conditions forced rescuers to camp overnight near the bodies after helicopters were unable to fly in.

The grim retrieval was finally completed at 10.30am on Saturday.

Police say the women likely succumbed to severe hypothermia during a period of extreme weather earlier in the week, when temperatures plunged to -2.8C and snow blanketed the region.

Victoria Police Inspector Paul Hargreaves said investigators believe the pair may have been stranded for up to three days.

'It's fair to say they may have been there for the last two to three days,' Insp Hargreaves told reporters.

'It's a beautiful environment until it's not, and when it's not it's pretty extreme

Search crews were forced to camp at the site overnight

'We ask anyone who was hiking in the area and saw someone looking disorientated or inadequately dressed to contact us.'

The hikers who made the grim discovery are assisting police with inquiries.

The case will now be referred to the coroner.

'When you look at that period of two to three days, they are exceptionally hard conditions, blizzard conditions, and it is likely the two people have succumbed to those conditions,' Insp Hargreaves said.

'This area is commonly frequented by outback adventurers who like to experience these conditions, but at times they become quite dangerous and unfavourable.

Mount Bogong, standing at 1,986 metres, is a magnet for experienced hikers and backcountry adventurers, but can quickly turn dangerous in bad weather.

Mount Bogong Club president Keith Jackson told Nine News the area had been extremely cold in the days before the bodies were found.

'It's a beautiful environment until it's not, and when it's not it's pretty extreme,' he said.

Locals say the Mount Bogong area during daylight is manageable but conditions can turn quickly

'You've got to know what you're doing, you've got to make sure you're prepared and you've got to have the right gear.'

The case has gripped the public and social media adventure experts are openly discussing how the tragedy may have unfolded.

A Reddit user wrote that the region where the women were discovered has '24/7 freezing conditions'.

'They were high up above the tree line on the exposed Bogong summit ridge, the highest elevation point in Victoria, while Falls Creek nearby has been reporting 'feels like' temperatures of -10C for the last few days straight,' they wrote.

'I've been up there on a gorgeous blue sky, light winds, summer day when the temperature at Falls was a balmy 20C and the temperature in the valleys below was pushing 35C-40C, and even then the wind chill was pretty cold at the top.

'The wind chill very easily becomes dangerously cold up there on the ridge as the freezing wind accelerates up and over the range.

'The snow pole line that runs from Hotham to Bogong would've led them to the safety of Cleve Cole hut about a kilometre or two further down the track, but you quite often can't even see the next pole along when the weather decides to turn proper feral.

'We might not have the highest elevation mountains in the world or the coldest of climates, but the high country still isn't a place to f*** around in when the weather turns.'
Donald Trump told an Israeli news outlet that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted his plan for a ceasefire with Hamas during a decisive phone call.

This comes as Israel has expressed support for an end to the conflict and paused their bombing campaigns in Gaza.

'Netanyahu had reservations but I told him that this is his opportunity for victory,' Trump told Israeli television's Channel 12 on Saturday. 'He accepted it. There is no other choice, with me you have to be okay.'

'Bibi went too far in Gaza and Israel lost a lot of support in the world,' Trump added. 'Now I will bring back all that support.'

This phone call reportedly happened on Friday, the same day Hamas signaled that was ready to negotiate the release of all their Israeli hostages.

Hamas, a designated terrorist organization that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, also said it is ready to cede governing control to 'a Palestinian authority of independents (technocrats) based on Palestinian national consensus and with reliance on Arab and Islamic support'.

And on Saturday afternoon, Trump revealed that Israel had accepted an initial withdrawal line, a plan that has been shared with Hamas as well.

'When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.

President Donald Trump revealed that it was a phone call on Friday that got Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to move toward an end to the war against Hamas in Gaza

Pictured: The withdrawal line that the Trump administration said Israel has agreed to

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are traveling to Egypt this weekend to begin hammering out the particulars of the hostage release plan with Hamas, CNN reported.

The 20-point plan from the Trump administration has not been fully agreed to by Hamas.

Hamas will be expected to release all the hostages, while Israel will have to 'release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context'.

Trump is also ordering Israel to resume 'full aid' into the Gaza Strip even if Hamas ends up rejecting the proposal.

Perhaps the most important parts of the proposal state that Israel is not to 'occupy or annex Gaza' and that no one who lives in Gaza 'will be forced to leave'.

This is quite the departure from Trump's initial plan to have the United States own Gaza and redevelop it to make it the 'Riviera of the Middle East'.

However, the plan did say there would be a 'Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza'.

A potential sticking point for Israel is that there is a possibility that Palestinians will be allowed to form a state without Hamas in charge.

Gaza City is pictured on Friday. Bombing in the region continued into Saturday but has now been paused by Israel as both sides prepare to negotiate

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner will be the main negotiators representing the United States in talks between Hamas and Israel to end the war

Netanyahu has maintained his across-the-board opposition to a Palestinian state.

Hamas, on the other hand, could take issue with the fact that Israel Defense Forces might not have to leave Gaza until the area is demilitarized and the hostages are handed over.

Hamas has long said that it will not hand over the hostages until Israel fully withdraws and commits to a permanent end to the war.

Negotiations on the peace plan are expected to begin on Monday in Egypt.

The next day, Tuesday, will be the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks, during which Hamas fighters staged a surprise invasion of southern Israel.

About 1,200 civilians were killed and thousands more were thousands more injured, raped and brutalized. Hundreds of hostages were taken by Hamas, of which Israel estimates just 20 remain alive.
A teenage girl claims a Build-A-Bear staffer refused to print Charlie Kirk's name on the certificate of her teddy bear.

Evi McCormick, 16, from Tukwila, Washington, said she traveled to a Build-A-Bear workshop in Seattle with a plan to honor Kirk, who is one of her role models.

The Conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder was assassinated on September 10 while speaking to students at Utah Valley University.

After a two-day manhunt, authorities arrested a man named Tyler Robinson, 22, with capital murder in connection with Kirk's death.

Evi shared that after building her bear, she was prompted to create a certificate and filled out the name as 'Charlie Kirk'.

When she went to check out, she says an employee at the store told her: 'We're not doing this,' Evi revealed to local NBC affiliate, KING5.

'She just didn't agree with it. She didn't support it,' Evi told the outlet.

The teen claimed that the employee then tore up the birth certificate and threw it away. Evi promptly walked out of the store and handed her friend her credit card to pay for the bear.

A Washington teen shared a photo of the teddy she made at Build-A-Bear in honor of her 'role model' Charlie Kirk

Conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder, Kirk, was assassinated on September 10

Kailie Lang, a friend of Evi's, told KING5 that the encounter made the whole group uncomfortable.

'It wasn't political until she made it that way,' Evi added.

Evi said that she was 'mesmerized' by Kirk and admitted that he 'captivated' her when he spoke.

Evi McCormick said she was 'appalled' by the employee's behavior

In a Facebook post about the experience, Evi said that she was 'appalled' by the employee's behavior and called her dad sobbing outside the store.

Evi's friend then asked for a blank sheet of paper so she could write the name in later, but said the employee refused.

'Safe to say, I will not be returning, and my heart genuinely hurts,' Evi wrote.

She then shared a video of the bear, dressed in a suit and red tie, accompanied by audio of Kirk speaking.

'Charlie Kirk is an idol to me, and to feel the hate, even onto his supporters, is so unfortunate,' Evi wrote.

Evi's mom, Amber, told KING5 that she called Build-A-Bear's corporate office and was offered a $20 gift card for the experience.

She added that she received another call from a company representative a few days later, who apologized for the incident.

The teen, Evi McCormick, told local news that the staffer at the store refused to let her name the bear after Kirk, allegedly telling her: 'We're not doing this'

'She said that their goal is to try to prevent this sort of situation from happening to anybody else,' Amber added.

Daily Mail reached out to Build-A-Bear for comment on Evi's story.

Kirk's assassination led to a slew of firings across the country over reactions to the conservative activist's death, including a Kansas professor who was placed on leave over comments she made online.
Leaders of Britain's Jewish community have slammed an Israeli minister for inviting 'thug' Tommy Robinson to visit the country.

Amichai Chikli, Israel's minister for the diaspora and combating antisemitism, said he was 'proud to host British patriot' Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, later this month.

He lauded the far-right activist as a 'courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam'.

But the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said Robinson 'represents the very worst of Britain'.

The invitation to Robinson was extended in the wake of the terror attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester.

The Jewish leadership groups said Mr Chikli's actions had hit the British community in its 'darkest hour'.

They said: 'Tommy Robinson is a thug who represents the very worst of Britain.

'His presence undermines those genuinely working to tackle Islamist extremism and foster community cohesion.

Leaders of Britain's Jewish community have slammed an Israeli minister for inviting 'thug' Tommy Robinson (pictured) to visit the country

'Minister Chikli has proven himself to be a diaspora minister in name only.

'In our darkest hour, he has ignored the views of the vast majority of British Jews, who utterly and consistently reject Robinson and everything he stands for.'

Former Tory cabinet minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi also criticised the 'irresponsible and deeply dangerous behaviour' of inviting 'a man with multiple convictions for violence and fraud'.

Lady Warsi, the peer who was the first Muslim woman to serve in cabinet, said: 'At a time all communities in the UK are uniting to support our Jewish community as they grieve, the state of Israel is sowing division in our country, supporting and promoting those that platform hate and making our country unsafe.'

Amichai Chikli said in response to the Board of Deputies' statement: 'The Board of Deputies has, regrettably, become first and foremost a political organisation - openly aligned with left-wing, woke, pro-Palestinian parties.

'Just hours after Jews were murdered in Manchester, instead of demanding protection or holding the government accountable, the Board rushed for a photo-op with the Prime Minister.

'Once proudly Zionist, now politically adrift, If only they showed the same energy attacking Britains recognition of a Palestinian terror state as they do attacking me and Tommy Robinson'.

Robinson confirmed that he would accept the Israeli minister's invitation and that the Israeli government is paying for his flights and hotel.

Robinson, who has previously been jailed for contempt of court, said Thursday's assault in Manchester 'has strengthened my conviction that the United Kingdom and Israel are fighting the same battle - against the scourge of Islamic jihad'.

Amichai Chikli, Israel's minister for the diaspora and combating antisemitism, (pictured) said he was 'proud to host British patriot' Robinson

Mr Chikli wrote on X: Tommy is a courageous leader on the front line against radical Islam.

'At a time when Jews across Europe face rising antisemitism, it is vital to strengthen bonds with allies who refuse to be silent.

'He has proven himself a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people, unafraid to speak the truth and confront hate.

'Israel will always stand with the Jewish community and our allies worldwide. Together with friends like Tommy Robinson, we will build stronger bridges of solidarity, fight terror, and defend Western civilization and our shared values.'

In a post on X responding to the Israeli politician, Robinson said he would travel to Israel 'immediately following my October 13 trial'.

He said he would visit: Jerusalem, the West Bank, the site of the Nova Festival and other October 7 locations, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre Yad Vashem, the Jabotinsky Institute and Christian holy sites.

He said: 'I will visit the Knesset and meet with leaders of the Israeli government, including minister Amichai Chikli, Israel's diaspora minister who invited me, as well as many others.'

'I also hope to get into Gaza,' he added.

Robinson, last month, organised a Unite the Kingdom rally in central London attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people.

More than 150 reports of anti-Muslim hate were made to the Tell Mama charity monitoring the issue in the seven days following the rally.

Robinson, who founded the English Defence League, was previously sentenced for contempt of court after repeating false allegations about a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him for libel.

He also served time in prison in 2019 for putting grooming trials in Huddersfield at risk by breaking reporting restrictions that were in place to ensure the proceedings were fair.

Mr Chikli has been a vocal critic of the Labour Government's response to antisemitism, as well as the UK's recent recognition - alongside other western allies - of Palestinian statehood.

Other senior Israeli politicians also suggested Sir Keir Starmer's administration bore responsibility for the deadly attack in Manchester.

Foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar accused the Government of failing to curb 'rampant antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement in Britain' and demanded a 'change of course' on tackling it.
As I left Chris Philp's Commons office on Friday evening, I walked straight into a lean and hungry-looking Robert Jenrick.

The Shadow Justice Secretary  who is widely expected to take over as leader if Kemi Badenoch is pushed under a bus by panicking Conservative MPs  has been campaigning hard for the anti-migration measures that Mr Philp has been setting out to The Mail on Sunday.

So why has it taken so long for Mrs Badenoch to agree to a policy of pulling Britain out the ECHR and pursue deportations in a more aggressive, Donald Trump style?

Mr Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, says that the process took time  a period which Reform UK leader Nigel Farage used to run away with the political agenda  because the Tories needed to 'reflect on why we lost' last year's general election.

'We've done this properly,' he says  unlike Mr Farage, who 'comes up with slogans written on the back of a fag packet, dreamt up in a pub and is then unable to answer basic questions.

'We're the only party that has the resolve and the strength to do this. But we've also done the detailed work.'

This is an existential time for a party languishing at a rock-bottom 15 per cent in the polls.

Yesterday, it was reported that allies of Mr Jenrick were collecting no-confidence letters from Conservative MPs, calling for Mrs Badenoch to quit.

Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, says the process of agreeing to a policy of pulling Britain out of the ECHR took time because the Tories needed to 'reflect on why we lost' last year's general election

Up to a dozen supporters were said to have penned the letters for deployment after November 3  the date when the party leader's year of immunity from being ousted will lapse.

Mr Jenrick's team describe the reports as 'bollocks', but the mood in the party is undoubtedly febrile.

Mr Philp, said to covet leadership ambitions of his own, brushes away talk of a 'crisis' for the Conservatives, saying the party was in an 'expectant' mood ahead of its conference.

He said: 'I feel like we need to get behind Kemi, because being leader of the Opposition following a terrible election defeat the worst election defeat for 200 years  is probably the toughest job in British politics.

'Even Margaret Thatcher found doing that job in 1975 a tough gig.'

The 49-year-old, who clung on to his Croydon South seat with a majority of 2,000 last year, adds: 'I mean, look at the alternatives. You look at Labour imploding, putting up our taxes, losing control of our borders.

'And you've got Reform with, you know, good slogans, yes, a charismatic leader, yes, but no credible plans to fix that country's problems.

'So it falls to the Conservatives to provide that credible alternative.'

Robert Jenrick - Shadow Justice Secretary - has been campaigning hard for the anti-migration measures that Mr Philp has been setting out to The Mail on Sunday

This weekend, Tory morale was further dampened by swirling rumours about further imminent defections to Reform following the departures of former culture secretary Nadine Dorries and MP Danny Kruger.

But Mr Philp remains chirpy: 'I was very sad Danny left. The door is always open if he wants to come back.

'I think recovering after an election defeat like the one we suffered after 14 years in power, it just takes time.

'It needs patience and that's what I would ask for.'
Rachel Reeves would wipe 136 billion off the economy if she increases property taxes in the Budget, experts warned last night.

Treasury officials have been examining plans to impose capital gains tax on main residences and reverse changes the Tories made when they were in power last year.

Fresh analysis of official forecasts by the free-market Adam Smith Institute think-tank suggests this could knock 1.5 per cent off house prices  a massive blow for the property market that would eliminate hundreds of billions from the economy.

The total housing market is worth 9.1 trillion, so any tax changes that cut the value of the sector by 1.5 per cent would result in a 136 billion hit to the economy.

Having repeatedly ruled out more changes to income tax, VAT and National Insurance, capital gains tax is rumoured to be top of the Chancellor's list for next month's Budget.

The tax is seen as 'low-hanging fruit' by increasingly desperate figures at the Treasury because it is a tax on wealth rather than earnings.

However, it may prove counterproductive at a time when the Chancellor is struggling to fire up the economy.

Speculation is rife that a secret plan has been hatched between the Treasury and the beleaguered group Labour Together, which was at the centre of a lobbying scandal exposed in this newspaper.

Rachel Reeves (pictured) would wipe 136 billion off the economy if she increases property taxes in the Budget, experts warned last night

It recently published The Case For Contribution  a report that pushed for these very proposals.

Westminster insiders say this report is the 'conceptual core' of the Budget  and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Chancellor and Treasury ministers have repeatedly failed to deny they plan to hit homeowners with the tax increases.

Economists have pressed Ms Reeves not to impose changes that discourage people from selling their homes and could 'gum up' the property market.

Urging her not to go ahead with the plans, Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith said: 'For the Chancellor to make further changes to capital gains tax would be kicking the economy when it is down.

'Confidence by business and investors is on the floor thanks to her last Budget. It cannot take any more.'

Falls in property prices and increased taxation could even cut Treasury receipts because they will discourage people from selling their homes  so the Government will lose the tax that would have been due on those sales.

But the knock-on effects could be more far-reaching than just missing tax income.

Mitchell Palmer, an economist at the Adam Smith Institute, warned it could leave younger people would be trapped in unsuitable housing and less able to move to areas with better-paid jobs.

Edging higher: House prices are up 2.2 per cent compared to this time last year

He added: 'It will be far less likely that older people will downsize and free up homes for young families.

'That means lower wages, as well as more people living in houses that aren't right for them.'

There are also risks to the provision of affordable housing, which will be hit if fewer people buy and sell homes.

Experts suggest the Government should instead cut property taxes  such as stamp duty  to give the economy a much-needed boost.

Ms Reeves faces having to fill a reported 30 billion black hole in the nation's finances at the Budget.

However, this may prove challenging, with spending vastly outstripping Britain's earnings.

To make matters worse, after last year's Budget she promised no further tax rises, increases in borrowing or cuts to government spending. To sort out the UK's finances, she must break at least one of these pledges.
Greens leader Larissa Waters has slammed the Albanese Government for prioritising 'sh***y' environmental laws over negotiations with her party.

ABC Insiders host David Speers questioned Waters on whether her party would uphold its reputation of being 'obstructionist' in ongoing debate about environmental law reforms on Sunday morning.

'When it comes to these environment laws, the government says it wants to speed up approvals but also deliver better environmental outcomes,' Speers said.

'The Greens were criticised in the last term, and you lost a number of seats, for being seen as too obstructionist. Are you willing to stand in the way of environmental law changes this time? Or will you be more cooperative?'

Waters smiled as she shifted the blame on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

'The Prime Minister killed that arrangement that we were about to ink for stronger environmental protections. So I'm afraid it was the Prime Minister blocking positive reform in that regard,' she said.

'We're happy to have talks with the minister and those talks have begun but, unfortunately, the minister seems to be sending signals that he'd rather do a deal with the Coalition for sh***y environmental laws that don't protect the planet.'

In November, Albanese overrode then-Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and cancelled her deal with the Greens, which would have established a national environment watchdog.

Greens leader Larissa Waters (pictured) slammed the Albanese Government for prioritising 'sh***y' environmental laws proposed by the Coalition over her own party's

ABC Insiders host David Speers (pictured) questioned if the Greens would remain 'obstructionist' in the ongoing debate for environmental law reform

Albanese struck down the deal over concerns it would be weaponised by the Opposition and the resources sector before the federal election in May 2025.

Speers pressed Waters further on what 'red lines' the Greens had for law reforms, asking: 'Will you die in a ditch over a climate trigger or native forest logging?'

'Those laws were written last century and don't even require the minister of the day to think about climate, let alone block on the basis of climate,' Waters said.

'That will continue to be a core demand of ours. You can't have environmental laws that don't protect the environment or think about the climate impacts of what we do.'

Environment Minister Murray Watt in August pledged to have reformed environment laws before parliament by the end of the year.

'There is very strong support - across business, environment and community representatives - for serious and urgent reform to deliver stronger environmental protections, faster and simpler project approvals, and greater transparency in environmental regulation,' he said.

'I have been consulting extensively over the past three months on these reforms, holding more than 40 meetings, roundtables and forums with environment, resources, energy, property and other business groups.

'In those meetings, I have consistently heard that we need to move quickly to reform these laws, as delays mean holding up investment and more environmental destruction.

Waters took aim at Anthony Albanese (pictured), saying he was 'blocking positive reform'

'We are answering that call by significantly accelerating these reforms.

'We will continue consulting in the months ahead as we develop the reforms and get closer to passing this vital legislation.'

While Speers tried to find out what else the Greens want in the reforms, Waters only said: 'Well, we haven't seen the legislation yet. We don't know what is in it.

'We're sending strong messages on what we'd like to see in it and we think Australians expect an environment that is protected, a climate that is liveable, and action on the cost of living.

'The government could be doing those things but all it's doing is bending over backwards for big corporations and making life harder for people, while trashing the planet.

'Nobody voted for that.'

Daily Mail contacted Waters for further comment.
The daughter of infamous polygamist cult figure Dan Lafferty is breaking her decades-long silence in a bombshell new memoir.

Rebecca Lafferty, now a mother of three and a hypnotherapist in Salt Lake City, is the daughter of convicted killer Dan Lafferty, who is serving two life sentences for the brutal 1984 murders of his sister-in-law, Brenda Lafferty, and Brenda's 15-month-old daughter, Erica.

Released on September 30, Rebecca's emotional memoir, The Lafferty Girl: Surviving Trauma, Abuse, and My Father's Crime, pulls back the curtain on her path to what she calls 'forgiveness.'

'Forgiveness meant facing the wounds, the deep hurts that I spiritually bypassed,' she told Fox News Digital.

'I just brushed that pain aside and kept moving forward... I later realized that when trauma is stored in the body, it never really leaves us.'

Dan and his brother, Ron Lafferty - who helped carry out the horrific double murder - were self-proclaimed prophets who clung to fundamentalist Mormon beliefs, including polygamy, long after they were excommunicated from the LDS Church.

Now, reflecting on her own journey, Rebecca said, 'It wasn't just about forgiving my father. It was more like I needed to release this stored trauma in me that I didn't know I was still holding onto.'

Rebecca Lafferty, daughter of infamous polygamist cult figure Dan Lafferty, has broken her decades-long silence in a newly released memoir

Dan Lafferty, 77, is serving two life sentences for the brutal 1984 murders of his sister-in-law, Brenda Lafferty, and Brenda's 15-month-old daughter, Erica

She revealed that she endured physical and emotional abuse at her father's hands from an early age.

Her father, she said, believed it was 'God's will' to 'kill her spirit.'

However, it wasn't until third grade that she began to sense something was terribly wrong. She remembers classmates whispering behind her back - one even calling her father a 'baby killer.'

But the full truth didn't come out until she was 12, when her mother finally told her what had happened.

'It just broke my heart that my dad would do something so evil,' she recalled.

'What does this mean about me? I was fundamentally flawed... My friends' parents didn't like me... They said, "I don't want you hanging out with that Lafferty girl." So I always felt ostracized and pushed out.'

She added that the shame followed her into adulthood, affecting every relationship and undermining her sense of self-worth.

Released on September 30, Rebecca's emotional memoir, The Lafferty Girl: Surviving Trauma, Abuse, and My Father's Crime, pulls back the curtain on her path to what she calls 'forgiveness'

Dan was a self-proclaimed prophet who clung to fundamentalist Mormon beliefs, including polygamy, long after they were excommunicated from the LDS Church. Pictured: Dan Lafferty on his mission to Scotland in 1966, where he met his wife (Rebecca's mother)

Reflecting on her own journey, Rebecca said, 'It wasn't just about forgiving my father. It was more like I needed to release this stored trauma in me that I didn't know I was still holding onto.' Pictured: Rebecca Lafferty in a high chair, age two, looking at her father

She revealed that she endured physical and emotional abuse at her father's hands from an early age. Pictured: Dan Lafferty and his daughter Rebecca at their farmhouse in Orem, Utah

As she writes in the newly released book, Rebecca says it was with the help of therapy, prayer, journaling, and hypnotherapy that she slowly began to reclaim her life.

After several years of self-healing, in 2006 she made the gut-wrenching decision to visit her father in prison.

'It was terrifying... seeing him behind this glass and all these chains, it really broke my heart,' she said.

'He was still my dad. I just chose to sit there and tap into that feeling of love for him... It was through numerous visits and letters that he was finally able to get to a place where he started asking me how I was and taking accountability.'

But even now, she emphasizes that forgiveness is not the same as approval.

'Forgiveness didn't mean condoning evil. It was about creating a new path for me and my family.'

'I carried this self-loathing with me throughout my life... I wasn't capable of loving another person or finding a healthy partnership until I first learned to love and forgive myself and those who had hurt me.'

It wasn't until third grade that she began to sense something was terribly wrong, but the full truth didn't come out until she was 12, when her mother finally told her what had happened

Today, Rebecca, now a mother of three, says she is 'the most peaceful' she has ever been. Pictured: Rebecca Lafferty gives birth to her daughter Erin in 1996

Today, Rebecca says she is 'the most peaceful' she has ever been.

'I am at the most peaceful I've ever been,' she said. 'All I knew was that my nervous system was on all the time. I felt like something was out to get me. But peace is possible.'

'There's hope in healing,' she added.

Ron sentenced to death and died in prison in 2019 at the age of 78. Dan, now 77, remains behind bars, serving life without the possibility of parole.

The shocking double murder case was later chronicled in Jon Krakauers best-selling book, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, and inspired a Hulu series of the same name.
Labour has admitted the elderly in rural areas would be hit hardest in plans to halve the total number of post offices.

It says 'nearly half' of all those nationwide are no longer profitable and subsidies are unsustainable, meaning nearly 6,000 of the 11,500 risk being scrapped.

Part-time ones which open a few days a week or share premises with other businesses are also threatened. Village post offices are most at risk, especially if they can't afford to open full-time.

The Government also suggests it could redefine what is meant by a 'branch'. This means 'drop and collect' boxes could count as post offices.

The threats are in the fine print of Labour's Future of Post Office consultation, which closes tomorrow.

The Tories have created a petition railing against the changes, with shadow post office minister Harriett Baldwin saying: 'Post offices are a precious part of our critical national infrastructure.

'Every community must have access to essential services like cash, parcels and communications.'

Labour has admitted the elderly in rural areas would be hit hardest in plans to halve the total number of post offices

In the consultation, the Government recognises that post offices are important community hubs that provide the most 'social value' for elderly people. It also admits those in rural areas depend on them more.

Many postmasters are still fighting for compensation after being persecuted in the Horizon faulty computers scandal.

A Department for Business spokesman said last night: 'It is right to consider a range of options to secure the organisation's long-term future but our preference is to keep the overall size and shape of the network the same.'
China is switching off the water supply to British diplomats in Beijing to force the Government to cave in to its controversial demands for a mega-embassy in London, it has been claimed.

The ploy is said to be the latest tactic by President Xi Jinping to ensure he gets approval for his plans to build a complex at Royal Mint Court in the City.

Despite grave security fears, the Government is expected to soon waive the plans through in a bid to appease China.

Whitehall sources say staff at the British Embassy in Beijing are languishing in a crumbling building with the water cut off for hours on end and they are even being forced to use a squash court as a temporary office.

One source said that despite a 100 million contract being awarded in 2020 by the Foreign Office, China has refused to allow work to start while its own plans are in limbo.

They said: Sometimes our water supply goes missing which is an interesting way of putting it. They are using our embassy to force us to do something about their embassy. Our one needs a complete remake. It is neglected. This behaviour is not very sporting or diplomatic.

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith said: It is an appalling tactic and yet the UK Government seems prepared to give China this mega-embassy which everyone knows is a security risk.

'It is embarrassing for them. I call it Project Kowtow.

The ploy is said to be the latest tactic by President Xi Jinping to ensure he gets approval for his plans to build a complex at Royal Mint Court in the City.

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith desrcibed it an 'appalling tactic' adding that the UK Government 'seems prepared to give China this mega-embassy which everyone knows is a security risk'

The row erupted in 2018 when China bought the 215,280 sq ft site for 255 million from the Crown Estate.

Security fears were raised due to the lands proximity to sensitive underground communications in the Square Mile.

Those who have fled Hong Kongs Chinese regime also fear the embassy will be used as a base to hunt them down.

In 2022, the plans were turned down by Tower Hamlets council but they have been resubmitted.

Former housing secretary Angela Rayner called in the proposal last year to make a final decision on it.

Her replacement Steve Reed is now expected to approve it imminently.

A consultation on the plans has taken place, with top planning lawyer Lord Banner KC saying they cannot lawfully be granted.

The mega-embassy row has also intensified as it emerged that a trial against two men accused of spying for China collapsed because of the Government.

Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33, allegedly passed intelligence to a high-ranking Chinese official

Labour decided to withdraw the evidence of a civil servant who was due to describe China as an enemy.

Without this testimony, the two men could not be tried under the Official Secrets Act.
Morgan McSweeney was yesterday accused of distancing himself from Keir Starmers racist charge against Nigel Farage amid fears that Labours attacks on Reform are backfiring.

Sources say No10s chief of staff has privately said he was not responsible for the Prime Ministers claim that Mr Farages migrants policy was racist.

One said: Morgans making it clear  he didnt come up with that attack line.

The implication is that it was the PMs own blunder  not McSweeneys.

Downing Street last night insisted Mr McSweeney backs Sir Keir 100 per cent.

But the allegations come amid mounting disquiet among Labour MPs that trying to brand Reform policies as racist will only anger voters inclined to agree with Mr Farages stance.

In a BBC interview last Sunday, Sir Keir hit out at Reforms policy to require migrants who already have right to remain in the UK to re-apply for visas.

He said it was one thing to remove illegal migrants but a completely different thing to remove those here lawfully.

Sources say No10s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney (pictured) has privately said he was not responsible for the Prime Ministers claim that Mr Farages migrants policy was racist

The allegations come amid mounting disquiet among Labour MPs that trying to brand Reform policies as racist will only anger voters inclined to agree with Nigel Farages stance

Asked if he thought it was racist, the PM replied: I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think its immoral  it needs to be called out for what it is.

Sir Keir then used his Labour conference speech to accuse Mr Farage of not believing in his own country, saying: He doesnt like Britain.

But in an apparent sign of nervousness over the earlier jibe, he subsequently stressed that he is not accusing Mr Farage himself or Reform voters of being racist.

But the PM has been warned that even using the term against Reform policies was not a good idea.

Harriet Harman said labelling a policy racist, but not the politicians or their supporters, would not be understood by voters.

The Labour grandee told Sky News: You cant distinguish between a racist policy from a party and a racist party leader because thats too subtle and nuanced for the public.

Dame Harriet added that she thought Sir Keir used the racist attack without planning it, and instead of just going back on it, he slightly doubled down.

One Labour backbencher voiced what he said were wider concerns over using the racism attack.

He said: The problem with Starmers original remark... is that it tars people minded to back Reform with the same brush.

Many of them are former Labour voters in our northern heartlands.

'We should be trying to woo them back, not push them all into Farages arms by saying their genuine concerns about immigration are racist.

Downing Street sources last night denied that Mr McSweeney had tried to distance himself from the PMs choice of words.

They said that although Sir Keir had come up with the attack himself, his chief of staff backs it 100 per cent.
Communities with high rates of cousin marriages are significantly more likely to claim disability benefits, according to new data seen by The Mail on Sunday.

Analysis shows a rise of a quarter in the handouts in areas where the practice is more common.

For example, in Bradford, where one in six children is born to parents who are cousins, disability benefits are 23 per cent higher than average, costing the taxpayer millions of pounds more every week.

Experts say that the increase is down to the higher risk of birth defects and deformities  which include blindness, hearing loss and schizophrenia  when a childs parents are so closely related.

The news comes after the MoS revealed last week that the NHS has been accused of taking the knee to political correctness after it published guidance advocating cousin marriage, saying it offered benefits such as stronger extended family support systems.

Cousin marriage is most common in British-Pakistani communities, which account for around

Four per cent of all births nationwide but about 30 per cent of recessive gene disorders.

Experts believe that the resulting birth defects have caused 20 per cent of infant deaths in Birmingham, 20 per cent in Redbridge in East London, and 53 per cent of all South Asian infant deaths in Bradford.

Bradford, where one in six children is born to parents who are cousins, disability benefits are 23 per cent higher than average, costing the taxpayer millions of pounds more every wee

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Dr Patrick Nash, director of the Pharos Foundation social science research group in Oxford, said: These chronically inbred populations are at much higher risk of death, serious disability, non-fatal development issues and lifelong ill-health.

Rogue statistics and terrible public health advice are serving to minimise the dangers of cousin marriage and disguise the true scale of the problem.

Richard Holden, the Tory MP who is campaigning to ban the practice, said: First cousin marriage undermines everything modern Britain stands for in terms of personal freedom and integration.

It is beyond time that this backward cultural practice was banned.

Those who seek to defend it out of misplaced and outdated ideas of cultural relativism should consider the terrible impact their actions are having on our society and the individuals they are harming, not helping.

A YouGov poll this year found three-quarters of Britons support a ban on cousin marriage, with only 9 per cent thinking the law should remain as it is.
A firefighter who was among the first to rush to the scene of the horrific synagogue attack in Manchester has revealed he feels he and his colleagues were 'able to put a lot of things right'.

Tom Ludley, 41, was driving by the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on his way to another fire in a different part of the city on Thursday morning.

Jihad AlShamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape at the time of the attack, was shot dead by police as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur  the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been accidentally shot dead by police while attempting to prevent AlShamie entering the synagogue during the attack.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the premises, also died in the attack.

Within seconds, Ludley had to make a decision as to whether he would go to the initial call-out, a suspected fire two miles away, or help with the ongoing terror unfolding in front of him.

He told the Times he ordered his crew to disembark and put on their protective gear.

Ludley said his quick decision was the result of 'immense guilt' he has carried with him since being assigned to work on the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.

Tom Ludley (circled) was driving by the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on his way to another fire in a different part of the city on Thursday morning

Rescuers of that attack were condemned for their lack of preparedness.

A public inquiry finding that victims had to be carried out on crowd barriers because they lacked stretchers, and that it took firefighters two hours to get inside due to safety concerns.

Ludley said: 'The firefighters that were on duty that night [of the arena bombing], of which I was one, I don't think will ever recover from what unfolded and the way it unfolded.

'What is a testament to everyone involved [on Thursday] was that it was absolutely night and day [compared with the Manchester Arena attack].'

This time, he sent four firefighters in soon after the attacker was killed by Greater Manchester Police.

'I would rather take some risk to do a good job than have to live with the thought of not doing it because I've done that before and it's not great.'

He added: 'I felt exactly the same eight years ago.

'It almost doesn't seem real when you're in it and you don't actually get any time to decompress initially, although you obviously get offered it, but you're trapped in this limbo of needing to break your thoughts down.

'Probably also not wanting to be away from your team and your friends and your work and so it's a strange sort of balancing act.'

'I felt immense guilt after the first one, although I now know with clarity none of it was my fault.'

Counterterror police have since released two suspects from an investigation into the Manchester synagogue attack, including a teenager.

The scene outside the Heaton Park Synagogue, pictured early on Friday morning, as a police investigation continues into the attack

An 18yearold woman and 43yearold man who were arrested in Farnworth in connection with the investigation into the terror incident that took place outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue have been released.

No further action is being taken, Greater Manchester Police confirmed.

It comes as police were granted warrants giving them extra time to question four people arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts.

Three men remain in hospital after the car and knife attack at the synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on Thursday.
The ex-girlfriend of one-time prime minister hopeful Mark Latham has been charged with offences related to revenge porn after she was arrested at Sydney Airport.

Nathalie Matthews was placed into custody shortly after her flight from Dubai landed at Sydney at about 7am on Sunday.

The Daily Telegraph reported NSW Police escorted Ms Matthews through the international arrivals and into a waiting cop car.

Its understood police drove Ms Matthews to Mascot Police Station where she was probed over alleged revenge porn offences.

Authorities later charged Ms Matthews with accessing or modifying restricted data held in a computer; intentionally recording an intimate image without consent and intentionally distributing an intimate image without consent.

In July, Ms Matthews, a 37-year-old businesswoman who shuttles between Sydney and Dubai, applied for an apprehended violence order (AVO) against Mr Latham.

Latham, an independent NSW Upper House MP who once ran for PM when leading the Labor Party, and Matthews had been in a rocky romantic relationship for about two years.

Mr Latham denied allegations he abused Ms Matthews during the relationship and is contesting the AVO.

Nathalie Matthews was sensationally placed custody shortly after her flight from Dubai landed at Sydney about 7am on Sunday morning

Mark Latham had been in a relationship with Ms Matthews for two years

The matter remains before the courts and is expected to be heard later this year.

In unrelated events, Mr Latham was booted from Royal Randwick on Saturday afternoon before undefeated supermare Autumn Glow smashed her rivals to win the Group 1 Epsom Handicap.

Latham has vowed to take legal action after being escorted out of a members-only restaurant at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday afternoon.

The 64-year-old, now a NSW Upper House MLC, was photographed leaving the Grand View Restaurant flanked by two police officers at around 1.45pm, in an image obtained by the Daily Telegraph.

It's understood management asked Latham to leave before contacting police, citing a ban imposed by the Australian Turf Club (ATC).

Late on Saturday night, Latham launched into a blistering online tirade, branding the ATC's actions 'outrageous' and threatening legal action.

'Thanks to the loving genius who sent this to me. Unlike those I will be suing for the decisions they took today,' he wrote on X.

He claimed an ATC director had greeted him warmly earlier in the day, making 'no mention of any problem whatsoever' with him being on course.

Mr Latham is escorted from Royal Randwick

Ms Matthews is a 37-year-old businesswoman who shuttles between Sydney and Dubai

Undefeated supermare Autumn Glow smashed her rivals to win the Group 1 Epsom Handicap

'I have never been notified of such, had a hearing or process about my rights as a guest of an ATC member, as I was today,' he said.

Latham argued he had attended Randwick as a guest of a member with a valid pass and revealed he had visited Rosehill Racecourse, operated by the ATC, just weeks earlier.

'I was at Rosehill four weeks ago as a guest of a member, not a word said all day,' Latham wrote.

In another post, Latham slammed the timing of the confrontation.

'The first I heard of a concern was when an ATC staffer came up during the running of a race (sacrilegious) to say "there's a board decision showing that you're not welcome here",' he said.

'I replied that can't be true because less than an hour earlier, one of four ATC directors greeted me warmly, asked for my advice and did not say a word about any such decision.'

He claimed the staffer 'couldn't produce any document to support his claim,' so he refused to leave until police arrived. 'I didn't leave because the request was BS,' he wrote.

The ATC confirmed the incident, saying Latham had breached conditions prohibiting suspended members from attending races.

Ms Matthews was charged with intentionally recording an intimate image without consent and intentionally distributing an intimate image without consent

Latham was asked to attend a Racing NSW disciplinary hearing last month after he allegedly verbally abused a staff member at the Rosehill Racecourse in April.

'We can confirm an incident occurred regarding a former member who had been subject to disciplinary proceedings,' a spokesman said. 'He was asked to leave the racecourse.'

Police later confirmed they were called by ATC officials to remove a 64-year-old man from the members' area.

'The man complied and there is no further police action,' a NSW Police spokesperson said.

The drama follows a 12-month good behaviour bond and suspension placed on Latham's membership earlier this year.

The ATC recently passed a resolution banning suspended or resigned members from attending race meetings.

Latham resigned his membership in June after accusing the club of 'lousy customer service, incompetent management and a complete lack of collegiality' in a fiery post on X.

Latham was asked to attend a Racing NSW disciplinary hearing last month after he allegedly verbally abused a staff member at the Rosehill Racecourse in April.

He is still awaiting the results of the hearing.
Scott Pape has doubled down on his criticism of the Albanese government's expansion of the five per cent deposit scheme, after being labelled a moron.

The Barefoot Investor initially shared his doubts about the Home Guarantee Scheme last week, labelling it 'insulting' and claiming it would drive up house prices.

The Albanese government expanded the scheme on October 1, allowing first home buyers to purchase a property with just a five per cent deposit, instead of the usual 20 per cent, to avoid lenders' mortgage insurance.

The scheme had previously been limited to singles with a taxable income of less than $125,000, and couples earning less than $200,000, before it was expanded to include every Australian, regardless of salary.

Angry reader Tim wrote to Mr Pape on Sunday, calling him a moron, and argued that he thought it was a good idea as it meant he could buy a house sooner.

Tim, said he'd saved $35,000 for a $700,000 and didn't see why he should keep saving before getting a loan.

'By then, house prices will have shot up another 20-30 per cent and I'll be completely priced out. Meanwhile, my rent keeps going up and my landlord just sold the place out from under me,' Tim wrote.

Mr Pape argued that while Tim's current situation is tough, a higher mortgage would definitely make life a lot harder, and eventually break Australians in a similar circumstances.

Pape (pictured) warned the low equity means just one 'bad year' for scheme participants could cause financial ruin

'Right now you're on Australia's most depressing treadmill: running flat out while prices and rents keep rising faster than you can save,' he said.

'Albo has helped you off the treadmill and straight on to the stepper machine.'

On top of higher loan repayments, due to the lower deposit, Mr Pape warned the mounting bills that come with homeownership could quickly become overwhelming.

'Here's the kicker: with only five per cent equity, one bad year  job loss, health scare, divorce  and you're wiped out,' he said.

'You can't refinance, can't sell without tipping in cash. You're trapped.

'Mate, with maximum debt and minimum buffer, you're one bad year away from disaster.'

Mr Pape added the scheme is not something he'd recommend to his children, so can't recommend to his readers.

The median home price in Australia today is $844,000, meaning a five per cent deposit is $42,200.

Albanese (pictured with fiancee Jodie Haydon) set the scheme into effect on October 1

The last time $42,200 covered the 20 per cent deposit for a median home was 2002.

'We want to help young people and first home buyers achieve the dream of home ownership sooner,' Albanese said.

'Bringing the start date of our five per cent deposit scheme forward will do just that - getting more Australians into their own home quicker, while saving them money along the way.

'Labor was re-elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers, and we're delivering.'

However, Mr Pape believes the scheme actually does 'the exact opposite' of making homeownership more attainable.

'More buyers with more leverage chasing the same properties equals higher prices,' he said.

Mr Pape added that while it's easy for him to tell readers to 'save more' having already paid off his own home, he'd rather be honest than let them 'climb onto a step machine that's designed to break you'.
South Carolina State University issued a lockdown advisory after reports of gunfire near a campus residence hall Saturday night.

The university issued a notice around 11pm, urging students and staff to return to their residence halls immediately due to an incident near the Hugine Suites, a housing facility located on campus.

Off-campus individuals were asked to leave university grounds as the situation develops.

The university also advised its homecoming concert, which was scheduled for Saturday evening, was cancelled.

'The South Carolina State University campus is on lockdown following a shooting,' the alert on the Orangeburg institution's website stated.

'The Homecoming concert scheduled for tonight has been canceled. If you are not a current student, please do not attempt to come to campus.

'Public Safety has asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate.'

Daily Mail has contacted South Carolina State University and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for an update.

South Carolina State University issued a lockdown advisory after reports of gunfire near a campus residence hall Saturday night

In addition, the university's Homecoming concert, scheduled for Saturday evening, has been cancelled, according to the warning posted on the university's website

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace shared her condolences for those involved in the ongoing situation.

'Praying for everyone at South Carolina State University tonight,' she wrote.

'Please stay safe and follow law enforcement instructions as they respond to reports of a shooting on campus.

'Our hearts are with the students, faculty, and families affected.'

Senator Tim Scott said his office is 'closely monitoring the situation' and offered his prayers for 'everyone's safety on campus.'

The university has a student population of about 2,900 students.
Kemi Badenoch told anxious Tories 'we will get through this' today as she tried to kick-start conference by vowing to get tough on immigration.

As Conservatives gather in Manchester, Mrs Badenoch acknowledged the party has 'paid a political price' for 'taking time' to draw up policy after the election meltdown.

But she insisted that refusing to 'rush out' announcements like Nigel Farage would pay off in the end.

The bullish stance came amid mounting questions about Mrs Badenoch's future - and that of the party itself.

A poll released this weekend showed support on just 16 per cent, far behind Reform on 34 per cent and even worse than secured in the election meltdown last year.

Mr Farage's insurgents are widely expected to try to disrupt the conference by announcing another high-profile defection.

Reform boasted yesterday that London Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge Keith Prince had switched sides.

Meanwhile, shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick is accused of being 'on manoeuvres' for a leadership challenge.

Leaked figures have suggested that the Tories are braced for far fewer members to attend the gathering in Manchester than last year in the immediate aftermath of the election defeat.

As Conservatives gather in Manchester, Kemi Badenoch acknowledged the party has 'paid a political price' for 'taking time' to draw up policy after the election meltdown

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Defending her performance, Mrs Badenoch said: 'Nothing good comes quickly or fast.

'It will pay off. I'm an engineer and the way I was taught to do things is you have a plan, you work it through.

'It's not about being the first to announce a policy. It's about having the best policy. That is what I'm offering.

'And, yes, there may have been a small political price to pay in the polls. It will pay off eventually.'

Mrs Badenoch will take the unusual approach of bookending the conference with speeches today and on Wednesday.

She has already declared that a Conservative government would take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights - something she resisted saying during the leadership contest against Mr Jenrick last year.

The party announced last night that it would set up a US-style 'Removals Force' to hunt down and deport more than 750,000 migrants.

The Trumpian unit is part of a new seven-point Borders Plan, designed to take advantage of freedoms from leaving the ECHR.

Pressed on where the people would be deported to, Mrs Badenoch told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that was 'irrelevant'.

'People need to go back to their countries,' she said. 'They can go to safe third countries if that's the best thing for them.'

Challenged where they would go, Mrs Badenoch said: 'Not here, not here. They don't belong here, they are committing crimes, they are hurting people.'

She added: 'I'm tired of us asking all of these irrelevant questions about where should they go. They will go back to where they should do or another country, but they should not be here.'

Mr Jenrick has been one of the loudest voices in favour of quitting the treaty  which has been used by lawyers to thwart deportations.

Last year Mrs Badenoch rejected the idea, saying: 'Leaving the ECHR is not a silver bullet. We need to rewire the whole system from end to end. It's broken. Easy answers today just mean bigger problems tomorrow.'

But with Reform supporting the move the Tories have decided they cannot be outbid, despite concerns that unwinding ECHR membership could cause fresh chaos with other arrangements such as the Good Friday Agreement.

The Removals Force is modelled on America's Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), set up in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks to track down illegal immigrants.

President Trump used his One Big Beautiful Bill Act this year to turn it into the largest and best-funded federal law enforcement agency in the country's history.

Under Tory rules, Mrs Badenoch has year-long protection against a confidence vote, but that period ends next week

Under Tory rules, Mrs Badenoch has year-long protection against a confidence vote, but that period ends next week.

A third of Conservative MPs would need to send a letter to the 1922 committee to trigger a contest.

Asked by the Sunday Telegraph for her message to activists, Mrs Badenoch said: 'Hold your nerve. Hold your nerve.

'We are the only party that can deliver a stronger economy and stronger borders. If we don't hold our nerve, we are giving our country up. That is not right.'
Meghan Markle shared an awkward kiss with Italian fashion designer Pier Paolo Piccioli as she made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week.

The Duchess, 44, narrowly avoided pecking the designer - who is the newly appointed creative director of Balenciaga - and butted heads with him as they leaned in for an embrace at last night's event.

Meghan had gone in for a kiss on the cheek to congratulate Piccioli on his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear design, but instead appeared to hit her nose on his sunglasses.

Aware that the cameras were on them, Piccioli laughed it off and grabbed Meghan's hand before pulling her in for a photo.

The Duchess then thanked the designer before finishing off the encounter with a brief hug.

A spokesman for the Duchess said she has 'long admired' Piccioli's 'craftsmanship and modern elegance.

Meghan Markle shared an awkward kiss with Italian fashion designer Pier Paolo Piccioli as she made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week

Meghan looked in her element in a stylish white oversized cape with a white button-down shirt and matching trousers.

She paired her look with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, giving off a vibe of effortless elegance, topped off with a sleek, slicked-back bun.

It marks both her first appearance at Paris Fashion and her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Also at the Balenciaga show was Anne Hathaway, who is in the midst of filming The Devil Wears Prada 2, and Lauren Bezos who recently married Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.
Gisele Pelicot is set to return to court after one of the men convicted of raping her appealed against his verdict.

Pelicot, 72, who survived almost a decade of rape involving dozens of men after she was unknowingly drugged by her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, will attend appeals court in southern France again on Monday.

Husamettin Dogan, 44, a builder, was one of 51 men convicted of raping Pelicot whie she was unconscious. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for the rape but has now appealed his conviction.

The first trial last year heard he made contact with 72-year-old Domique - dubbed the Monster of Avignon - in an online chatroom before driving to the couple's home on the same evening in 2019. He had told his wife he was going out for the night.

Dogan told the historic trial last year that he thought it was just a game. 'I'm not a rapist, that's too heavy for me to bear,' he said at the time.

Initially, 17 of the 51 convicted men said they would appeal against the verdict, but 16 gradually dropped out, leaving only one appeal.

Pelicot's lawyer, Antoine Camus, said she would have preferred not to face the ordeal of attending another trial but would be present at the four-day trial at Nimes court of appeal.

'She will be there to explain that a rape is a rape, that there is no such thing as a small rape,' Camus told Agence France-Presse.

Gisele Pelicot, 72, who survived almost a decade of rape involving dozens of men after she was unknowingly drugged by her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, will attend appeals court in southern France again on Monday

Dominique Pelicot, 72, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and organising the mass rape of his wife

Dominique was sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging his former wife and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her while unconscious.

He had had laced his Pelicot's food and drink with tranquilisers to render her unconscious before inviting men he met online to take part in sordid rape and abuse fantasies that he acted out with them and filmed in their retirement home in the small Provence town of Mazan and elsewhere.

The images and footage were only discovered when he was caught in September 2020 upskirting women at a local supermarket, with a subsequent police search of his home revealing the thousands of photos of his wife.

Now serving a prison sentence in solitary confinement, Dominique will appear as a witness at the appeal court trial. He is expected to repeat what he said at the first trial: 'I am a rapist - like everyone else in this room.'

Following the brave waiver of her anonymity during last year's trial, Pelicot has gone on to become a feminist icon across France and the globe.

The former logistics manager, had insisted the first rape trial in 2024 be held in public to raise awareness of drug-induced rape and abuse. 'It's not for us to have shame, it's for them,' she said in court.

It comes jus two months after Pelicot's daughter revealed she no longer speaks to her mother after telling her to stop making a 'spectacle' of herself during the rape trial.

Caroline Darian remained a pillar by her mother's side during the trial, however, although she never admitted this in court, the 46-year-old communication manager from Paris believed she too was subjected to sordid abuse by her father - something she claims her mother never fully 'believed'.

Darian revealed that she and her mother do not speak, following a series of actions that made Darian feel as if she had been 'abandoned' by her mother during the trial.

The mother-of-one also told how she had to have a conversation with her son, 11, to explain that he would no longer be seeing his grandmother.

Dominique Pelicot is pictured arriving at the Avignon courthouse to face the verdict on December 16, 2024

Gisele Pelicot (centre), and her daughter Caroline Darian (left) speak with the media after leaving the criminal court in Avignon, France, September 5 2024

Speaking to The Telegraph, she revealed that on several heartbreaking occasions, Pelicot had told her to 'stop making a spectacle of yourself' in the outside courtyard during the historic trial, after she yelled: 'You will die alone like a dog in jail!' as Dominique's sentence was delivered.

She claims that despite the fact she stuck by her mother for the months-long trial in 2024, Pelicot did not want to 'believe or hear' her allegations that Dominique had also raped her.

During the investigation into Dominique, police found some 20,000 lurid images and videos of Pelicot being abused in files on his computer, as well as pictures of Darian naked and in underwear that did not belong to her in a deleted file called 'My Daughter Naked'.

Within this secret file there were two images of Darian, then aged in her thirties, sleeping in beige underwear.

When showed this by the police, Darian claimed that she did not sleep in this position, that she has never seen that specific pair of underwear before and that she would never have gone to bed dressed like that.

Following on from this revelation she told the court that she was convinced that she too had probably been raped and abused by Dominique.

Although there is no suggestion that Pelicot knew about any of her husband's activities, from the start, Darian writes in her book, her mother found it impossible to believe that her husband had preyed on his own daughter, assuring her: 'Your father is incapable of such a thing'.

According to Darian, she and her brothers Florian, 38, and David, 50, implored Dominique to tell the truth about the photos, but he consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Darian claimed that her mother was the only person who could convince her father to confess to the crimes against her, but that she chose to remain silent.

'And that, I can never forgive her for, never,' she told the newspaper.
Police say they are treating a late-night blaze damaging a mosque as a hate crime - with footage capturing the moment a suspected arsonist started the fire.

The front entrance to the mosque in Peaceheaven in East Sussex - six miles east along the coast from Brighton - was damaged along with a vehicle parked outside.

Sussex Police said in a statement they were called to reports of an arson attack in Phyllis Avenue just before 10pm on Saturday.

They confirmed the incident, in which no one was injured, was being treated as a hate crime.

Video appeared to show a man in a black jacket at the entrance to the Peacehaven mosque seconds before the flames erupted.

At least one person is believed to have been inside the Peace Community Centre and Mosque in Peacehaven when the blaze took hold - while two men could been seen in a video near a car which was also burnt out in the aftermath.

Det Supt Karrie Bohanna said: 'We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result.

'There is already an increased police presence at the scene and there are also additional patrols taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county.

The entrance to a mosque in Peaceheaven in East Sussex - six miles east along the coast from Brighton - has been badly damaged after a suspected 'hate crime' arson attack on Saturday

Doorbell camera footage showed a man clad in black approaching the front at about 10am

Fire crews have been seen tackling the blaze - including impact on a car parked nearby

'Sussex Police takes a zero tolerance approach to hate crime and there is no place for hate across the county.'

Describing enquiries as a 'fast-moving investigation', she appealed for anyone with information or footage captured on CCTV, dashcam, doorbell or mobile phone to contact the police.

A volunteer at the Peacehaven mosque has now said two men escaped with their lives as the massive fireball engulfed the entrance.

Worshippers had only just left after the last prayer service of the day when the mosque was attacked.

The volunteer, who asked not to be named, said: 'Evening prayers finished, so most people had left the mosque.

'They came in balaclavas and sprayed gasoline on the entrance and the few steps - they put it on the door, the entrance and the vehicle parked outside.

'They threw something at it and the vehicle blew up. The fire reached the entrance to the mosque.

'People around phoned the fire brigade straight away. Two people inside the mosque got out as soon as they could.

This was the scene outside the Peace Community Centre and Mosque in Peacehaven on the morning of Sunday, October 5 - following the previous evening's blaze

The walls of the mosque's front entrance are covered in soot following the fire

The building's stairs are also discoloured and soot-covered, with a large burnt-out patch in front of the property

A police vehicle pictured parked out in front of the mosque following the attck

Damage outside the front entrance of the mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, with the side of a bin

'The chairman, who is an elderly man in his 60s, ran out it just before the car was blown to pieces.'

The volunteer said he believes this was a targeted attack by men intent on murdering Muslims, adding: 'It's clearly a targeted attack.

'They were trying to gain access to the mosque - we believe to commit murder.

Despite only having a small congregation, the volunteer told of fears among the the Muslim community of local tensions rising, saying: 'There has been a rise in racism around here recently.

'It's a quiet area, there's only a few Muslim people here. Everyone here is affected - it's a small community of Muslims.

'Our neighbours, who are not Muslims, came out crying. We have good relations with everybody who lives around.

'Everyone is obviously scared, we don't know what's going to happen.'

Police were today urged to seek clarity on whether the attack was terrorism.

Locals survey the damage outside the front entrance of the mosque in Phyllis Avenue, Peacehaven, East Sussex,

Fire crews congregated at the mosque following the suspected arson attack on October 4 2025

Video appeared to show a man in a black jacket at the entrance to the Peacehaven mosque seconds before the flames erupted

At least one person is believed to have been inside the Peace Community Centre and Mosque in Peacehaven when the blaze took hold

Sussex Police say they are treating a late-night blaze damaging the mosque as a hate crime

Mothin Ali, deputy leader of the Green Party, said: 'The police need to urgently seek clarity on the motives of this attack and whether this hate crime constitutes an act of terrorism.

'People were inside the mosque when it was firebombed and people in this community will be feeling frightened and targeted for their faith.'

He added: 'My thoughts are with everyone at the Masjid (mosque) and the wider Muslim community in Sussex, who will be feeling shaken and fearful today.

'Protecting Jews and Muslims in their places of worship must be a priority.

'We must redouble our commitment to stand shoulder to shoulder and bring communities together.'

Chris Ward, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: 'Appalled by the disgusting arson attack on Peacehaven mosque last night.

'That there were no injuries is purely by chance. I have spoken with Sussex Police this morning, and I'm very grateful to them and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service for their response.

'This violence and hatred has no place in our peaceful, tolerant local community. We will root it out and we stand in solidarity with all affected.'

The leader of the local council, Lewes District, said she was 'shocked and saddened' by the fire.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson added: 'This is a deeply distressing incident that strikes at the heart of our community.

'On behalf of Lewes District Council, I want to express our unwavering support and solidarity with the Muslim community in Peacehaven and across our district. Be in no doubt, we stand shoulder to shoulder with you.'

The incident comes after St George's flags recently appeared alongside main roads close to Peacehaven and nearby Rottingdean, part of the nationwide 'Operation Raise The Colours' campaign that has been spreading.

Two men could been seen in a video near a car which was also burnt out in the aftermath and needed dousing down by fire crews called to the scene in Peacehaven, East Sussex

Worshippers are said to have only just left after the last prayer service of the day when the mosque was attacked late on Saturday 4 October

The clean-up operations at the mosque were continuing on the morning of October 5 2025

St George's flags have been seen appearing in recent weeks along the A259 South Coast Road linking Rottingdean and Peacehaven in East Sussex, not far along the seafront from Brighton

The Peacehaven mosque volunteer added: 'Obviously, there are flags around everywhere - they don't bother us, this is England and there should be flags around.

'We have heard reports of increased racism coming from the schools.'

Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to share it to Sussex Police online or on 101, quoting Operation Spey.

They can alternatively contact CrimeStoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.
A listen to Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal, a few new releases, and some archival recordings from all over.

To Be Alive

Jahari Stampley - What a Time - What a Time

Imafan

Makaya - PopUp Shop EP - PopUp Shop EP

Between the Fingers the Drops of Tomorrow's Dawn

Sirom - In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper - In the Wind of Night, Hard-Fallen Incantations Whisper

Nem Um Talvez

Miles Davis - Live-Evil

Musica da Lagoa

Hermeto Pascoal - Musica da Lagoa

Pantanal Brasileiro

Hermeto Pascoal - Hermeto Pascoal E Sua Visao Original Do Forro

Dialogo

Hermeto Pascoal - Dose Dupla

Passeando pelo jardim

Hermeto Pascoal - Pra voce, Ilza

Hermeto

Hermeto Pascoal - Hermeto

Eita Mundo Bom!

Hermeto Pascoal - Cerebro Magnetico

Sao Jorge

Hermeto Pascoal - Zabumbe-Bum-A

Star Trap pt. 2

Hermeto Pascoal - Slaves Mass

The Secrets of the Initiation

Wakuenai initiation men - Music for Shape-Shifters: Field Recordings from the Amazonian Lowlands, 1981-1985

Amasoka

Elliot Gumede - Zulu Guitar Blues: Cowboys, Troubadours, and Jilted Lovers 1950-65

Ko-uta, Ryukyu Bushi (Japan)

Yamaura Toyoko - Excavated Shellac: Strings

Taqsim Rast (Lebanon)

Chahade Effendi Saade - Excavated Shellac: Strings

Okubulirwa Lupiza Otambula Osopza (Uganda)

Galabuzi And Party - Excavated Shellac: Strings

Sakhodou

Orchestre Du Jardin De Guinee - Sous La Direction De Onivogui Balla

Lagu Kebiar

Gamelan Gong - Sprigs Of Time (78s From The EMI Archive)

Fantaisie Maggiar

Noubar Bey & Party - Sprigs Of Time (78s From The EMI Archive)

Ilougan

Tuareg men and women of Kel Issekeneren with tende, djidunun (water drum) - Tuareg Music of the Southern Sahara

Ya Bati Zefen (Ethiopia)

Negatoua - Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World's Music

Sun Kay Gal Nawab Nai (Punjab)

Siddiq and Party - Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World's Music

Mr Murray; The 10 Fiddle; The Baker (Cape Breton)

Angus Chisholm - Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World's Music

Slipping (aya been caught remix)

Bendik Giske - Remixed - Remixed

Sound than Words

Saul Williams, Carlos Nino & Friends - Saul Williams meets Carlos Nino & Friends at Treepeople - Saul Williams meets Carlos Nino & Friends at Treepeople

I Love You So Much, But You Refused to Marry Me (Your Beauty I Cannot Unsee)

The Good Ones - Rwanda Sings With String - Rwanda Sings With String

9th Gate

Backxwash - Only Dust Remains - Only Dust Remains

Gyae Mensu

K. Frimpong & his Cubano Fiestas - The Blue Album - The Blue Album
A builder who pocketed 1million on a scratchcard has revealed how he was left fighting for his life in hospital after three months of non-stop 'partying' with his winnings.

Adam Lopez, 39, from the village of Mattishall in Norfolk, saw his bank balance rocket from 12.40 to 1,000,012.40 after picking up the lucky 5 card from a corner shop in Hellesdon this July.

After being 'stunned into complete silence' when discovering he had become an instant millionaire, Mr Lopez took some time to compose himself before letting his delighted family know.

He then quickly traded his forklift for a Range Rover Sport, bought his mother a Range Rover Evoque, quit his job on the building site and booked a luxury holiday to Barbados.

At the time, Mr Lopez said: 'Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen to me, I feel so blessed. I've given myself a budget to have fun, a pot to treat people I love and the rest I'm saving for the future.'

The 39-year-old also vowed to 'use this time to enjoy myself and get fit' ahead of his plans to travel more next year.

But just eight weeks on from the day that changed his life, Mr Lopez was rushed to hospital on September 10 with blood clots blocking arteries in both of his lungs.

Now, as he recovers from the life-threatening shock, the builder has admitted he 'went the wrong way about' handling his winnings after 'partying for the last three months'.

Adam Lopez swapped his forklift for a Range Rover after pocketing 1million earlier this year

Mr Lopez took a screengrab in July of the moment his bank balance reached over 1million

The 39-year-old has now revealed his regret after spending the last three months 'partying'

Mr Lopez told the BBC: 'It's allowed me to live a bit of a life I've never lived, but I think I went the wrong way about it... it was enjoyable until my health became an issue.'

The 39-year-old said a blood clot in his leg had spread to his lungs, leaving him unable to walk or breathe before being rushed to hospital by paramedics.

He then spent eight days in Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, which he says was the 'kick up the backside' he needed to get his affairs in order again.

Mr Lopez continued: 'It just makes you look at both sides of life because it doesn't matter if you have 1million, 100million, 1billion, 1trillion - when you're in the back of the ambulance, none of it matters.

'I left my job and I never should have done that. I lost the structure to my life and day to day living... it was a complete disconnect from the life I was living.'

The builder said the scare was particularly hard on his mother, and he has insisted that he will prioritise taking care of himself after his recovery - which could be as long as nine months.

Mr Lopez, who also holds the world record for the fastest time recorded running a mile in a swimming pool, thanked the paramedics and hospital staff for allowing him to have another chance at life.
The Home Secretary has vowed to close the 'gap in the law' on protests after a wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations took place in the wake of the Manchester synagogue attack.

Shabana Mahmood unveiled new laws handing police more powers to clamp down on repeat protests after 492 pro-Palestine marchers were arrested this weekend.

Forces across the country are now allowed to consider the 'cumulative impact' of demonstrations, including regular pro-Palestinian protests on a Saturday which Ms Mahmood previously branded 'un-British'.

These culminated in yesterday's march in central London which organisers refused to cancel despite two Jewish people being killed in a terrorist attack just two days prior.

The Home Secretary told Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: 'The strengthening of the legislation that I'm going to bring about is based on the ability of the police to place conditions and restrictions on protests.

'And what I will be making explicit is that cumulative disruption - that is to say, the frequency of particular protests in particular places - is, in and of itself, a reason for the police to be able to restrict and place conditions.

'That is to say, they can move them to a different place, they can restrict the time that those protests can occur on, so that will unlock all of the broader measures that the police can already do on protests.

'It's been clear to me in conversations in the last couple of days that there is a gap in the law and there is an inconsistency of practice, so I'll be taking measures immediately to put that right.

Police will be given more powers to clamp down on repeat protests after 492 pro-Palestine marchers were arrested in the wake of the Manchester synagogue attack (pictured: a protester is taken away by police officers after being arrested in central London on Saturday)

Pro-Palestine demonstrators gather at a rally in Manchester on Saturday

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, pictured in Manchester after the attack on Thursday, has vowed to close the 'gap in the law' on protests after a wave of pro-Palestine demonstrations

'And I will be reviewing our wider protest legislation as well to make sure the arrangements we have can meet the scale of the challenge that we face, which is protecting the right to protest, but ensuring that our communities can go about their daily business without feeling intimidated and also that public order can be maintained.'

The Government will amend Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to hand officers these additional powers.

The Home Secretary will also review existing legislation to ensure powers are sufficient and are being applied consistently by police forces - this will include the ability to ban protests outright.

She told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that she wished Saturday's protesters could have waited a couple of days to allow Jewish people across the country the chance to 'grieve'.

Ms Mahmood said: 'I don't think it's offensive to ask people to show a little humanity towards a community that has suffered such a terrible tragedy, that's the first loss of Jewish life simply for being Jewish on British soil in centuries. Actually, as it happens, it's a very, very long time since that's happened in our country.

'I think just because you have a freedom doesn't mean to say you have to use it at every moment of every day, those people could have just waited a day or two and given people the chance to grieve and process what has happened.

'I don't think there's anything offensive about that, I think that would have been a British response.'

People take part in a demonstration organised by GM Friends of Palestine at Manchester Cathedral on Saturday

An activist is arrested for holding an illegal sign in Trafalgar square in London

The Conservatives would support Labour's proposal to expand policing powers to deal with persistent protests, party leader Kemi Badenoch said.

She told the Laura Kuenssberg: 'Of course we will support them. But what took them so long?

'And the issue, from my perspective, is why should the public trust a Home Secretary who not that long ago was protesting herself, lay down, closed a Sainsbury's supermarket because it was stocking Israeli goods?'

She added: 'We believe in free speech, but that has to be within the bounds of the law.

'If people are using protest to intimidate, if they're using protest to incite violence, then no, it's not protest.'

There is currently a high bar restricting police's ability to ban a march entirely. It requires a risk of 'serious public disorder'.

Under the changes being proposed, if a protest has taken place at the same site for weeks on end and caused repeated disorder, the police will have the authority to impose conditions such as ordering organisers to hold the event somewhere else.

Anyone who breaches the conditions will risk arrest and prosecution.

Ahead of the latest Saturday protests in Manchester and London, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged the groups behind the demonstrations along with attendees to 'respect the grief of British Jews' as he said the events could bring further pain to mourners.

But a protest in central London campaigning against the proscription of Palestine Action went ahead regardless, after organisers from group Defend Our Juries had a public spat with the Metropolitan Police and refused to call it off.

Of the almost 500 arrests, some 488 were for supporting banned terror organisation Palestine Action.

A Daily Mail analysis shows that the Met Police has so far arrested at least 1,984 people in London for allegedly supporting Palestine Action since it was proscribed on July 5.

Meanwhile, a march held by Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine, which has taken place regularly over the last two years, also went ahead in the face of counter-protesters who held Union flags.

And vast swathes of people turned out at pro-Palestinian rallies across Europe on, calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and the release of activists on board a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the territory.

The Manchester marches were referenced by members of the public who heckled Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy when he spoke at a vigil near the attack on Friday.

On Thursday, a protest in support of members of a flotilla attempting to reach Gaza, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, held in Whitehall, central London just hours after the fatal attack, descended into chaos.

Then, early on Saturday afternoon, a group of people attending the Defend Our Juries protest unfurled a banner on Westminster Bridge which read: 'We oppose genocide. We support Palestine Action.'

Six people were arrested after unfurling the banner for expressing support for a proscribed organisation, the Met said.

Officers from the Met Police then began making arrests amongst protesters who were declaring their support for Palestine Action.

An estimate from organisers Defend Our Juries suggested around 700 people gathered in Trafalgar Square, half the number they had predicted. A statement on the group's social media pages later said 1,000 had gathered.

At 1pm, many unveiled signs which said they supported Palestine Action.

Dave Rich, director of policy at the Community Security Trust charity which provides protection for the Jewish community, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think it's phenomenally tone deaf, to say the least, for so many people who claim to care about human rights and care about freedoms, to be taking police resources away from protecting the rights and freedoms of Jewish people to live their lives and go to synagogue in safety, all to support a proscribed terrorist organisation, which is not the same thing as supporting the Palestinians.

Two died and four others were injured after Jihad Al-Shamie, pictured, unleashed an attack outside Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue

Following the incident, armed officers later reportedly arrested two men in a street just feet away from the deadly knife attack in Manchester (pictured: a man being detained by police)

'And I think it's remarkably self-absorbed and insensitive, to say the least.'

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were left dead and four others were injured after Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent, unleashed an attack outside Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.

Al-Shamie was shot dead by armed police at 9.38am on Thursday, which was Yom Kippur, the holiest day for Jewish people, after driving a car at members of the public before stabbing multiple people.

At the time of the incident, it was feared he had an explosive suicide belt on. However, this device later proved to be 'non-viable'.

Greater Manchester Police, whose armed officers were scrambled to the scene, said in a statement that one of those killed and one of the injured also suffered bullet wounds from armed officers.

As well as descending on the quiet street in Prestwich, armed police officers also attended a property just a quarter of a mile from the synagogue on Thursday.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of planning acts of terrorism, Greater Manchester Police said, but two were released on Saturday.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson admitted that one of the men who died and another who was injured suffered gunshot wounds from armed police during the incident.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, has been named as one of those who died during Thursday's terror attack

Adrian Daulby, 53, was also killed in the attack after being accidentally shot by police

It is reported that a bullet grazed one man's leg before hitting Mr Daubly in the stomach, who sadly died.

The men, along with the synagogue's Rabbi Daniel Walker, had been standing inches from the attacker after they barricaded the doors to prevent him gaining access.

Chief Watson said: 'Following the terrorist incident yesterday at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, Middleton Road, Crumpsall; further and urgent enquiries continue. Overnight, we have taken advice from the Home Office Pathologist ahead of full post mortem examinations scheduled for later today.

'The Home Office Pathologist has advised that he has provisionally determined, that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

'It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP's Authorised Firearms Officers as they worked to prevent the offender from entering the synagogue and causing further harm to our Jewish community.

'It follows therefore, that subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end.

'We have also been advised by medical professionals that one of the three victims currently receiving treatment in hospital, has also suffered a gunshot wound, which is mercifully not life-threatening.

'It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry.'
BBC staff took 20,000 sick days for mental health last year, with stress, depression and anxiety rife at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

Some 20,884 days of work at the public service were lost for psychological reasons in the year to the end of March.

They accounted for a fifth of all sickness absences in the period, according to figures obtained from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Sunday Telegraph.

But employee mental wellbeing at the Beeb may be even worse than these numbers reveal.

It could well be behind the more than half of sick days for which no reason was given. Physical illness saw staff out of the office for more than 36,000 days.

Broadcast workers took an average 6.7 sick days each across the year - below the national figure of 9.4.

The BBC figures, however, do not include the organisation's commercial department, which is not funded by licence fee payments from the public.

It comes as sick leave surges to record levels across the UK, with more than three million jobless households across the country.

Some 20,884 days of work at the public service (pictured, file photo) were lost for psychological reasons in the year to the end of March

Almost 40 per cent of people living in a house where not a single adult family member is employed are now out of work because they are sick or disabled.

Meanwhile, the proportion of working-age adults not in a job because they were unemployed, retired early or because they were studying full time fell last year.

The proportion of people in a jobless household not working because they are sick or disabled has ballooned since the Covid pandemic.

It is now at its highest level since records began in 2006.

A BBC spokesperson said: 'While this level of absence broadly reflects what we see happening across the UK, the welfare of our staff is of paramount importance, and we have a wide range of measures in place to support people who need it.'

New figures laying bare Britains worklessness crisis show the total number of jobless households increased by 129,000 in the year to December 2024.

Workless households increased from 2,955,658 (13.9 per cent of all households) in 2023 to 3,085,497 (14.4 per cent of all households) in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This is the highest figure for almost a decade.

In the year to December 2024, a record 39.2 per cent of people in jobless households were out of work due to sickness/disability.

This is up from 38 per cent in the year to December 2023.

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said the figures should set Britain's 'warning lights flashing red' as 'the takers are beginning to outweigh the makers'.

She said: 'Year after year [under the Conservatives] worklessness went down. As ever under Labour, the numbers are going in the wrong direction.

'And it's not just stats - there's a human cost behind the numbers.

'Families dependent on benefits, children growing up without the role model of working parents, and ever higher taxes hitting the pockets of those who are in work to pay for these benefits.'

And public sector workers have been found to be 60 per cent more likely to be off work due to illness than employees in the private sector.

The share of sickness absences across the UK last year among public sector employees was 2.9 per cent, according to the ONS.

This is significantly higher than the private sector's 1.8 per cent.

The crisis has seen Labour try to slash 5billion from the nation's welfare costs - which brought on major infighting. Pictured: Demonstrator holds sign during protest against government plans to cut disability benefits in Parliament Square, London, on June 30, 2025

It could be explained by differences in types of jobs in the sectors, the independent statistics agency said.

Workers in state-funded jobs were more likely to be paid for being off than those in private employment, it added.

But John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers are fed up with footing the bill for a public sector that's far more likely to be off sick.

'It reflects poor management and weak accountability. In the private sector, this would raise serious questions  in the public sector, it's too often ignored.

'Ministers must set clearer expectations, better oversight and ensure taxpayers arent left footing the bill for unchecked absenteeism.

Sick rates have been higher in the public sector for every year on record, the ONS said. But in both cases, rates were lower last year than in 2023.

The cost of sickness and disability benefits for working-age people has ballooned by 20billion since the pandemic.

Projections show this is due to hit 100billion by 2029-30 - up from 65billion in 2023-24.

The crisis has seen Labour try to slash 5billion from the nation's welfare costs - which brought on major infighting.

The government won a vote on its benefits bill by just 75 votes back in July, only after offering last-minute concessions to rebels within the party.

It had already diluted the plans by reversing some cuts to universal credit and protecting current personal independence payment (Pip) claimants from new stricter eligibility criteria.

But some MPs still feared these new rules would come in before recommendations from a review could be put in place.

The concerns saw ministers make a further U-turn, saying Pip criteria would remain the same until they had considered the review's conclusions.

It saw the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill lose its most significant measures - and Chancellor Rachel Reeves lose the majority of the much-needed savings.

The move also seriously undermined the authority of Sir Keir Starmer, besieged by a series of U-turns since he came into government last July.

The Prime Minister reversed his much-criticised decision to remove the winter fuel payment from millions of pensioners to make savings of up to 1.5billion a year.

In more recent times, the Treasury has taken on youth unemployment with the Chancellor's 'youth guarantee'. Pictured: The Chancellor during her keynote speech at the Labour Party Conference on Monday

And the premier announced there would be a statutory inquiry into grooming gangs, having previously said it would not be necessary.

In more recent times, the Treasury has taken on youth unemployment with the Chancellor's 'youth guarantee'.

The scheme will offer paid work to 18 to 21-year-olds who have been on universal credit for 18 months without earning or learning.

If they refuse without a good reason, they will be stripped of their benefits, Ms Reeves said.

But thousands of youngsters on sickness benefits will not be included in the scheme, the Treasury confirmed.

It means young people signed off work with anxiety or depression will not be forced to try one of the government-backed jobs.

The Tories have warned the scheme risks 'incentivising' those who 'game the system'.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately told the Daily Mail: 'Rachel Reeves's so-called youth jobs guarantee is already unravelling.

'By excluding young people on sickness benefits, it risks trapping many on welfare and even incentivising those who game the system.

'Worse still, Labour's 25billion jobs tax and Unemployment Rights Bill makes it harder for businesses to hire and for young people to get on.'

Ms Whately added: 'If Labour were serious about welfare reform, the Prime Minister would accept Kemi Badenoch's offer to help him come up with a savings plan to get the benefits bill under control.'

Almost a million 16 to 24-year-olds  equivalent to one in eight  are not in education, employment or training, known as NEETs.

Imran Tahir, senior research economist at the thinktank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said: 'The key test for this policy will be whether it helps young people move into sustained jobs, rather than simply providing temporary placements.

'And for that to happen, the precise design of the policy  and its ability to encourage employers to sign up to offer these placements  will be critical.'
Keir Starmer's 'fightback' Labour conference looks to have flopped as a poll showed Reform extending its advantage.

The Prime Minister was seen as having given himself some breathing space from mutinous MPs and activists after ramping up attacks on Nigel Farage in Liverpool last week.

He was assisted by the humiliating implosion of Andy Burnham's fledgling leadership challenge.

However, Sir Keir caused consternation among senior Labour figures by branding Reform's immigration policy 'racist' - while he accused Mr Farage of not 'liking' Britain in his keynote speech.

Sadiq Khan was among those openly expressing doubts, warning that the term 'racist' was 'loaded' and risked alienating the public.

Keir Starmer was seen as having given himself some breathing space from mutinous MPs and activists after ramping up attacks on Nigel Farage in Liverpool last week

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According to the latest research by Opinium, Labour's support dipped one over the past week to a paltry 21 per cent. Meanwhile, Reform was up two to 34 per cent - the highest the party has ever recorded.

Sir Keir's personal ratings dropped another three points to minus 44.

And Mr Farage's lead over Sir Keir on the metric of who would make the best prime minister grew to five points.

Some 31 per cent favoured the Reform leader against 26 per cent who preferred Sir Keir - although 33 per cent did not endorse either.

Half of voters said Labour had had a bad week, with only 20 per cent saying the conference had been successful.

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A third viewed Sir Keir's conference speech negatively, with 23 per cent having a positive impression. In a small bright spot for the prime minister, 45 per cent of Labour voters thought he had done a good job.

On the question of whether Labour 'has similar views to my own', the poll found a five-point fall to minus 34.
Five people have been killed after Russian drone and missile bombardment battered Lviv in an attack that has forced Poland to scramble fighter jets to protect its airspace.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning.

At least five people lost their lives in the strikes and around 10 people were left injured, the president added. The regions of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad all targeted.

'The Russians once again targeted our infrastructure - everything that ensures normal life for our people,' he said.

'We need more protection and faster implementation of all defence agreements, especially on air defence, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning.

'A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is possible - and it is precisely that which could open the way to real diplomacy. America and Europe must act to make Putin stop.'

Following the attack, Poland's armed forced were forced to scramble jets in order to protect its airspace, Polish military confirmed. Allied NATO aircraft were also deployed.

'Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,' Poland's operational command said in a post on X.

A Russian strike in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, on the night of 04 October, 2025

According to the State Emergency Service report, at least five people died and dozens were injured after Russia launched an overnight attack on Ukraine with more than 50 missiles of different types and 500 shock drones

Firefighters extinguish a van on fire in a backyard of a residential house damaged during morning Russian drone and missile strikes

Smoke rises from the site of a Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine October 5, 2025

During the brutal attack, Russia again targeted Ukraine's power plants - and one was struck in an overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia, where the mayor said one person died and more than 73,000 people were without electricity.

Lviv's mayor Andriy Sadovyi said part of the city also had no power, adding that city's air defence systems were engaged heavily in repelling first a drone and then a Russian missile attack.

As of 07:30am (04:30am GMT), parts of the city were left without power and public transport was yet to start running, with Sadovyi stressing on Telegram that it was 'dangerous to go out into the streets'.

Ukrainian officials clarified that a family of four was killed in Lapaivka, Lviv region, including a 15 year old girl.

A six year old boy was left in a serious condition with a 'traumatic brain injury', while a woman pensioner, 60, was also wounded.

Another person was killed in Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia. And a boy, 13, was among eight injured when three Russian guided aerial bombs hit Sloviansk damaging a nine-story residential building and an arts school building.

Lithuania's airport in Vilnius was also closed for several hours overnight after reports of a possible series of balloons heading towards the airport late on Saturday.

The assaults came just days after a US official said the US would support Ukraine launching deep strikes inside Russian territory.

A week ago, Kyiv came under a massive overnight drone and missile attack in what appeared to be one of the biggest Russian strikes on Ukraine's capital since the start of the war. Poland had again scrambled jets in response to the devastating attack.

The 'massive' aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours killed at least four people including a 12-year-old girl and left dozens injured after almost 600 drones and 40 missiles hit the Ukrainian capital and surrounding regions.

Some 595 exploding drones and decoys and 48 missiles were launched just hours after Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov threatened a 'decisive response' to any action against unauthorised Russian raids into NATO airspace.

Of those, air defences shot down or jammed 566 drones and 45 missiles.

Fire and smoke are seen after a residential building was damaged during a Russia's air strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, October 5, 2025

Ukrainian rescuers evacuate an injured young resident following an air attack at an undisclosed location in the Lviv region

Smoke billows over the city after a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine October 5, 2025

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine

Burned cars and damaged residential building are seen after a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

Rescuers remove debris of a residential building heavily damaged during morning Russian drone and missile strikes

Russia's defence ministry confirmed the massive strike, declaring in a statement: 'Last night, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air, sea-based weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine used in the interests of the armed forces of Ukraine, as well as the infrastructure of military airfields'.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine will retaliate and said the 'vile' attack showed Moscow 'wants to continue fighting and killing'.

Ivan Fedorov, Zaporizhzhia's Governor, said 31 people had been injured in the region, including three children - two boys, aged 11 and 12, and a nine-year-old girl.

Zelensky vowed that the war-torn country 'will strike back' in an attempt to 'force diplomacy' from Russia, and said he was counting on a 'strong reaction' from Europe and the US.

The strikes followed a spate of reckless Russian incursions into Polish and then Estonian airspace, prompting Britain to deploy RAF Typhoons over Poland as part of an allied response.

Defence Secretary John Healey said last week the RAF's intervention sent 'a clear signal: NATO airspace will be defended.'

He added: 'I'm proud of the outstanding British pilots and air crew who took part in this successful operation to defend our allies from reckless Russian aggression.'

Codenamed Project Octobus, the UK and Ukraine will build new drones in British factories within weeks before deploying them to deter Russian aggression.
'Academic killjoys' have slapped a trigger warning on Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Dr No.

English literature students at the University of Portsmouth have reportedly been warned that the book, published in 1958, contains 'instances of racism, misogyny and xenophobia'.

The university said the warning 'enables students to prepare emotionally' as well as engage 'more deeply' with the text.

The book, which centres on 007's investigation into the appearance of two MI6 operatives in Jamaica, is among more than 50 texts slapped with a trigger warning.

Course leaders claim the book's titular villain, Chinese-German scientist Dr Julius No, is 'problematic, with use of 'racialism' and 'outdated language' throughout.

Students were told: 'Please note: James Bond films and novels are popular to this day but contain many problematic issues such as racism, misogyny and xenophobia.

'We will be discussing the problems with this text in all of our seminars.'

But the warning has raised eyebrows in some academic circles, with Professor Dennis Hayes, of the Academic Freedom group, telling the university to 'stop acting like patronising parents.'

Portsmouth University has slapped trigger warnings on Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Dr No saying the iconic spy thriller is 'racist and xenophobic'

He told the Telegraph: 'Students are not children and can see for themselves 'outdated' attitudes in works they read.

'Academics should stop acting like patronising parents.'

In 2023, Ian Fleming Publications announced James Bond novels were being edited to remove a number of 'racial references'.

A spokesman for the University of Portsmouth said: 'At our University content warnings are a tool for supporting inclusive teaching and learning.

'They recognise the diverse lived experience of students and that there can be content they will find challenging or potentially distressing as a result of their experiences. It is our duty of care to our students to do so.

'The warning enables students to prepare emotionally, engage more deeply, and discuss the issues raised by the content critically and constructively.

'We do not censure or remove material  we continue to teach robustly, openly and with academic integrity. Our approach is consistent with what many universities across the UK and internationally do.'
Veteran Lee Rowlands was following a 'rite of passage' when he enlisted in the 'world's best army' at 18, with a family military history on both sides.

But what he did not know was he would go on to suffer incurable injuries, caused, he believes, not in combat  but by the military equipment meant to protect him.

Mr Rowlands, 39, from Thorne, Doncaster, is one of more than 2,000 veterans and current servicemen and women suing US industrial company 3M.

The firm supplied the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with combat earplugs for use in training and active service in Iraq and other deployments.

And the current and ex-soldiers have now claimed faulty military ear equipment caused them life-changing injuries such as deafness and tinnitus.

A severe case of the latter has plagued Mr Rowlands since his time in uniform, which saw him manning heavy-duty artillery weapons 'from dusk till dawn'.

The father-of-eight joined the 26th Regiment Royal Artillery in 2004, serving two tours of Iraq in 2006 and 2009.

But it has left him with the incurable condition, which causes sleepless nights due to the constant ringing in his ears.

Veteran Lee Rowlands (pictured) was following a 'rite of passage' when he enlisted in the 'world's best army' at 18, with a family military history on both sides

Mr Rowlands (pictured) is one of more than 2,000 veterans and current servicemen and women suing US industrial company 3M

But what the ex-soldier (pictured, second right) did not know was he would go on to suffer incurable injuries, caused, he believes, not in combat  but by the military equipment meant to protect him

He said: 'It's like a domino effect. It causes a lack of sleep which then causes problems in my home and work life.'

Mr Rowlands' experience inspired him to become a campaigner on TikTok for veteran rights, with 42,600 followers and 743,600 likes.

The Royal Artillery veteran was doubtful of the lightweight earplugs from the very first wear: 'They didn't fit right and felt quite loose.

'When I first joined the Army, you got the big over-the-head green ear defenders. Going from them to these little things just didn't feel right.'

He first used the combat earplugs (version two) in 2008 while constantly manning an AS90 gun.

The self-propelled artillery vehicle is extremely loud, firing at around 180 decibels.

By comparison, a rock concert ranges between 90 and 120 decibels while noises between 150 and 160 decibels can rupture an ear drum.

Britain has now given its entire AS90 artillery supply to Ukraine as military aid.

Mr Rowlands (pictured) first used the combat earplugs (version two) in 2008 while constantly manning an AS90 gun

Automatic faith in the military stopped Mr Rowlands and his fellow soldiers from officially complaining about the earplugs at first.

The veteran, who also suffers from PTSD, said: 'We did [complain] but obviously you'd want to trust the process.

'We thought they wouldn't issue something if they were faulty but clearly they were.'

The black-and-yellow earplugs were designed to be reversible: one side to block out most noise and the other for impact sounds, such as explosions, and to listen to commands.

But despite this protective kit, tinnitus  a persistent ringing in an ear  started for the ex-soldier more than two years after he left military service in 2010.

He said: 'I was at work and I just thought something is not right. I stuck my fingers in my ears, gave them a wobble and it didn't subside'.

His GP who diagnosed him with the condition told him that 'it could have been preventable' with proper equipment.

He said: 'It just makes you angry. You want to trust in something, you are supposed to be the best army in the world.

Despite this protective kit, tinnitus  a persistent ringing in an ear  started for the ex-soldier (pictured) more than two years after he left military service in 2010

'You want the correct kit to do your job efficiently and obviously that was not the case. Around 95 per cent of the people I worked with now have issues.

'I feel that when you come out of service, you are just thrown on the scrap heap.'

Veterans under 75 are around 3.5 times more likely to have hearing problems than the general population, according to a 2014 study by Royal British Legion.

Between 2012 and 2020, the MoD settled more than 9,000 cases of hearing loss and paid 72million in compensation.

In 2023, the providers 3M settled on $6billion (4.5million) with a similar case brought by 24,000 US servicemen and women.

The company said the settlement was not an admission of liability as the product worked effectively if used properly.

It also said that it was prepared to defend itself in the English courts.

The first legal claim was launched in the UK this week with a 'letter before action'.

Tom Longstaff, a partner at KP Law, which is bringing the case, said: 'Our message is clear: the service men and women who used this defective product believed their hearing was protected as they risked their lives in combat.

'It is only right that they now receive justice and compensation.'

Mr Rowlands joined the case after hearing about it at Castle Court Veterans Village in North Yorkshire  a support centre scheduled to open this year  and felt that 'a weight had been lifted'.

He said: 'We shouldn't have to go down these routes. We should be provided with the right equipment to do our job and really shouldn't have to go down these routes.'

A spokesperson for 3M said the company has 'great respect for the British Armed Forces' and takes the allegations over its earplugs seriously.

'The resolution of previous litigation in the United States did not involve any admission of liability and 3M is prepared to defend itself in any litigation threatened in the English courts regarding that product.'

An MoD spokesperson said: 'We take the health and wellbeing of our personnel seriously and always look at how we can reduce noise levels in their working environment.'
A video showing more than one hundred rental hopefuls lining up to inspect a Bondi apartment has laid bare the city's brutal housing crisis.

The short clip, filmed over the weekend, shows a queue of prospective tenants waiting to view an $800 per week, two-bedroom apartment in Sydney's east.

It exposes just how strained rental markets in Australia's major cities have become, with new listings and vacancy rates falling to historic lows.

Local buyer's agent Maxwell Munro, who sent the clip into the Instagram page Bronte Local, estimated about 100 people turned up to inspect the rental.

'When a local two bed with no parking at $800/week pulls a crowd bigger than Sculptures by the Sea', Mr Munro wrote alongside the clip.

'The Sydney rental market has officially entered Hunger Games territory... may your references be strong and your pay slips plentiful.'

He told the Daily Mail he had noticed a recent uptick in viewing attendances in recent years, but nothing to this extent.

'I think the video highlights the lack of rental stock available on the market but also the demand for the area,' Mr Munro said.

A local buyer's agent estimated seeing some 100 people waiting to inspect the Bondi rental

Bondi is among Sydney's most sought-after suburbs, with a median rent of $1,700

Mr Munro, who co-founded buyer's agency Ellis Munro, said it was worth remembering the video was filmed in Bondi, where rental demand is particularly strong.

The median rent in Bondi is about $1,700 per week and the median house price is $4.25million, according to realestate.com.au.

But many viewers claimed the problem stretched well beyond Sydney's east, with cost-of-living and population pressures adding to rental woes.

'These are our next generation of young people that just want to move out from mum and dad and start their own lives,' one viewer wrote.

'We have a generation that has literally been made homeless.'

According to recent Cotality data, vacancy rates have fallen to 1.5 per cent in major cities, the lowest in years, while new listings fell 16.4 per cent over the past year.

Leith van Onselen, chief economist of MacroBusiness, says a lack of new housing, strong migration and limited construction activity are to blame.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of property investors are exiting the rental market, raising concerns about the stability of rental supply.

Australia housing market is among the most competitive in developed countries, especially in Sydney

A survey released last month by the Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) found nearly 17 per cent of property investors had sold at least one property in the past year - the highest rate on record.

Analysts warned the exodus could intensify rental shortages with only 42 per cent of properties sold staying in the rental market.

'This isn't just a continuation of last year's trend  it's an acceleration,' PIPA Chair Lachlan Vidler warned.

'We're seeing a growing number of long-term investors walking away, and the implications for renters are severe,' he said.

'The private rental market is losing stock at a time when demand is surging, and policy uncertainty is only making things worse.'
A top cop has ruled out terrorism and gang activity behind a shooting in Sydney's inner west after up to 100 shots were fired and at least 16 people injured.

Police rushed to Croydon Park at about 7.45pm on Sunday following reports of gunfire, while roads were closed off to motorists.

A man aged in his early 60s was arrested at about 9.30pm in a building on Georges River Road and firearms were seized, while 16 people were treated by paramedics at the scene and several rushed to hospital, including one man who is in a serious condition.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told 2GB on Monday there was 'no known link' between the shooting and terrorist ideology or gang activity.

'I've seen body-worn footage from a number of police. (They) were forced to seek cover while they tried to provide assistance to members of the public,' he said.

'Vehicles were being shot at and there were several volleys of shots fired whilst police were attending.

'On the body cam footage you can see the police taking cover, you can hear numerous gunshots and impact not too far from the camera.'

Witnesses reported shots being fired near a McDonald's restaurant. A number of cars were hit with bullets including a police vehicle that responded to the callout.

Police said officers who rushed to the apartment building were fired upon from the window of a building

Paramedics are pictured attending to an individual in a stretcher at the scene

Tactical police are on the scene in Sydney's inner west

More loud bangs were heard about 9.15pm, well after tactical police arrived at the scene.

NSW Police acting Superintendent Stephen Parry said officers who rushed to the apartment building were fired upon from the window of a building on Georges River Road.

He said the bullets narrowly missed the officers, but hit their police vehicle.

Taxi driver Nick said he had been driving in the area when his vehicle was sprayed with bullets.

'As I was driving by I just heard a 'bang, bang, bang' on the passenger side of the taxi, and then I looked next to me and I saw a couple of holes in the window and I didn't even realise there was actually a hole in the roof as well,' he said.

'I smelled the gunpowder, but I assumed because it was grand final night that somebody had thrown firecrackers.

'So I pulled up near the corner but then I thought maybe it's not safe, because I kept hearing the shooting noises. So I pulled up near McDonald's and I realised it was real shots.'

Paramedics treated 16 people at the scene for varying minor injuries, with two men taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment.

Residents have been urged to 'shelter in place'

The man allegedly fired up to 100 shots 'indiscriminately' at passing vehicles

The scene of the shooting in Croydon Park on Monday morning

A car is towed away from the scene of the shooting on Monday morning

A NSW Ambulance spokesman told Daily Mail a man aged in his 50s self-presented to Canterbury Hospital with a gunshot wound.

The man was later transferred to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a serious condition where he underwent surgery overnight.

As of Monday, he remains in a serious condition.

NSW Ambulance paramedics also treated another three people for minor injuries before transporting them to Canterbury Hospital.

Two others self-presented to a nearby police station with minor injuries while another has been transported to a nearby hospital with unconfirmed injuries.

Paramedics were pictured attending to an individual in a stretcher at the scene of the shooting.

Multiple vehicles, including a police car, also sustained damage after reportedly being shot at.

'The police were actually outside their vehicle when they were first shot at. They've retreated tactically and safely,' a NSW Ambulance spokesman said.

Police tape cordoned off a building following the shooting in Sydney's inner west on Sunday night

A bus stop with broken glass following the shooting in Croydon Park

Superintendent Parry said the man was firing shots 'indiscriminately' at passing vehicles, including police cars.

'There could have been anywhere between 50 and 100 shots (that) had been discharged at the time,' Superintendent Parry said

'He was shooting ... from within the premises, out of a window. [That] is what we believe,' he said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Trent King claimed the shooting was 'almost unprecedented in Sydney'.

Mr King labelled the incident as 'horrific' and explained police did not currently have a motive for the incident.

'It's a high-calibre rifle that he used for the incident as well,' Mr King told Today on Monday.

'Very, very concerning. That's certainly part of the investigation that's commencing today.'

Mr King said the man allegedly opened fire at officers once they arrived at the scene.

Multiple streets have been locked down by police

NSW Ambulance confirmed four people had received treatment for various injuries

Road closures remain in place at the scene

He added police had yet to speak to the man but would interview him at an 'appropriate time', with questions including where he had bought the firearm and ammunition.

Residents were warned to 'shelter in place' while the major police operation unfolded, including the involvement of police helicopters and an armoured Bearcat vehicle.

Authorities issued a text to residents in the area urging the public to take shelter or remain in their houses.

Road closures remained in place until well after 11pm, including stretches of Georges River Road and Brighton Avenue.

A police Polair helicopter circled overhead and relayed a similar message to those on the streets below to remain indoors.

A taxi driver who was driving through the area about 7.30pm said he heard about four loud pops and smelled gunpowder as if someone had left off fireworks.

He then looked over and saw a number of holes in his car door, window and roof.

Public order and riot squad police arrived quickly to the area.

Concerned residents posted to social media checking in on friends and family with some declaring Sydney isn't safe because of the amount of shootings.

Police have established a crime scene and motorists are being advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Keir Starmer's national security chief is today facing demands to come before MPs to explain the collapse of a trial over alleged Chinese spying.

Jonathan Powell is reported to have made clear that the Government would classify Beijing as a 'challenge' rather than an 'enemy' of the UK in evidence for the case.

However, prosecutions under the Official Secrets Act require proof that defendants acted in the interests of an enemy.

Christopher Cash, 30, from Whitechapel, east London, and teacher Christopher Berry, 33, of Witney, Oxfordshire, were each charged with the offence of spying under the Official Secrets Act.

They were set to face trial this month, but proceedings against them were stopped on Monday, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs.

The pair were accused of passing information about the Government's foreign policy to a high-ranking member of the Chinese government. They denied the allegations.

Government sources stressed Mr Powell did not have any decision-making role, and only evidence that had been provided between 2021 and 2023 could be used in the case as the new National Security Strategy did not apply retrospectively.

The sources suggested that views expressed by a judge in a separate spying case earlier this year could have changed the CPS calculation on whether to go ahead.

However, Mr Powell is under renewed pressure to submit to a grilling over the strategy and the spying case - with warnings he could be held in contempt of Parliament if he does not.

Jonathan Powell is reported to have made clear that the Government would classify Beijing as a 'challenge' rather than an 'enemy' of the UK in evidence for the case

Asked during interviews this morning about the latest claims in The Sunday Times, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood repeated that she had been 'disappointed' at the collapse of the case

The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy has been trying to get Mr Powell to give evidence for months. As a special adviser rather than a civil servant, it is up to ministers whether he is permitted to appear as a witness.

A senior Commons source told the Daily Mail that Mr Powell must now explain the situation in person, suggesting there could be a contempt of Parliament motion if he resists.

'He is knee deep in this,' the source said.

In July the then-Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said that Mr Powell would give evidence to the joint committee.

'The National Security Adviser has periodically appeared before this committee, or its predecessors, in the past,' he said.

'The rules state that, ultimately, it is up to Ministers to decide whether special advisers or civil servants appear.

'The National Security Adviser is a special adviser. That is unusual, but it is right that I came to the decision that I did in the end, because I understand the committee's desire to hear from him, and he does occupy a specific position in this sphere, which is important.'

The committee had wanted to take evidence from Mr Powell in September after Mr McFadden gave the go-ahead, but that has already slipped.

Former Cabinet minister Gavin Williamson, who serves on the joint committee, told the Daily Mail that Mr Powell's situation was 'quite extraordinary' and everyone should feel 'deeply uneasy'.

'There seems to be a sort of sense that he believes he can operate without any form of accountability or oversight

'He really needs to be brought to Parliament and needs to either make it clear he hasn't been responsible for the collapse of this prosecution, or at the very least account for it and why it has happened.'

Sir Gavin added: 'He could be in the embarrassing situation of getting dragged there, which isn't really what should be happening.'

Asked during interviews this morning about the latest claims in The Sunday Times, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood repeated that she had been 'disappointed' at the collapse of the trial.

Pushed on the role of Mr Powell, chief of staff to Tony Blair during his premiership, she told the BBC: 'I don't recognise that reporting about a meeting, I'm not aware of any such meeting taking place.

'It was a decision of the Crown Prosecution Service, as they have made clear themselves, an independent decision on whether to proceed with that prosecution.

'I'm very disappointed that that prosecution has not proceeded. Our understanding is that the evidence that was available to the Crown Prosecution Service when they brought the charges is not materially different to the evidence that they had just before the trial was due to get under way.

'So, I think it's a question for the prosecution service to answer, but as the Government, the Home Office, we very much wanted to see that trial proceed.'

Pressed on whether China was an enemy of the UK, she said: 'China is a challenge, is, I think, the word that I would use.'

She said Sir Keir's Government had a 'hard-headed, realistic approach' to the Chinese state.

Mr Powell has been credited as pivotal in the Good Friday Agreement during Sir Tony's time in No10.

But he has been heavily criticised recently as the architect of the Chagos Islands deal - which means the UK ceding the territory to Mauritius and paying large sums to lease back the Diego Garcia military base.

According to The Sunday Times, Mr Powell gathered top Whitehall officials including Foreign Office permanent secretary Oliver Robbins to discuss the spying case early last month.

He is said to have indicated the evidence would be based on the National Security Strategy 2025 report, which stopped short of branding China an 'enemy' and instead referred to it as a 'challenge'.

Parliamentary aide Christopher Cash, 30, (pictured arriving at court in April) and British teacher Christopher Berry, 33, were each charged with the offence of spying under the Official Secrets Act. They denied any wrongdoing

They were set to face trial this month, but proceedings against them were stopped on Monday, sparking criticism from Downing Street and MPs. Pictured: Christopher Berry (right)

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was said to have been under the impression that a senior civil servant would give evidence to establish that Beijing was an enemy of Britain.

There were also plans in place for intelligence officials to testify in a closed court to protect their identity.

Stephen Parkinson, chief prosecutor in England and Wales, said the CPS had determined the proceedings had to be stopped because of an 'evidential failure'.

Witnesses were reportedly told the decision on the evidence came from 'the very top', but that was denied by the Cabinet Office as 'completely false'.

Referring to the Sunday Times report, a Cabinet Office spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'This is completely false. There has been no material change provided by the Government, nor were any of the witnesses limited in the sources upon which evidence could be based.'

The department said: 'This story is full of fundamental inaccuracies. The decision not to proceed with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act was made by the Crown Prosecution Service entirely independently of Government.

'There has not been a material change in the evidence provided by the Government. As a matter of fact, any evidence submitted for this case can only be from the time that the alleged offences took place (2021-2023), rendering the National Security Strategy 2025 unrelated.'

Last month, Dan Jarvis, the Labour security minister, told Parliament the decision to drop the case was 'independent' from the Government and it was 'not for any Government minister to speculate on the reasons behind it'.

Mr Cash and Mr Berry have denied any wrongdoing. Mr Cash's lawyer has said his client is 'entirely innocent and should never have been arrested, let alone charged'.

Shadow national security minister Alicia Kearns, who had previously employed Mr Cash, said: 'There are serious questions about constitutional impropriety.

'Starmer must find some backbone and root out the truth.'

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith pointed to areas such as UK universities' reliance on the income from Chinese students to say 'we are now uniquely tied to China and its brutal regime'.

'We are seen as the soft underbelly of the Western alliance,' he said.

'Small wonder Downing Street does China's bidding in shutting down the spy prosecution.'

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said China is an 'enemy' of the UK .

He told a fringe event at the Tories conference that he would take at face value Ms Mahmood's assertion that decisions were taken solely by the CPS.

'At the heart of the question is our relationship with China,' he added.

'I think China is an enemy of this country. I think it's a real, serious threat to our values, our economic and our national security, and all decisions must flow from that.

'If someone is spying on our Parliament on behalf of China, lock them up, send them to jail for a long time.'

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the decision effectively gave Beijing 'licence to operate' within Parliament

A meeting involving top Whitehall officials allegedly concluded that China would not be described as an 'enemy' (pictured: Chinese president Xi Jinping)

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told The Times the decision effectively gave Beijing 'licence to operate' within Parliament, after the men were alleged to have targeted the China Research Group of MPs.

Sir Lindsay said: 'As Speaker, I take the security of this house incredibly seriously. I believe this leaves the door open to foreign actors trying to spy on the House.

'This door must be closed hard. We must pursue all avenues to ensure the protection of members and people that work within the House of Commons. It will not be tolerated.'
A squalid drug den featuring a tree covered in dirty heroin syringes has been discovered just yards from Scotland's only 'safe' consumption room.

Laying bare the extent of Glasgow's substance crisis, a disturbing video showed the drug-taking hotspot in grim detail with needles, spoons and other drug paraphernalia strewn over the ground - and all just round the corner from a popular student accommodation.

Glasgow is home to the UK's first and only drug consumption facility, The Thistle, less than half a mile from the location of the clip, posted to X on Saturday by Reform councillor Thomas Kerr.

The centre is already open 365 days a year from 9am to 9pm but its operators told MSPs this week that they may have to extend hours as so many addicts are bingeing on cocaine later in the day and evening.

Run jointly by Glasgow City Council and the NHS, The Thistle allows users to inject hard drugs under medical supervision without fear of prosecution.

More than 400 addicts have so far had 5,000 'injecting episodes', with cocaine taken three times as much as heroin. There have also been 60 'medical emergencies' on site.

But it seems drug use is still spilling onto the streets and parks of Scotland's largest city.

In the video, Mr Kerr, joined by fellow Reform councillor Audrey Dempsey, first claims that SNP councillor Allan Casey SNP accused the pair of scaremongering when they higlighted drug paraphernalia in Calton, in the city's east end.

A squalid drug den featuring a tree covered in dirty heroin syringes has been discovered just yards from Scotland's only 'safe' consumption room in Glasgow

Laying bare the extent of Glasgow's substance crisis, the video showed a drug-taking hotspot in grim detail with needles, spoons and other drug paraphernalia strewn over the ground

'But as you can see this is student accommodation and look at this,' he says.

The camera pans from a block of student flats towards a tree loaded with syringes like darts lodged on a board.

Speaking with hundreds of pieces of rubbish scattered across the ground, Ms Dempsey adds: 'To think this is what we are driving people to is just outrageous. It's worse than outrageous.'

Seemingly criticising The Thistle consumption room, she sayd: 'This is where the road to recovery comes right in. The right to enable should not count, it should not be a factor in it.

'And that's what we're doing because all this equipment here, the packaging, the boxes, the syringes, the spoons for burning and the naloxone packages. These are all stuff that is given out freely in the safe consumption room.'

Mr Kerr adds: 'Scotland's drug crisis is here for everybody to witness. We need to start focussing on recovery as Audrey said, and not driving into despair where they're sitting taking needles apparently safely down in the Calton, where you can see the state that people have been driven into.

'This is absolutely scandalous and this is what's going on in the streets of Glasgow, just around the corner from a so-called safe consumption facility.'

Ms Dempsey says: 'This is outragous. This makes you physically sick to think this is what we are pushing people into, and it tells you all the more that the Right to Recovery Bill should stand because people have a right to recover from this. They shouldn't be driven to this, it's just awful.'

It saw Reform councillors Thomas Kerr and Audrey Dempsey discuss the city's drug problems at a site just yards away from a student accommodation

The drug den was also less than half a mile from The Thistle drugs consumption room at the NHS Enhanced Drug Treatment Facility in Glasgow (pictured)

The Right to Recovery Bill, if passed, would 'establish a right in law to treatment for addiction for anyone in who is addicted to either alcohol, or drugs or both'. It is currently at stage one, the committee stage, of the process.

The Daily Mail has approached Cllr Casey for comment.

The Thistle, which opened in January, also stepped up demands for an 'inhalation space' for people to smoke crack.

Responding to calls for longer opening hours, Glasgow Tory MSP Annie Wells said: 'Local residents will be terrified at the prospect of a 24/7 drug room on their doorsteps.

'The Thistle is making lives a misery for those living near it, with dirty needles and anti-social behaviour plaguing the community.

'Expanding state-sponsored drug taking is not the answer - that's why it's crucial that MSPs back our Right to Recovery Bill which would enshrine in law a right to life-saving rehab.'

SNP drugs policy minister Maree Todd later MSPs she was confident the Thistle had already saved lives.

She said: 'We're seeing more smoking than we have before, more inhalation routes, so we just need to remain agile. Things are not static.

'It's a challenging situation to stay ahead of, quite a dynamic situation that's out there.'

Tricia Fort, chair of Calton Community Council, said the Thistle was 'doing good', but there were concerns about it drawing drug dealers to the area.

Morrisons security boss Steve Baxter said the chain's nearby supermarket had seen a 94 per cent drop in dirty needles in its car park since the Thistle opened.
A visiting professor at Harvard Law School was arrested and placed on administrative leave after allegedly firing a pellet gun near a synagogue before Yom Kippur.

Carlos Portugal Gouvea, 43, was arrested on Wednesday after he fired two shots from a pellet gun outside Temple Beth Zion on Beacon Street in Brookline, a town that borders Harvard University.

Jeff Neal, a spokesperson for Harvard Law School, told the Daily Mail: 'Carlos Portugal Gouvea has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter.'

Gouvea was charged in Brookline District Court with illegally discharging a pellet gun, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and vandalizing property, according to court documents.

Investigators do not believe he was directly targeting the synagogue, but Gouvea's actions drew an initial response from more than a dozen police officers.

After his arrest, Gouvea told police he was hunting rats, and he pleaded not guilty to all of his charges in court on Thursday.

The pellet shooting occurred on the eve of Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Two private security guards responded after hearing 'two loud shots' and seeing Gouvea down the street holding a pellet gun, according to Brookline.News.

Carlos Portugal Gouvea was arrested on Wednesday after he fired two shots from a pellet gun outside of Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, a town that borders Harvard University

The incident near Temple Beth Zion (pictured) came at a sensitive time for Jewish people, as the High Holy Days were in full swing

After the guards approached him, Gouvea set down the gun but a 'brief physical struggle' ensued as they attempted to detain the visiting professor.

The police report about the incident says Gouvea 'lunged toward the rifle' then ran into his residence a few doors down from the synagogue.

At the same time, police were responding to a call placed around 9:07pm about a man with a gun. When they arrived, the security guards described their encounter and police went to Gouvea's house to arrest him.

After his arrest, Gouvea 'admitted to using the pellet rifle to hunt rats in the area. He was advised that it was unsafe to do so and to be aware of the alarm he had caused,' according to police.

Investigators later found a nearby parked car with a shattered window and a pellet inside.

Ricardo O., an exterminator with Best Pest Pro in New Jersey, told the Daily Mail that trying to kill rats with a pellet gun is highly unorthodox and that he would never do it.

'Sometimes there are sick people who think it's ok to kill rats that way,' he said. 'That's hunting or torture. You're not supposed to kill rats that way - that's inhumane.'

Gouvea and officials from Temple Beth Zion did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.

The visiting professor is scheduled to appear again in Brookline District Court in November.

Gouvea is a Harvard Law School alumnus who earned his PhD from the university in 2008. He was arrested last week while working as a visiting professor at Harvard for the Fall semester.

He serves as an associate professor at the University of Sao Paulo Law School and is the leader of a Brazilian think tank focused on environmental and social justice.

Gouvea's decision to shoot a pellet gun outside a synagogue came at a sensitive time for Jewish people, as the religion's High Holy Days were in full swing and antisemetic violence has been rising across the US and internationally.

On Thursday, two people were killed and four injured in a synagogue attack in Manchester, England, after a man drove into pedestrians nearby before getting out of his crashed car and stabbing members of the synagogue who were congregated for Yom Kippur.

In January of last year, a swastika was spray painted on the US's oldest Holocaust memorial. At that point attacks on Jews had already risen 360 percent since the October 7 attacks in Israel.

According to recent data from the Anti Defamation League, there were 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2024.

That was a five percent increase from the prior year and an 893 percent increase from the past 10 years. It was the highest number of incidents recorded by the ADL since it began tracking that data 46 years ago.

The Trump administration has accused Harvard of failing to combat antisemitism and protect its Jewish students from harassment, and it has threatened to withhold billions of dollars of federal funding unless the university enacts major reforms.

Harvard has filed a lawsuit challenging those claims and the legality of withholding funds, arguing that it is politically motivated.
A drunk female passenger allegedly 'grabbed and twisted' a Delta employee's breast after she was kicked off her flight.

Cody Sierra Marie Bryne, 31, was arrested for sexual battery, assault and public intoxication after violating the airline worker on Wednesday.

The assault followed her outburst on a Salt Lake flight en route to Oregon, when she was removed for refusing to clear the plane's aisle, according to ABC4.

She allegedly shoved an employee with her shoulder after exiting the aisle. Her slam caused the worker to fall backward into a seat.

The 31-year-old was escorted off the plane where she attempted to run into a secured area of Salt Lake City International Airport.

Airline workers were able to stop her, but she is accused of grabbing another female employee by the neck, shoving her head toward the ground, and pulling her hair.

After Bryne let go, she allegedly approached the employee again and grabbed her breast.

A drunk female passenger allegedly 'grabbed and twisted' a Delta employee's breast after she was kicked off her flight, Pictured: File photo

Cody Sierra Marie Bryne was escorted off the plane, Pictured: File photo of Salt Lake City International Airport

Bryne was initially removed after shoving a Delta employee because she refused to clear the plane's aisle, Pictured: File photo

'The employee stated [Bryne] squeezed and twisted her breast while saying, 'if I ever find you alone b****,'' according to court documents obtained by FOX 13.

The 31-year-old let go of the Delta employee and bolted towards the exit. She was arrested while trying to book a flight with a different airline.

Flight attendants reported that Bryne reeked of alcohol, but court records show she claimed she was not drunk and only had three beers.

The 31-year-old also denied touching the Delta worker's breast, or assaulting any workers.

'[Bryne] was unable to hold an intelligible conversation, had the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her person, had difficulty following directions, and needed assistance with walking,' according to the court documents.

She remained in custody on Friday at Salt Lake County Metro Jail.

A Delta spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail that Bryne was placed on an internal no-fly list.

'Delta has zero tolerance for abusive, disruptive or unlawful behavior on our flights,' adding that safety security is their highest priority.

When asked about the condition of the assaulted worker, Delta told the Daily Mail they are in contact and supporting their employee.

The Daily Mail reached out to Salt Lake City Police and Salt Lake City International Airport for comment.
A new report has emerged, alleging that the Trump administration is considering removing a key factor from the assessment of an individual's eligibility for Social Security disability payments.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that the Trump administration is reportedly preparing a plan to significantly change how older individuals qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

White House spokesman Kush Desai told the Daily Mail that 'President Trump will always protect and defend Social Security for American citizens.

'The only policy change to Social Security is President Trump's working families tax cut legislation that eliminated taxation of Social Security for almost all beneficiaries - which every single Democrat voted against,' Desai added.

According to individuals who spoke with the Washington Post, the proposal would make it harder for older workers to qualify for the benefits, and the change could impact hundreds of thousands of Americans.

This change is also supposedly one of many being considered by the administration in an effort to overhaul the federal safety net for older, poor, and disabled individuals.

The Social Security Administration currently evaluates disability claims by considering a person's age, education, and work experience to determine if someone can adjust to various kinds of work.

Older applicants, typically those over age 50, have historically been more likely to qualify, as age has been considered a factor that limits a person's ability to transition to new types of employment.

Under the proposed plan, officials are reportedly considering either removing age as a factor altogether or raising the threshold to 60 years of age. According to three individuals familiar with the proposal who spoke on condition of anonymity, this change would represent one of the most significant shifts in how disability claims are evaluated in decades.

The administration is also reported to be working on modernizing the labor market data used in these assessments. The current database, long criticized as outdated, still includes obsolete jobs such as 'nut sorter' and 'telephone quotation clerk.' Following a 2022 Washington Post investigation that highlighted these issues, officials are now seeking to replace the old data with more current labor statistics that reflect today's job market.

US President Donald Trump in Quantico, Virginia, on September 30, 2025

The change to Social Security disability is supposedly one of many being considered by the administration in an effort to overhaul the federal safety net

Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought in Washington, DC on September 29, 2025

Experts say it is difficult to estimate exactly how many people could lose access to benefits under these proposed rule changes.

However, a recent analysis by Jack Smalligan, a senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute and former Office of Management and Budget official, suggested that if eligibility were reduced by just 10 percent, about 750,000 people could lose benefits over the next decade.

Additionally, about 80,000 widows and children could lose benefits tied to a disabled spouse or parent.

Smalligan noted that many older Americans who apply for disability benefits often struggle to find new employment. If age were no longer considered, more individuals might opt for early retirement instead, resulting in permanently reduced monthly payments.

The initiative is reportedly being led by Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, who has long sought to revise disability rules. Supporters argue that longer lifespans and less physically demanding work justify tightening eligibility, while critics warn the move could leave vulnerable Americans without needed support.

The Daily Mail reached out to the Office of Management and Budget, as well as contacts for the U.S. Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committees for comment outside of regular business hours.

President Trump has repeatedly pledged not to touch entitlement payments despite significant pushes by him and his allies to cut spending across various areas of government.
A woman was killed after two unrelated shootings unfolded inside South Carolina State University, which also saw a man injured.

The incidents happened on Saturday evening, with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirming to the Daily Mail that a woman died in one of the shootings.

Authorities also confirmed that a man was injured in the other shooting, he is currently in hospital - his condition is unknown at this time.

Another person was also injured while running from the scene of the first shooting.

Officials said in a statement that they do not believe the two shootings to be connected, however their investigation is still ongoing.

The school had issued a campus lockdown notification on Saturday evening after shots rang out near the Hugine Suites, an on-campus housing facility.

Off-campus individuals were asked to leave university grounds as the situation developed.

The incidents happened on Saturday evening, with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirming to the Daily Mail that one woman died in one of the shootings

The university also advised its homecoming concert, which was scheduled for Saturday evening, was cancelled.

'The South Carolina State University campus is on lockdown following a shooting,' the alert on the Orangeburg institution's website stated.

'The Homecoming concert scheduled for tonight has been canceled. If you are not a current student, please do not attempt to come to campus.

'Public Safety has asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate.'

SC State President Alexander Conyers said in a statement: 'We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young woman who lost her life and to all who have been affected.

'We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate these senseless acts of violence.

'We know this tragedy has shaken our Bulldog Family, and we are providing counseling and support for anyone in need. I ask everyone to continue caring for one another.'
A Jewish worshipper has revealed how the 'jihadist monster' who targeted a Manchester synagogue this week tried 'each door' as the terror attack unfolded.

Alan Levy was in the car park of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in on Thursday morning when the horrifying ordeal began.

The congregant told Sky News he was there when Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, crashed his car into the gates at the temple in the Crumpsall area of Greater Manchester.

The Syrian-born attacker, who came to the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006, was also armed with a knife.

He 'ran down' the security guard and 'attacked' a security volunteer before getting out of the vehicle and trying to enter the synagogue itself, Mr Levy explained.

The worshipper ran inside to lock the temple down, barricading the door with other members of the congregation as the attacker began 'shoulder-charging' it.

'He was trying each door in turn,' he explained.

'When we realised which door he was going to, we moved doors so there was more pressure on the doors to keep them closed.'

Alan Levy (right) was in the car park of the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in on Thursday morning when the horrifying ordeal began

The congregant said he was there when Jihad Al-Shamie (pictured during the attack), 35, crashed his car into the gates at the temple in the Crumpsall area of Greater Manchester

More than 300 mourners gathered outside Agecroft Cemetery in Salford to pay their respects to 'caring' Melvin Cravitz today

Melvin Cravitz (pictured) was a worshipper at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation when Jihad al-Shamie carried out the deadly attack on Thursday

Al-Shamie also tried to get in by both using his knife and throwing plant pots stood at the doorway at the windows.

Mr Levy said: 'These brave men basically saved the community from further harm. All I was thinking was, 'We've got to keep these doors closed'.'

Two people were killed in the attack, which took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, both from Crumpsall, died outside the synagogue during the attack.

They were among those bravely attempting to keep the doors of the worship centre closed during the deadly rampage.

Hundreds of mourners today gathered outside Agecroft Cemetery in Salford, Greater Manchester, to pay their respects to Mr Cravtiz.

The 'kind and caring' husband, 66, was stabbed to death while trying to protect others from knifeman Al-Shamie at the synagogue.

Mr Cravtiz had previously survived two heart operations and had no children of his own, but was seen as an uncle figure to his wife's children from her previous marriage.

Today more than 300 mourners lined up outside the cemetery to mourn the loss of the 'devoted' husband.

A black hearse pulled up alongside the crowd of people who surrounded the building while the victim's loved ones went inside.

This week, Mr Cravitz's grieving family remembered him as 'kind and caring' in a touching tribute.

He was friends with Rabbi Daniel Walker, who bravely helped keep the knifeman at bay during the stabbings on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Mr Daulby was killed by a stray bullet fired by armed police trying to neutralise the attacker.

Four others were hurt, with three still in hospital with serious injuries.

Al-Shamie was shot dead by armed police, who arrived on the scene with seven minutes of the call to emergency services being made.

The cemetery was surrounded by grieving mourners who turned up to show their support

The worshipper (right) ran inside to lock the temple down, barricading the door with other members of the congregation as the attacker began 'shoulder-charging' it

'He was trying each door in turn,' he explained. 'When we realised which door he was going to, we moved doors so there was more pressure on the doors to keep them closed'. Pictured: The attacker after being shot by armed police

Two people were killed in the attack (pictured, the cordon at the scene the day after the attack), which took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar

It was feared he was wearing an explosive device - but it was later confirmed to be a fake.

He drove his car at members of the public before crashing it and emerging to start stabbing those congregated outside the temple.

Police said they are 'working to understand the motivation', with the attack being treated as terror-related.

Six people were arrested over it but two have been released without charge.

Mr Levy's son Marc described his severe distress when he first received news of the attack on his phone, with no idea whether his family was safe.

He knew his father in particular would definitely have been there as he arrives early every morning with his friends to help with security.

It was only when he saw Mr Levy on the news that realised he was alive.

Al-Shamie was on bail over a suspected rape at the time of the attack but he was not known to security services or counter-terror police.

Melvin Cravitz (pictured), 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, both from Crumpsall, died outside the synagogue

Mr Daulby (pictured) was killed by a stray bullet fired by armed police trying to neutralise the attacker

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The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the shooting, as is standard when a member of the public is killed.

This will examine 'whether police may have caused or contributed to the death' of Mr Daulby.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson has also previously admitted another man was injured by a gunshot from armed police.

He confirmed Al-Shamie was not in posession of a firearm and the only firearms discharged were GMP's 'Authorised Firearms Officers'.

Chief Constable Watson said on Friday: 'Following the terrorist incident yesterday at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, Middleton Road, Crumpsall, further and urgent enquiries continue.

'Overnight, we have taken advice from the Home Office Pathologist ahead of full post-mortem examinations scheduled for later today.

'The Home Office Pathologist has advised that he has provisionally determined, that one of the deceased victims would appear to have suffered a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.

'It is currently believed that the suspect, Jihad Al-Shamie, was not in possession of a firearm and the only shots fired were from GMP's Authorised Firearms Officers as they worked to prevent the offender from entering the synagogue and causing further harm to our Jewish community.

It was feared Al-Shamie was wearing an explosive device - but it was later confirmed to be a fake. Pictured: A British Army bomb disposal expert investigating the device worn by the terrorist

'It follows therefore, that subject to further forensic examination, this injury may sadly have been sustained as a tragic and unforeseen consequence of the urgently required action taken by my officers to bring this vicious attack to an end.

'We have also been advised by medical professionals that one of the three victims currently receiving treatment in hospital, has also suffered a gunshot wound, which is mercifully not life threatening.

'It is believed that both victims were close together behind the synagogue door, as worshippers acted bravely to prevent the attacker from gaining entry.

'Our thoughts and prayers remain with all of the families, and the wider community, impacted by this incident across Greater Manchester and beyond.

'Specialist officers are providing support and care for all of those directly affected, including our brave first responders.'

Brian Bell, the synagogue's chief executive, said of Mr Daulby: 'He was an unassuming member of the synagogue who actually rose to the terrible danger, because he ran to close all the doors, back and front.

He added it was while the 'gentle' man was holding one of the doors closed that he was shot.

A written tribute from his family said: 'Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others, he was a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin.

'The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.

'His final act was one of profound courage and he will forever be remembered for his heroic act on Thursday 2 October 2025.'
Green Party members have voted to 'abolish' landlords at their autumn conference as they took aim at the nearly three million people in Britain who rent out a home.

A motion passed at the Greens' gathering in Bournemouth on Sunday committed the left-wing party to 'seek the effective abolition of private landlordism'.

This would be achieved through punitive regulation and taxes on landlords, including the introduction of rent controls and scrapping of Right to Buy.

Those who let out Airbnbs would have to pay business rates under the Greens' plans, while there would be double taxation for empty properties.

Party members also backed proposals for a 'land value tax' levied on owners not tenants, as well as the imposition of National Insurance on private rents.

In addition, the motion demanded the ending of buy to let mortgages as a means of removing finance for landlords.

It comes as the Greens look to build on their growing strength in major cities, with new leader Zack Polanski claiming they are 'on track' to supplant Labour in London.

But the motion could prove awkward for Adrian Ramsay, one of the Greens' four MPs, who is landlord of a property on Norfolk.

Green Party members have voted to 'abolish' landlords at their autumn conference as they took aim at the nearly three million people in Britain who rent out a home

It comes as the Greens look to build on their growing strength in major cities, with new leader Zack Polanski claiming they are 'on track' to supplant Labour in London

But the motion could prove awkward for Adrian Ramsay, one of the Greens' four MPs, who is landlord of a property on Norfolk

According to his parliamentary register of interests, Mr Ramsay rents out a home he co-owns, which provides rental income of more than 10,000 a year.

The MP for Waveney Valley has previously defended being a landlord, posting on social media in August: 'I co-own a property with my ex-wife, which we used to live in.

'I don't make a profit from it as I have kept the rent below market rate. I don't intend to be a landlord long-term.'

The motion passed by Green members on Sunday stated: 'The private rental sector has failed, it is a vehicle for wealth extraction, funnelling money from renters to the landlord class.

'This motion makes it clear Green Party policy is to seek the effective abolition of private landlordism and our support for building council housing.'

It added: 'The Green Party believes the existence of private landlords adds no positive value to the economy or society, that the relationship between landlord and tenant is inherently and intrinsically extractive and exploitative.'

Carla Denyer, Green MP for Bristol Central, said: 'While the motion to confidence had an eye-catching name, it does not actually 'abolish' landlords.

'It does however address the housing crisis, empowers tenants and improves their wellbeing.

'It contains a range of policies which, over time, would reduce the proportion of the housing market that is privately rented, and increase the proportion of socially rented homes.'

Mr Polanski, who was elected Green leader last month, has been dubbed an 'eco-populist' and is aiming to replace Labour on the Left of British politics.

He told The Guardian this weekend: 'I think it's already happening. It's happening at defection level.

'Just last month in Barking and Dagenham, we welcome three new councillors to the party. It's also happening right across England and Wales.

'At local council elections, there was a stunning victory recently in Brighton, where the Labour vote completely collapsed and the Green vote rocketed.

'Reform are still a worry, yes, and the fact that they're polling even reasonably in London is a real threat, I think, to anyone who's a progressive voice.

'But absolutely, the plan has always been to replace Labour at the electoral level, starting at the local level, and I think we're on track to do that.'
Racist officers who called for immigrants to be shot, dismissed rape victims and revelled in violence will be denied legal funding by the Police Federation, the Mail has learnt.

The scandal at Charing Cross police station exposed by a BBC documentary has been described as indefensible by the Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents 145,000 rank and file officers.

The staff association provides free legal advice and representation, spending millions on lawyers for officers facing criminal prosecutions, misconduct cases and other matters like employment and personal injury claims.

But the Mail has learnt from sources close to the Federation that the behaviour uncovered by Panorama is so appalling that any bid from the accused officers for legal funding is likely to be denied.

Sir Mark Rowley has vowed that the nine accused officers, one ex-officer and a designated detention officer will be kicked out of the force within weeks if found guilty of gross misconduct on incontrovertible evidence of racism, misogyny, anti-Muslim sentiment and bragging about excessive use of force.

Undercover reporter Rory Bibb spent seven months as a detention officer in the custody suite of Charing Cross police station in London where he discovered that far from being driven out of the Met, racist and misogynistic attitudes have been driven underground.

During the filming, one off-duty officer said about immigrants: Either put a bullet through his head or deport him. And the ones that s***, rape women, youd do the cock (with a weapon) and let them bleed out.

He described an invasion of migrants, adding: Any foreign person is the worst to deal with.

A police sergeant has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice following an undercover investigation at Charing Cross Police Station (pictured)

In an undercover Panorama programme, officers were caught on camera sharing racist views about Muslims, making sexual comments about women being detained and dismissing rape victims

Another senior officer detaining a woman wearing a fancy dress police uniform said: Awesome. Ive paid money to go to clubs and see women dressed like this.

One officer said he loved taking fingerprints by force describing how he could snap tendons.

During the programme, one constable offered to make a false statement blaming a suspect for lashing out after seeing another officer stamp on his leg.

Since the broadcast last week, one of the accused has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Yesterday Federation Chair Tiff Lynch called for policing to confront its culture and rebuild the trust of communities: What we saw was indefensible. It corrodes the public trust on which policing depends and casts a long shadow over the thousands of decent, professional officers who serve with integrity every day.

She added: The overwhelming majority of officers across England and Wales do their job with professionalism and decency. Just hours after Panorama, in Manchester, we saw policing at its very best.

Those officers feel betrayed when colleagues fall below the line. Trust is destroyed not by the many who serve honourably, but by the few who betray it - and by systems that fail to act decisively. Restoring policings reputation demands that misconduct is rooted out quickly and transparently while ensuring that the due process is followed, which is vital.

A claim for legal funding is being submitted, but the Mail understands that it would be turned down on the grounds of incontrovertible evidence of misconduct.

Sir Mark Rowley said the nine accused officers, one ex-officer and a designated detention officer will be kicked out of the force within weeks if found guilty

Pictured: Sgt Joe McIlvenny who described sexual encounters to colleagues

The accused officers would still receive welfare support and pastoral care.

It is exceptionally rare for the association to refuse to pay officers legal bills.

In the past the federation has courted controversy for backing officers accused of serious offences.

In April, the Metropolitan Police Federation paid for an officer accused of rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse to mount a successful legal challenge against his force for removing his vetting clearance over the disputed allegations.

As a result, laws had to be rushed through Parliament to allow forces to boot out officers who have failed background checks after being accused of serious crimes.

The decision not to defend the officers in the latest scandal will be welcomed by victims groups and colleagues who fear such behaviour stains the profession.

Ms Lynch told the Mail: We will influence from the front - standing against racism, misogyny and violence, and standing for fair conditions, welfare, and justice. Above all, change is needed to restore trust, protect dignity, and allow officers to be proud of their job.

Officers have also been accused of being heavy handed and revelling in the use of force

Yesterday a Federation spokesperson said: The Federation has strict funding criteria that are used to ensure that members funds are spent on legitimate purposes.

In cases where there is incontrovertible evidence of criminality or misconduct claims for legal funding can and have been denied.

No decision has been made on finding in respect of this case.

The Federations role also extends to pastoral and welfare support, and this will be provided on an ongoing basis.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has not been holding back his thoughts about the Trump administration's recent actions in his state.

During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, Pritzker told anchor Jake Tapper that the Trump administration was creating chaos in Chicago.

'They are the ones that are making it a war zone,' Pritzker told Tapper of the Trump administration.

'They need to get out of Chicago. If they're not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do, they need to get the heck out,' the Illinois Governor added.

Pritzker's remarks were a response to claims made by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday, when she noted that Chicago 'is a war zone' and that Pritzker was making it so that 'criminals can go in there and destroy people's lives.'

The Trump administration has justified the presence of immigration enforcement officials in Chicago this week by claiming the waters of Lake Michigan, on which the city sits, as a 'border of the United States.'

X user @GuntherEagleman noted that he 'voted for Trump to TRIGGER Democrats just like this,' and that 'these meltdowns are EPIC.'

President Trump and Governor Pritzker have been trading jabs at one another for months, and the commander-in-chief even called the governor a 'slob,' noting that he should 'spend more time in the gym,' in the Oval Office back in August.

During an appearance on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, October 5th, Illinois Governor Pritzker told anchor Jake Tapper that the Trump administration was creating chaos in Chicago

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents knock on the door of a residence during a multi-agency targeted enforcement operation in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with a reporter on July 31, 2025.

Pritzker fired back at the president's comments at his own press conference in Chicago, stating that 'from [his] perspective, it takes one to know one on the weight question.'

'The president himself is not in good shape. He ought to respond to that,' he went on.

The duo's spat occurred after the president announced his consideration of sending National Guard troops to Chicago, following the success of his crackdown in Washington, DC.

Pritzker fired back at the president back then, noting that 'If you hurt my people, nothing will stop me  not time or political circumstance  from making sure you face justice under our constitutional rule of law.'

Trump had previously said he was considering Chicago and New York for troop deployments, adding that Chicago was 'a mess.'

'You have an incompetent mayor - grossly incompetent. And we'll straighten that one out probably next. That will be our next one after this, and it won't even be tough,' the president noted at the time.
Emma Watson looked carefree as she stepped out at a Paris Fashion Week event days after being branded 'ignorant of how ignorant she is'.

The actress, 35, gave a cheerful wave to fans in the French capital, while wearing a light pink checked oversized shirt over a white top.

She added knee-length black leather boots and accessorised with a black leather messenger bag and black rimmed Ray Ban wayfarer sunglasses, as she soaked in the rays at the event.

The Harry Potter star wore her auburn tresses in a wavy style, and finished off her look with three gold rings on her left hand and a thick silver bracelet on her right wrist.

The laid-back showing comes after Ms Watson was condemned for being 'ignorant of how ignorant she is' by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

She said the actress's public criticism of her gender critical stance had 'poured more petrol on the flames' of the abuse she had suffered.

The writer, 60, also dismissed Ms Watson's recent claim that she 'still treasures' her by accusing the star of 'cosying up' to a movement that 'regularly calls for a friend's assassination'.

Ms Rowling has previously vowed to 'never forgive' Ms Watson or her Harry Potter co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint for having 'cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights'.

Emma Watson looked carefree as she stepped out at a Paris Fashion Week event days after being branded 'ignorant of how ignorant she is'

The actress greeted fans in the French capital, while wearing a light pink checked oversized shirt over a white top

But she has never previously made such a personal criticism of the woman she made famous.

In a statement on Monday, Ms Rowling said the trio had 'every right to embrace gender identity ideology' but attacked them for using their links to Harry Potter to serve as 'de facto spokespeople' for the 'world I created'.

Ms Rowling then focussed her fire on Ms Watson by suggesting her views on trans rights were due to her lack of experience of 'real life'.

The actress recently blamed her driving ban on being a movie star from a young age, saying it had left her 'unable to do some pretty basic life things'.

Ms Rowling raged: 'I wasn't a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous.

'I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women's rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.'

Ms Rowling went on to claim that Ms Watson's recent claim that she still 'treasures' her was a cynical attempt to shift her stance after realising 'full-throated condemnation of me is not as fashionable as it once was'.

She said she had felt compelled to go on the record following Ms Watson's comments last week.

Ms Rowling pictured with Ms Watson at the world premiere of Deathly Hallows in 2011

Speaking to On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the actress said her support for trans rights did not mean she had turned against the woman who shaped her life.

Ms Watson said: 'I really don't believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can't and don't treasure Jo and the person that I, that I had personal experiences with.'

Ms Rowling insisted she did not expect Ms Watson, Mr Radcliffe or Mr Grint to agree with her on everything and they 'have every right to embrace gender identity ideology'.

But she added: 'Emma and Dan in particular have both made it clear over the last few years that they think our former professional association gives them a particular right - nay, obligation - to critique me and my views in public.

'Years after they finished acting in Potter, they continue to assume the role of de facto spokespeople for the world I created.'

Continuing her statement, Ms Rowling said she had found it 'hard to shake' a feeling of 'protectiveness' for people she had first met as child actors.

But she said Ms Watson's declaration in a speech at the 2022 Baftas that she was 'here for all the witches' - which was widely interpreted as a dig against her gender critical views - had prompted a change of heart.

'For the past few years, I've repeatedly declined invitations from journalists to comment on Emma specifically, most notably on the Witch Trials of JK Rowling.

Ms Rowling said she had long felt 'protective' over the former child star (pictured: the pair in 2002)

'Ironically, I told the producers that I didn't want her to be hounded as the result of anything I said. The television presenter in the attached clip highlights Ms Watson's "all witches" speech, and in truth, that was a turning point for me, but it had a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself.

'Emma asked someone to pass on a handwritten note from her to me, which contained the single sentence "I'm so sorry for what you're going through" (she has my phone number).

'This was back when the death, rape and torture threats against me were at their peak, at a time when my personal security measures had had to be tightened considerably and I was constantly worried for my family's safety.

'Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness.'

In by far her most personal criticism yet, Ms Rowling suggested the actress had been blinded by wealth and privilege.

'Like other people who've never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Ms Watson has so little experience of real life she's ignorant of how ignorant she is.

'She'll never need a homeless shelter. She's never going to be placed on a mixed sex public hospital ward. I'd be astounded if she's been in a high street changing room since childhood.

'Her "public bathroom" is single occupancy and comes with a security man standing guard outside the door. Has she had to strip off in a newly mixed-sex changing room at a council-run swimming pool?

'Is she ever likely to need a state-run rape crisis centre that refuses to guarantee an all-female service? To find herself sharing a prison cell with a male rapist who's identified into the women's prison?

'I wasn't a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous. I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women's rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.'

The author suggested she might never have made her comments if it hadn't been for Ms Watson's decision to speak about her last week.

'The greatest irony here is that, had Emma not decided in her most recent interview to declare that she loves and treasures me - a change of tack I suspect she's adopted because she's noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was - I might never have been this honest.

'Adults can't expect to cosy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend's assassination, then assert their right to the former friend's love, as though the friend was in fact their mother.

'Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public - but I have the same right, and I've finally decided to exercise it.'

Over the weekend, Ms Rowling shared a parody video where a woman posing as Ms Watson shared a 'satirical take on her words towards Rowling'.

In the clip, the fake Ms Watson said: 'I will always hold space for her and so much love in my heart for her, and I would hope that she felt the same way about me.

'But also I stand shoulder to shoulder with those who would wish harm on her, hate her and would wish the absolute worst for her in her life.

'But those seemingly incompatible, those two things can exist at the same time, which is why I love this incredibly diverse world that we live in.'
BBC has been criticised by Jewish leaders for broadcasting a programme hours after the Manchester synagogue attack where an expert blamed Israel and the British government for the atrocity that claimed two lives.

The broadcaster aired the news talk show called The World This Evening on its controversial Arabic service channel, which is part of the licence-payer-funded BBC World Service.

In the show, broadcast on Thursday evening to millions in the UK and across the Arab world, presenter Mohammed Saif Al-Nasr interviewed a Jewish rabbi called Jonathan Romain, and a Cambridge-based Midde East expert called Dr Makram Khoury-Machool, a Palestinian himself.

During the 14-minute exchange, the two guests were asked about the attack by Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, on the Heaton Park synagogue earlier in the day, which left two Jewish worshippers dead and three injured.

Police shot dead Al-Shamie himself, who was carrying a knife and fake suicide device on him.

Whilst British and Muslim leaders in the UK condemned the terrorist attack, Dr Khoury-Machool appeared to blame the British government and the support of Jewish leaders of the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war.

Dr Khoury-Machool said: 'The Jewish community and the British government cannot treat such an incident in Britain as though it fell from the sky, and suddenly the perpetrator carried out the attack and assaulted a Jewish synagogue.

'The British government must inquire on its own police and statements.

Dr Khoury-Machool appeared to blame the British government and Israel for the horrific attack

The scene outside the Heaton Park Synagogue, pictured early on Friday morning, as a police investigation continues into the attack

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was shot dead minutes after he targeted Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester

'When we listen to the Jewish leadership, they either support the Israeli occupation, and most of them do  it is not possible for a British Jewish leader to endorse Netanyahu's crimes and not expect there to be reactions on the British street.'

The presenter, Mr Al-Nasr, did not appear to challenge Dr Khoury-Machool. He then turned to Rabbi Romain, and asked him: 'Perhaps some the positions and statements of Jewish leaders here in Britain may support Israeli policies in Gaza and may contribute to fuelling these tensions.'

Rabbi Romain, who is based at the Maidenhead Synagogue in Berkshire, responded by saying that he did not agree with that.

He added that Jews in the UK had differing views on the Gaza war.

The Rabbi said: 'Whether they support Israel or not, there is no justification for attacking them. Israel itself [on the Gaza war] is divided within itself. Netanyahu's government only enjoys 50 per cent of support.'

But Dr Khoury-Machool - who described the war in Gaza as 'cleansocide' or ethnic cleansing and genocide  went on to blame the terrorist's grievance to the 'extreme slowness of the British regarding a sympathetic response to the Palestinians.'

Dr Khoury-Machool said: 'Suppose he [attacker] is from a Muslim or Arab background, do you think his grievances have built up in the last few days listening to Keir Starmer and the very late recognition of a Palestine state?'

Thursday's episode of the World This Evening is the latest controversy to hit BBC Arabic, which has previously faced multiple accusations of peddling hatred against Jews.

Police at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester

Floral tributes are left near the Manchester synagogue, where multiple people were killed on Yom Kippur

Several of its journalists were found on social media to have celebrated Oct 7 attacks, although it is not clear if any were removed from their positions.

Danny Cohen former director of BBC Television said: 'It is utterly appalling that a BBC Service gave a platform to a man who blamed Jews for a terrorist attack on a synagogue.

'To make matters worse, BBC Arabic's presenter did not challenge these disgraceful statements. BBC Arabic has been a consistent source of anti-Semitism for over two years now.

'Yet BBC News' bosses continue to publicly deny that there are serious problems of racism on this BBC platform.'

The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA), which monitors anti-Semitic bias in Middle east reporting, has criticised the BBC for broadcasting the programme.

A spokesman said: 'More than anything, the way Thursday night's BBC Arabic panel was staged reminded us of the old saying: "The antisemite does not accuse the Jew of stealing because he thinks he stole something. He does it because he enjoys watching the Jew turn out his pockets to prove his innocence."

'That this was done less than ten hours after Thursday's devastating attack makes it all the more infuriating.'

Last night, the BBC said in a statement: 'Following the horrific synagogue attack, The World This Evening's presenter moderated a live discussion between three guests, giving them equal opportunity to express their views and challenge each other's points, which they did. All guests categorically condemned the attack.'
Supporters of Jeremy Corbyn's new Left-wing party are being urged to join a major 'march for Palestine' in central London next Saturday.

Your Party, the interim name of Mr Corbyn's new movement, is calling for its backers to join a mass demonstration in the capital on 11 October.

It comes after pro-Palestinian protests took place this weekend, despite calls for restraint following the synagogue attack in Manchester on Thursday.

Sir Keir Starmer had urged those thinking of taking part to 'recognise and respect the grief of British Jews'.

The Prime Minister also warned the demonstrations would cause 'distress'.

In an email to Your Party supporters, Mr Corbyn's outfit said they were 'appalled by the horrific terrorist attack on a synagogue'.

But they also accused Sir Keir and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch of having 'weaponised' the terror attack to 'launch a fresh assault on the Palestine movement'.

The email said next Saturday's planned march would 'mark two years since the genocide began' in Gaza.

Yet it made no mention of the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October, 2023, which prompted Israel to launch its ongoing military assault on the Palestinian territory.

Jeremy Corbyn 's new Left-wing party is planning a major 'march for Palestine ' in central London next Saturday.

Almost 500 people were arrested at a pro-Palestine event in London this Saturday, including 488 arrests for supporting banned terror organisation Palestine Action.

Police are to be given greater powers to restrict protests by allowing them to consider the 'cumulative impact' of repeated demonstrations.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused 'considerable fear' for the Jewish community.

The Government will amend the Public Order Act 1986 to explicitly allow the police to take account of the cumulative impact of frequent protests on local areas in order to impose conditions on public processions and assemblies.

The Home Secretary will also review existing legislation to ensure powers are sufficient and are being applied consistently by police forces  this will include powers to ban protests outright.

'Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes,' she said.

'This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days.

'These changes mark an important step in ensuring we protect the right to protest while ensuring all feel safe in this country.'

Your Party hit out at the 'outrageous' action by Ms Mahmood, claiming the Home Secretary was targeting 'peaceful Palestine protesters standing up against British complicity in genocide'.

'We know why they're doing this. Like the Tories before them, Labour know they're complicit in Israel's genocide,' the email from Mr Corbyn's movement added.

'They know they can't defend the indefensible. So they're trying to crush dissent instead. We will not be silent and we will not be cowed.'

The email continued: 'We were all appalled by the horrific terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester this week, on Yom Kippur.

'These terrible moments should unite us in our solidarity with Jewish communities, our common humanity and our rejection of racism.

'Instead, we have seen politicians, from Keir Starmer to Kemi Badenoch, weaponise the attack to launch a fresh assault on the Palestine movement and the right to protest.

'We totally reject these cynical, anti-democratic and authoritarian arguments.'
A South Carolina judge's beautiful beachfront home was burned to the ground on Saturday morning, sending three of her family members to hospital.

Police have launched an investigation after the home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, 69, roared in flames on Edisto Beach as her family, including her ex-senator husband Arnold Goodstein, was rushed to hospital.

Goodstein's four-bedroom, four bath $1,155,200 home stretching up three stories went up in smoke at around 11.30am yesterday. Law enforcement are probing the cause of the devastating fire.

Local resident, Robby Borden, managed to capture the huge fire from his drone.

Smoke was seen billowing from the structure on the video, as the fire roared throughout all three stories of the home.

While Goodstein wasn't at home at the time of the fire, sources told FITSNews, multiple members of her family were at the home.

South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge said in a message to the outlet that the fire resulted from an 'apparent explosion.'

'Judge Goodstein was walking on the beach when the fire started. Her husband, Arnie, was in the house with children and perhaps grandchildren. The family had to escape by jumping from a window or balcony. Im told there were injuries from the fall, such as broken legs,' he said.

The waterfront home of Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein was set ablaze on Edisto Beach as her family was rushed to hospital

Goodstein, 69, was walking on the beach at the time of the fire according to another judge close to Goodstein

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is currently investigating the fire

Of the three family members rushed to hospital, one was Goodstein's husband Arnold - who reportedly leaped from the burning building after helping other family members escape.

'Arnies injuries may have been the most serious, for he was airlifted to the hospital,' Kittredge added.

Goodstein's husband sustained multiple broken bones in his hips, legs and feet following the fall, the outlet reported.

Another of those hospitalized is said to be Goodstein's son, Arnold Goodstein II.

Their current condition remains unclear.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is currently investigating the fire, a spokesperson confirmed to the outlet.

Kittredge said SLED chief Mark Keel 'said he will stay in touch and let us know if there is any evidence of arson.'

'At this time, we do not know whether the fire was accidental or arson. Until that determination is made, Chief Keel has alerted local law enforcement to provide extra patrols and security,' he added.

Goodstein's four-bedroom, four bath $1,155,200 home stretching up three stories went up in smoke at around 11.30am

Goodstein's husband former South Carolina Senator Arnold Goodstein (pictured) reportedly leaped from the burning building after helping other family members escape and sustained multiple broken bones

Just last month, Goodstein was involved in a controversial case in determining if voter's personal information in South Carolina could be handed over to the government

The Daily Mail has reached out to Goodstein's office for comment.

Goodstein had reportedly been receiving death threats in the past few weeks, sources told FITSNews.

'She's had multiple death threats over the years,' one judge close to Goodstein told the outlet.

Just last month, she was involved in a controversial case in determining if voter's personal information in South Carolina could be handed over to the government.

Goodstein issued a temporary restraining order in early September, stemming from a lawsuit challenging whether the South Carolina Election Commission can give voters data to the Department of Justice, The Gazette reported.

However, the order was later overturned after a six-page opinion from the Supreme Court took issue with Goodstein's process in barring the state from complying.

Goodstein was criticized by the Supreme Court's order, signed by all five justices, for failing to detail what kind of damage would be caused in the release of the personal information of voters.

Specifically, the information of Calhoun County voter Anne Crook, who filed the suit to fight the release of her information to the federal government.

Goodstein was also said to have failed to explain whether she believed the lawsuit was likely to succeed, which is required for a court to intervene, the order obtained by the Gazette said.

The circuit court judge also told the Election Commission not to comply with the request for voter information before they had received notice of the lawsuit, which the court said was a violation.
A woman who has dedicated almost 15 years of her life hunting for what she believes are undiscovered creatures in a vast US lake has turned her attention to Loch Ness.

Katy Elizabeth, 40, travelled more than 3,000 miles with an expensive array of gear, including wildlife cameras, underwater microphones and a deep-diving robot to hunt for Scotlands mythical beast.

The cryptozoologist, from Vermont , said she had dreamed of making the trip since she was seven-years-old.

As part of her upcoming documentary, Expedition Scotland: The Search at Loch Ness and Loch Morar, Ms Elizabeth spoke to witnesses and recorded 20 hours of underwater sounds in her hunt for evidence of the Loch Ness Monster.

She believes there is already one strange sound that warrants further analysis.

She said: Im not sure exactly what it was yet, because I have to go over every type of fish and underwater creature in Loch Ness and the sound they make.

It doesnt sound like a boat motor or anything like that, Im very familiar with those sounds..

Ms Elizabeth, who was born in Warwick, Rhode Island, has spent several months every year since 2012 scouring Lake Champlain, in Vermont, investigating reports of a strange creature said to lurk there.

Katy Elizabeth, 40, travelled more than 3,000 miles with an expensive array of gear, including wildlife cameras, underwater microphones and a deep-diving robot to hunt for Scotlands mythical beast

Katy Elizabeth travelled more than 3,000 miles to hunt for Scotlands mythical beast

The 40-year-old during her hunt for the Loch Ness Monster

The cryptozoologist, from Florida, believes one strange sound warrants further analysis

Dubbed Champ, there have been more than 600 sightings of the long, underwater animal in the 124-mile-long lake since the 17th century.

During her search there, Ms Elizabeth recorded complex underwater clicks that she says prove the existence of undiscovered creatures she believes could be reptile, amphibian or a hybrid of both.

She theorises that the noises are echolocation used by large animals to hunt, navigate and communicate.

She even believes there could be a link between them and the creature many believe inhabits Loch Ness.

She believes that these findings indicate these animals are most likely a related species, if not the same species.

She also finds it intriguing that there are reports from all over the world of water-based creatures that have similar morphological descriptions.

She added: The Native Americans here call these animals the horned serpents.

Then you talk about the Celts, with the water horse and the kelpies.

At that time, these people didnt interact with each other that were aware of. So, to me, its more than just a myth.

Ms Elizabeth's documentary is coming out on Amazon Prime in December about her trip called Expedition Scotland: The Search at Loch Ness and Loch Morar.

In a potential teaser for what she plans to discuss in the documentary, Ms Elizabeth said: My theory has to do with the ocean.

'Theres a connection there somehow. Thats all Im going to say.
Scotland's NHS is in the grip of a sexual assault crisis, with nearly 300 attacks in hospitals in five years, as campaigners demand an end to mixed sex wards.

The alarming figures show that between 2019 and 2024 police received 288 reports of sex crimes, including 12 alleged rapes, across 57 hospital sites north of the Border.

More than half  163  took place on hospital wards, including one at a childrens hospital and another at a facility for patients receiving palliative care.

Attacks were also reported at two maternity units.

Campaigners and politicians have now called on NHS boards to ensure they are following the law and doing everything in their power to provide single-sex spaces to ensure that patients are protected.

The report, by Carolyn Brown and Mary Howden of Womens Rights Network Scotland (WRNS), highlighted the extent of abuse across the sector following freedom of information requests to Police Scotland.

But WRNS warned the actual number of assaults was significantly higher as details were available on only 57 of the 198 hospitals surveyed, including 11 private ones.

It found that data on sexual assaults was not routinely kept by all hospitals, with police unable to give information on attacks committed in 133. The report said the force also refused to provide data on eight others on privacy grounds.

Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow recorded 20 sexual crimes between 2019 and 2024

Tory MSP Tess White said the figures were 'alarming'

Of all the sexual crimes reported, charges were made against 156 individuals.

Scottish Conservative equalities spokesman Tess White said: These alarming figures expose how the sexual assault crisis in our hospitals has spiralled out of control on the SNPs watch.

Health boards should be following the law and doing everything in their power to provide single-sex spaces to ensure that patients are protected.

Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow recorded 20 sexual crimes  the highest number of any site north of the Border. It was closely followed by the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, with 18.

One sexual assault was recorded on a ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and another at Roxburghe House, Aberdeen, which provides palliative care.

Nearly 100 incidents were reported in psychiatric hospitals, of which 71 were said to have happened on wards.

Two maternity hospitals, one in NHS Grampian and another in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, recorded three sexual assaults and two rapes between them.

The authors said the report identifies a number of long overdue priorities to improve the safeguarding of women in hospitals.

Maya Forstater, CEO of sex-based rights charity Sex Matters, said the shocking figures not only strengthen the argument for single-sex hospital accommodation across Scotland, but the need for these to be operated on the basis of biological sex.

Royal College of Nursing Scotland executive director Colin Poolman also called on the Scottish Government to do more to address the pressures on the system and constant understaffing.

The Scottish Government said health boards have a legal duty, and reporting systems in place, to record data on sexual assault, violence and aggression and that courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with sexual offending.

A spokesman added: All instances should be reported and escalated to Police Scotland as quickly as possible.
The main suspect in the carjacking and killing of a beloved New Orleans chef has died after suffering a gunshot wound to the head.

Raymond Wells, 21, was tracked to Interstate 10 in Metairie inside the vehicle of Carl Morgan, the sous chef at the famed Brennan's restaurant in the French Quarter.

Police said that Wells ambushed Morgan outside of the Abeona House Child Discovery Center on Tuesday evening, killing him and then making off with his car.

Morgan was picking up his two-year-old when Wells is alleged to have struck. Officials later discovered Wells inside Morgan's vehicle saying he had sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

Cops managed to secure an arrest warrant for one count of first-degree murder, but Wells succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Friday night, the Daily Mail has discovered.

A statement from authorities in the city said: 'Raymond Wells was pronounced deceased by UMC on October 3, 2025 (1:06 am).

'The Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office will be performing a post-mortem examination.'

It remains unclear if someone shot Wells, or if he turned the gun on himself. Police said prior to his alleged run in with Morgan he was in the neighborhood opening fire at cars and attempting to steal to others.

Carl Morgan, 45, a sous chef at Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter, was shot and killed while waiting to pick up his young son from daycare

Police said that Wells ambushed Morgan outside of the Abeona House Child Discovery Center

Morgan's death has devastated his loved ones, who described him as a devoted father and a talented chef whose life revolved around his child.

His partner and the mother of his child, Lisa Marie Lienberger, told WDSU: 'I just want people to remember Carl for how much he cared about everyone he interacted with.

'He was a very loving person. A jolly, talkative, very funny, and silly person. Most of all, he loved food, and that was what we really bonded over.

'I hope that he will be remembered for all of the skills he passed on to other people he worked with in the city.

'We love him very much, and I will do my best to make sure he's remembered in everything we do. I wish he was here.'

A statement from Brennans said: 'On behalf of the Brennans restaurant family, we are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our sous chef, Carl Morgan, and his family. Carls senseless and untimely death is heartbreaking.

'Carl was a devoted father, loving partner, cherished son, and friend to all. His remarkable talent, positive energy, and immeasurable impact will be sorely missed at Brennans.

'Our team is strong, yet we are grieving the loss of our friend and colleague. This weekend, many of us will be at the Brennans booth at the Fried Chicken Festival, honoring Carl by continuing the passion project he loved, with net proceeds benefiting his family. Hug your loved ones tighter, give grace, be nice, and live big like Carl.'

Morgan was picking up his 2-year-old when Wells is alleged to have struck he is seen here with his partner Lisa

A statement from his employer described him as a 'devoted father, loving partner, cherished son, and friend to all'

Morgan's death has devastated his loved ones, who described him as a devoted father and a talented chef whose life revolved around his child

The killing of Morgan was part of the city's deadliest week since January, with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry calling for the National Guard to be deployed.

Nine people, including Morgan, were murdered in New Orleans across nine neighborhoods last week, igniting concerns about local safety.

Landry has asked for up to 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops to be activated in his state, which Donald Trump previously appeared receptive to.

The president has already sent the National Guard into cities including Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and Washington DC.

He said in September: 'Do we go to a place like New Orleans where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that's become quite tough, quite bad?

'So we're going to be going to maybe Louisiana. You have New Orleans, which has a crime problem. We'll straighten that out in about two weeks. It'll take us two weeks.

'Easier than DC.'
Thousands of Jewish people have come together in London and Manchester to mourn the two men who were killed in the Yom Kippur terror attack.

Leading Jewish figures gave defiant speeches in Trafalgar Square before the anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel, where they warned they face their biggest threat in a generation.

Around 3,000 people gathered in the same spot where 24 hours earlier 500 people were arrested at a pro-Palestine protests.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people joined a rally in Manchester, despite safety concerns in the wake of the terror attack on a synagogue in the city on Thursday.

The gathering, organised by North West Friends of Israel, saw people wave Israel flags and some held banners calling for the release of the hostages.

Police and security guards from the Community Security Trust charity monitored the event, which also commemorated 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, 66, who died at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

Three men are still in hospital after the car and knife attack.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police on Thursday as he targeted the place of worship on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

People attend an event organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews in London's Trafalgar Square, to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attacks in Israel

People hold up posters of those taken hostage by Hamas during the massacre in 2023

Leading Jewish figures gave defiant speeches in Trafalgar Square on the eve of the October 7 massacre in Israel

It is believed Mr Daulby was shot dead by police while trying to stop Al-Shamie from entering the synagogue during the attack.

Mr Cravitz, from Crumpsall, died helping prevent the attacker from entering the premises.

Adam Ma'anit, cousin of Tsachi Idan who died while being held by Hamas, said Britain was 'obviously not a safe country for Jewish people'.

The Brighton resident said: 'My particular concern is that I think not enough is being done on prescription and enforcement of prescription.

'We are seeing NHS doctor blatantly violate the terrorism act, seemingly with impunity it's about time that the institutions of the United Kingdom take their responsibilities more seriously.'

He also slammed pro-Palestine protestors who took to the streets on Thursday evening, hours after the Manchester attack and again on Saturday.

He added: 'It is sickening and it's distasteful. The fact that we had to beg for them to desist and they refused means that they really have no regard for the feelings of the Jewish community.

'The people who are supporting [Palestine Action] whether misguided or not are adding more darkness to an already febrile atmosphere.'

Mr Ma'anit also criticised the government for its recent decision to recognise Palestine as a state.

'I think it's important that the government also understands that it missed a really golden opportunity to use whatever minimal leverage the UK government has over this situation to impose conditions on Hamas'.

'[Hamas] talked about it as the fruits of October 7th; if they're talking about it as a victory, if they're praising the government's decision, we've done something massively wrong. I urge the government to course correct.'

Today's event has been in stark contrast to yesterday at the same location, where hundreds were arrested for supporting banned terrorist group Palestine Action.

Phil Rosenberg, president of Board of Deputies of British Jews, told the rally in London: 'In the face of loss, our community remains steadfast, determined to defend Israel's right to exist in security and peace, and determined to confront antisemitism wherever it appears.

A woman bows her head and closes her eyes during a gathering of Jewish people in Trafalgar Square in London

Around 3,000 people gathered in the same spot where 24 hours earlier 500 people were arrested at a pro-Palestine protests

A woman wipes a tear from her eye during an emotional gathering ahead of the two year anniversary of the October 7 attacks

Today's event has been in stark contrast to yesterday at the same location, where hundreds were arrested for supporting banned terrorist group Palestine Action

Demonstrators in the crowd chanted 'bring them home, bring them home' in support of the hostages still help captive two years after the October 7 attack

'That includes the despicable Palestine Action protests we've seen over these last days, almost gloating over Yom Kippur attack, these are unacceptable and we demand change.'

In total, 490 were arrested at the demo, despite police leaders and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling for it to be cancelled.

The BoD has called for those arrested under the Terrorism Act at Saturday's protests to be investigated for stirring up racial hatred.

A video speech from British hostage survivor Emily Damari was played to the crowd. The 28-year-old spent 471 days in captivity.

She said: 'When I was in Gaza, I sometimes saw clips of anti-Israel marches and protests in universities like Colombia. It was very hard to watch while I was being held hostage.

'It was if the world was forgetting about us. But I also remember seeing Jewish communities and many other faiths and religions coming together... I knew I wasn't alone, I knew you were all with me last year.

'All I ask of you is to make sure you use your voice. This is not the time to be quiet.'

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said it was important to remember the hostages still in captivity.

He said: 'Today we remember the suffering of so many precious hostages. 48 of whom are still in captivity and we will not rest until each and every one of them, please God, will soon come home.

'Today we remember our very good friends, some of whom are standing alongside us right here in Trafalgar Square.

'We receive so much inspiration from your friendship, from your support. The Jewish people knows that we are now not alone. Thank you for being with us during these trying times.'

People attend an event organised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews in London's Trafalgar Square

Britain's Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said it was important to remember the hostages still in captivity

People wave Israeli flags and Union Jack flags with the star of David during a rally in London

A woman holds up poster which shows the faces of the hostages captured by terrorist group Hamas alongside the words: 'Two years in hell. Let them go now'

Keith Black, Chair of Jewish Leadership Council, said: 'Today was a very poignant and sad day for the Jewish community. Our hearts are heartbroken but with a sense of resilience and optimism, as the Jewish people have done throughout the millennia. We will come through this process.

'This is the first time in hundreds of years that Jews have been killed for being Jews [in the UK]. At the moment, the level of anti-Jewish hatred stalking our communities is on the our streets and our campuses... that is a threat to us.'

Many families attended the event, such as Martin Pattinson, 45, who attended with his wife Lauren, 38, and their three children.

The solicitor, of Kentish Town, said: 'There was part of me which didn't want to come today out of fear. But we cannot let terrorism win.

'This is for the hostages still in captivity and those impacted by the Manchester attack.

'We feel under threat as a group.'
Prosecutors have opened a 'war crimes' probe after a drone killed a French photojournalist on assignment in war-torn eastern Ukraine.

Antoni Lallican, 37, was embedded with Ukraine's Fourth Armoured Brigade near the front line in the Donbas region when he was killed on Friday, authorities said.

Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Ivanchenko was wounded in the same attack, which the country's military and French President Emmanuel Macron blamed on Russia.

The investigation has been entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes, France's anti-terror unit PNAT said.

A 'war crimes' charge falls under PNAT's remit and consists of 'deliberate attacks on the life and physical or mental integrity of a person protected by international humanitarian law'.

Lallican, an award-winning photojournalist whose work had appeared in leading French and international media, is the first journalist to be killed by a drone in Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the European and International Federations of Journalists.

At least 17 journalists have been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, the groups said, while UNESCO puts the number at 22.

They include AFP video journalist Arman Soldin, who was killed by rocket fire in 2023.

Antoni Lallican (pictured) was embedded with Ukraine's Fourth Armoured Brigade near the front line in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine when he was killed on Friday

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Russian strikes on Ukraine today killed five people and badly damaged energy infrastructure, temporarily severing power supplies to tens of thousands and prompting neighbouring Poland put ground defence on high alert.

Russia has stepped up strikes on energy networks, increasing fears Moscow would resume its widespread campaign of attacks on power facilities, which have plunged millions into darkness in past winters.

Its forces fired 496 drones and 53 missiles at Ukraine, the majority of which were shot down, according to the Ukrainian air force.

'Russians are not even trying to conceal their true intentions. The overwhelming majority of targets were civilian objects and ordinary infrastructure' Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address.

This was the largest attack of the war against the western region of Lviv, its governor Maksym Kozytsky said.

Lviv lies in western Ukraine and is hundreds of kilometers from the front line, and has been largely spared the attacks that have hit cities further east.

'Near Lviv, an entire family of four was killed in their home, including a teenage girl,' Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said.

Emergency services released photos showing firefighters battling flames in a destroyed building, and helping elderly residents to safety.

Attacks also killed one person in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia and wounded people near the eastern front, local authorities said.

A view of the damage and destruction after Russian attack involving drones and cruise missiles in Lviv, Ukraine on October 5, 2025

'Russia is openly trying to destroy our civilian infrastructure right now, ahead of winter - our gas infrastructure, our power generation and transmission,' Zelensky said.

He blasted what he called 'zero real reaction from the world' and urged for more sanctions against Russia.

The strikes cut power to over 110,000 subscribers across several regions, Ukraine's emergency services said, with the hardest hit being Zaporizhzhia.

More than 73,000 people in Zaporizhzhia were left without electricity, regional head Ivan Fedorov said, though power had fully been restored by the evening.

Ukraine's state-run gas company Naftogaz network also reported damage to its network.

'These maniacal terrorist strikes are aimed solely at one thing - depriving Ukrainians of gas, heat, and light,' Naftogaz CEO Sergii Koretskyi said in a statement.

The Russian army said it launched an attack 'against enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine and gas and energy infrastructure facilities that ensured their operation.'

Attacks have also rattled Ukraine's European allies after a spate of alleged Russian airspace violations into Europe.

A view of a burning industrial park where humanitarian goods were stored, after a Russian attack on Lviv, Ukraine on October 5, 2025

NATO boosted its defences along its eastern borders throughout the month as it accused Moscow of testing the alliance's air defences with drone incursions into several members and by flying military jets in Estonian airspace.

Overnight Poland's armed forces said on X that they had mobilised planes and put ground defences on high alert to secure the country's airspace, especially in areas close to Ukraine.

Ukraine also said Russia was intensifying a campaign of air strikes on its railway network in an attempt to isolate frontline communities ahead of winter.

Russia launched drones at two passenger trains in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region on Saturday, killing one person and wounding dozens, according to Ukrainian officials.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg has reportedly told officials from her native Sweden that she is being held in a bug-infested cell with little food or water and is being made to hold Israeli flags for photos.

Thunberg, 22, was one of 437 activists, parliamentarians and lawyers who set out from Europe to deliver aid to Gaza by breaching Israel's 16-year maritime blockade of the enclave as part of the Freedom Flotilla, comprised of more than 40 vessels.

Between Wednesday and Friday, Israel's navy intercepted all the boats and arrested every person onboard while in international waters.

Most of them are being held in the Ansar III prison, a high-security facility in Israel's Negev desert that is ordinarily used to hold Palestinian security prisoners accused of involvement in terrorist activities.

According to Swedish foreign ministry officials who spoke to people close to the activist, Thunberg spoke of her harsh treatment at the hands of the Israelis.

An email sent by officials, according to the Guardian, reads: 'The embassy has been able to meet with Greta. She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food.

'She also stated that she had developed rashes which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces.'

'Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed,' the Swedish ministry's official reportedly added.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (C) and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila (R), along with other activists, after the Israeli navy intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on October 1, 2025

The claims appear to corroborate what others have previously said.

Turkish activist Ersin Celik, who took part in the Freedom Flotilla, said: 'They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others'.

Many of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to also describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards.

On his return at Rome's Fiumicino Airport late on Saturday, Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers withheld medicines and treated prisoners 'like monkeys'.

Israel's foreign ministry said the claims of mistreatment were 'brazen lies'.

Mr Tommasi said Ms Thunberg was singled out by Israeli forces after being arrested.

'We also saw Greta Thunberg at the port, in that case with her arms tied and an Israeli flag next to her, just a mockery,' he said.

'Let's say the mockery was part of the verbal and psychological violence they always carried out, in order to demean, ridicule and laugh in situations where there is nothing to laugh about.'

In footage posted to X by the Israel Foreign Ministry, Swedish climate activist Thunberg is seen among those being detained by officials

In a statement on social media, the ministry said all detainees' legal rights had been 'fully upheld', adding that Ms Thunberg had not complained about the 'ludicrous and baseless allegations - because they never occurred'.

Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D'Agostino, said detainees were repeatedly woken during the two nights he spent behind bars.

They were also intimidated with dogs and by soldiers pointing the laser sights of their guns at prisoners 'to scare us', he said. He spoke after landing at Istanbul Airport, where 137 activists from 13 countries arrived from Israel on Saturday.

Mr D'Agostino added that his belongings and money had been 'stolen by the Israelis'.

Activist Paolo De Montis described being crammed into a prison van for hours with his hands secured by zip ties.

'Constant stress and humiliation,' he said. 'You weren't allowed to look them in the face, always had to keep your head down and when I did look up, a man ... came and shook me and slapped me on the back of the head. They forced us to stay on our knees for four hours.'

In a statement, far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was 'proud' of the way staff behaved at Ketziot prison, a facility in the Negev desert.

'I was proud that we treat the 'flotilla activists' as supporters of terrorism. Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists,' he said.

'If any of them thought they would come here and receive a red carpet and trumpets - they were mistaken. They should get a good feel for the conditions in Ketziot prison and think twice before they approach Israel again.'
California's Governor has announced he is suing the Trump administration after his National Guard officers were deployed in another US state.

In a statement, Newsom confirmed he was seeking legal action against the administration over the use of his state's National Guard in Portland, Oregon.

He said: 'We're suing Donald Trump. His deployment of the California National Guard to Oregon isn't about crime.

'It's about power. He is using our military as political pawns to build up his own ego. It's appalling. It's un-American. And it must stop.'

The president has deployed 300 personnel from California into the city after a federal district court blocked his attempt to federalize Oregon's own National Guard.

Newsom branded the move as being a 'breathtaking abuse of the law and power', saying the administration was actively 'attacking the rule of law itself'.

He added: 'This isn't about public safety, it's about power. The commander-in-chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens.

'We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the President of the United States.'

Newsom confirmed he was seeking legal action against the administration over the use of his state's National Guard in Portland

The president has deployed 300 personnel from California into the city after a federal district court blocked his attempt to federalize Oregon's own National Guard

There was no official announcement from Washington that the California National Guard was being called up and sent to Oregon, just as was the case when Illinois' governor made a similar announcement Saturday about troops in his state being activated.

US District Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, made the ruling on Saturday against Trump after the city and the state sued.

The temporary restraining order expires in 14 days on October 18, Immergut wrote in her order.

It was a blow for Trump who called Portland a 'war-ravaged' city that was under-siege by Antifa terrorists.

The Department of Defense was ready to federalize 200 members of Oregon's National Guard for the next 60 days to protect the ICE facility, which has been a site for protests throughout the summer and into the fall.

On Saturday, about 400 people participating in a 'No National Guard in Portland' rally marched from Elizabeth Caruthers Park to the ICE facility.

As they marched, a helicopter continually followed them. And once they arrived at the facility, federal agents shot tear gas into the crowd and made six arrests, The Oregonian reported.

It's not yet clear who was arrested or why they were taken into custody.

Officers stand after deploying tear gas outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility during a protest on Saturday, October 4

On Saturday, about 400 people participating in a 'No National Guard in Portland' rally marched from Elizabeth Caruthers Park to the ICE facility

Two arrests were made during Friday night protests at the facility as well. Thomas Wayne Allen and Cortez Carl Williams, both of Portland, were taken in after engaging in aggressive behavior toward each other.

Both were booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree.

Allen was in possession of a can of chemical spray, which appears to bear spray according to images, and a collapsible metal coil baton, authorities said.

The police added: 'There were individuals who gathered to confront one another and passionately debate their opposing points of view.

'The police presence, targeted arrests, and announcements from the Portland Police Bureau Sound Truck were effective in suppressing any physical fights breaking out.'

This week's chaos began on Tuesday, when more than 100 rioters stormed the ICE center, injuring several agents in the process, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Six people were arrested on Tuesday which then prompted further protests on Wednesday night.

Pictured: A man is arrested by law enforcement during the protests. A total of six people were arrested during Saturday's demonstration

Law enforcement officers stand in front of the facility on Saturday with a mass of protestors opposite them

Wednesday night's protest was the second day of unrest at the facility after officers were forced to fire pepper balls from the roof in an attempt to dispel crowds which gathered on Tuesday.

Anti-ICE sentiment has seemingly spread to other cities as well, most notably in Chicago, where officers were rammed by 10 vehicles and boxed in on Saturday .

According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, the agents were unable to move their vehicles.

This led them to get out of their vehicles and fire 'defensive shots at an armed US citizen who drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds'.

The woman, who had a semi-automatic weapon, was part of an internal threat bulletin circulated after allegedly doxxing law enforcement officials online.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Saturday that Trump is about to take control of 300 of his National Guard troops.

'This morning, the Trump Administration's Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will,' Pritzker said in a statement. 'It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.'

Trump first threatened to send soldiers to Chicago last month in a Truth Social post accompanied by an AI image of himself in cowboy hat flanked with military helicopters.

'I love the smell of deportations in the morning. Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR,' Trump wrote.
Speaking from the USS Harry S. Truman stationed in Norfolk, Virginia President Donald Trump said Sunday that he would call for pay raises for sailors after blaming Democrats for the government shutdown.

'Do not worry about it,' Trump said as he promised to get sailors their money back when the government reopens. Sailors in attendance cheered and clapped.

Trump blamed his political opponents for the mess in Washington, adding that 'we have to take care of this little gnat that's on our shoulder called the Democrats. They want to give all our money to illegal aliens that pour into the country.'

The president also noted that there was a 'waiting list for people wanting to get into the United States, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines,' and even the Space Force.'

Trump is attending the celebration of the U.S. Navy's 250th birthday alongside his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan.

President Trump's remarks were preceded by a few rare public lines from the First Lady, during which she recalled a similar interaction with sailors from the USS George H.W. Bush, in 2018, and the 'pride and professionalism of the sailors' she met on that vessel.

As he left the White House for Norfolk this morning, Trump told reporters, 'we're going to have a big day, one of the biggest. We're celebrating our Navy and our military.'

'We have the greatest military anywhere in the world, not even close, as you probably noticed, and we rebuilt it largely during my first term, and now I get to see it in action,' the President also noted.

Upon arriving in Norfolk, President Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, observed a demonstration of naval sea power from aboard the USS George H.W. Bush, which included displays of firepower as well as various maritime aircraft, including F-18s and F-35s, taking off from aircraft carriers.

Sunday's event was initially scheduled for Friday, but was delayed due to anticipated inclement weather. The Navy's official birthday is October 13th.

The celebration of the Navy's 250th birthday comes as service members are unsure when their next paycheck will arrive due to the government shutdown caused by gridlock in Washington, D.C.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump disembark Air Force One at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, Virginia, U.S. October 5, 2025

Sailors and their families gather as aircraft is seen on the USS Harry S. Truman at a celebration for the United States Navy's 250th anniversary at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, United States on October 5, 2025

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo with sailors as part of the Navy's 250th anniversary celebration, aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Norfolk, Va., Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025

Sailors stand near a E-2 Hawkeye before President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a celebration for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Harry S. Truman at Naval Station Norfolk, Sunday Oct. 5, 2025 in Norfolk, Va

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump watch a naval sea power demonstration, part of the Navy's 250th anniversary celebration, aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Norfolk, Va., Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.

Despite the shutdown, President Trump posted Friday on his social media platform Truth Social, 'I believe, 'THE SHOW MUST GO ON!'

He also posted Sunday before leaving the White House for Naval Station Norfolk, that the day's 'festivities will be a show of Naval aptitude and strength.'

Other members of the president's inner circle who made the journey to Norfolk included Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Representative Ronny Jackson, Domestic Policy Council head Vince Haley, and Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley.
As more beachfront homes topple into the ocean at the Outer Banks, a North Carolina congressman warned residents to do the 'neighborly thing' and abandon ship.

As storms continue to thrash the coastal area, at least nine homes have now collapsed into the waters underneath them as 12-foot waves battered the stilts they perched on.

Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda slammed the coast over the past week, leaving many residents watching their homes topple.

Five fell in under an hour just after 2pm on Tuesday alone, with another just before midnight, according to locals.

State Congressman Greg Murphy, however, showed little sympathy for residents facing the crisis and warned them to demolish their homes or relocate.

'I would just hope that those individuals who have threatened structures would understand that they have an obligation to the community to take those houses down if they are threatened before they become an environmental hazard. Thats just the neighborly thing to do,' Murphy said, Fox 8 reported.

Since 2020, the total number of homes that have fallen victim to the ocean has reached 21 along North Carolina beaches.

The homes have belonged to families for years, such as Carolyn Hoagland's 1984 home which was the sixth home to fall this week.

As storms continue to thrash the coastal area, at least nine homes have now collapsed into the waters underneath them as 12-foot waves battered the stilts they perched on

State Congressman Greg Murphy (pictured), however, issue a grave warning to residents urging them to demolish their homes or relocate

'When we built, you got tired going to the ocean - it was so far away,' Hogaland told the outlet.

'It's awful,' Buxton Civic Association's Heather Jennette told the Daily Mail on Wednesday.

'As of this morning we have lost six houses. It's very sad. What's more sad is that North Carolina is the only state with laws restricting the ability to try and help strengthen our coast.

'We have known this would happen without increased stabilization.

'We were all hoping we might get through this fall and winter, as there is a plan in place for repair of one jetty out of three and another round of beach nourishment.

'Unfortunately the current state of the jetties has accelerated erosion, and coupled with the surge from the hurricanes proved too much for some of these homes to handle.

'Also, insurance will only kick in once they fall, which is most unfortunate. There are limited options to be proactive that don't put the cost totally out of pocket to the homeowners.'

No injuries were reported, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore said in a post on social media.

Five homes fell in under an hour just after 2pm on Tuesday alone, with another just before midnight

Since 2020, the total number of homes that have fallen victim to the ocean has reached 21 along North Carolina beaches

But in dramatic videos shown by the local station 13News Now, the homes swayed on stilts, getting battered by the waves until they collapsed into the surf.

Locals were warned to stay away from the area. Debris, from two-by-fours to walls and glass, littered the shoreline.

Nearby homes are also at risk with storms set to continue.

'We're going to need some help when it's over,' Jennette said.

'We need help from the legislature making some changes that allow us to help ourselves. And we've been screaming at semi-deaf ears.'
Firefighters have rushed to a migrant hotel in Canary Wharf after reports of a blaze.

The four-star Britannia Hotel, which is housing hundreds of asylum seekers, has been the site of large scale anti-migrant protests in recent months.

Reports suggested that an electrical fire had broken out on the seventh floor on Sunday afternoon and seven fire engines hurried to the hotel.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said firefighters were 'responding to an incident at a hotel on Marsh Wall, Tower Hamlets.'

'Crews carried out a systematic search of the building for signs of fire.

'The Brigade was first called about the incident at 1650, and crews from Millwall, Poplar, Whitechapel and surrounding fire stations have been sent to the scene.

However, the fire service later said it was a false alarm and there was no blaze.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Firefighters responded to reports of a possible fire at a hotel on Marsh Wall, Tower Hamlets.

'Crews carried out a systematic search of the building for signs of fire and none were discovered.

'The Brigade was first called about the incident at 16.50, and crews from Millwall, Poplar, Whitechapel and surrounding fire stations were sent to the scene.

'The incident was over for crews by 18.35.'

Firefighters rushed to the Britannia in Canary Wharf on Sunday afternoon after reports of a blaze

The hotel has been at the forefront of the anti-migrant protests which have sweeped across the country in recent months

Masked protesters with flares demonstrate their opposition to the housing of asylum seekers in the Britannia International Hotel

A small group of protesters, numbering around a dozen, were seen demonstrating outside the hotel as fire officers dealt with the incident.

St George's flags and Union Jacks were put up on a fence outside the hotel but were later removed.

Five security guards stood at the hotel's entrance, which was protected by two large metal fences.

The hotel, which was earmarked for asylum accommodation over the summer, has been at the forefront of the anti-migrant protests which have sweeped across the country in recent months.

The decision to house hundreds of illegal migrants in the heart of east London's banking district prompted a furious reaction from locals, with some complaining of feeling too scared to leave their homes.

Frequent protests have taken place outside, with one resident arrested in August for allegedly bursting into a blind woman's flat.

And last month a woman accused of forcing her way into the accommodation while carrying a meat cleaver admitted affray.

The Britannia, which opened in 1992 at the height of Canary Wharf's emergence from an area of derelict dockland, boasts of 'superb views over the London skyline' and usually charges more than 400 a night for rooms.

The hotel is also within walking distance of skyscraper One Canada Square, which was the UK's tallest building for more than 20 years until The Shard was unveiled in 2012.
A British man has died after he swallowed several packets of cocaine before his flight to Dubai - which eventually exploded in his stomach.

Jensen Westhead, 20, had ingested multiple bags of the class A drug at a hotel in Manchester in December last year.

He then boarded a to flight to the United Arab Emirates where one of the packages 'burst in his stomach' two days later.

The young man, from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, was found dead at the three-star Hotel Avalon in Dubai after the cocaine leaked into his body and caused him to overdose.

Following an investigation, police on Friday arrested and charged four people with conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on exportation of a class A drug.

A member of the group has also been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Lancaster Police said: 'On 2nd December 2024, Jensen Westhead swallowed a number of packages of cocaine at a hotel in Manchester before boarding a flight from Manchester Airport, arriving in Dubai on 3rd December 2024.

'At least one of the packages of cocaine burst in his stomach and he suffered an overdose.

Jensen Westhead, 20, died after ingesting multiple bags of cocaine at a hotel in Manchester in December last year

The young man, from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, was found dead at the three-star Hotel Avalon in Dubai

'Mr Westhead, 20, of Thornton Cleveleys, was sadly found dead at the Hotel Avalon in Dubai on 4th December.

'Following a complex Lancashire Police investigation four people have today been charged and will appear in court later this month.'

They added: 'Rebecca Hatch (17/12/1981), of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Glenn Hatch (15/06/1975), also of Hatfield Close, Thornton Cleveleys; Alexander Tofton 30/09/1993), of Tewkesbury Drive, Lytham St Annes and Steven Stephenson (12/12/1988), of St Lawrence, Denton, Manchester, have been charged with Conspiracy to fraudulently evade the prohibition on exportation of a class A drug from 21/11/2024 to 04/12/2024.

'Stephenson has also been charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine. They are all due to appear before Lancaster Magistrates' Court on October 31st.'
Germany's former Chancellor Angela Merkel has blamed Poland and the Baltic states for Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Merkel, who led the country from 2005 to 2021, made the explosive claim in an interview with Hungarian outlet Partizan.

She said she blamed Poland and the Baltic states for the severance of diplomatic ties between Russia and the EU, which she said led to the invasion just a few months later.

In her telling of history, Poland's refusal to support the Minsk Agreements, a pair of key international agreements between Russia and the EU, emboldened Putin to properly invade Ukraine in 2022.

Following the secession of Donetsk and Luhansk, two Ukrainian regions that broke away from the country to become what Russia calls its republics, representatives from the two countries and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) signed the first Minsk agreement in September 2014.

This agreement sought to establish a ceasefire between Russia, Ukraine and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR).

Merkel claimed that the first Minsk agreement 'brought about calm' between 2015 and 2021 and gave Ukraine, which had been defeated by Russia during a summer counter-offensive in 2015 that aimed to take back its land, time to 'gather strength' and 'become a different country'.

The initial agreement didn't appear to hold any sway with Putin, or his lackeys in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Germany 's former Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured) has blamed Poland for Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

By January 2015, just four months after the first Minsk agreement was signed, Russia and the DPR had engaged in a heavy battle with Ukrainian forces despite the Kremlin's interests being met.

Minsk II was signed the following month, which also did not prevent further fighting. Between 2015 and 2021, Russian forces had killed or wounded more than 5,000 Ukrainian troops in defiance of the ceasefire agreement.

But Merkel said that it was only by 2021 that she 'felt that Putin was no longer taking the Minsk Agreement seriously.

'That's why I wanted a new format where we could speak directly with Putin as the European Union.

'Some people didn't support this. These were primarily the Baltic states, but Poland was also against it'.

She added that these four nations were 'afraid' that 'we wouldn't have a common policy towards Russia'.

Merkel dismissively added in the interview, which was translated into German and then English: 'In any case, it didn't come to fruition. Then I left office, and then Putin's aggression began.'

It comes after at least five civilians have died after Russia launched drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs at Ukraine overnight into Sunday, in a major attack that officials there said targeted civilian infrastructure.

A view of a burning industrial park where humanitarian goods were stored, after a Russian attack on Lviv, Ukraine on October 5, 2025

Moscow sent more than 50 ballistic missiles and around 500 drones into nine regions across Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday morning.

Four people, including a 15-year-old, died in a combined drone and missile strike on Lviv, according to regional officials and Ukraine's emergency service.

It was the largest aerial assault on the historic western city and surrounding region since Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24 2022, according to Maksym Kozytskyi, the head of the local military administration.

Earlier in the war, Lviv was seen as a haven from the fighting and destruction farther east.

In a Telegram post, Mr Kozytskyi said Russia launched about 140 Shahed drones and 23 ballistic missiles across the region.

At least six more people were injured, according to a statement by Ukraine's police force.
Their names were Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz. Adrian was 53, worked in an electronics shop, and his family described him as a beloved brother, loving uncle to his four nieces and one nephew and a cherished cousin.

He was a cancer survivor with a passion for birds. A neighbour recalled a very simple, humble, homely person.

Melvin, 66, was retired but would still go to his old job, at a kosher supermarket, to help out. When he wasnt there, he volunteered down at the food bank.

He had, according to his old boss, a heart of gold and was always that person helping customers, especially anybody vulnerable or elderly. He went the extra mile for everybody.

Whenever older shoppers accidentally left their groceries in the store, Melvin would deliver them personally.

Adrian and Melvin were beloved by their community and were at the heart of that community, the Heaton Park synagogue, when they were killed last Thursday. That was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when Jews fast and pray to atone for their sins.

If there is any place they ought to have been safe, it was in a place of worship. But they werent safe and for no other reason than who they were: Jews.

Muslim terrorist who laid siege to their synagogue armed with a knife and bent, like so many fanatics before him, on murdering Jews.

Politicians are liable for feeding a frenzy which has left many of this countrys Jews feeling scared, abandoned and hated, writes Stephen Daisley

In the end, he succeeded in killing Melvin but it was the police who killed Adrian, who was shot accidentally while trying to barricade the synagogue door against the attacker.

The tragedy upon tragedy is too much to bear. The news broke shortly before Thursdays session of First Ministers Questions and the party leaders each prefaced their remarks with an acknowledgement of the incident.

First Minister John Swinney spoke of his horror, said his thoughts were with the victims, and called anti-Semitism an evil that we must confront and stand resolutely against.

Labour leader Anas Sarwar was also horrified that the Jewish community had been made the victim of hate and violence on Yom Kippur, a time of peace and reflection.

The Scottish Greens Ross Greer sent his partys thoughts, prayers, love and solidarity to the victims.

What a steaming pile of empty, hypocritical cant.

The three of them put on their well- practised sad faces and trotted out their cliches, yet these same characters had spent the preceding weeks at the Scottish forefront of the anti-Israel mania which has swept Britains elites.

They were responsible for hours of parliamentary time being dedicated to pumping mental poison into the air.

Unfounded claims that the Jewish state is committing a genocide. The amplification of every slander churned out by the anti-Israel lobby.

Unquestioning acceptance of casualty tolls that ultimately originate from the Hamas government in Gaza. Calls to boycott goods produced by Jewish communities in the West Bank.

In recent weeks, Swinney has condemned Israels unjustifiable assault on Gaza, which he has branded unwarranted, and told Holyrood: Acknowledging that we are witnessing the signs of genocide brings with it a responsibility to act. Sarwar has charged Israel with genocide and the deliberate starvation of children.

Greer has accused the Jewish state of carrying out a holocaust of the Palestinian people and claimed that many who say Never again  a phrase often associated with commemoration of the Holocaust  are now passive or even active supporters of this genocide.

He has denounced British nationals who serve in the Israel Defence Forces as complicit in war crimes and called for them to be investigated and prosecuted upon their return to Scotland.

These pronouncements were made about an ongoing war in which the finding of facts, let alone their evaluation and the reaching of conclusions, is all but impossible. Instead of exercising the caution and judgement that ought to be the hallmarks of leadership, these men have embraced whatever version of events is most damaging to Israel.

In doing so they have contributed to a thunderous hysteria and whether they did so sincerely or out of grubby political calculations is immaterial.

Notice, too, the double standard. Whenever there is a grave matter in the news which might reflect poorly on this minority or that, or be exploited by extremists to justify prejudice and worse, the political class strains itself to speak with the utmost sensitivity.

See, for example, how cautiously they discuss the exploitation of white British children by Pakistani-heritage grooming gangs.

So cautiously that, until a half-informed Elon Musk blundered on the issue, many politicians simply didnt talk about it, for fear that even mentioning it would prompt hostility or even violence towards British Pakistanis.

When it came to Israel, however, all caution was cast aside. Even as reports recorded appalling, street-level anti- Semitism being directed at Britains Jews since October 7, 2023. Even as communal organisations pleaded with politicians to tone down the rhetoric lest it push some already unstable or fanatical character just enough to snap.

Barely a month ago, on this very page, I wrote about a warning from the Jewish Council of Scotland. It said it was indisputable the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and beyond debate that both Israel and Hamas bear responsibility for this tragic situation.

But they cautioned the Scottish Government against embracing the incendiary accusation of genocide, which they considered irresponsible and worried that it would undermine the safety, security and well-being of the Jewish community in Scotland.

The Scottish Greens Ross Greer has accused the Jewish state of carrying out a holocaust of the Palestinian people

They were right and should have been listened to. Thursdays outrage took place in Manchester but you can be assured that visibly Jewish locations across Scotland will be anxiously updating their security arrangements.

Of course, the truly culpable party in the attack is the terrorist who carried it out. So, no, politicians are not to blame for the actions of a bloodthirsty anti-Semite. What they are liable for is feeding a frenzy which has left many of this countrys Jews feeling scared, abandoned and hated.

This mania has been stoked by politicians across the UK who have allowed either their visceral loathing of Israel or their electoral self-interest to override their judgement.

And now at Westminster and Holyrood they bow their heads and mutter condolences, tweet out their solidarity and seek meetings (read: photo opportunities) with the Jewish community.

I fear that some, and perhaps many, Jewish groups will bite their collective tongues when they come knocking.

That, mindful of their communitys need for enhanced security and the prohibitive costs involved, they might think better of giving political representatives a piece of their mind.

So allow me to address them instead. Save your speeches and save your tweets. They mean nothing because they come in the same manner that empathy for Jews typically does from your ilk: after the fact. Listen to Jews, take their concerns seriously, and try to treat them with the same respect you afford to more electorally significant minorities.

And until youre prepared to do so, you can take your solidarity and shove it.
A six-year-old girl has been left fighting for life while three children and two adults were injured in a horror crash.

Emergency services rushed to the intersection of King Road and Penfield Road in Virginia, north Adelaide, following reports a Toyota van and Toyota ute had crashed shortly after 11am on Sunday.

The six-year-old girl, who was a passenger in the van, was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Also in the van were a 42-year-old Murray Bridge woman and two other children, aged 11 and 10, who were all hospitalised with minor injuries.

A 37-year-old Virginia man and a four-year-old girl in the ute were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The intersection was closed to traffic until about 5.30pm while police and Major Crash investigators examined the scene.

It's understood at least three motorists have been killed at the same intersection in the last three decades.

'Been living on this over here for about 25 years and there's been multiple accidents,' nearby resident Terry Arharidis told Nine News.

A six-year-old girl travelling in a Toyota van (pictured) is fighting for her life in hospital after a crash in Virginia, north Adelaide

Six people, two adults and four children, were injured in the smash at the intersection of King Road and Penfield Road

The intersection was closed until 5.30pm while officers examined the scene (pictured)

'Probably every 10 days to two weeks there's an accident and some of those have resulted in deaths.'

Several locals have called for an island to be installed at the intersection.

'People have died here... it's going to continue happening,' Mr Arharidis said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has any dashcam footage that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Disturbing body camera footage showed the moment Michigan police fatally shot Thomas Jacob Sanford in the moments after he opened fire and set ablaze a Mormon church.

Authorities have said the 40-year-old rammed his pickup truck into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township as congregants were entering on September 28.

Sanford then started shooting at congregants and set the church on fire, killing four people and injuring eight others.

When Sanford then exited the building, he was confronted by officers as another raced to the scene, the newly-released body camera footage shows.

As the cop ran to the northwest part of the church's parking lot, someone could be heard shouting 'Shoot him' before an officer warns Sanford to 'Drop the gun now.'

Within one minute, the officer who ran to the scene could be seen firing eight shots, leaving Sanford motionless on the ground.

Michigan State Police are now investigating the officer-involved shooting, while the unidentified officers involved remain on paid administrative leave.

'It's a hard video to watch. I know that,' Grand Blanc Township Police Chief William Renye said at a news conference on Friday, according to 10 News.

Chilling body camera footage shows the moment Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, was gunned down by police officers

Authorities say Sanford rammed his pickup truck into a Mormon church, then started shooting congregants as he set the building on fire

The newly-released body camera footage shows an officer firing at Sanford eight times

'The reason why we put this out is so we can all begin to heal,' he explained, noting that the police department has been inundated with public records requests from the incident.

The short 47-second footage begins with an officer approaching the Mormon church when a barrage of gunshots ring out just before 10.30am.

The sound prompts the officer to begin running toward the noise, as he tells dispatchers: 'Shots fired... south end of the building, south end of the building.'

Apparently turning his attention toward another officer at the scene, the cop vows, 'I've got your back back there man' and tells someone in the parking lot to 'stay there.'

Just moments later, as the cop continues to sprint to where the gunman is being held, two more shots could be heard.

Meanwhile, the officer whose body camera is recording the entire incident could be seen telling a man in a suit wielding a gun to 'get back.'

He then turns to reveal another officer confronting the gunman and yells out 'drop the gun now! Drop it!' before firing his weapon.

Less than 10 seconds later, the other officer could be heard confirming: 'He's down.'

At the end of the video, a dog could be seen running into the video's frame.

Police now say the dog belonged to Sanford and has since been returned to his family.

The video starts off with the unidentified officer arriving at the church in Grand Blanc

At one point a man with a suit and a firearm could be seen approaching the suspect

As the video ends, a dog could be seen running into the video's frame. Police now say the dog belonged to Sanford and has since been returned to his family

Chief Renye also noted that the video proves police acted quickly to the reports of the shooting.

The first 911 call had come in at around 10.25am from a caller describing being shot in the stomach, and Renye said the first officer on the scene - from the Department of Natural Resources - arrived in just under two minutes.

A Grand Blanc Township officer arrived about a minute later, and Renye said on Friday that the entire incident ended in just three minutes and 43 seconds, the Detroit Free Press reports.

The FBI is now investigating Sanford's attack as an act of 'targeted' violence, as those who knew the former Marine describe how he held a fiery grudge against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following a breakup with a Mormon girlfriend.

Friends have shared how Sanford held a deep-seated hatred for Mormons

Pictures taken from social media accounts of Sanford's wife and loved ones reveal they were a conservative, Christian family who were dealing with the stress of their son's devastating Congenital Hyperinsulinism diagnosis

Peter Tersigni, who has known Sanford since preschool and called him his best friend, told The New York Times that his four-year stint in the Marine Corps - which included time served in Iraq - changed Sanford from a former class clown into a more serious person.

His time living in Utah, combined with heavy methamphetamine use, changed his best friend even further, Tersigni and others said.

Sandra Winter, 56, who rented a room to Sanford when he lived in Utah, also told how he felt pressured to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by his girlfriend.

'He wasn't so sure that he wanted to be a member of the church, but he really wanted to be with this woman,' she said.

It is unclear why Sanford broke up with the Mormon woman, but by the time he returned to Michigan 'mentally he was in rough shape,' Peter said.

'He got this whole fascination with Mormons and "they are the Antichrist and they are going to take over the world,"' Peter's twin brother, Francis, explained.

The topic had become such an obsession for Sanford, that he even brought it up at Peter's wedding, the brothers said.

'All he could talk about was Mormons,' Peter recounted. 'I was like, "Dude, nobody wants to hear about this stuff."'

But Sanford was not afraid to share his hatred, even telling a local politician canvassing his neighborhood that Mormons are the 'Antichrist.'

Four people were killed in the attack at the church on September 28

The FBI is now investigating the incident as an act of 'targeted' violence

Kris Johns, a resident running for city council, shared how Sanford asked him about the Mormon bible, the role Jesus plays in the religion, the history of the LDS church, and more, Johns said.

'I just didn't know what the next question was going to be,' he added.

'Theres certain things you dont forget. This is not a forgettable guy.

'It was very much standard anti-LDS talking points that you would find on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook,' Johns said of Sanford.

One family friend has since told Journalist Ty Steele that Sanford had been battling PTSD.

'It's hard to feel sad for someone who did something so terrible, and I still feel sad. I had heard through family events that he had had PTSD,' she said.

'He would make comments occasionally and it was something that was kind of talked about. It wasn't talked about in depth... so I don't know the depth of his issues.'

Pictures taken from social media accounts of Sanford's wife and loved ones reveal they were a conservative, Christian family who were dealing with the stress of their son's devastating Congenital Hyperinsulinism diagnosis.

As the town now deals with the tragic aftermath, Town Supervisor Scott Bennett encouraged anyone who would like to help the victims to donate to the Victim Compassion Fund - which guarantees that 100 percent of the funding will go to the victims.

He also urged community members to gather on October 7 for a 'community reflection' to support the people affected by the attack.

'We will never forget this incident, but I promise that we will not let this define Grand Blanc,' Police Chief Reyne added.

'We will strive and we will be better together.'
A furious crowd booed John Swinney as he addressed a vigil for the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The First Ministers words were drowned out at Holyrood yesterday by heckling from members of Scotlands Jewish community as he tried to defend his stance on recognising the Palestinian state.

He insisted he believed it was a necessary route to securing peace in the Middle East. But his address was met with loud chants of Bring them home in reference to the hostages still held by the Palestinian terror group.

Mr Swinney said his job as FM was to bring our communities together and to ensure that everyone in our society can live in peace and solidarity and safety.

He added that he stood with you in remembrance of those who have lost their lives, I stand in solidarity demanding the release of the hostages and I stand with you demanding peace for all and that we may live in harmony together.

The FM was booed again as he left the stage outside the Scottish parliament.

Timothy Lovat, chairman of the Jewish Council of Scotland, said he had warned Mr Swinney he would be in for a rough ride at the vigil.

He said: He is the First Minister of Scotland and he is expected to attend a vigil like this, I just wish hed toned down his rhetoric on Palestine previously.

Drowned out: John Swinney at the vigil at Holyrood, where he was booed

The vigil was held in solidarity with victims' families and survivors two years on from the Hamas terror attacks in Israel

However, Mr Lovat added politicians up and down the country were fuelling anti-Semitic sentiment with their pro-Palestine and anti-Israel stance.

He said of Mr Swinney: His view is that Israel is engaged in the commission of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and he is flying the Palestinian flag at St Andrews House. International affairs are not devolved to Holyrood so why is he even meddling?

I pointed out to him that the language used  not just by him but by other politicians  is fuelling hatred.

We have been concerned that there would be violence and unfortunately, as we saw in Manchester last week, there was with two people losing their lives.

With their words, politicians are not only creating paranoia, genuinely what we are seeing is that they are enabling anti-Semitism to take hold.

Mr Lovat singled out Eastwood Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw as the sole voice of reason at Holyrood and a champion of the Jewish community, adding: He has been a strong supporter of our community and often he is the only voice at Holyrood supporting the Jewish people.

Mr Carlaw said: I was proud to attend this vigil, I stand with the Jewish community and I stand with the people of Israel. Anti-Semitism is on the rise across the United Kingdom.

Following the terror attack on the Manchester synagogue on Thursday, Scotlands Jewish leaders pleaded with Mr Swinney and his fellow politicians to stop fanning the flames of hatred. Mr Swinney has been clear in his support of the Palestinian state but on Thursday he was quick to urge Scotland to stand firm against anti-Semitism.

Hypocrisy: FM at event last month to mark UK recognising State of Palestine

East Renfrewshire Tory councillor Paul Edlin, a board member of the Jewish Council of Scotland, said: Many will feel that John Swinney is now being hypocritical by attempting to claim solidarity with the Jewish community.

A clip posted on X yesterday showed Mr Swinneys speech being interrupted. It attracted hundreds of comments including one from Baroness Foster, a Conservative peer, who said: How dare you @JohnSwinney. You insensitive b******!

A Scottish Government spokesman said: The First Minister addressed and attended the vigil outside parliament to stand in solidarity with Jewish communities in condemning all forms of violence towards Jewish people, and in memory of all those who lost their lives in the October 7 attacks and since.

He has been clear that there is no place for anti-Semitism in our society.
Police are to be given new powers to restrict pro-Palestine protests after the Home Secretary admitted British Jews are 'justified' in feeling let down by Labour.

Shabana Mahmood said chief constables would be allowed to consider the impact of repeated demonstrations when deciding whether they should be permitted to go ahead.

A change in the law will allow the police to require organisers to reroute planned marches and, in some cases, even cancel them.

The move was given a cautious welcome by Jewish leaders but triggered alarm from civil liberties campaigners.

Ms Mahmood yesterday acknowledged that many Jews were frustrated by the Government's failure to act earlier to restrict the wave of pro-Palestinian marches that have become a regular feature in many cities in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

She was standing beside Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy on Friday when he was heckled at a vigil for the victims of last week's synagogue attack in Manchester.

Ms Mahmood told the BBC that people were 'justified in asking for more from their government'.

She said repeated large-scale protests had caused 'considerable fear' for the Jewish community.

Police are to be given new powers to restrict pro-Palestine protests after the Home Secretary admitted British Jews are 'justified' in feeling let down by Labour. Pictured: People take part in a demonstration organised by GM Friends of Palestine at Manchester Cathedral on Saturday

Shabana Mahmood said chief constables would be allowed to consider the impact of repeated demonstrations when deciding whether they should be permitted to go ahead

A change in the law will allow the police to require organisers to reroute planned marches and, in some cases, even cancel them. Above, people stage a protest to demand the British government to lift its ban on Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square on Saturday

The Home Secretary said the terror attack in Manchester showed 'there is a problem' with integration in the UK.

She added: 'I am very worried about the state of community relations in our country'.

Organisers who breach those conditions could face up to six months' imprisonment, a fine of up to 2,500, or both. Participants may also face a fine of up to 2,500.

The changes will be brought forward as an amendment to the Government's Crime and Policing Bill, published in March, which is now going through the House of Lords.

Ministers had appealed for pro-Palestine campaigners to cancel planned demonstrations at the weekend in the wake of the attack by Jihad Al-Shamie on the Heaton Park synagogue on Thursday. But organisers ignored the request.

Speaking at an event to mark the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks, Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said some pro-Palestine marchers had been 'almost gloating' over the Manchester attacks.

Ms Mahmood said: 'The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear.

Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes.

'This has been evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days.'

Ms Mahmood said repeated large-scale protests had caused 'considerable fear' for the Jewish community. Pictured: A protester is escorted by police at a 'Lift the ban' protest by pro-Palestine group 'Defend our Juries' Pro-Palestine march in London on October 4

Sources said senior police officers would 'apply their judgement' to consider the frequency of protests and their 'impact in particular areas' or on 'particular communities' when they decide whether to impose the new restrictions.

Successive protests on the same issue could be covered, even if organised by different groups, it is understood.

In a letter to chief constables, Ms Mahmood said the changes 'allow more flexibility to prevent disruptive protests from attending the same location and instruct organisers to move to a different site.'

However, the new powers could face legal challenges. Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman attempted to change the law to allow police to consider the 'cumulative impact' of protests in 2023.

The measures were declared unlawful by the High Court and that ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal in May this year.

Lord Walney, the government's former independent adviser on tackling political violence, welcomed the move but urged ministers to go further by making it easier for police to ban repeated marches outright.

Civil liberties campaigners raised concerns about the plans. Silkie Carlo, of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said it was 'alarming that Starmer's government is seeking to put even more restrictions on our cherished right to protest'.

She added: 'For the government to mount this new attack on protest at a time when many thousands of people on the Right and Left of politics are exercising their freedom to assemble appears like a cynical attempt to suppress dissent.'

Defend Our Juries, which has organised protests against the prohibition of activist group Palestine Action, at which hundreds have been arrested, said it would carry out a 'major escalation' in response to the new policy.
Spending the afternoon in a wood-fired sauna on the beach at Britain's most exclusive seaside spot sounds idyllic.

But its construction has left volleyball players literally spluttering with frustration.

On the Sandbanks peninsula in Poole, Dorset, where mansions can be worth more than 10 million, paying customers can warm up in the Saltwater Sauna.

But members of the Sandbanks Volleyball Club, who play just a few yards away, are less than impressed.

Players complain the woodburner heating the sauna cabin gives off smoky fumes and have reported coughs, tight chests and even struggling for breath.

Club members are calling on the local council to get the sauna moved or order it to run on electricity, the same as another the sauna company has won planning permission ten miles away at Southbourne Beach.

Sandbanks Volleyball Club second team captain Mark Fry, 59, said: 'It's absolutely awful, like sitting next to someone smoking. It really gets to your chest and makes you cough, and I like to look after my health.

'I'm a non-smoker and it really affects me. It's like somebody having a barbecue next to you.

Players complain the woodburner heating the sauna cabin gives off smoky fumes and have reported coughs, tight chests and even struggling for breath

'If the wind is blowing the other way it's fine, but I think probably eight times out of ten you can smell it. There's been times I have gone off the court because of it.'

He added: 'I complained to the council but never got a response, and when I chased it up they said the guy dealing with it had left. We talked about moving the courts, but we can't really go any further as we are right at the end of the promenade.'

Volleyball player Julie Chadbourne, 62, said: 'I go to the beach in the evening to breathe fresh air and play outdoors instead of indoor volleyball.

'When you are gasping for air on the court, it does smell and means I can't breathe properly.

'They have elongated the chimney but it doesn't matter when the wind is blowing. I have gone home rather than carrying on playing.'

It comes the week after a study, presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, found wood-burning stoves can damage the lungs in a similar fashion to smoking.

Chairman of Volleyball Dorset Geoff Allen said: 'The sauna in itself is a good facility, the problem is the fuel they use which causes fumes to come across onto the courts.

'In the summer, we have probably over 100 people play there each week and it isn't pleasant.'

Sandbanks Volleyball Club second team captain Mark Fry, 59, (pictured: right) said: 'It's absolutely awful, like sitting next to someone smoking

A spokesman for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said it had no record of any complaints since objections raised through the planning process, adding that the sauna is subject to a condition that the wood burned is only to be that approved by the Woodsure Certification Scheme.

A spokesman for The Saltwater Sauna said: 'We've welcomed over 180,000 customers at Sandbanks in just two years, many of them local.

'While many volleyball players have told us they experience no issues and are regular sauna users themselves, we made a small adjustment to our flues as a gesture of goodwill.

'Our saunas already meet strict planning conditions.'
It was the first time the so-called 'Fab Four' had been seen together since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's final royal engagement two years prior.

Just one day after the late Queen's tragic passing, the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wandered alongside the Sussexes to inspect the vast sea of floral tributes laid outside of the Berkshire estate.

In some ways, it resembled the heartbreaking scene of the young princes aged just 15 and 12 as they walked among the crowds at Kensington Palace following the tragic death of their mother, Princess Diana.

But this time, their walk and talk with members of the forlorn British public fell under entirely different circumstances.

And while their long-awaited reunion in 2022 was hoped to mark an end to any pre-existing tensions between the foursome, Kate chose to distance herself from Meghan and even 'went into self-preservation mode', according to a body language expert.

When the quartet appeared they were greeted with sounds of applause as they inspected the mass of tributes laid in honour of their much-loved grandmother.

But the brothers barely interacted during the sombre 40-minute walkabout and appeared to stick to their respective couples.

Analysing the awkward interaction between the foursome, body language expert Judi James claimed that Kate 'made her position crystal clear' from the moment she stepped out of the car by instantly 'striding straight across to join the husbands without waiting for her sister-in-law'.

Just one day after the late Queen's tragic passing, the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wandered alongside the Sussexes to inspect the sea of floral tributes laid outside of the Berkshire estate. It was the first time the 'Fab Four' had been seen together in two years

Analysing the awkward interaction between the foursome, body language expert Judi James claimed that Kate 'made her position crystal clear' from the moment she stepped out of the car. She told The Daily Mail: 'Kate appeared to use spatial behaviour and distancing'

Describing Kate as being on a 'rescue mission for William', she told The Daily Mail: 'Kate appeared to use spatial behaviour and distancing to make her own point about group dynamics and a lack of desire to turn an homage to a dearly-loved Queen into a soap-style drama.'

Noting that she was seen 'walking apart from the others', Ms James added: 'her body language suggested a very focused future Queen wanting to pay her respects to a late Queen with the kind of decisive firmness and resolve that Elizabeth II was famous for.'

Given the high stakes of their long-awaited meeting it was 'no surprise', she notes, that the Princess of Wales quickly went into 'self-preservation mode'.

Indeed, according to royal expert Robert Jobson, writing in his book 'our King', Kate later admitted to a senior royal that the joint walkabout was 'one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do'.

Her difficulties on the day may have been as a result of the death of the late Queen making, Ms James asserts, 'Kate's destiny as future Queen even more imminent', describing her death as a 'baptism of fire'.

She added: 'While the Queen was alive, Kate had played ball in terms of performing public acts of 'denial' with Meghan, walking to chat 'happily' with her during their Christmas walk to church to appease the Firm.

'But now she had no need to appease but every need to protect her husband, her own role and even the Crown.'

Noting Kate's unwavering 'physical detachment' during the 'Fab Four' reunion, she added that there were 'no fake smiles and no fake cosiness'.

It was 'no surprise', Ms James notes, that Kate quickly went into 'self-preservation mode'. According to royal expert Robert Jobson, Kate later admitted to a senior royal that the walkabout was 'one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do'.

Describing the final moments of the walkabout as filled with 'utter dithering', Ms James claims that the group's collective body language 'illustrated how last-minute this royal quartet had been cobbled together'

She described the Princess of Wales' body language as one of 'firmness, honesty, decisiveness and determination', adding that she made sure to avoid any 'pettiness' given the vital importance to get the engagement right.

But the foursome's reunion was far from perfect, with mistakes undoubtedly prevalent and nerves possibly rampant.

At the end of their walkabout, all four members appeared to band together in front of the cameras, adorning bright smiles in a manner that appeared to signify a united front.

But such interaction was, Ms James notes, littered with a degree of disorganisation and chaos, noting that both William and Kate 'seem to hone in on Meghan' during the walkabout for a short period.

Describing the final moments of the walkabout as filled with 'utter dithering', she claims that the group's collective body language 'illustrated how last-minute this royal quartet had been cobbled together'.

She added: 'There seemed to be a few seconds where they needed to take decisions about ending the appearances and getting away in the car.

'Royals don't do dither very well as they are normally well-prepped and guided but here there are several gestures that suggest William, Kate and even Harry are checking something with Meghan.'

While Kate and William appear to walk towards the car in a rather cohesive and seemingly rehearsed manner, Meghan and Harry, in contrast, engage in 'country dancing' style arm behaviours.

Noting Kate's unwavering 'physical detachment' during the 'Fab Four' reunion, Ms James added that there were 'no fake smiles and no fake cosiness'. She described the then Duchess of Cambridge as being on a 'rescue mission for William'

Describing the evident uncertainty about which direction the pair were meant to be taking as 'clumsy', Ms James adds that eventually Harry takes the lead and opens the car door for Meghan.

While the slight sense of disorder could have represented a lack of practice by the pair, who had been withdrawn from senior Royal duties for two years by this stage, Ms James notes that it was likely due to a 'lack of pre-planning'.

However, Kate's 'physical detachment' style is not to be understated given that, as royal biographer Omid Scobie reveals in his book 'Endgame', the walkabout was also preceded by an eerily silent car journey.

His bombshell royal book claims that the reunion of the 'Fab Four' was merely orchestrated by the Waleses press secretary Lee Thompson to 'keep up appearances'.

The book stated that the 'silence was palpable' during the 150 second car journey from their residences to the Long Walk, which Mr Scobie says 'must have taken an eternity'.

In particular, the royal expert drew attention to 'the lack of communication between Meghan and Kate', as well as the tension between Prince Harry and Prince William.

And, to make matters worse, it seemed that Meghan had forgotten that proper royal etiquette, which dictates the more senior royals, in this case William and Kate, walk ahead of junior members.

Footage from the occasion appeared to show Harry having to pull his wife back with his arm and slow down his walking pace so that she didn't pull ahead of his older brother.

Despite having not spoken in months, Harry was aware that the eyes of the world were watching his and Meghan's every move at that crucial moment.

Kate's 'physical detachment' style is not to be understated given that, as royal biographer Omid Scobie reveals in his book 'Endgame', the walkabout was also preceded by an eerily silent 150-second car journey which Mr Scobie says 'must have taken an eternity'

As they turned past the gate of Windsor Castle, he appeared to strategically slow down his walk while subtly using his hand to guide her back into place.

But in a slowed-down clip of the moment, which was viewed widely after being posted on TikTok, royal watchers commented that Meghan seemed to be determined to break royal protocol.

One said: 'Meghan just does not want to accept hierarchy.'

Another posted that after six years with Harry: 'She should know protocol by now.'

A third commented: 'Harry knows what she's doing. She's trying to be the spotlight as always.'

Another asked: 'Why did she need constant reminding?', to which someone else replied: 'She knew but was determined to always try and be first.'

Other comments included 'Meghan wouldnt accept not being the star', while someone else questioned: 'How does she not get this? Its not that hard.'

Meghan also appeared to have forgotten the proper etiquette when it came to dealing with the bunches of flowers grieving royalists were handing them.

Royal protocol dictates that when a member of The Firm is handed flowers they should pass them back to their private secretaries and personal assistants.

The aides will then lay the flowers properly, allowing the royals to keep their hands free to shake hands with more mourners.

Following the walkabout, Meghan faced accusations of forgetting the proper royal etiquette when it came to dealing with the bunches of flowers grieving royalists were handing them. Footage seemed to show Meghan ignoring this practice and turning away an advising aide

There is also a more serious reason: the bouquets could contain dangerous substances or explosives, so royals are not meant to carry them.

But footage from the occasion seemed to show Meghan ignoring this practice and turning away the aide who tried to help her correct the mistake.

When approached by the staff member who correctly wanted to take the growing number of bouquets from her, a clip showed the royal initially said she would place them at the gates herself.

It was later revealed that the male aide in question was actually Lee Thompson, the high-flying Press Secretary to Prince William and Kate, who had been hired a few months before.

A lip reader later revealed to Daily Mail that he said to her: 'Would you like any help with those at all?'

But Meghan responds by saying, 'Oh thanks some are over there (or they may have said Ill put them over there)', as she points ahead of her.

She then added: 'Ill take these, thanks appreciate it.'

But despite the polite choice of words by the Duchess, some social media users have suggested her body language on the other hand was abrupt and rude.

One said 'she didn't thank him' but instead claimed 'she bit his head off'.

Another suggested she wanted a 'photo moment' of her laying down the flowers with all the others.

Veteran royal correspondent Robert Jobson wrote in his 2023 book, 'Our King', that the idea the walkabout had caused some kind of rapprochement between the two feuding brothers was, sadly, a mere 'illusion'

At the time of the walkabout, the feud between the Fab Four had only worsened after Harry and Meghan dramatically left their position as senior royals and moved abroad (dubbed by the Press as 'Megxit'), and later took the decision to speak to Oprah Winfrey in a bombshell interview in which they effectively accused the Royal Family of racism.

As although some in the crowd greeted Meghan with stony faces, others were seen hugging her in moments of clear emotion.

To both experts and royal fans, it looked for a moment that the occasion could have provided a turning point in the frayed relationship of the foursome.

But it sadly proved to be a false dawn. Although they had temporarily put aside the differences that had been sparked by Megxit, the walkabout was not a lasting peace process.

Veteran royal correspondent Robert Jobson wrote in his 2023 book, 'Our King', that the idea that the walkabout had caused some kind of rapprochement was, sadly, a mere 'illusion'.

Indeed, it marked the final time the foursome had an appearance, signifying a sure end to any hopes that the brothers had resurrected their close brotherly bond.
He's the highly controversial former valet who has been forced to resign from service three times amid questions over his conduct.

Yet The Mail on Sunday can reveal today that the King has had a secret meeting with Michael Fawcett inside Windsor Castle.

Mr Fawcett was spirited into the royal apartments through a rarely used side entrance and smuggled out the same way in a 'military-style operation' masterminded by senior Palace aides.

It is first time the two men have met since Mr Fawcett, 62, quit as chief executive of the King's charity in 2021 after a cash-for-honours scandal exposed by this newspaper.

For Charles, the reunion was a chance to heal old wounds with his former right-hand man from whom he was once inseparable.

But it is likely to dismay other senior royals, including Prince William, who was reportedly pleased to see the back of the man who was said consider himself 'more royal than the Royals'.

Last night, a well-placed source said: 'His Majesty has never stopped feeling the loss of Michael being forced to resign. He often confides that this is the one person he can scarcely do without.

'They're kindred spirits. This is about righting wrongs. In the King's eyes, Michael is innocent of what he was accused of. The King relied so much on Michael. He had the King's back.'

King Charles and Michael Fawcett pictured together at the Granary Accommodation in 2021

Fawcett was smuggled into the royal apartments in Windsor (pictured) through a rarely used side entrance

The apparent rapprochement comes despite William and Queen Camilla having warned the King that any formal comeback would be 'too damaging'.

News of the meeting spread among staff, many of whom have a jaundiced view of the former valet. One said he 'ruled the roost and often made lives difficult'. Another insider said: 'Yes, he's been cleared, but the stain lingers.'

It is understood the meeting was kept quiet to avoid speculation. A Palace source said: 'While we wouldn't comment on individual private meetings, His Majesty often holds farewell audiences for departing senior staff. Some of these can been subject to delay, due to diary pressures, circumstance or ill health.'

Mr Fawcett's most recent decision to 'fall on his sword' in 2021 came after he offered to help a wealthy Saudi donor obtain a knighthood and British citizenship.

Earlier this year, a charity watchdog found that Mr Fawcett had exposed what was then called The Prince's Foundation to 'substantial risk' in the scandal, but he was cleared of misconduct. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator found Mr Fawcett had been appointed to run the charity with no formal responsibilities or job description and was effectively given carte blanche.

It found that during Mr Fawcett's tenure there had been 'serious' and 'unacceptable' failures in management and highlighted the handling of donations, including one from Saudi billionaire Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who gave the charity 1.5 million.

But it found Mr Fawcett's actions did not amount to misconduct, and also cleared current and ex-trustees. Mr Mahfouz, 55, had already received a CBE from Charles at a private ceremony in Buckingham Palace in 2016 when Mr Fawcett told him the charity would 'contribute to the application for citizenship' and apply for his honour to be increased to a knighthood.

Police launched an investigation but announced in 2023 that they would take no further action.

This newspaper exposed Mr Fawcett's offer in 2021, a week after publishing a leaked email in which society fixer Michael Wynne-Parker told an anonymous recipient how a six-figure donation could secure dinner with Charles and an overnight stay at the foundation's Scottish base, Dumfries House.

Mr Fawcett (pictured) started his 40-year royal career as a lowly footman to the Queen in 1981 and rose through the ranks

Mr Wynne-Parker later claimed the late Queen was 'thrilled' that Mr Fawcett had been 'exposed' and that she was relieved the family 'won't have to deal with him again', amid wider concerns about his influence.

Indeed, Charles is said to have once remarked: 'I can manage without just about anyone, except Michael.'

Mr Fawcett started his 40-year royal career as a lowly footman to the Queen in 1981 and rose through the ranks.

In 1998, when he was assistant valet to Charles, three other servants accused him using his closeness to the Prince to 'throw his weight around'. He resigned, yet was back a week later, and with a promotion, becoming Charles's 'indispensable' personal assistant.

In 2003, Mr Fawcett was accused of selling unwanted royal gifts and pocketing a share of the proceeds, earning him the nickname 'Fawcett the Fence'. An internal inquiry cleared him of financial misconduct but found he had received gifts. He quit the Royal Household but continued to enjoy the prince's patronage as a freelance fixer. He was later made chief executive of Dumfries House, becoming head of The Prince's Foundation in 2018.

The King's reunion with Mr Fawcett comes as he had his first face-to-face meeting with Prince Harry since February 2024. Some sources suggest this signifies Charles is considering a full return to duties following his cancer treatment.

More likely, however, he is seeking to finally to draw a line under two painful episodes that have tarnished his family.
Meghan Markle shared an awkward kiss with Italian fashion designer Pier Paolo Piccioli as she made a surprise appearance at Paris Fashion Week.

The Duchess, 44, narrowly avoided pecking the designer - who is the newly appointed creative director of Balenciaga - and butted heads with him as they leaned in for an embrace at last night's event.

Meghan had gone in for a kiss on the cheek to congratulate Piccioli on his Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear design, but instead appeared to hit her nose on his sunglasses.

Aware that the cameras were on them, Piccioli laughed it off and grabbed Meghan's hand before pulling her in for a photo.

The Duchess then thanked the designer before finishing off the encounter with a brief hug.

A spokesman for Meghan said she has 'long admired' Piccioli's 'craftsmanship and modern elegance'.

The mother-of-two appeared in her element as she was spotted embracing Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour and getting a kiss from Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.

She looked stylish in a white oversized cape and white button-down shirt with matching trousers. The Duchess paired her look with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, giving off a vibe of effortless elegance, topped off with a sleek, slicked-back bun.

It marks both Meghan's first appearance at Paris Fashion Week and her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Dusseldorf, Germany.

A clip doing the rounds on TikTok shows Meghan Markle awkwardly greeting Pier Paolo Piccioli

Laughing off the interaction, the pair pose for photos before sharing a brief hug

Meghan looks in her element as she embraces Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour

Baz Luhrmann and Meghan share a kiss on the cheek before Anna compliments Meghan's 'amazing' outfit

Also at the Balenciaga show was Anne Hathaway, who is in the midst of filming The Devil Wears Prada 2, and Lauren Bezos who recently married Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.

Ever the influencer, Meghan shared a video on Instagram of her walking to the show in her white outfit trousers and heels.

Afterwards, she posted another video showing her 4.2million Instagram followers the streets of Paris at night from her car window.

The Duchess then made a point of putting her feet up on the leather interiors of the vehicle.

Meghan was previously a regular at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks while working as an actress on US drama series Suits.

Crowds had gathered outside Meghan's hotel on Saturday evening in a bid to catch a glimpse of the royal.

But Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen as his wife was flanked by security who escorted her to a waiting car.

The Duchess of Sussex watches the Balenciaga show as she sits in the front row

Anna then introduces the Duchess to Australian film director Baz Luhrmann

A source close to the Sussexes told the Daily Mail: 'The couple always like to make sure that either mum or dad is at home to put the kids to bed.'

Meghan's appearance comes after her husband Prince Harry lambasted 'men in grey suits' at Buckingham Palace and accused aides of trying to sabotage his reconciliation with the King.

The Duke's furious broadside is an extraordinary echo of his mother Princess Diana's criticism of shadowy royal courtiers  who she also derided as 'the men in grey suits' and accused them of undermining her.

Harry is understood to be infuriated at what he sees as a concerted campaign by unnamed Palace officials to torpedo his efforts to strike a rapprochement with his father by giving hostile briefings to newspapers.

'The relationship between the Duke and His Majesty The King is a matter for the two of them and the two of them only,' a source close to the Duke told The Mail on Sunday.

'The men in grey suits should stay out of it.'

Earlier this year, Harry said he 'would love' to spend more time in the UK going forward and has told his delighted father it could even be every few months in 2026

But the Duke of Sussex insists that he will never move back to Britain because 'he's genuinely very happy in California'.

Meghan Markle cut a stylish figure on Saturday as she was pictured in Paris for Fashion Week while being flanked by bodyguards

She was snapped wearing a stylish white oversized cape over a white button-down shirt with matching trousers

Meghan is flanked by bodyguards as she attends the Balenciaga show

Anne Hathaway, who is in the midst of filming The Devil Wears Prada 2, was also in attendance

Meghan treated her fans to an outfit change as she was seen during Paris Fashion Week

As Meghan headed to her car, paparazzi gathered round to snap pictures

Meghan stunned with slick back bun and minimal makeup look

In response, King Charles is said to have been 'absolutely clear' that his youngest son cannot be a 'half-in, half-out' working royal - and Harry is said to swear blind that there is 'no move' being made 'to be back in the institution'.

The monarch desperately wants a relationship with his youngest son - and especially his grandchildren Lilibet and Archie - with insiders claiming Charles may even be willing to offer the Sussexes their own pied-a-terre in Britain.

Earlier this week, Meghan's estranged father declared he is 'fine' after fears a huge earthquake had trapped him on the 19th floor of his Philippines apartment block.

Thomas Markle, 81, said 'please don't worry about me, everything is okay' after it was revealed he was unable to leave this home. He then thanked 'everyone' for their 'concern'.

The worry was sparked by Duchess of Sussex's half-sister, Samantha Markle, who posted on social media that her father was unable to leave his flat after the 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit 10pm local time (3pm BST, 10am ET) on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Meghan recently gave fans a rare glimpse inside the $14million mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in California.

She took to her Instagram account last Friday to show off what appeared to be her cosy living room in her Montecito home.

Sharing a clip on her Stories with her 4.2million followers, the mother-of-two showcased an elegant floral arrangement and her beagle, Mia, sleeping on a stunning cream armchair and matching cushioned footstool.

Prince Harry was nowhere to be seen as his wife was flanked by security who escorted her to a waiting car

Meghan was previously a regular at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks whilst working as an actress on US drama series Suits

Anna Wintour and Baz Luhrmann at the Balenciaga fashion show as part of Paris Fashion Week

The eye-catching flowers were placed in a white stone vase, embellished with the logo from Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever.

It was recently revealed that Meghan and Prince Harry are heading to New York City this month, where they will accept an award for their mental health advocacy.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been given the Project Healthy Minds' Humanitarians of the Year Award in recognition of their campaigns to make the online world a safer place for families and young people, according to PEOPLE magazine.

They will reportedly accept the special honour at the nonprofit organisation's World Mental Health Day Gala on October 9 in New York City, before stepping out for another engagement together the next day.

On October 10, the Montecito-based couple will attend Project Healthy Minds' fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival, where their Archewell Foundation is co-producing conversations with those making a difference in the mental health sector.
You could be eligible for a $1,000 payment to help cover rising housing costs.

In order to qualify, you'll need to apply by October 10 at 11:59pm.

The one-time assistance is part of a new $15 million relief program created to assist homeowners who 'experienced a substantial increase in property taxes in recent years'.

Applications are open now and will be processed in two phases before checks are sent out.

Selected recipients will automatically receive a one-time payment of $1,000 once approved.

To be considered, applicants must show their property taxes increased by at least 50 percent in 2021, 2022 or 2023.

This program is only available to Cook County, Illinois, homeowners.

They must also live in the property as their primary residence to qualify.

Residents are eligible for a $1,000 payment to help cover rising housing costs

Selected recipients will automatically receive a one-time payment

Applicants must prove their property taxes increased by at least 50 percent in 2021, 2022 or 2023. File photo of a family in their home above

The Chicago skyline is seen above. People in the Chicago area can apply for the $1,000 help

Applicants must also earn 100 percent of the area's median income or less. For a family of four, that is $119,900 or less, the county government said.

Cook County board president Toni Preckwinkle said: 'It has been a priority for us to support as many homeowners as possible with a measure of relief.

'This is part of a broader effort that advances system-wide property tax reforms.'

The funds to cover rising housing costs are designed to provide 'immediate relief' while broader reforms are pursued at the state and local level.

Cook County 10th district commissioner Bridget Gainer spearheaded the relief program after research with the University of Chicago's Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation confirmed that 'property tax volatility is a countywide issue'.

Gainer said: 'The Homeowner Relief Fund is the culmination of over a year of outreach, research and policy advocacy that will allow us to provide relief to homeowners in need of a lifeline as we work towards sustainable property tax relief.

'I'm proud to have made this critical program a reality to keep families in their homes and neighborhoods and protect their greatest asset to build wealth: homeownership.'

This program is part of Cook County's push to make homeownership more affordable for its residents.

The program is for homeowners in Cook County, Illinois. Pictured: The Chicago skyline

Applicants must also earn no more than 100 percent of the area's median income. It is only open to Cook Country residents. Chicago is in Cook County and seen above

Cook County has multiple programs pushing to make homeownership more affordable

Cook County homes are seen above in this suburban neighborhood

The average home value in Cook County is $320,621, according to Zillow.

As of 2024, about 20 percent of Cook County's population experienced 'severe housing problems', Data USA reported.

Other efforts include a modular homes pilot and a down payment assistance program.

The modular homes program looks to build single-family 1,450-square-foot homes in the Humboldt Park, Chicago Heights and Proviso Township neighborhoods.

The first two homes were finished in July.

The down payment assistance program helps homebuyers with down payments, closing costs or mortgage buydowns by providing subsidies of 5 percent of the home's sale price - up to $25,000.
Becoming a parent is something that many people dream of  but for gay couples, the reality can be complicated.

As it stands, samesex partners must rely on a surrogate mother or father  but this means only one of the couple passes on their genes.

However, this could soon be about to change.

In a stunning breakthrough this week, scientists revealed they've been able to create human eggs from skin cells.

The technique opens the possibility for DNA from a man's skin cells being placed inside a donor egg, before being fertilised by another man.

In theory, this could allow two men to have a baby, without any DNA from a woman.

This is not the only cuttingedge advance in the last few years that could allow samesex couples to have their own biological children  with other researchers looking at everything from labgrown sperm and eggs to 'virgin births'.

So in mere decades, gay people could have a multitude of options to choose from on their journey to parenthood.

Becoming a parent is something that many people dream of  but for gay couples, the reality can be complicated (stock image)

Sperm cell insertion

During heterosexual reproduction, genetic material carried by the sperm combines with genetic material from a female contained in the egg.

A biological baby to be born to a samesex couple would of course have to have genetic material from both parents  from two sets of sperm, for example.

While this may sound like an impossibility, scientists in China have excitingly demonstrated that it is feasibly possible.

The experts managed to insert two sperm cells  one from each father  into a mouse egg whose nucleus had been removed.

A gene editing technique was then used to reprogram parts of the sperm DNA to allow an embryo to develop  a process called androgenesis.

The embryo (featuring the genetic material from two fathers) was transferred to a female womb and allowed to grow to term.

Finally, the resulting offspring managed to grow to adulthood and become a parent after mating conventionally with a female, suggesting that a baby born to two dads would be able live and breed as normal.

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Although promising, experts caution that we are not ready to start such experiments in humans, which could be deeply unethical.

Christophe Galichet, research operations manager at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre in London, points out that the success rate of the experiments was very low.

Of 259 mice embryos that were transferred to female mice, just two survived, grew to adulthood and then fathered their own offspring.

Genetically modified eggs

Sperm cell insertion would theoretically allow two fathers to have a biological baby, but how about two mothers?

A hallmark experiment in Japan in 2004 created the first ever 'bimaternal' mouse using eggs from two female parents.

Experts at the Tokyo University of Agriculture managed the feat by genetically modifying eggs from a female mouse to make them act like sperm.

The resulting miracle mouse, named Kaguya, was the first mammal born from two genetic mothers.

However, ethical concerns and technological limitations pose barriers to duplicating the technique in people, the experts cautioned.

These adult male mice, which each have the genetic material of their two fathers, have gone on to have offspring of their own

Human eggs from skin cells

An exciting future scenario is where anyone, man or woman, could have their genetic material in an egg.

And earlier this week, scientists offered fresh hope that such an eventuality could soon be possible.

The experts at Oregon Health & Science University revealed that they'd used human skin cells to create eggs ready for fertilisation.

The technique involves removing the nucleus from a woman's skin cell and inserting it into an egg from which the nucleus has been removed.

The breakthrough opens the possibility for DNA from a man's skin cells being placed inside a donor egg, before being fertilised by another man.

In theory, this could allow two men to have a baby, without any DNA from a woman.

While further research is needed to ensure safety and efficacy before clinical trials can go ahead, experts have described the news as a 'major advance'.

Experts from Oregon Health & Science University have created fertilizable eggs from human skin cells for the very first time. Pictured, a human oocyte with visible spindle (bright spot inside) before fertilisation

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Lab-grown sperm and eggs

It sounds like something from a Mary Shelley novel, but some scientists think babies could be grown from scratch in a lab as soon as this decade.

They're pinning their hopes on in vitro gametogenesis (IVG), a new lab technology that's breaking the rules of reproduction.

IVG works by taking cells from a person's blood or skin and reprogramming them to become induced pluripotent stem cells.

In theory, pluripotent stem cells can become any cell in the body, including egg and sperm cells that could be used to make embryos and then implanted into women's wombs.

Scientists have been able to make very basic human eggs and sperm this way, but have not yet been able to make embryos.

One Californiabased startup called Conception is working on IVG to 'give families the opportunity to still have children at much older ages, eliminate barriers for couples suffering from infertility, and allow everyone to have biological children'.

Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi, a Japanese geneticist at the University of Osaka, expects the first viable labgrown human sperm by about 2030.

Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi of Kyushu University (pictured), a Japanese scientist who has already figured out how to do IVG in mice, guessed it would take five years to produce egglike cells from humans

Sperm cells from bone marrow

It was nearly 20 years ago that scientists revealed they'd used human bone marrow to create earlystage sperm cells for the first time.

The experts from the UK and Germany took stem cells from the bone marrow  the soft, spongy tissue in the centres of bones  of male volunteers.

Usually, such samples would be developed into cells that form part of muscle tissue, but the team developed them into spermatogonial cells, which become mature sperm cells.

The 2007 achievement heralded the possibility of using 'artificial sperm', removing men from the process of creating life.

In theory, one member of a lesbian couple could used their bone marrow sample to grow sperm that could fertilize their partner's egg.

Scientists said their next goal was to get the spermatagonial stem cells to progress to mature sperm in the lab, although it's unclear if they're still working on this.

Their paper, published in the journal Reproduction: Gamete Biology, was redacted two years later due to claims of plagiarism.

Today, gay couples who want to have children usually rely on a surrogate mother or father to bring a child into the world (file photo)

Virgin births

In the animal kingdom, a seemingly miraculous phenomenon of Biblical proportions exists in nature that offers hope to millions of gay couples.

Known as parthenogenesis or virgin birth, it allows a baby to be born without any kind of sexual intercourse.

Parthenogenesis usually happens when the female has been isolated for a long time and has little hope of finding a male to mate with.

By this logic, women who are living alone should be able to get pregnant even if they are not having sexual intercourse with a man.

Virgin births have been observed in sharks, snakes, crocodiles, crustaceans, scorpions and wasps  but scientists say they might be possible in humans.

Dr Louise Gentle, lecturer in zoology at Nottingham Trent University, said parthenogenesis in humans is 'technically possible', but it would require humans with similar genetic tweaks or mutations to breed together.

'To get parthenogenesis in humans, you would need to have individuals with the same chance mutations (there would have to be many mutations) breeding together,' she said.

Just a few years ago, parthenogenesis was thought to be impossible in mammals  but recent experiments have changed all that. Scientists in China reported in 2022 that parthenogenesis had been achieved with mice using the clever but controversial geneediting tool CRISPR

'It's an extremely long shot, with a tiny probability, but it is technically possible.'

Likewise, Tiago Campos Pereira, a professor of genetics at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, said there are 'biological barriers' established by our genetic makeup that prevents parthenogenesis in humans.

But this genetic makeup may be 'altered by natural mutations', he told the Daily Mail.

All babies born due to parthenogenesis are essentially 'identical' genetic clones of their mother right down to their sex, but longterm this could be disastrous for the survival of a certain species due to a lack of genetic diversity.

Would it be worth it?

Lluis Montoliu, a biotechnologist based in Spain, said such procedures would 'revolutionize fertility treatments' if they were ever to successfully and safely produce human embryos.

He said such methods could potentially 'be optimised to the point where we can consider offering them in fertility clinics'.

'For the moment, these human applications remain in the realm of science fiction,' he said in a piece earlier this year for The Conversation.

'We must ask ourselves, as a society, whether we would be willing to ethically and legally accept these techniques.'
Egypt's Karnak Temple must be one of the ancient world's most magnificent wonders.

Located about 300 miles south of capital Cairo, the UNESCO World Heritage site welcomes millions of tourists every year.

It's described as Ancient Egypt's most important religious complex, but the origins of the site has long been a mystery  until now.

Scientists at the University of Southampton have carried out the most comprehensive geoarchaeological survey of the Karnak Temple.

They say it was built some 4,000 years ago by a group of elites as a place of worship for the supreme and powerful god Amun-Ra.

This merged deity, worshipped throughout Egypt, was at the time a newly-created fusion of the 'invisible' god of the air Amun and the sun god Ra.

Study author Dr Ben Pennington, an archaeologist at the University of Southampton, called Karnak the 'most important temple' in the north African country.

'This new research provides unprecedented detail on the evolution of Karnak Temple, from a small island to one of the defining institutions of Ancient Egypt,' he said.

Karnak Temple (pictured) is a UNESCO World Heritage site welcoming millions of tourists every year - but its original date of occupation has long been unclear

It is Ancient Egypt's most important religious complex, but the earliest occupation of the site has long been subject to debate. Pictured, mighty columns at Karnak

Egypt's Karnak Temple comprises a vast mix of individual temples, pylons, chapels and other buildings in the form of a village or 'complex'.

The stunning structures made of sandstone, limestone and granite spread across 200 acres and are 'extremely well preserved', Dr Pennington said.

Archaeological investigations have been ongoing at the site for about 150 years, but the age of earliest occupation has long been debated.

To learn more, Dr Pennington and colleagues analysed 61 sediment cores and tens of thousands of ceramic fragments from within and around the temple site.

This allowed them to map out how the landscape around the site changed throughout its history and gather new evidence about the age of Karnak Temple.

According to the team, led by archaeologist Dr Angus Graham at Uppsala University in Sweden, the site would have been unsuitable for permanent occupation before about 2520 BC as it would've been regularly flooded by fast-flowing water from the Nile.

Instead, the researchers estimate the earliest occupation at Karnak would have likely been during the Old Kingdom (c.25912152 BC), a result of evolving river channels.

Ceramic fragments found at the site corroborate this finding, with the earliest dating from sometime between c.2305 to 1980 BC.

Egypt's Karnak Temple is located about 300 miles south of capital Cairo and very close to the River Nile. This map also shows the location with the Red Sea to the east

Pictured, landscape reconstruction at Karnak: a) beginning of the Middle Kingdom (1980 BC); b) end of the Middle Kingdom (1760 BC); c) start of the New Kingdom (1539 BC); d) middle of the New Kingdom (1350 BC); e) end of the Third Intermediate Period (664 BC); f ) end of the Macedonian/Ptolemaic period (30 BC)

Pictured, core samples - roughly cylindrical pieces of subsurface material - being extracted from the ground at Karnak

The Karnak Temple Egypt's Karnak Temple is a vast collection of ancient structures built 4,000 years ago by the River Nile. Located about 300 miles south of capital Cairo, the UNESCO World Heritage site welcomes millions of tourists every year. It's described as Ancient Egypt's most important religious complex, built as a dedication to the supreme and powerful god Amun-Ra. Advertisement

According to the experts, their findings settle a 'hotly contested' debate surrounding Karnak Temple's earliest occupation and construction.

'There have been two main competing arguments  first that the temple may have been of a very early age, around 3000 BC,' Dr Pennington told the Daily Mail.

'And the second that it probably dated later, to the First Intermediate period or perhaps just before, about 2000 BC.

'We have found that an earlier date is not viable and the later date is supported by the evidence.'

Karnak Temple is located less than half a mile (500 metres) east of the present-day River Nile near Luxor, at the Ancient Egyptian religious capital of Thebes, just over from the famous Valley of the Kings.

Researchers say the land on which it was founded was formed when river channels cut into their beds to the west and east, creating an island of elevated ground surrounded by water.

This emerging island, slightly higher than the surrounding land, would have been an apt choice in that it was likely linked to its religious significance.

Ancient Egyptian texts of the Old Kingdom say that the creator god Amun-Ra manifested as high ground, emerging from 'the lake'.

The stunning structures made of sandstone, limestone and granite spread across 200 acres and are 'extremely well preserved', Dr Pennington said

Over subsequent centuries and millennia, the river channels either side of the site diverged further, creating more space for the temple complex to develop.

The new study, published in the journal Antiquity, summarizes the evolution of Karnak as 'from a small island to one of the defining institutions of Ancient Egypt'.

'Activity there demonstrates a coupling between the natural environment and the religious, functional and constructional aspects of the temple,' authors conclude.

'As at other places in the Nile Valley, the natural riverine landscapes at Karnak appear strongly connected to cultural dynamics.

'They can be linked to the religious and cosmogonical views of the inhabitants, who also opportunistically adapted to changes in their physical environment.'

The team are now planning and carrying out work at other major sites in the area, to further understand the landscapes and waterscapes of the whole Ancient Egyptian religious capital zone.
A man has been convicted after 'excessively' kissing his girlfriend on board a flight - despite attendants repeatedly asking them to stop.

Reuben Jeremy Finn was travelling on an Air New Zealand flight when the offence took place and was also sentenced for a string of theft and drug offences.

Shortly after take-off, Finn and his partner reportedly began 'kissing excessively' before escalating to sexual behaviour in front of 48 passengers and cabin crew.

Flight attendants intervened, asking the pair to stop after complaints from passengers and told them the situation would be escalated to the pilot.

Witnesses said they saw Finn with his hands inside his partner's bra and later down her trousers.

When confronted again, the pair pretended to be asleep while continuing the behaviour. They were arrested when the flight landed.

The prosecutor told the court the incident had placed the public in an 'extremely uncomfortable position'.

Finn was sentenced to six months' community detention with a curfew from 8pm to 5am weekdays, along with 12 months' intensive supervision.

A man has been convicted after 'excessively' kissing his girlfriend on board a flight - despite attendants repeatedly asking them to stop

Rules around PDA on planes seem to vary depending on the country you are travelling to or from (stock)

Rules around PDA on planes seem to vary depending on the country you are travelling to or from.

Kissing on a plane is not inherently illegal unless it escalates into indecent exposure, public indecency, or causes discomfort to others, which could lead to criminal charges or being escorted off the plane.

It's not the only time other passengers have been less than grateful for couples being intimate on board.

In 2019, a British tourist was been given a suspended prison sentence after she 'amorously' kissed her boyfriend when she was drunk on a plane.

Diane Gill and was said by witnesses to embracing her partner in an 'over the top film kiss' on the Thomas Cook flight from Manchester to the Dominican Republic.

Passengers said the couple had their arms 'all wrapped around each other' as they headed to the Caribbean and cabin crew asked them to tone it down because they were being inappropriate.

Gill became abusive towards passengers and staff, demanding to know who had made a complaint, and the couple were then escorted off the plane when they arrived then had to get a flight home with a different airline.
As debate swirled around which city is the most beautiful in America, Seattle was crowned the top spot by social media users who fawned over its outdoor spaces.

Users on Reddit gushed over Seattle, naming it a surprising top pick for the most beautiful city.

While other cities received honorable mentions, such as Chicago and San Francisco, Seattle was said to be one of the most gorgeous cities to visit - especially in the summertime.

'Seattle is an amazing city! I find myself suggesting it to people all the time because it flies under the radar of places to visit but there's so much to see, do and eat,' one user wrote.

Another responded that, although they grew up in Seattle, they're 'convinced that no city in America has better summers than Seattle'.

'Warm but not too hot, rarely rains, mountains surrounding you, water everywhere, not too many bugs,' they continued. 'Just the perfect place for summer. Unfortunately, it only lasts about two months.'

Seattle's summers were bolstered by another user who wrote that they 'couldn't have been more impressed with the weather and the nature.'

'It was unbelievable,' they wrote.

Users on Reddit gushed over Seattle, naming it a surprising top pick for the most beautiful city. The Seattle skyline is seen above

Another user said that, although they grew up in Seattle, they're 'convinced that no city in America has better summers than Seattle'. Downtown Seattle is seen on a sunny day

Seattle's crowning as the most beautiful city in the United States comes as a campaign named 'Mother Nature's City' was implemented, which strives to incorporate more greenery among city life. Pictured: Downtown waterfront buildings and sail boats docked on Puget Sound

Users noted Seattle's gorgeous skylines and surrounding landscape, as well as the city's 'pretty buildings and amazing parks'.

One comment said: 'I grew up in Seattle and currently live here. It's absolutely beautiful. The best part is that it's only one to three hours away from even more beautiful outdoor places.'

Another Redditor wrote: 'I'm from the Midwest so fresh seafood is a big novelty. It felt majestic to stroll around the shore on a beautiful sunny day after eating raw scallops from the fish market.'

'When the sun is shining, you can't find a prettier vista than the one looking out over the bay with its sapphire-colored water,' another wrote. 'I am from SF, and I find Seattle equally pretty to what my city has to offer.'

Seattle's crowning as the most beautiful city in the United States comes as a campaign named 'Mother Nature's City' was implemented, which strives to incorporate more greenery among city life.

The city, according to its tourism board, wasn't dubbed 'Emerald City' for nothing.

'The greenery here is something to behold year-round,' its website said. 'Theres no shortage of ways to get out and explore in this nature-filled mecca.'

Around the city, scenic hikes are offered such as a trail in Discovery Park that takes visitors past a stunning lighthouse, or Piper's Creek Trail that offers views of the Puget Sound.

The Seattle city skyline with space needle is seen from Kerry Park above

Users noted Seattle's gorgeous skylines and surrounding landscape, as well as the city's 'pretty buildings and amazing parks'. Pictured: Mount Rainier looms over Tacoma, just 59 miles southeast of Seattle

East of Seattle, the snow-covered Issaquah Alps are comprised of three small peaks with trails leading to stunning view points.

Mount Rainier National Park further offers 370 square miles of nature, with a 14,410-foot active volcano that rises over wildflower meadows, and was last active nearly 600 years ago, according to Visit Seattle.

Olympic National Park features hot springs and freshwater kayaking as well as hikes through scenic trails

'Seattle is well-suited to meet travelers' desires to be in nature, while still being in a thriving city,' chief marketing officer and senior vice president Stephanie Byington told Seattle Mag.

Spire Seattle - a 41-story residential skyscraper in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle - praised the city's waterfront and famous Pike Place Market, and said: 'Seattle's welcoming vibe, public art, and cozy cafes elevate it beyond just a pretty face; it's a place that invites you in.'

On the Reddit thread, many other users also noted cities such as Washington DC and Chicago as contenders for the most beautiful.

A user said of Washington DC that 'despite affordability issues and some toxic traits from some of the jobs it attracts', that it 'may be the best city in the country'.

The Olympic National Park (pictured) features hot springs and freshwater kayaking as well as hikes through scenic trails

Seattle's summers were bolstered by another user who wrote that they 'couldn't have been more impressed with the weather and the nature'

Downtown Seattle and Mount Rainier is seen above. Mount Rainier National Park offers 370 square miles of nature

'Very ideal city to live in, and an amazing city to visit. Walkable, decent public transit, tons and tons of free activities catered to most interests, great green spaces, great architecture and city feel, distinct neighborhoods, diverse, amazing and diverse food options, good night life, and way more social and easy to make friends than most cities,' the user said.

Another user agreed that DC was surprisingly walkable and diverse, and noted Chicago's Riverwalk is 'one of the nicest places to be in the summer/fall time'.
Frauds (ITV1)

Rating:

That's how you avoid the Curse of Strictly. Suranne Jones, as a conwoman just out of jail in Frauds, performed a pas de deux with a chicken.

Tucking the bird under one arm, she flapped her elbows and strutted to Neneh Cherry's 80s hit Buffalo Stance, mouthing the lyrics: 'You better watch, don't mess with me!'

Like any good hen night, this sixpart heist drama is all about the girls. Suranne plays Bert, a career criminal who has spent the past ten years in a Spanish prison.

She's come out with a dragonfly tattoo on her cleavage and just a few months to live, thanks to a cancerous tumour on her liver. Or so she claims  you can't trust a word Bert says.

Jodie Whittaker is Sam, her former accomplice and possibly an exlover, though the details of their relationship are still blurred. She's going straight, apparently in every sense  preferring to live in poverty than to live by stickups and picking pockets.

They're holed up in a rented farmhouse somewhere in Spain, drinking tomato wine, with only a donkey for company. And the dancing chicken, of course.

But Bert has bigger ambitions. The rules of television decree every crook with a terminal illness must pull off one last job, their most audacious ever.

Like any good hen night, this sixpart heist drama is all about the girls. Jodie Whittaker as Sam & Suranne Jones as Bert are pictured (RL)

The pair are holed up in a rented farmhouse somewhere in Spain, drinking tomato wine, with only a donkey for company

With its cinematic, spaghetti western swagger, Frauds could have been nothing more than a pastiche of Thelma & Louise, the archetypal outlaw gals movie

What this scheme is, we didn't find out for the first hour. And that was too long to wait. By the second ad break, I was starting to wonder where this story was going.

We met other characters, briefly  a painter, a magician's assistant, a cabaret artiste  but learned nothing about why Bert had sent each of them a mysterious letter.

It was not until the credits rolled, with a trailer for the second episode tonight, that we discovered what she is planning  the theft from a Madrid museum of a giant canvas by Salvador Dali.

The trailer was scintillating. 'I want to watch that!' I thought. Then I realised I had been for the last 60 minutes... much of it repetitive and meandering.

One long and unnecessary sequence saw the two of them breaking into a bullring, where they larked about in the arena, playing matadors like children.

Bert stole an antique costume from a display cabinet and replaced it with a panto outfit, but since this happened off camera, we don't know how this was achieved. And anyway, 20 minutes later, Sam stuffed it into a plastic bag and handed it back.

With its cinematic, spaghetti western swagger, Frauds could have been nothing more than a pastiche of Thelma & Louise, the archetypal outlaw gals movie.

Jones and Whittaker are immersed in their characters up to the hilt  entirely believable, despite the forced wit of the badinage

But Jones and Whittaker are immersed in their characters up to the hilt  entirely believable, despite the forced wit of the badinage.

How they're going to steal a Dali masterpiece, I have no idea, and I want to know.

Maybe that chicken is really Feathers McGraw.
Friends of a Sydney woman who used to date Jackie 'O' Henderson's new boyfriend Richie Ryan say she is heartbroken over his relationship with the KIIS FM star.

After we published photos of the radio host, 50, kissing Richie on the balcony of her Clovelly home last Sunday, his ex on the other side of the world was reeling.

According to a friend, the woman - a cardiologist in her 30s - dated Richie earlier this year after he ended his engagement to a vegan chef named Emma.

Their relationship ended amicably before Richie began seeing Jackie, but the woman had held out hope they might reconcile.

But those hopes were dashed when she saw photos of pilot and DJ Richie canoodling with Jackie O splashed across the tabloids.

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A former girlfriend of Jackie O's new squeeze, Richie Ryan, was 'absolutely devastated' to see them together on the radio presenter's balcony on September 21. 'She hoped things weren't finished between them,' a friend told the Daily Mail

Their relationship ended amicably before Richie began seeing Jackie (pictured here on February 18), but the woman had held out hope they might reconcile

'She was absolutely devastated,' a friend told Daily Mail.

'She hoped things weren't finished between them. Seeing him with Jackie killed any chance of that.'

When he ended things, Richie told the woman he needed space to deal with a personal matter.

He had texted her that he was finding it hard to give her what she deserved while trying to manage the situation.

When our photos were published last week, the woman was 'really crushed' to see Richie had moved on.

She was in Paris at the time, having flown overseas to mend her broken heart.

'She burst into tears,' said a friend. 'Right now she's just trying to heal overseas.'

Jackie and Richie declined to comment.

Richie was previously engaged to a vegan chef named Emma (right), proposing to her while kayaking around Sydney Harbour in 2021. Emma is not the ex mentioned in this story

Emma had been dress shopping before the wedding was called off. She appears to have selected a $6,500 gown, which was later listed for sale online as never worn (pictured: the listing)

This isn't the first time Richie's love life before Jackie has made headlines.

He was previously engaged to a vegan chef named Emma, proposing to her while kayaking around Sydney Harbour in 2021.

Emma - whose surname we've withheld for privacy reasons - had even been dress shopping for their wedding.

She looks to have selected a $6,500 couture gown, which was later listed for sale online as never worn.

As recently as January, Emma was updating a Pinterest board brimming with wedding inspiration. It's unclear when exactly they split.

It comes after Jackie denied rumours in June that she was dating former NRL star Adam Muir, following the pair being spotted on a stroll in the eastern suburbs.

She had earlier revealed on her podcast Her Best Life that she was 'very happy' and in 'such a good place' after previously allowing her marriages to become stale.

'In all my relationships, I have allowed it to get to a brother and sister dynamic,' she told her co-host and manager Gemma O'Neill.

This complacency would lead to a lack of intimacy that left Jackie feeling 'undesirable' and the partnership 'unfixable'.

She acknowledged that her experience was not unique, with many of her friends having gone through similar situations in their marriages.

'The more I spoke to women, the more I realised this is actually really common in a lot of marriages. Like there's just no sex anymore,' she said.

In another episode of the same podcast, Jackie admitted she was struggling to let go of an ex.

Despite being 'over' that relationship, she said that in her weaker moments she would think to herself, 'That's my person.'

She said that the man, whom she did not name, 'didn't show up' for her when she needed him.

Jackie O's last romantic entanglement was with tradesman Jack Tyerman (right), who is now engaged to another woman and expecting a child

Jackie split from her second husband, Lee Henderson, in 2018. The pair share a daughter, Kitty

Her last romantic entanglement was with tradesman Jack Tyerman - who is now engaged to another woman and expecting a child.

She stated on air that Jack was not her boyfriend, even though she confirmed she was 'dating' at the time and they were pictured together on several occasions.

'Jack is a good friend of mine. I know him through a friend of ours. We didn't meet on a dating app or anything like that,' she said in August 2023.

After telling Daily Mail at the Logies that she was dating someone, Jackie later blamed herself for the media running with the story.

If she eventually makes things official with Richie, he'll be her first confirmed relationship since her 2018 split from second husband Lee Henderson, with whom she shares her 15-year-old daughter, Kitty.

Before meeting Lee, she was married to the radio presenter 'Ugly' Phil O'Neil.

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Amanda Holden has revealed the perils of parenting teen girls and says her youngest daughter 'won't speak to her.'

The Britain's Got Talent judge, 54, told the Daily Mail that while saying goodbye to eldest Lexi, 19, for university last year was emotional, it's life at home with her youngest Hollie, 14, that's proving tougher.

Amanda compares herself to friends like Myleene Klass, 47, who broke down seeing her daughter off, but says she's trying to enjoy the quiet while Lexi studies.

The TV presenter, whose husband is music producer Chris Hughes, predicts Lexi will soon be back home after university, inevitably racking up 'debt.'

She also defended Lexi, who is signed to modelling agency Storm, against 'nepo baby' claims, noting her daughter works two jobs alongside her studies.

Amanda said: 'Very sadly, I have a child at university and a 14-year-old who doesn't really want to speak to me.

Amanda Holden has revealed the perils of parenting teen girls and says her youngest daughter 'won't speak to her' (Amanda pictured with daughters Lexi and Hollie)

The Britain's Got Talent judge told the Daily Mail that while saying goodbye to eldest Lexi for university was emotional, it's life at home with her youngest Hollie that's proving tougher

She also defended Lexi, (pictured) who is signed to modelling agency Storm, against ' nepo baby' claims, noting her daughter works two jobs alongside her studies

'I don't feel too bad about it, I saw Myleene was all emotional and I feel it, there are so many mums feeling like that but last year, Lexi went to university, and I was tearful.

'Me and Chris drove her in a van, unpacked and drove back in a van and we had the nicest weekend. We said goodbye, we were both crying but that was that.

'Also, they come back, they finish university, they don't know what to do, they're in debt, and they come back and live at home. This is just a small break.'

Amanda insists it's unfair to call her daughter a 'nepo baby' because she juggles two jobs, including modelling for Storm, the agency that made Kate Moss a star.

Lexi recently starred in a glamorous Storm shoot, wearing a tight-fitting blazer that accentuated her model figure and striking resemblance to her mother.

She said: 'They can throw 'nepo' around all day long, but it doesn't really mean anything. If you are related to someone in the public eye, you immediately get that phrase.

'I saw during London Fashion Week there was Iris Law and Romeo Beckham but within their own way they are brilliant, and they will last. Iris Law is stunning.

'It doesn't matter who her mum and dad are, they may have given her a knee up, which I think anybody in any industry, like I hear all the time with financing and banking, somebody's son has got in the office because of who they know.

Amanda admitted she was 'teary' when Lexi left for university last year but wasn't as emotional as pal Myleene Klass, who sobbed saying goodbye to daughter Ava

Lexi recently starred in a glamorous Storm shoot, wearing a tight-fitting blazer that accentuated her model figure and striking resemblance to her mother

Amanda's daughter slipped into an oversized faux fur coat for the shoot, her long legs on display in tights and sleek black heels

'To survive, though, you have to be able to back it up or they will just fall by the wayside.'

Amanda recalls her working-class upbringing, raised by her mother and grandmother, and says her first job was far from glamorous.

The Heart breakfast host adds her biggest motivation has been creating her 7million family home, inspired by the Beverly Hills Hotel.

She said: 'My mum and dad got me a job in a fruit shop because they knew the owner, so I was a name in the fruit and veg world!

'My schedule now is really intense and can be overwhelming, but Chris is brilliant, and we have people at home that help, my parents help, my sister is in the country at the moment and she's helping. It's all hands-on deck.

'I get up at 5am every morning and do the radio show, because that's how long it takes to get ready and get there and everything.

'I thought, I want a house and that's why I get up at 5am. I just have to spend some time in it and stop working.

'I'm not the only one, Lexi also works as a student; she has two jobs while she's at uni. She is working during the day and is doing stuff for Storm.'

Amanda has added another project to her workload by becoming the host of BBC show Celebrity Inner Circle.

The presenter has added another project to her workload by becoming the host of BBC show Celebrity Inner Circle, which premieres on Saturday night before Strictly Come Dancing

Amanda admits she learned some surprising facts on the BBC quiz show including that slugs have teeth

Celebrity Inner Circle, a mix of The Traitors and The Weakest Link, premieres Saturday night before Strictly Come Dancing and promises to test relationships as well as general knowledge.

She admits she's nervous about presenting solo but is determined to make it a success.

Amanda said: 'I do feel nervous because it's been a long process and I have been there through every part of it.

'They asked me to do it before it went to pilot. I did that in a church hall with a load of execs all seeing if this would work.

'There were so many people at the BBC in turn all coming to make sure every single component works. I was in my trainers running around, questioning and talking and because of that process it feels like it's more me and less quiz show host.

'It feels authentic and I care about it, which is why I want it to work. It means a lot to everyone and to me.'

Amanda, who shot all 32 episodes of the show in Glasgow earlier this year, reveals the one standout outfit she loved wearing, by a designer we all know.

She said: 'It was a huge wardrobe but I wore a couple of things I had worn on other shows, like a few years ago. That's what you call sustainable fashion.

'There was a really lovely, leather Victoria Beckham dress. I also had a lot of dresses in my wardrobe which I've never worn on Heart that I bought myself which I wear.'

But it wasn't just the fashion for Amanda, who said she actually picked up some new facts through her presenting of the show, adding: 'I learned that slugs have got teeth.

'Bananas are berries, strawberries are part of the rose family, my takeaway wasn't what colours are in the Croatian flag, it was slugs have got teeth and I've told everyone.'
She was the only Osbourne who was determined to avoid the spotlight.

So much so that as the cameras moved into the familys sprawling Beverly Hills mansion, Aimee Osbourne, who was then just 16, moved out.

While MTVs The Osbournes, which launched in 2002, catapulted her younger siblings Kelly and Jack to worldwide fame, Aimee stayed in the shadows, refusing to be drawn into the world of reality television.

Yet almost 25 years later shes finally broken her silence, appearing extensively in a two-hour long feature length documentary about her father Ozzy, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman who died, aged 76, in July - just two weeks after returning to Britain for a farewell concert.

Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, which is available to stream on Paramount Plus from October 7, features for the first time the full Osbourne clan, including Ozzy and Sharon, and their three children: Aimee, 42, Kelly, 40 and Jack, 39.

Including footage recorded before the legendary rockers death, it charts his final six years as he battles a litany of health problems.

Known as the silent Osbourne, Aimee has, according to reports, not had the easiest relationship with her mother and siblings - particularly Kelly - over the years.

At one stage, the sisters werent on speaking terms, with Kelly admitting in an interview they just didnt understand each other.

Aimee Osbourne has finally broken her silence, appearing extensively in a two-hour long feature length documentary Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape from Now

Pictured L-R: Sharon Osbourne, Aimee and Ozzy Osbourn in 2004

Her father Ozzy, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman died, aged 76, in July - just two weeks after returning to Britain for a farewell concert. Pictued L-R: Kelly (far left) Sharon, Aimee (centre) and Louis (right, son of Ozzy and Thelma Riley)

Yet Aimee was there for Ozzys final days, and joined the rest of her family for the documentary in a touching show of unity, as they describe how the iconic rocker battled ill health for years.

The documentary begins with Ozzys late-night fall in February 2019, at the familys Los Angeles mansion, when he tripped over a step going to the bathroom, and broke his neck - an injury that was initially overlooked.

A former hellraising drug addict, its fair to say that Ozzy was hardly in the best shape before the fall: hed suffered a near-fatal quad bike accident in 2003 in which he crushed several vertebrae.

Yet it was this dramatic fall, 16 years later, which started his descent into a serious decline.

Soon afterwards he was diagnosed with a genetic form of Parkinsons Disease, and never recovered full mobility.

In the show, Ozzy reveals for the first time how, at one point, he sank into a deep depression, which left him suicidal.

In a typically witty, expletive-ridden message from the grave, we hear Ozzy describing the dark thoughts that stalked him.

The thought of not doing gigs anymore. I went into a dark place. Im on antidepressants now actually because I was getting ready to off myself.

But with his trademark humour he adds: But then I thought, What are you f***king talking about? Because knowing me, Id do it and Id be half dead ... Id set myself on fire and I wouldnt die. Thats my luck.

Aimee calmly summarises the situation thus: Hes had many accidents that Ive witnessed, but you could tell this was not one he was necessarily going to get away with in the same way.

Her feelings proved to be eerily prescient and the film draws a direct connection from the fall in 2019, to his eventual demise in July this year, from heart failure at the familys UK home in Buckinghamshire, just 13 days after an emotional farewell concert.

If all good movies must have a villain, then in this tale it is the surgeon who treated Ozzy.

Known as the silent Osbourne, Aimee has, according to reports, not had the easiest relationship with her mother and siblings - particularly Kelly - over the years

Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, which is available to stream on Paramount Plus from October 7, features for the first time the full Osbourne clan, including Ozzy and Sharon, and their three children: Aimee, 42, Kelly, 40 and Jack, 39

For while we see him moments before the surgery dancing from the waist up in his hospital bed to the delight of his family, hours later it is a very different story.

As Kelly puts bluntly. I watched my dad from being able to sit up to having posture like f***ing Gollum, referring to the hunched creature from Lord of the Rings.

Aimee, whos kept her private life very much to herself over the years, and has never married or had children, appears as a sea of calm among the chaos.

He was in hospital for weeks, she explains. I think just in a lot of shock, also traumatised, to fall like that and then go through that, and then not be able to bounce back like he had in the past, and then having to cancel the tour, that was really, I think, his biggest heartbreak.

We brought him home, but the pain just never subsided, continues Sharon. It was unbearable, constantly. I know hes a drama queen. Hell do anything for a pain pill, but it was for real. I mean, you can look in someones eyes and know.

Every month, instead of getting stronger, he got weaker... every month went by, he would be fading, fading, fading.

Sharon scoured America for the best surgeons to undo the damage, but despite repeated corrective surgeries, Ozzy never fully recovered.

The toll on Ozzy wasnt just physical but mental, and this is the darkest chapter in the film.

After three years of chronic pain, and going longer than he had ever gone without performing on stage, depression hits.

Ozzy says: No matter what you do, its always there. When youre in a certain amount of pain, it affects your thought pattern and you cant enjoy anything.

He also struggled with the constant attention of his carers and health team.

Ive not been on my own for f***ing four years, he says. I end up doing is sitting in the toilet reading a book. Its to be on my own. We all need that little bit of space for ourselves.

In the show, Ozzy reveals for the first time how, at one point, he sank into a deep depression, which left him suicidal

In his lowest moments he apologises to Sharon for being a burden on her. With tears in her eyes she explains: Some days that he wishes he was dead. Hes in so much pain he cant take it. He just wishes he could go

The documentary begins with Ozzys late-night fall in February 2019, at the familys Los Angeles mansion, when he tripped over a step going to the bathroom, and broke his neck - an injury that was initially overlooked. Above, the family pictured in 2002

In his lowest moments he apologises to Sharon for being a burden on her. With tears in her eyes she explains: Some days that he wishes he was dead. Hes in so much pain he cant take it. He just wishes he could go.

Yet, its not gloom. Fans of the Osbournes will be delighted to see, once again, the bonhomie and wisecracking between the couple who were married for more than four decades.

In one scene he chastises Sharon for falling asleep on the sofa.

I wasnt asleep. I just had my eyes closed, she says, repeating an age-old defence.

Ozzy replies: You snore when you pretend to sleep you know.

You also see a more genteel side to the star, a man who spends his days painting and shooting targets with his personalised gun bearing his moniker The Prince of Darkness, and doting on his grandchildren: Kellys one-year-old son, Sidney, and Jacks four daughters, Pearl, 12, Andy, nine, and Minnie, six, Maple, two.

Also there, laid bare before the cameras, is the stark difference between the two Osbourne sisters.

At one point Kelly is ranting about Black Sabbath sacking her father from the band in 1979 saying how it destroyed him. Aimee calming rationalises the events, saying: I would imagine in part it has something to do with substance abuse.

(Ozzy was indeed sacked by the band, as his dependence on drugs was making him an incredibly erratic - and rarely present - front man. He eventually rejoined the group in 1979).

And it is music that proves to be his saviour: In 2022, he manages to record an entire new album, Patient Number 9, which earns him two Grammy awards.

Hes also asked to perform at the Commonwealth Games in his hometown of Birmingham.

After refusing for months, he finally agrees just a week before the scheduled performance.

The documentary shows a terrified - then increasingly awe-struck - Sharon watching her frail, suicidal husband come alive on stage.

Pictured: Sharon and Aimee out and about in, Los Angeles, America in 2016

I just couldnt believe he was doing what he was doing. He was back doing what he was meant to do, she says.

A year later, however, his health is in rapid decline once again, and he puts out a statement announcing that he is retiring from touring.

The couple start making plans to move back to England - to Welders House, the Grade II-listed Georgian mansion in Buckinghamshire that the couple purchased in 1993 - where he always said he wanted to end his days,

The stress of Ozzys failing health is etched on Sharons face, as we see her visibly shrink on-screen with each year that passes.

Sharon, whos always been open about her past battles with her weight, started using weight loss injections in 2022, which saw her lose more than three-stones.

In latter years, however, her increasingly gaunt frame started raising concerns.

Kelly notes: I think whats happening to my mum is the most heartbreaking part of this whole thing. And I think that watching the man that she loves most in this world wither is really, really hard.

Aimee adds: They were both so used to the go, go, go. And I think for that to be taken away at such a drastic level, its been heartbreaking and terrifying.

And you know, my mums role has been about maintaining control of all the moving parts. To have all those things essentially break away has been extremely painful.

But Ozzy, who at this point is 75 and has around the clock care, is determined that if he cant tour than he should at least be able to do one final concert.

I dont feel finished yet, he says. I want to say to my fans, thank you for the years. I havent said that. Thats what it is all about.

Sharon, ever the manager, kicks into action and organises Back To The Beginning, a farewell show at Villa Park, Birmingham for July 2025, and signs up heavy metalicons from Guns N Roses, Metallica and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

But two months before his planned final performance, we see Ozzy being helped into a chair by his nurse, as Sharon explains that he has been battling a broken vertebrae, pneumonia and sepsis.

The rock legend vulnerable in his chair and with sadness in his voice, talks of his absolute determination to make it over to the UK.

When the cameras moved into the familys sprawling Beverly Hills mansion, Aimee, who was then just 16, moved out

Ive got to be there. I have to be there. Theres no two ways about it. I have to be there, he says, as Sharon looks on tearfully.

The sheer resilience of the man is astonishing to behold. Despite his constant health woes, he is seen working out with a personal trainer every day to be able to perform.

Back in England, in Ozzy is days away from his farewell gig and heartbreakingly reflects on what retirement with his wife will be like.

The English summer is fantastic, he says. Its a new thing for us both, Im looking forward to getting this gig over. Hanging my mic up and spending some time here. Weve never, weve never been free. After this gig were free.

At the final encore, Ozzy is placed in his bat-shaped throne and as he is raised from beneath the stage to the roar of the 42,000 strong crowd the Black Sabbath which seems to bring the seriously ill rocker to life.

Im nervous. Its my last hurrah, so its gonna be pretty emotional for me up there, he says.

I just hope I dont think of Sharon when I am up there because otherwise tears will start coming. Because weve done a lot of miles together, me and my old girl. This is it, the last thing and Ive accepted it.

But despite his talks of his retirement with his beloved wife, in his last interview in the documentary he seems aware of his own mortality.

Its time, he said. I didnt think I was going to live past 40. I shouldnt have lived past 40 but I did. But if my life is coming to the end, I really cant complain. Ive had a great life.

In one touching scene Ozzy reflects on his life with Sharon. If it wasnt for Sharon Osbourne, I would not be there now.

'I would definitely not have the success, or wouldnt be sober. Id be six feet under. All the guys I used to do drugs with, theyre all dead. The one thing I did have was my Sharon.

And he did - right to end. Two weeks later he died - with Sharon by his side.

Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now is available to stream on Paramount Plus from October 7.
As one of the older members of Oxford University's student population, actress Emma Watson strikes a somewhat incongruous figure as she potters around its cloisters and quads.

In recent months the 35-year-old, who is studying for a DPhil - Oxford's version of a PhD - in creative writing, has been a regular sight at New College whose 14th century buildings, ironically, once served as a film location for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Mingling with undergraduates close to half her age, she has been spotted in the college library, at the helm as cox for one of the women's boat teams during the Oxford 'Summer Eights' regatta and at the college's recent 250-a-head 'La Vie En Rose' Parisian-themed ball (where one fusty don was heard muttering about how under-dressed she was).

The Daily Mail has also been told that Watson was a guest at an event hosted by the secretive, ultra-posh Piers Gaveston society, a scandalous dining club founded in the 1970s by brewery heir Valentine Guinness and alleged to have been the scene of 'Piggate' claims about former PM David Cameron.

More, later, of multi-millionaire Watson's rarified existence in the City of Dreaming Spires, where she lives in her nine-bedroomed mansion in Jericho, drives an Audi and recently submitted a one-woman play about being at a 'normal university as a super famous person' to help others understand 'how weird it is being me'.

Life took a rather grittier turn for the star this week when she was subjected to an unprecedented attack by Harry Potter author JK Rowling following a tense, five-year stand-off between actress and author over Rowling's stance on trans rights and Watson's criticisms of the writer whose books turned her into a child star with an estimated 42million fortune.

Rowling raged online that Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the films of her books, is 'ignorant of how ignorant she is', has been blinded by wealth and fame and has 'so little experience of real life'.

The reason for this fiery outburst? According to 60-year-old Rowling, comments made by Watson on a podcast last week - when in an outpouring that lasted two and a half hours she gushed that she still loved the best-selling author and refused to 'cancel her out' despite their differences in opinion - finally pushed her over the edge.

Emma Watson matriculated at Oxford as a member of Lady Margaret Hall in 2023 before moving to New College (pictured: Watson at the matriculation ceremony)

She has since been spotted at the college library and at the helm as cox during Oxford's summer regatta (pictured)

Writing on X, Rowling accused the actress-turned-student of 'cosying up' to a movement that 'regularly calls for a friend's assassination'. Her own feelings towards her 'former friend', she said, had soured after Watson publicly poured 'more petrol on the flames' of the abuse she had suffered.

But, without a doubt, the author's most stinging rebuke was that the former child star had 'never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame'.

'I wasn't a millionaire at fourteen,' said Rowling who, as a single mother, once famously struggled to make ends meet while living in an Edinburgh council flat.

'I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous. I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women's rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.'

Many of those privileges have already been well-documented. The daughter of high-flying lawyers - Emma's father also owns a French vineyard producing 30 bottles of 'Domaine Watson' Chablis and Irancy wine - Paris-born Watson attended 33,000-a-year Dragon School and then Headington School where fees for boarders can reach 50,000 a year.

In 1999, at the age of nine, film scouts cast her as bossy, know-it-all Hermione after eight rounds of auditions. It was a decision which would change her life almost overnight. Over twenty years later, it remains as gilded today.

Having matriculated as a member of Lady Margaret Hall in 2023 before moving to New College, Watson is as sheltered as ever from the Muggle world.

When not studying creative writing or relaxing at her nine-bedroom home in the city's charming Jericho quarter, she has been seen enjoying picnics and painting on the banks of the river and at five-course dinners hosted by Bacchus, the Oxford University Wine Society.

While her attendance at a 'Piers Gav' dinner set tongues wagging last term, she mooted the idea with student pals of setting up her own eccentric secret club, in which they would compete to leave a slipper on top of the city's highest buildings.

After being banned for speeding around town in her Audi, she has also become an avid cyclist. She hired more than a dozen bikes for the 'party on wheels' she hosted over the summer, decorating the wicker baskets with flowers before she and her friends set off for The Perch, a bucolic river-side pub on the outskirts of the city.

She has been romantically linked to a couple of male students including fellow post-graduate Kieran Brown who she was spotted kissing after splitting from Brandon Green, son of former Top Shop tycoon Sir Philip Green.

Watson has been linked to male students - including a mystery man she was seen painting with at Port Meadow in July (above)

She was also previously linked to fellow Oxford student Kieran Brown (pictured)

Now 35 - the same age Rowling was when the author first walked the red carpet alongside 11-year-old Watson and her child co-stars, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, at the Leicester Square premier of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in November 2001 - Emma's charmed life couldn't be more removed from the existence Rowling knew as a struggling writer and single mother when she first tasted success.

Yet, as photographs from the time show, Rowling clearly doted on the young child stars who brought her fictional characters to life on screen and became mini millionaires almost overnight. The tongue lashing Rowling dished out this week would have been impossible to imagine back then.

As the novelist put it during her online tirade this week: 'When you've known people since they were ten years old it's hard to shake a certain protectiveness.

'Until quite recently, I hadn't managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio.'

Over the course of a decade, Watson appeared in all eight Harry Potter films. The last, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, was released in July 2011. By then she was studying English Literature at Brown University in the US. An armed bodyguard accompanied her to her graduation ceremony in 2014.

Still close to Rowling, the then 24-year-old interviewed Rowling for Wonderland Magazine the same year, describing the author as 'funny, kind, warm and real'. She was also made UN Goodwill Ambassador for Women and promoted their 'HeForShe' gender equality campaign.

'Women's rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can't imagine an opportunity more exciting,' she said at the time.

Back then, she and Rowling, who has donated millions to charity, appeared aligned on issue of women's rights. In 2000, she set up the Volant Trust which supports women, children and young people suffering social deprivation in Scotland.

Her charity Lumos, set up in 2005 and named after a light-producing spell from her Harry Potter books, seeks to end the institutionalisation of children around the world and was, at one time, also supported by Watson.

So where did it all go wrong for the duo who just as might as easily have become sisters in arms as women at war?

The last time they are thought to have been photographed together was in August 2019 at Rowling's 54th birthday fancy dress party.

Watson, dressed up as Wonder Woman, shared the snap of herself and Rowling, wearing a velvet black dress and gory make-up, on Instagram, writing: 'Sexy and scary! You smashed this. All the love to you, Jo. Happy Birthday!!!!'

Rowling had already drawn attention to her growing interest in the transgender debate in June 2019 by following the social media of Magdalena Berns, a terminally-ill radical lesbian feminist who co-founded For Women Scotland and campaigned against reform to the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Watson said nothing about it at the time.

Oxford University seen from above. New College can be seen in the background to the right

Watson pictured at the Venice International Film Festival last month

Nor did she react when, in December 2019, just four months after her birthday party, Rowling wrote the tweet that would launch her headlong into the gender identity firestorm.

She expressed her support for Maya Forstater, a tax specialist who lost her job after tweeting that transgender women could not change their biological sex, writing on X: 'Dress however you please. Live your best life in peace. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?'

In June 2020, Rowling posted a link to an article headlined 'Creating a more equal post-Covid world for people who menstruate', commenting: 'People who menstruate', I'm sure their used to be a word for those people. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?

She added: 'If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of so many to meaningfully discuss their lives.'

The ensuing backlash led to a 3,600-word essay in which she outlined her concerns over the 'new trans activism' and those who said 'that women must accept and admit that there is no material difference between trans women and themselves'.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe condemned Rowling's views in a post written on a website for Trevor Project, a not-for-profit LGBTQ young people's suicide prevention organisation he had supported for more than a decade.

'Transgender women are women,' he said in June 2020. 'Any statement to the contrary 'erases the identity and dignity of transgender people'. He said he was 'deeply sorry' to those who 'feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished' because of Rowling's statements.

His decision to speak out against the woman who helped turn him into a global superstar appeared to prompt Watson, already outspoken on issues as varied as climate change, sustainable fashion and racial equality, to follow suit.

'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned,' she wrote on X, in a clear rebuttal to Rowling.

Watson went on to become a cheerleader for - and a donor to - the youth trans charity Mermaids UK which published a blog post entitled 'Gutted by JK Rowling, saved by Emma Watson'.

The charity was told last year by the Charity Commission to stop giving chest binders to children without parental permission and to be clearer about the risks of puberty blockers.

The years which followed saw Rowling inundated with online hate amid accusations of transphobia.

Watson invoked JK Rowling's fury when she appeared on a podcast last week to say she 'doesn't want (Rowling) cancelled' over her views on trans people

Watson and JK Rowling have not been pictured together for years (seen here after Rowling received an award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema from BAFTA)

The pair were last photographed together in 2019 at a Halloween party - which saw Watson dress up as comic book character Wonder Woman

In November 2021, after three trans activists posted a photo of themselves in front of her Edinburgh mansion which revealed her address, she said she had received so many death, rape and torture threats 'I could paper the house with them'.

In the midst of the vile online hate campaign against the author, Watson delivered what was widely seen as a barbed dig at the author. While presenting an award at the Baftas in March 2022, the actress said she was there for 'all the witches' before appearing to add, under her breath, 'bar one'.

Rowling said this week that the comment marked a 'turning point for me' but added that it had 'a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself'.

That postscript was the handwritten note Watson sent via a third party to Rowling, which said: 'I'm so sorry for what you're going through', even though she had her number and could have called.

It came, said Rowling, 'at a time when my personal security measures had to be tightened considerably and I was constantly worried for my family's safety. Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness.'

But it was Watson's comments last week when speaking to Jay Shetty, host of the 'On Purpose' mental health podcast which ultimately Rowling led to hit back directly.

They came five months after the UK Supreme Court ruled that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act referred to biological sex. Rowling described the decision as a 'victory for common sense'.

Watson's own response was a statement in May on Instagram, quoting author Matt Haig: 'I like me best when I am not ignoring fascism.'

Last week, she appeared to be in a more conciliatory mood when she told Shetty that her support for trans rights did not mean she had turned against the woman who had shaped her life.

'I really don't believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can't and don't treasure Jo.'

Rowling said it was 'a change of tack I suspect she's adopted because she's noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was'.

Watson also faced criticism from Fiona McAnena, director of campaigns for human rights charity Sex Matters, who said: 'I think she's going to find that you can't sit on the fence.'

The actress, who also starred in Beauty and the Beast and Little Women, hasn't responded to the latest twist in her 26-year-old relationship with Rowling.

She told Shelly: 'I just don't want to say anything that continues to weaponise a really toxic debate and conversation. The way that the conversation is being had feels really painful to me.'

What seems clear is that the verbal spat between the pair is not over yet, however much Watson might wish she could wave Hermione's magic wand and shout 'Expelliarmus!' to make it go away.
Sydney Sweeney's romance with her new boyfriend Scooter Braun is heating up just months after she ended her engagement to her ex-fiance.

She met Braun, 44, just over the summer at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Venetian wedding in Italy and ever since, the pair have seemingly been inseparable.

Though Braun's nemesis Taylor Swift appeared to throw shade at him and brought up their past feud yet again in one of the songs off of her new album, he seemingly paid no attention as he is too busy being smitten by his much-younger girlfriend.

'He really, really likes her,' a source close to the couple said after he attended her star-studded space-themed 28th birthday party in Los Angeles last weekend.

As their early-stages but 'very real' romance amps up, Sweeney reportedly spent Labor Day weekend with Braun during a romantic Lake Tahoe retreat and even introduced him to her parents.

Just last week, the 'very happy' lovebirds were spotted holding hands during an outing with her parents as they enjoyed a Halloween amusement park excursion together.

Sydney Sweeney's romance with her new boyfriend Scooter Braun is heating up just months after she ended her engagement to her ex-fiance; pictured in September 2025

Though Braun's nemesis Taylor Swift appeared to throw shade at him and brought up their past feud yet again in one of the songs off of her new album, he seemingly paid no attention as he is too busy being smitten by his much-younger girlfriend; pictured in November 2024

In recent weeks, the actress and the businessman have also been spotted on a number of intimate, low-key dates in Los Angeles.

'It's not a casual relationship,' a source told Page Six. 'It's game on. It's full throttle. They are together.'

At Sweeney's birthday party over the weekend, she was dressed in a replica of Britney Spears' iconic dress from her Circus album cover in 2008 as she partied with her friends who were dressed as sexy astronauts, aliens and iconic movie characters from famous sci-fi flicks.

Braun dressed up as a Jedi for the party but arrived separately from his girlfriend.

During the party, a partygoer noted that the pair were not overly loved-up as the actress was busy mingling with all of the attendees.

'It was a huge party and there were so many people there,' the insider, who also told the outlet that they previously worked with Sweeney, added. 'She's very private.'

They first met and struck up a romance during the Amazon billionaire's nuptials in Venice in June.

The actress was seen mingling with Tom Brady and Orlando Bloom, but she reportedly was intent on pursuing Braun, a source revealed.

She met Braun, 44, just over the summer at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Venetian wedding in Italy and ever since, the pair have seemingly been inseparable

'He really, really likes her,' a source close to the couple said after he attended her star-studded, space-themed 28th birthday party in Los Angeles last weekend

They first met and struck up a romance during the Amazon billionaire's nuptials in Venice in June. The actress was seen mingling with Tom Brady and Orlando Bloom, but she reportedly was intent on pursuing Braun, a source revealed; pictured in August 2024

Braun was initially concerned that she was too young but could not resist and quickly became 'obsessed' with the blonde bombshell; pictured in September 2025

Braun was initially concerned that she was too young but could not resist and quickly became 'obsessed' with the blonde bombshell.

'I can tell you that it's very real and he's very happy,' the source said.

Sweeney's newfound romance comes after she ended her engagement to businessman Jonathan Davino, 43, earlier this year after nearly seven years together.

The couple had reportedly been struggling with 'major issues' in their relationship, the insider said before adding that they were in 'an incredibly toxic' situation.

The source close to the couple claimed their romance is nowhere near a casual fling as they said: 'I think anybody that goes public isn't kidding around, right?'

Braun was previously married to mining heiress Yael Cohen, 38, for seven years before their split in mid-2021.

The source close to the new couple claimed that Braun's marriage with Cohen had not been healthy.

'It wasn't a good relationship,' the insider noted.

Sweeney's newfound romance comes after she ended her engagement to businessman Jonathan Davino, 43, earlier this year after nearly seven years together; pictured in October 2018

Braun was previously married to mining heiress Yael Cohen, 38, for seven years before their split in mid-2021. The source close to the new couple claimed that Braun's marriage with Cohen had not been healthy; pictured in May 2018

Braun and Cohen share three children and remain close while co-parenting their young children. Several months ago, he called his ex-wife 'one of my best friends' and said they still talk every day during a podcast episode appearance

Braun's net worth surpassed a billion two years ago and retired last summer. 'There's nothing that he can gain off her,' a source close to the couple said. 'He's not a user'; pictured in October 2024

Braun and Cohen share three children and remain close while co-parenting their young children.

Several months ago, he called his ex-wife 'one of my best friends' and said they still talk every day during a podcast episode appearance.

Braun's net worth surpassed a billion two years ago and last summer the record executive, who once managed Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, announced that he was retiring from music management after 23 years in the industry.

'There's nothing that he can gain off her. You know, he doesn't need the money, he doesn't need the deals, he doesn't need the connections,' a source close to the couple said. 'He's not a user.'

The insider added of what Braun could bring to Sweeney's life during a pivotal time in her career.

'He knows how to do deals. Everything that Scooter does always turns to gold.'

And while the pairing might seem like an unlikely match, the source added: 'It's kind of random, for sure, [but] sometimes those pairings work.'

On Saturday, Sweeney was seen attending the U.S. premiere of her new film Christy during the 33rd Annual Hamptons International Film Festival in New York

The actress put on a leggy display wearing a white miniskirt with sheer fabric on the hem for a stylish flare and also donned a matching cropped jacket
Camilla Luddington is sharing an update after receiving a life-altering health diagnosis.

The 42-year-old Grey's Anatomy actress announced she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease over the summer.

And she recently opened up to People about how she's been faring in the months since she shared the news.

'It's still new to me,' Camilla said of the autoimmune disorder. 'I got the diagnosis at the beginning of summer, so I'm fresh into this journey.'

She revealed, 'I am on Levothyroxine, which is a thyroid medicine, and I can tell you that a lot of things have changed.'

The medication has made an impact, significantly affecting her energy and her lifestyle.

Camilla Luddington is sharing an update after receiving a life-altering health diagnosis; pictured September 26

The 42-year-old Grey's Anatomy actress announced she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease over the summer

The mother-of-two said, 'I feel like I have so much less inflammation. I was very puffy all the time, not knowing why I was exhausted.'

She added, 'I was not working out. I hadn't seen a workout class in years, and [now] I'm back at Barry's bootcamp lifting weights. So I feel more myself. I feel like I have more energy for work, for my family.'

And the longtime TV star continued, 'It feels like a lot of self-care at this point, just avoiding gluten and all these things that I'm sort of learning.'

Camilla initially got candid about her health status on an August episode of her podcast Call It What It Is.

She told co-host Jennifer Capshaw that she was 'freaked out' by the diagnosis at first, but was also 'relieved' to have an answer to the symptoms she had been experiencing.

While discussing the condition with People at Step Up's 2025 Inspiration Awards on September 26, she reflected on the clarity she felt post-diagnosis.

'One thing that I couldn't understand was I had a lot of brain fog, and now I understand that when your thyroid is sort of all over the place, that's what that can feel like  the exhaustion of brain fog,' she said.

The British entertainer emphasized, 'So just literally being able to be present with whoever on set, with my family, is a huge difference.'

The actress is known for her role as Dr. Jo Wilson on the long-running drama series

Camilla spoke with People at Step Up's 2025 Inspiration Awards; pictured with husband Matthew Alan

The actress shares daughter Hayden, eight, and son Lucas, five, with her husband

The actress shares daughter Hayden, eight, and son Lucas, five, with her husband Matthew Alan.

In the August 6 episode of her podcast, she told listeners, 'Long as you've been listening to us, you've known that I joke about being slothy.

'Just a little slower. Slower, tired, wanna be in bed, love a nap. It never occurred to me that there could be a medical reason for that.'

She went on the explain that blood work helped doctors zero in on her Hashimoto's disease prognosis.

Also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, the disease directly affects the thyroid gland, per MayoClinic.

Camilla said at the time, 'I remember hearing the words "autoimmune disease" and thinking, "What the f***?"

'You know what? I knew something was up. Because even when I was having my blood drawn, the doctor said to me, "Is there any, you know, particular thing you're concerned about?" And I said, "Look, I'm really f*****g tired all the time."'
Bambi Northwood-Blyth has opened up about her long battle with Type 1 diabetes.

The model, 34, has revealed how hypoglycaemia [low blood sugar] episodes have almost killed her.

'There have been times I've been unconscious, alone, in a hotel room, by myself: no-one around, not due at work for another 10 hours,' she told Stellar magazine.

'By chance, I had someone following my blood sugar, who called an agent in another city, who called the hotel to call an ambulance.

'There are moments like this where I was like, whoa, I could have died. It's happened a couple of times.'

Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system is activated to destroy the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

Bambi Northwood-Blyth (pictured) has opened up about her long battle with Type 1 diabetes

Bambi has been open about her battle with diabetes after she was dianogised at just 12 years old.

The interview comes after Bambi's ex-husband Dan Single returned to the spotlight after several years living quietly following a horror fall from a balcony that almost took his life.

The 47-year-old, who has rarely discussed his March 2017 accident which happened at an upscale Paris hotel, revealed that he 'died for ten minutes' after the fall, which left him in a coma.

'It made me stop, slow down and think about what I want in my life,' the designer told Confidential.

'I had a chance to start fresh and I have used that second chance to be of service and help to inspire.'

His new book, which features photos and ephemera such as love letters, hate mail and newspaper clippings from Dan's reign in the fashion world in the 2000s, is 'a little snapshot in time when it was a magical moment to be alive'.

The book titled The Diary of a Naughtie Kid, is dedicated to his teenage son, Justice, 18, who he shares with P.E Nation designer Pip Edwards.

'I made this book for my son, Justice, who is way too big now and for the next generation to show them you don't need permission or training to create' Dan said.

The model, 34, has revealed how hypoglycaemia [low blood sugar] episodes have been life threatening

It comes as Bambi's ex-husband Dan Single (pictured) has returned to the spotlight with a bang after several years living quietly following a horror fall from a balcony that almost took his life

'It is not a life story, it is not even close  this captures a brief moment in time, the noughties. A moment in time when everything felt new, like there were no rules.'

Single announced his split with then-wife Bambi in March 2018, exactly twelve months after his Paris balcony fall.

Dan fell 35 metres from the fourth-storey balcony of Hotel Grand D'Amour in Paris in March, 2017.

The accident saw him plunge several storeys, shattering his legs and leaving him in a coma for eight days.

Bambi tied the knot with Dan in Byron Bay in January 2014, with Bambi becoming a stepmother to Dan's son Justice at the age of 22.
A Sydney fitness influencer has shared a health update after being rushed to hospital for brain surgery last month.

Barry's instructor Alicia Beveridge took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal she has been 'relearning how to speak and struggling with her vision' after having emergency surgery.

The popular trainer, known on social media as Sweat with Leash, wrote: 'It's been the hardest few weeks of my life. Nearly two weeks in the hospital. Brain Surgery. A rare condition I never saw coming.

'Relearning how to speak some moments, struggling with vision and coming to terms with what recovery is going to look like over the next few months.'

Alicia said 'it's easy to take the basics for granted' but reminded fans that nothing in life is guaranteed.

'This experience has changed me already. Not just physically but emotionally and mentally,' she continued.

Sydney fitness influencer Alicia Beveridge has shared a health update after being rushed to hospital for brain surgery last month

'Its forced me to slow down, to lean on people and to find strength in moments that felt impossible. I'm still in the thick of it. The road ahead is long. But I'm here, I'm grateful.

'To anyone reading this, if your body is working, if you're able to move, speak, think and live your daily life, don't take that lightly. Nothing is promised.'

She then thanked her followers and friends for their support.

'Thank you to everyone who's been checking in, supporting me and holding space for this new chapter. I'm just showing up,' she wrote.

Alicia told fans she had been admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital last month, where doctors advised immediate surgery.

'It's a little too tough on my eyes to film otherwise I would turn up a bit more real and vulnerable,' she wrote on her Instagram Story.

'I'm going in for brain surgery this morning and have been in hospital for the past few days. I don't have all the answers yet, but will explain and show up when I can. Royal North Shore hospital team are incredible.'

The news has left her thousands of followers stunned, many sending messages of love and support as she prepared to undergo surgery.

Barry's instructor Alicia took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal she has been 'relearning how to speak and struggling with her vision' after having emergency surgery

The popular trainer wrote: ' It's been the hardest few weeks of my life. Nearly two weeks in the hospital. Brain Surgery. A rare condition I never saw coming'

As previously revealed by The Daily Mail, Alicia was initially cast for the 2026 season of Channel Nine's ratings juggernaut, with filming scheduled to begin just days later.

'She was gushing to clients that she was about to walk down the aisle and word even got back to the press,' one source revealed.

'She was so excited for the show, but forgot she had signed an NDA. Producers didn't take kindly to that and decided to cut her and re-cast her at the last minute.'

The shock axing left the Sydney trainer devastated at the time, but she quickly returned to the fitness scene, where she has since built a cult following.

Alicia is well-known in Sydney's workout circuit as one of Barry's Red Room instructors, famed for her high-energy routines and no-nonsense motivation.

Her Barry's bio reads: 'From days styling for fashion magazines to years kicking ass in fitness studios, Barry's is the pinnacle of my sweat career.

In my classes, you can expect high energy, epic tunes and serious party vibes, because there's nothing I get off on more than being your personal hype girl and butt-kicker.'

She adds: 'I'll be your fitness cupid, helping you fall in love with fitness; you'll lift heavier and run faster than you thought possible.

'I want my clients to leave the Red Room on a serious endorphin high, like they are leaving a memorable night out with friends  with the added bonus of being a fitter, sexier version of themselves.'
Married At First Sight stars Carina Mirabile and Ryan Donnelly turned heads on Saturday night as they stepped out together for the grand opening of Pelicano's new Discotek in Sydney.

The pair, who starred in the latest season of the Channel Nine dating experiment, looked closer than ever as they cosied up inside the upmarket Pott's Point hotspot.

Carina, 31, made sure all eyes were on her as she flaunted her figure in a strapless black corset top.

She paired her ensemble with tailored black trousers and a satin coat draped over her shoulders.

Carina accessorised with a silver crucifix necklace and styled her raven locks in loose waves.

She completed the glamorous look with a bronzed make-up palette and glossy lips.

Married At First Sight stars Carina Mirabile and Ryan Donnelly turned heads on Saturday night as they stepped out together for the grand opening of Pelicano's new Discotek in Sydney

The pair, who starred in the latest season of the Channel Nine dating experiment, looked closer than ever as they cosied up inside the upmarket Pott's Point hotspot

Meanwhile, Ryan, 37, cut a dashing figure in a fitted black shirt tucked into cream chinos and a sleek leather belt.

The project manager appeared smitten with his co-star, unable to wipe the smile off his face as he affectionately wrapped an arm around Carina.

The duo mingled with fellow partygoers, including their MAFS co-star Tony Mojanovski, 53, who was also in attendance at the glitzy launch event.

Pelicano's Discotek opening drew a crowd of Sydney's social set, with the venue unveiling its new late-night offering complete with neon lighting, plush velvet booths, and a retro-inspired dance floor.

The sighting comes just days after Carina opened up about a recent interaction with Quavo's management team, following revelations that she slept with the rapper years before going on MAFS.

Her fling with Quavo was a major storyline on MAFS - with Carina's husband Paul punching a wall in anger after learning about it.

His name wasn't revealed on the show, but Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the rapper to be Quavo.

Carina, 31, made sure all eyes were on her as she flaunted her figure in a strapless black corset top, paired with tailored black trousers and a satin coat draped over her shoulders

The duo mingled with fellow partygoers, including their MAFS castmate Tony Mojanovski , 53, who was also in attendance at the glitzy launch event

Tony and Ryan appeared in good spirits as they posed together on the media wall

Carina's recent USA adventure led her to a surprise interaction with Quavo's (pictured) management team, following revelations that she slept with the rapper years before going on MAFS

'[Quavo's] team reached out to me while I was away,' she said.

Carina revealed that a man in Quavo's entourage then scolded her for talking about her hookup with Quavo on her podcast, This Is Chaos.

'[The man] was like, "That's not right to speak about your sex life with someone like that. Imagine if a guy said that went public on a podcast episode?"'

'And I was like, "I'm a small fish compared to Quavo! He won't listen to my podcast", and he goes: "You'll be surprised!"'
Emily Ratajkowski was among the celebs descending on the French capital for Paris Fashion Week as the top houses show their Spring/Summer collections.

And after appearing at the Loewe show on Friday, Emily spent the weekend partying in the city as she stepped out with a pal later that evening.

The model, 34, cut a stylish figure in a leopard print trench coat, which she layered over a simple black top and trousers with trainers.

Emily, who is no stranger to flaunting her incredible figure, opted for a more understated look during her evening out with the mystery guy.

He was sporting a white shirt with a black blazer and trousers, covering his eyes with a pair of statement sunglasses despite the late hour.

At the Loewe show, the American star donned a stylish red coat as she posed for the cameras ahead of the star-studded presentation.

Emily Ratajkowski was among the celebs descending on the French capital for Paris Fashion Week as the top houses show their Spring/Summer collections

And after appearing at the Loewe show late last week, Emily spent the weekend partying in the city as she stepped out with a pal on Saturday night

The model, 34, cut a stylish figure in a leopard print trench coat, which she layered over a simple black top and trousers with trainers

Before arriving in Paris, Emily spent the back end of last month celebrating her friend Charli XCX's wedding in Sicily.

Sharing photographs from the big day, Emily puffed on a cigarette while simultaneously flaunting her famous cleavage.

She partied at Tonnara di Scopello in honor of the pop star and The 1975 drummer George Daniel's second wedding reception after they formally tied the knot in London on July 19.

Emily posed beside model Alex Consani and comedian Jordan Firstman during the '365 party girl week' captured in her Instagram slideshow.

Emily - who also posed with model Gabbriette at the bash - referred to 'skinny dipping in Sicily' but shared no snaps of the racy moment

She also posted a snap of herself enjoying 'martinis in West London' at The Dover with her Too Much castmate Adwoa Aboah.

On September 5, Emily was pictured canoodling with Caught Stealing actor Austin Butler at the Waverly Inn in Manhattan's West Village close to her apartment, hinting at her latest romance.

She previously enjoyed 'situationships' with French comedian Stephane Bak, Grammy winner Harry Styles, DJ Orazio Rispo, comedian Eric Andre, SNL alum Pete Davidson, artist Jack Greer, and Oscar winner Brad Pitt.

At the Loewe show, the American star donned a stylish red coat as she posed for the cameras ahead of the star-studded presentation

Before arriving in Paris, Emily spent the back end of last month celebrating her friend Charli XCX's wedding in Sicily

She partied at Tonnara di Scopello in honor of the pop star and The 1975 drummer George Daniel's second wedding reception after they formally tied the knot in London on July 19

In August, Emily announced she'll make her screenwriting debut and star in A24's untitled drama series for Apple TV+ exploring female identity and modern motherhood with Too Much creator Lena Dunham and author Stephanie Danler.

'Lena was the first person who published my writing, on Lenny Letter, but she knew about me from Instagram,' Emily told Variety in July.

'I've had a lot of experiences, with Lena specifically, where she has seen past surface level things and given me so many opportunities.

Emilyis also every bit the influencer with paid partnerships for brands like Chopard, Le Collectionist, Cap Juluca, Kerastase, and Kurt Geiger.

Curiously, her brand Inamorata, which she co-founded with Kat Mendenhall in 2017, hasn't updated their Instagram account since June 2024.

Emily first found fame as a topless model in Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams' 2013 music video for Blurred Lines.

Emily posed beside model Alex Consani (L) and comedian Jordan Firstman (R) during the '365 party girl week' captured in her 16-image Instagram slideshow

Emily - who also posed with model Gabbriette (R) at the bash - referred to 'skinny dipping in Sicily'

She also posted a snap of herself enjoying 'martinis in West London' at The Dover with her Too Much castmate Adwoa Aboah (L)
For visitors to Vietnam, the call of street vendors is more than a food alert: it is a charming soundscape that inspires them to explore and taste the city.

Ky, an Australian traveler, still remembers hearing the call "banh bao nong day" (hot steamed buns here) for the first time while staying in a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City.

"Even from a high floor, I could hear the sound echoing from the street, and it made me curious," he says.

From then on he began noticing the call everywhere.

Ky and his partner moved to Da Nang City in April. Fascinated by local culture and cuisine, he was surprised the first time he tried a steamed bun from a street vendor.

"The flavor was rich, better than I expected," he says, comparing it to Australia's meat pies.

Ky (L) poses with a steamed-bun vendors cart in Da Nang. Photo courtesy of Ky

Street vending is uncommon in Australia, where most sellers work in shops, he says.

"Thats why the bun vendor's call feels like such a cultural symbol of Vietnam."

Mae, a tourist from the Philippines, was also captivated. Before visiting Vietnam, she had seen social media clips featuring the call, many tagged in Da Nang.

When she visited Da Nang in July, she made it her mission to track one down.

Following friends' advice she woke at 5 a.m. to walk along My Khe Beach and soon encountered a vendor selling steamed buns from a motorbike equipped with a loudspeaker.

"At first I didn't understand since it was in the local accent, but my guide explained it meant hot steamed buns, a popular Vietnamese snack," she says.

She filmed the experience for TikTok, where it drew 70,000 interactions, mostly from foreigners and travelers who remembered hearing the same sound.

Beyond the novelty, Mae praises the buns themselves: hot and filling, stuffed with pork, egg and mushrooms, all for just VND15,000 (US$0.60).

She was amazed at how the vendor managed to balanced a wood stove, steamer and display case on a motorbike.

"I think this kind of street culture is something unique to Vietnam."

When street vendors turn tourist attractions Khach nuoc ngoai 'san' tieng rao banh bao nong o Viet Nam Mae records her hunt for a steamed-bun vendor during her visit to Da Nang in July 2025. Video courtesy of Mae

On TikTok, a search for "banhbao" turns up hundreds of viral videos, many approaching a million views, all showcasing the distinctive call.

Cultural researcher Dr. Nguyen Anh Hong of the Academy of Journalism and Communication says the melodic tones of vendor calls make them memorable, almost like songs.

Without them, cities will lose their vitality and links with the past, she adds.

Japan offers an example.

By the 1970s everyday street cries, from those selling fish to roasted sweet potato, had faded with the spread of supermarkets, convenience stores and noise laws.

Scholars called it "the disappearance of urban sound."

Today only traces remain, like those of tofu sellers in Kyoto and the sounds of festival reenactments in Osaka, while projects such as the Japanese Art Sound Archive (2025) preserve recordings to keep this urban heritage alive.

"What sets Vietnam apart is that these street cries remain part of everyday life, each with its own melody that fascinates tourists," Hong says.

Hanoi has long debated whether to preserve or regulate street vending, including calls such as "banh bao nong day" (hot steamed buns here) and "xoi lac banh khuc day" (sticky rice with peanuts, sticky rice buns here).

Experts say Vietnam should protect these everyday details, with Hong pointing out that vendor calls could become a cultural attraction if done respectfully.

"Building a cultural image for a nation doesn't always require something grand. Sometimes small, ordinary things create the most powerful impression."
Kim Kardashian continued to play up her striking resemblance to Kris Jenner on Saturday, as she sported her mother's signature pixie cut to the BoF 500 gala during Paris Fashion Week.

The reality TV icon, 44, previously debuted the chic hairdo the day before, as she attended the Maison Alaia runway show.

And she opted to recreate her glamorous mum's trademark hairstyle once again at the Business of Fashion gala, but slicked into a wet-look style.

Kim exuded sex appeal in a figure-hugging white bodysuit that bucked around her svelte waist, which she teamed with a draped matching skirt.

Keeping her jewellery simple, the Skims mogul added diamond earrings while sporting a sultry smoky eyeshadow look.

While Kris, 69, appeared to give her daughter's copycat look her full approval, as she shared her reaction on Instagram.

Kim Kardashian continued to play up her striking resemblance to Kris Jenner on Saturday, as she sported her mother's signature pixie cut to the BoF 500 gala during Paris Fashion Week

The reality TV icon, 44, opted to recreate her glamorous mum's trademark hairstyle once again at the Business of Fashion gala, but slicked into a wet-look style

The Skims star previously debuted the chic hairdo the day before, as she attended the Maison Alaia runway show (left) looking the spitting image of her mother Kris (pictured right)

Kim shared a slew of snaps of her rocking the cropped hairdo to her 354 million followers, with the caption: 'PARIS PIXIE'.

And as fans raced to the comments to point out her striking resemblance to Kris, the momager herself jokingly shared a GIF of herself looking less than impressed.

However, Kim later confirmed that the pixie cut was not a permanent look and merely a wig later on Saturday night, as she arrived at Leonardo DiCaprio's exclusive party at the Siena restaurant.

Rising a wardrobe malfunction, she wore a massive fur coat with seemingly nothing on underneath, with her usual long raven hair swept into a slicked-back bun.

Joining Kim at the BoF gala was pop icon Charli XCX, who set pulses racing as she went braless underneath a see-through white minidress dress with a whimsical asymmetrical skirt.

While Rita Ora looked phenomenal in a strapless mermaid-style dress that clung to her toned figure and featured a slew of daring cut-outs.

FKA Twigs exuded Hollywood glamour in pink satin gown with a corsetted bodice and a dramatically long train decorated with embroidered flowers and fringe detailing.

Heidi Klum commanded attention in a quirky and voluminous shirt, covered in large white beads and teamed with a sheer pearl-studded skirt.

Kim exuded sex appeal in a figure-hugging white bodysuit that bucked around her svelte waist, which she teamed with a draped matching skirt

Keeping her jewellery simple, the Skims mogul added diamond earrings while sporting a sultry smoky eyeshadow look as she posed with the founder and CEO of BoF Imran Amed

While Kris, 69, appeared to give her daughter's copycat look her full approval, as she shared her reaction on Instagram

And as fans raced to the comments to point out her striking resemblance to Kris, the momager herself jokingly shared a GIF of herself looking less than impressed

She was joined by her lookalike daughter Leni, 21, who has followed her famous mother's footsteps into modelling, and who dazzled in a strapless black gown.

Barbara Palvin pulled out all the stops in a racy lingerie-inspired dress, featuring a plunging lacy bra and a structured corset that cinched her in at her tiny waist before flaring out at her hips.

Jameela Jamil stood out from the crowd in a striking blue and red floral co-ord, made up of a semi-sheer halterneck top and an elegant maxi skirt.

Jaden Smith ensured all eyes were on him as he stepped out in another eccentric outfit, sporting a denim jacket and oversized jeans, but with his face and hands painted bright red.

Demi Lovato was the epitome of chic as she flaunted her svelte physique in a strapless black midi-dress paired with heeled boots.

And Ice Spice opted for a more understated look, putting on a leggy display in a fitted grey skater dress and toted a bright green clutch.

Kim's appearance at Paris Fashion Week marks her return to the city after last visiting in May to give evidence in the trial related to her infamous hotel robbery and jewellery heist in 2016.

Nearly two decades ago, the mother-of-four went through a traumatizing experience when she was robbed at gunpoint in her hotel room.

Joining Kim at the BoF gala was pop icon Charli XCX, who set pulses racing as she went braless underneath a see-through white minidress dress with a whimsical asymmetrical skirt

While Rita Ora looked phenomenal in a strapless mermaid-style dress that clung to her toned figure and featured a slew of daring cut-outs

FKA Twigs exuded Hollywood glamour in pink satin gown with a corsetted bodice and a dramatically long train decorated with embroidered flowers and fringe detailing

Heidi Klum commanded attention in a quirky and voluminous shirt, covered in large white beads and teamed with a sheer pearl-studded skirt

She was joined by her lookalike daughter Leni, 21, who has followed her famous mother's footsteps into modelling, and who dazzled in a strapless black gown

Barbara Palvin pulled out all the stops in a racy lingerie-inspired dress, featuring a plunging lacy bra and a structured corset that cinched her in at her tiny waist before flaring out at her hips

Jameela Jamil stood out from the crowd in a striking blue and red floral co-ord, made up of a semi-sheer halterneck top and an elegant maxi skirt

Jaden Smith ensured all eyes were on him as he stepped out in another eccentric outfit, sporting a denim jacket and oversized jeans, but with his face and hands painted bright red

Demi Lovato was the epitome of chic as she flaunted her svelte physique in a strapless black midi-dress paired with heeled boots

And Ice Spice opted for a more understated look, putting on a leggy display in a fitted grey skater dress and toted a bright green clutch

She had been staying at the No Address Hotel for the 2016 Spring/Summer Paris Fashion Week, when five robbers broke into her hotel room in the middle of the night.

Kim was tied up at gunpoint and locked in the bathroom while the robbers stole $10 millions of dollars worth of jewellery from her, including her engagement ring from now-ex Kanye West.

During her testimony in the case against the 10 suspects, the reality star recalled how she feared for her life throughout the harrowing ordeal.

'I absolutely did think I was gonna die,' she said during her testimony, per the BBC.

She also said she was wearing nothing but a robe during the incident and recalled the robe 'exposing everything on my body' when one of the men pulled her towards him.

'I was sure that I was going to be raped,' she said before the robbers tied her legs together instead, according to NBC News, during her testimony.
Julia Roberts has claimed 'Hollywood is still super-male' dominated and revealed how she has battled the industry during her 35-year career.

The award winning actress, 57, who found fame in the 90s starring in Pretty Women, admitted she 'often find herself sitting at a table and there's only one other woman there.'

Despite sometimes being the only woman in a room, Julia has become one of Hollywood's most bankable stars and revealed she has combatted this by being 'without fear'.

Her new role in After The Hunt, explores the fallout when promising PhD candidate Maggie (Ayo Edebiri) accuses Andrew Garfields professor character Hank of sexual misconduct and how this affects Maggies mentor Alma (Julia Robertst), whos also close friends and colleagues with Hank.

Speaking to The Sunday Times about her character Alma succeeding in a 'deeply misogynist' world, Julia revealed her own experiences in Hollywood.

'Well, it's still super-male!' she snapped back.

Julia Roberts has claimed 'Hollywood is still super-male' dominated and revealed how she has battled the industry during her 35-year career

The award winning actress, 57, who found fame in the 90s starring in Pretty Women, admitted she 'often find herself sitting at a table and there's only one other woman there'; pictured in 1990 in Pretty Women

'Make no mistake. But yes. Any woman in any job not populated in the majority by women can say Alma's speech. We've all had that experience. Any woman has.

'Because I often find myself sitting at a table and, maybe, there's only one other woman there.'

Asked how the she has manage to seize the control in the industry, the Notting Hill star bluntly added: 'In those sort of environments, I am without fear.'

It comes after Julia admitted that her Oscar-winning After The Hunt costar Chloe Sevigny intimidated her.

The Erin Brockovich actress described to Variety how she felt when first meeting the acclaimed New Yorker.

'I was so excited and intimidated about meeting Chloe,' shared Julia.

'And when we were at my house, were all sitting around the kitchen table, and [Julia's daughter] Hazel was making herself some lunch, and were talking about the material and rehearsing.

'Allan [Mandelbaum], our producer, he came in, and he goes, Chloe should just be here in a couple minutes. And I look up, and Ayo [Edebiri] looks up, and we match eyes.

Despite sometimes being the only woman in a room, Julia has become one of Hollywood's most bankable stars and revealed she has combat this by being 'without fear'

Her new role in After The Hunt, follows PhD candidate Maggie (Ayo Edebiri) who accuses her professor character Hank (Andrew Garfield) of sexual misconduct and how this affects Maggies mentor Alma (Julia Roberts pictured left)

'Luca [Guadagnino] goes, What? And I go, Im scared. And Ayo goes, Me too. And Hazel goes, Im leaving. And then, like a minute later, the doorbell rang, and Hazel goes, Im leaving through the garage. And truly we were so excited and intimidated.'

Julia went on to note that it was not easy for her to get into character for her new film.

'The hardest part for me was not being sympathetic and empathetic,' said the movie icon.

'For me as a person, its like, Oh, how can I hold her? And she was not to be held. This was not the time. I have a very hen-like personality; I want to gather, and I want to feed and care. And shes just the opposite of every instinct Ive ever had in my life.

In the end it was 'really exhausting' for the actress.

'The mental gymnastics of the way she lives her life is very unfamiliar to me. So having Luca keep me on the right rails at all times. And then, its a playground.'

Then Julia complimented another costar: 'I dont mean to single you out, Michael, but I go into these scenes with Michael, and I just turn to Luca and Im like, Are you f***ing kidding me? What hes doing is so unexpected and original, and Im just watching him.

'Im not even in the scene anymore, because its so f***ing unreal what youre doing right now.'
Charlie Hunnam has bravely risked the wrath of an entire nation by ruthlessly slating Australian coffee.

The British actor appeared on Australia's ABC breakfast radio show this week when he was asked to share his thoughts about the country.

The Sons of Anarchy star, 45, admitted that while he is fond of Melbourne, he takes issue with the citizens of the Victorian city for claiming it has excellent coffee.

'I'm tired of people talking about the coffee. I like a strong, punchy cup of dark roast black coffee where, like, the spoon will stand straight up,' he said.

'It's going to be highly controversial, get ready. I think your coffee sucks. It's like a lukewarm, milky, coffee milkshake. I'm like, that's not a cup of coffee to me.'

Further shocking the show's host, Charlie continued his brutal assessment of Melbourne's world-famous coffee culture.

Charlie Hunnam (pictured) has bravely risked the wrath of an entire nation by ruthlessly slating Australian coffee. The British actor appeared on Australia's ABC breakfast radio show this week when he was asked to share his thoughts about the country

'Leave the coffee alone. And stop, for the love of God, claiming you have the best coffee in the world, because you're making a mockery of it,' he ranted.

Charlie was kinder about Melbourne as a whole, adding, 'Melbourne is one of my favourite cities in the world - maybe my favourite city in the world.'

The actor is riding high on the success of his lauded role in the Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story, in which he plays the infamous serial killer.

It comes after Charlie and his longtime girlfriend, Morgana McNelis, made a rare joint appearance at the 2025 Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last month.

The notoriously private couple, who have been together for more than two decades, posed arm-in-arm on the red carpet, flashing warm smiles as they leaned into each other for photos.

The Pacific Rim star cut a dashing figure in a sleek double-breasted Saint Laurent suit jacket, paired with a midnight-blue silk shirt left slightly unbuttoned.

Meanwhile, McNelis, 42, stunned in a golden satin gown that draped elegantly over her figure, featuring a plunging neckline.

Back in 2020, Hunnam explained he feels 'indifferent' to the institution of marriage after tying the knot with actress, Katharine Towne, for the first time at age 18.

It comes after Charlie and his longtime girlfriend, Morgana McNelis, made a rare joint appearance at the 2025 Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last month (pictured)

The actor is riding high on the success of his lauded role in the Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story (pictured), in which he plays the infamous serial killer

The former couple wed in Las Vegas after a whirlwind three weeks of dating in 1999, before divorcing in 2002.

When asked if he had any future plans to walk down the aisle again on Andy Cohen's SiriusXM radio show, Hunnam said he would get hitched again, though begrudgingly.

'I'll do it because it's important to her but I don't have any great romantic feelings towards it,' he said of marrying McNelis.

He quickly retracted the comments just a few weeks later as he explained to TooFab that his remarks were 'a stupid thing to say.'

'That really hurt my girlfriend's feelings and I really regretted saying that,' the Queer as Folk actor admitted.

'I actually didn't mean it at all, it was, frankly, just stupid s**t I said in the heat of the moment.'

Hunnam continued: 'I'm, like, so romantic, and the reality is I sort of consider myself married. I've been with my girlfriend for 14 years. I suppose what I was trying to articulate the official government sanction of it doesn't mean anything to me but the romance of it means an enormous amount.'

The star went on to blame his comments on spending '12 hours a day for three days doing interviews.'
Geoffrey Edelsten's ex-wife Brynne Gordon has made her spectacular red carpet return.

The 42-year-old, who has shunned the spotlight in recent years, debuted her much more demure new look after her recent makeover on Friday night.

The socialite stunned at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, where she stepped out in a custom Aron Katona gown.

Brynne cut a glamorous figure in the see-through frock, which consisted of a layer of nude mesh fabric.

She flashed her pale underwear underneath, with a smattering of brown leaf appliques dotted across the dress for some modesty.

Brynne was sporting a warm tan and caramel locks, quite in contrast to her outlandish ensembles and gaudy makeup during her time on Geoffrey Edelsten's arm.

Geoffrey Edelsten's ex-wife Brynne Gordon (pictured) has made her spectacular red carpet return

The Oklahoma-born television personality became famous in 2009 when she married Geoffrey Edelsten, who was 40 years her senior. Pictured together in 2012

The frock included a short train and a one-sleeved design, with the blonde keeping her accessories minimal.

It comes after Brynne opened up about her new life after years away from the spotlight.

She has enjoyed a private life in recent years after she was arrested and charged with trafficking and possessing the drug ice in May 2021.

In April 2022, she had the drug trafficking charges against her cleared.

But after years away from the spotlight, the socialite has returned as a judge at the Runway in the Rainforest event at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

To celebrate her new project, Brynne has exclusively shared rare details about her new boyfriend and her three-year-old daughter, Starr.

Speaking to Daily Mail, she revealed she has been in a relationship for almost four years and things are going well for the couple.

'It's been nearly four years now. I've been a bit more private lately. It's mostly just around my daughter,' she said.

The 42-year-old, who has shunned the spotlight in recent years, debuted her much more demure new look after her recent makeover on Friday night

The socialite stunned at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, where she stepped out in a custom Aron Katona gown. Brynne cut a glamorous figure in the see-through frock

'Just protecting her with a lot of things. As much as I want to show her off and share her, I just want her to feel safe.'

When asked if she's spoken about getting married with her beau, Brynne admitted: 'Not at this point. We live like a family and everything, but we don't have those conversations. I don't really feel the need to have them at this point.'

She also said she is enjoying motherhood and watching her daughter Starr grow.

'She's really good. She's so smart. She's her own little person. I've taken her home [to America] to visit the family a couple of times now,' Brynne said.

'[My favourite part is] just seeing her grow she's nothing like me personality-wise. She's everything I wished I could be. She's so smart, not a shy person at all. I love watching her grow into her own little person.'

Brynne also spoke about her new role at the Runway in the Rainforest event and said she is 'really excited'.

'I'm excited to get dressed up and have some fun and be around all these people that I love,' she admitted.

'I'd love to start stepping back into things now that Starr is a little bit older She's still going to be my number one priority, of course.'

Brynne was sporting a warm tan and caramel locks, quite in contrast to her outlandish ensembles and gaudy makeup during her time on Geoffrey Edelsten's arm. Pictured in 2010

After years away from the spotlight, the socialite has returned as a judge at the Runway in the Rainforest event at the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Pictured in 2013

The Oklahoma-born television personality became famous in 2009 when she married Geoffrey Edelsten, who was 40 years her senior.

However, the pair divorced in 2014 after Brynne alleged her husband had been unfaithful to her.

Geoffrey died in Melbourne aged 78 in June 2021.

The socialite welcomed her 'miracle baby', Starr Amari Gordon, on April 21, 2022.

She told The Herald Sun in 2022 that providing for Starr has given her a new perspective on life.

The SAS Australia contestant explained she originally thought motherhood 'was not on the cards' for her and she feels so blessed to have a perfect daughter to care for.

The identity of Starr's father has not been made public.

However, Brynne confirmed to the publication that he had met his daughter twice.

The pregnancy was delightful news for Brynne, who discovered during her high-profile marriage to Geoffrey that she was unlikely to ever conceive naturally.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley ensured she claimed her own share of the Paris Fashion Week spotlight on Sunday as she left her hotel in the French capital.

The model and actress looked typically stylish in a sophisticated cream blazer dress that fully exposed her legs as the latest series of bi-annual catwalk shows approaches an end.

Completing her look with a pair of matching stiletto heels and smart leather clutch, Rosie, 38, inevitably commanded attention while exiting the Ritz.

The British star was without fiance Jason Statham and their two children, son Jack, seven, and daughter, Isabella, two, while making the most of another day in the French city.

The couple, who live in Los Angeles, began dating in 2009 after meeting at a party in London and experiencing what Rosie called 'instant chemistry'.

They got engaged in 2016, with the actress revealing they had taken their relationship to the next level when she flashed her impressive diamond ring at the Golden Globes.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley ensured she claimed her own share of the Paris Fashion Week spotlight on Sunday as she left her hotel in the French capital

The model and actress looked typically stylish in a sophisticated cream blazer dress during her latest appearance in Paris

The couple joined forces earlier this month as they promoted their second collaboration for Falconeri.

They made their debut for the fashion brand in March this year.

Speaking about their plans to marry after Jack was born, Rosie said: 'I think the time will come. It's also not a huge priority for us.'

She has also addressed the couple's 20-year age gap, saying: 'His knowledge and strength are really inspiring and attractive, and that can come with a man who's had a bit of time.'

The British star, who grew up in Devon, recently revealed why she returned to the UK in 2020 and explained that it was always 'the plan' to raise her children in the UK.

She told The Times: 'We love the schools, the education. Theyre growing up British with their little British accents, which was important for us, and we have a great support system here.

'Jays parents live up the road and see the kids most days, my family come to visit every six or eight weeks.'

Rosie also said her kids are having a childhood not dissimilar to her own, even spending large amounts of time in Devon where she grew up.

The British star was without fiance Jason Statham and their two children, son Jack, seven, and daughter, Isabella, two, while making the most of another day in the French city

Completing her look with a pair of matching stiletto heels and smart leather clutch, Rosie inevitably commanded attention while exiting the Ritz

The mum, who only shares the occasional snap of her children online, added: 'In the summer we go down to Devon and our children have the same experiences running around on the farm that I had growing up, and its very special.'

The family recently enjoyed a holiday in the southern coast of Italy for her brother Toby's wedding to his partner Noa this July.

They were staying at the five-star hotel Villa Treville, which boasts stunning views of the Amalfi Coast.

Rooms start at 3,416 per night, making it a luxury stay suitable for the stars.

Rosie recently admitted her kids are having a childhood not dissimilar to her own, even spending large amounts of time in Devon where she grew up
Amy Schumer enjoyed the 'night of a lifetime' with two gal pals in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday.

The 44-year-old comedian showcased her substantial weight loss - courtesy of Mounjaro - by donning a leggy, black Miu Miu mini-dress with cha-cha heels.

It's the skinniest Amy has looked since going on the trendy GLP-1 agonist drug earlier this year, and she received congratulatory comments from Chelsea Handler, Amy Sedaris, Isla Fisher, and Lee Daniels.

Schumer was in Sin City to attend Sir Paul McCartney's concert at Allegiant Stadium.

The Emmy-winning producer - who boasts 16.6M social media followers - shared an Instagram slideshow full of memories of the show including the coveted set list.

Amy was joined in the VIP section by her 'lovies' Jillian Bell and Alex Saks.

Amy Schumer (M) enjoyed the 'night of a lifetime' with two gal pals in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday

2025 vs. 2024: The 44-year-old comedian showcased her substantial weight loss - courtesy of Mounjaro - by donning a leggy, black Miu Miu mini-dress with cha-cha heels

Alex produced Tyler Spindel's dismally-reviewed rom-com Kinda Pregnant, which dropped February 5 on Netflix - starring Amy as lying Lainy and Jillian as her friend Kate.

The trio of ladies were thrilled when they were captured by the cameraman, who projected their image on the large screen behind the 83-year-old Beatle.

Amy also showcased her shrinking 5ft7in frame in a b&w sleeveless mini-dress while attending the Eagles concert at the Sphere on Friday night.

Schumer is still recovering from a laminectomy she underwent in August to fix her 'L5' following an old surfing injury.

On April 9, the native New Yorker gushed: 'I'm loving being on Mounjaro and I haven't found that it's affected anything.'

It was a few weeks after Amy updated her fans: 'Mounjaro's been great. Look, it's not covered by insurance unless you have diabetes or severe obesity, which most of the internet thinks I have, but I'm having a really good experience with it and I wanted to keep it real with you about that.'

Schumer previously had a 'horrible experience' taking Ozempic in 2022 - the same year she underwent liposuction - because she was bedridden due to nausea.

'I was like, vomiting  and then you have no energy. But other people take it, and they're all good. So, God bless them,' the Love Island US guest star recalled on The Howard Stern Show January 29.

'I was vomiting and I'm in bed and my [six-year-old son Gene] was like, "Can you like play tag?" And I'm like, "I can't." I was, like, shriveling. I lost 30lbs so quick. I looked great and I couldn't lift my head off the pillow, so what's the point?!'

It's the skinniest Amy has looked since going on the trendy GLP-1 agonist drug earlier this year, and she received congratulatory comments from Chelsea Handler, Amy Sedaris, Isla Fisher, and Lee Daniels

Schumer was in Sin City to attend Sir Paul McCartney's concert at Allegiant Stadium

The Emmy-winning producer - who boasts 16.6M social media followers - shared an Instagram slideshow full of memories of the show including the coveted set list

Amy was joined in the VIP section by her 'lovies' Jillian Bell (L) and Alex Saks (M)

Alex produced Tyler Spindel's dismally-reviewed rom-com Kinda Pregnant, which dropped February 5 on Netflix - starring Amy as lying Lainy and Jillian as her friend Kate

The trio of ladies were thrilled when they were captured by the cameraman, who projected their image on the large screen behind the 83-year-old Beatle

Amy also showcased her shrinking 5ft7in frame in a b&w sleeveless mini-dress while attending the Eagles concert at the Sphere on Friday night

Schumer is still recovering from a laminectomy she underwent in August to fix her 'L5' following an old surfing injury (pictured July 10)

On April 9, the native New Yorker gushed: 'I'm loving being on Mounjaro and I haven't found that it's affected anything'

It was a few weeks after Amy updated her fans: 'Mounjaro's been great. Look, it's not covered by insurance unless you have diabetes or severe obesity, which most of the internet thinks I have, but I'm having a really good experience with it and I wanted to keep it real with you about that'

Schumer previously told The Howard Stern Show January 29 that she had a 'horrible experience' taking Ozempic in 2022 - the same year she underwent liposuction - because she was bedridden due to nausea (pictured January 29)

The Love Island US guest star recalled: 'I was vomiting and I'm in bed and my [six-year-old son Gene] was like, "Can you like play tag?" And I'm like, "I can't." I was, like, shriveling. I lost 30lbs so quick. I looked great and I couldn't lift my head off the pillow, so what's the point?!' (pictured May 25)

Amy and her husband of seven years, Chris Fischer (R, pictured February 3), enlist a nanny called Jane and they have three frozen embryos to eventually provide a sibling, via surrogate, for their child

The 45-year-old chef - who has Asperger's Syndrome - inspired the Midi Health investor to executive produce Alexander Hammer's autism documentary Room to Move, which screens this Friday at the Film Festival at Hollywood Park in LA

The FDA has only approved three GLP-1 drugs specifically for weight loss - the semaglutide Wegovy, the liraglutide Saxenda, and the tirzepatide Zepbound - and the rest are specifically for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Celebrities who've admitted to taking the diabetic injectables include Oprah Winfrey, Kathy Bates, Kelly Clarkson, Whoopi Goldberg, Serena Williams, Meghan Trainor, Elon Musk, Rebel Wilson, Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer, Sharon Osbourne, and Tori Spelling.

But for every celebrity who admits to hopping aboard the Ozempic train, there are many more who've remained suspiciously silent while slimming including Selena Gomez, Mindy Kaling, Melissa McCarthy, Khloe Kardashian, Demi Lovato, Lana Del Rey, Christina Aguilera, and Ricki Lake.

Amy and her husband of seven years, Chris Fischer, enlist a nanny called Jane and they have three frozen embryos to eventually provide a sibling, via surrogate, for their child.

Schumer met the 45-year-old chef - who has Asperger's Syndrome - through her personal assistant (his sister) just five months before tying the knot.

Chris inspired the Midi Health investor to executive produce Alexander Hammer's autism documentary Room to Move, which screens this Friday at the Film Festival at Hollywood Park in LA.

Amy will also serve producing and script editing duties on Yadin Gellman's rom-com Now More Than Ever about an Israeli wounded soldier who become a national 'poster boy' following the October 7, 2024 Hamas attack and goes on a hasbara journey to New York.
Ike Turner Jr., the son of legendary performers Tina Turner and Ike Turner, has died at the age of 67.

According to his cousin Jacqueline Bullock, who first confirmed the news to TMZ, Ike Jr. passed away at a Los Angeles hospital on Saturday, October 4, from kidney failure.

'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my cousin, Ike Turner, Jr.,' Bullock told Page Six. 'Junior was more than a cousin to me, but rather a brother, as we grew up in the same famed household together.'

She also revealed to the outlet that his health had declined in recent years following heart issues and a stroke last month.

In he statement, Bullock remembered Ike Jr. for his musical talent and lasting impact in the studio.

'As the son of Tina and Ike Turner, from an early age, his talents were evident as there wasn't an instrument he did not want to play,' she said. 'While he favored the drums early on, my aunt and his mother, Tina Turner, insisted that he break down his drum kit after each practice. This led him to favor the keys.'

Ike Turner Jr., the son of legendary performers Tina Turner and Ike Turner, has died at the age of 67; seen in 2007

She concluded: 'While he faced the same challenges that many of us have, he would become a sought after sound engineer, musician, and Grammy winner.'

Ike Jr.'s sister-in-law, Afida Turner, the widow of his late brother Ronnie, also paid tribute to him on Instagram, writing, 'REST IN PEACE IKE JR: U WAS AMAZING BROTHER IN LAW I M GLAD I SPEAK WITH U ON A PHONE BEFORE U GONE LOVE U RIP.'

Ike Jr. is one of Tina's two adopted sons from her relationship to Ike Turner.

Like his parents, Ike Jr. also had a career in music as a member of the tribute band The Love Thang Band, alongside vocalist Sweet Randi Love.

He earned a Grammy working with his late father on the 2006 album Risin' With The Blues, which prevailed in the category for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Tina and Ike Sr. raised four kids together.

The What's Love Got to Do with It hitmaker adopted Ike Sr.'s two sons, Ike Jr. and Michael, from his previous relationship with Lorraine Taylor.

The couple later welcomed their only child together, Ronnie Turner, while Tina was also mother to son Raymond Craig, whom she shared with musician Raymond Hill.

According to his cousin Jacqueline Bullock, who confirmed the news to TMZ , Ike Jr. passed away at a Los Angeles hospital on Saturday, October 4, from kidney failure

His mom, Tina, died in May 2023 after a long illness at age 83, while Ike Sr. died at 76 of a cocaine overdose in December 2007 (pictured in 1989)

Tina died in May 2023 after a long illness at age 83, while Ike Sr. died at 76 of a cocaine overdose in December 2007.

The legendary performer died at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

Ike Jr. was preceded in death by his two of his brothers, Craig, who died by suicide in 2018, and Ronnie, who passed away from colon cancer in 2022.

In 2018, Ike Jr. told The Daily Mail: 'Tina raised me from the age of two. Shes the only mother Ive ever known.'

'But I havent talked to my mother since God knows when  probably around 2000. I dont think any of my brothers have talked to her in a long time either,' he claimed. 'My mother is living her life  she has a new husband and shes in Europe. She doesnt want to have anything to do with the past.'
Erin Richards confirmed her pregnancy on Sunday evening while attending the BAFTA Cymru Awards in Newport.

The notoriously private actress, 39, best known for her starring roles in The Crown and Gotham, showed off her baby bump as she mingled with guests at the town's International Convention Centre.

Erin looked gorgeous in a flowing silk gown as she touched her stomach while walking the red carpet.

She boosted her height with strappy heels and styled her red tresses into a pretty braid.

Erin has never gone public with a relationship but wore a glittering ring on her wedding ring finger at the star-studded event.

She revealed she was expecting her first child at The Crown premiere back in 2022, but again didn't reveal she had a partner at the time.

Erin Richards confirmed her pregnancy on Sunday evening while attending the BAFTA Cymru Awards in Newport

Erin looked gorgeous in a flowing silk gown as she touched her stomach while walking the red carpet

The Daily Mail has contacted Erin's representatives for comment.

In 2022 she revealed she was pregnant with her first child at The Crown series five premiere held at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

The actress, who played Dodi Fayed's former partner Kelly Fisher in the series, showed her baby bump for the first time on the red carpet.

She cradled her blossoming bump in a stunning high-necked pink gown, boasting flowing fluttery sleeves.

Erin is best known for playing Molly Hughes in the television series Breaking In and Barbara Kean in the television series Gotham.

Elsewhere at the Welsh BAFTA Awards Strictly stars Amy Dowden and Amber Davies were in attendance.

Amy looked effortlessly chic for the event as she became the first dancer to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing 2025 on Sunday night.

The professional TV dancer, 35, was the first professional dancer to be voted off the show in 2025 alongside her celebrity parter, Thomas Skinner.

She boosted her height with strappy heels and styled her red tresses into a pretty braid for the event

She revealed she was expecting her first child at The Crown premiere back in 2022 but again didn't reveal she had a partner at the time

She looked gorgeous as she joined the likes of Amy Dowden and Amber Davies at the 2025 BAFTA Cymru Awards

The event was held at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport

And she has now stepped out for the first time since her exit wearing a red, sleeveless, velvet dress.

She added inches to her frame as she slipped into a pair of strappy, silver, heeled sandals.

Fellow BBC star, Amber, looked incredible as she attended the glitzy event wearing a black leotard layered under a sparkly skirt.

She completed her red carpet ensemble with a pair of towering black heels as she backcombed her raven dresses to add an extra hint of Hollywood glamour.

Amy and Thomas took to the dancefloor in week two of the hit BBC competition to performing to Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers.

But during the first Results Show, Thomas and Amy went head-to-head against Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova in the show's first dance off.

The judges' scores this week were added to those from the first live show, where there was no public vote, and were then combined with the results of last night's public vote to decide the two lowest scoring couples facing the dance off.

But after three votes in favour of Chris and Nadiya, Thomas and Amy were announced as the first couple to exit the competition.

Motsi Mabuse - who this week was the judge with the deciding vote - said that she would also have chosen to save Chris and Nadiya, should she have been required to vote.

When asked by Tess Daly about their time on the show, Thomas Skinner said: 'I've loved it. I've never danced before and my stay was short, but Amy's amazing.

'It's been great fun and I've enjoyed it. I can't really dance that well but I've had fun! Thank you, Amy - sorry that we haven't done too good, 'cause you're a different class.'

Seen announcing her first pregnancy in 2022 at The Crown season five premiere

In The Crown Erin played Kelly Fisher, a former partner of Dodi Fayed, who went on to date Princess Diana

Amy added: 'I've got to know the real Tom, and he is adorable. He's looked after me. We've laughed so much.

'We've worked so hard and a glitterball would have been amazing but what I've learnt in the last few years is happiness, health and being alive is more important than anything.

'I've made a new friend for life and I wouldn't change a thing. There is a Ballroom boy in there so I'm a bit gutted he didn't get to do the Ballroom, but the last three years as you know have been quite difficult for me.

'I lost all confidence as a dancer - but walking into the room with you with a massive smile and a laugh, you brought me back and, honestly, thank you.'
Eight people were arrested during an anti-government protest held late Friday night in Male, with clashes breaking out between demonstrators and police as political tensions continue to escalate in the Maldives. The Maldives Police Service said protesters violated conditions previously agreed upon for the march, including by taking unauthorised routes, disrupting public order, and throwing rocks and water bottles at officers. According to police, some demonstrators also broke barricades, seized police shields, and obstructed law enforcement operations. The protest was organized by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which is demanding a reversal of recent constitutional amendments that it says curtail fundamental freedoms and centralize power in the presidency.

The party also called for the protection of media freedoms, improved public health care, and greater self-governance for the islands. In a statement issued Saturday, the MDP condemned what it called excessive force used by police, including pepper spray and riot control measures, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of those detained.

Protesters marched through the capital carrying banners and chanting slogans before a standoff with riot police erupted on Majeedhee Magu, the citys busiest street. Images showed protesters clashing with officers in full riot gear as the demonstration turned confrontational.

In response, the Government of the Republic of Maldives issued a press statement reiterating its commitment to democratic rights, including the freedom of peaceful assembly as enshrined under Article 32 of the Constitution and the Freedom of Assembly Act (Act No. 1/2013).

The Government of Maldives respects and fully supports the right to protest and the right to freedom of expression to be exercised peacefully in accordance with the law, the statement read. The Maldives Police Service, in a separate statement on October 1, emphasized that all protests must comply with the legal framework and must remain within designated routes as approved by police authorities.

Participants were urged to cooperate with officials working to maintain public safety and respect the rights of other citizens. However, according to the Government, protesters defied repeated instructions and forcefully entered Majeedhee Magu, disrupting traffic and public order. The Government accused demonstrators of breaking police barricades, seizing riot shields, and obstructing officers. The Maldives Police Service acted responsibly and with restraint in ensuring public safety, even in the face of obstruction and provocation from the protesters, the Government asserted.

The Maldives, a nation of around half a million people spread across over 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean, has seen growing political friction under the leadership of President Mohamed Muizzu, elected in 2023.

While the Government insists recent reforms are necessary for governance and national security, opposition parties and civil society groups warn of an erosion of democratic institutions and freedoms. Security in central Male remains heightened, and authorities have warned that further unauthorized demonstrations may lead to additional arrests.
As the European Union pushes to fully sever its reliance on Russian energy and the administration of US President Donald Trump urges NATO members to abandon Russian oil, one countrys populist Government stands firm.

Hungary and its leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have long argued Russian energy imports are indispensable for the countrys economy and switching to fossil fuels sourced from elsewhere would cause an immediate economic collapse. Orban, who has long had the friendliest ties to the Kremlin of any EU leader, has vigorously opposed the blocs efforts to sanction Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and blasted attempts to hit Russias energy revenues that help finance the war.

As the rest of Europe has weaned off Russian energy, Hungary has maintained, and even increased, its Russian imports, insisting no viable alternative exists. But some energy experts - as well as Orbans critics, who see his commitment to Russian energy as a symptom of his affinity for President Vladimir Putin - say the Hungarian leaders position is more about politics than pipelines.

Orban warns economy would be on its knees

Hungarys leaders argue its landlocked geography in the heart of Central Europe make it dependent on Russian fossil fuels delivered by pipelines built while Hungary was under Soviet dominance.

With no alternative sources and infrastructure to bring oil and gas to Hungary, officials say, the countrys economy would cease to function without Russian supplies. If Hungary is cut off from Russian oil and natural gas, then immediately, within a minute, Hungarian economic performance will drop by 4 per cent, Orban told state radio in September. This would be catastrophic, the Hungarian economy would be on its knees.

But Laszlo Miklos, a chemical engineer and energy industry analyst, told The Associated Press there was no rational explanation for Orbans Governments reluctance to seek alternative fuel sources and ample infrastructure is already in place to supply Hungary with affordable, non-Russian oil and gas.

Disconnection from Russian energy in an integrated European market should not be a problem, all conditions are there. Its the intention that is missing, Miklos said.

EU countries moved quickly to slash their imports of Russian oil and gas after Russia invaded Ukraine, instituting an embargo on Russian oil in 2022 and, this year, announcing a proposal to gradually stop the import of all Russian gas and oil into the bloc by the end of 2027.
By Peter Marko Tase

The citys War Memorial Center quietly removed an exhibit honoring a three-generation military legacyignoring both local history and the lasting geopolitical imprint of the MacArthurs.

Something is off at Milwaukee Countys War Memorial Center (WMC). For decades, the institution rallied veterans and civilians around a simple credohonor the dead by serving the living. Today, many in that community feel alienated. The spark: a quiet decision in February 2024 to remove the MacArthurs of Milwaukee exhibit, which celebrated Judge Arthur MacArthur, General Arthur MacArthur Jr., and his son, General Douglas MacArthurtwo Medal of Honor recipients whose family ties to the city once animated the very identity of the memorial.

The exhibit, dedicated on April 26, 2017 and loaned by the VCRT MacArthur Forum, was taken down without prior notice, according to the Forum. WMC leaders have suggested that commemorations should emphasize all veterans rather than focusing on individual heroes. But that framing misunderstands what the MacArthur collection did for the Memorial. It did not crowd out broader remembrance; it deepened itplacing the names on the Honor Roll Pool, the statue in MacArthur Square, and the centers own origin story in a narrative arc that visitors could see and touch. Douglas MacArthur himself endorsed the creation of the WMC during an April 1951 visit to Milwaukee; when the Memorial opened five years later, his words were etched in marble beside the pool: In tribute to those who did their duty as God gave them the light to do that duty.

Milwaukee has marked that connection across generations. In 1979, Jean Faircloth MacArthur, the generals widow, traveled to the city for the first MacArthur Memorial Week and the dedication of his statue in MacArthur Square. In 2014, the Veterans Community Relations Team organized a second MacArthur Memorial Week, moved the statue to Veterans Park on Lake Michigan, and launched what became the annual Kiwanis MacArthurNimitz Patriotism Luncheon in Memorial Hall. Three years later, the WMC unveiled the MacArthur family exhibitpositioning it as a permanent, living extension of the Memorials mission.

The removal achieved little beyond discord. Veterans who saw the display as a point of civic pride now see a blank wall. No equally compelling replacement has emerged. The episode culminates at a precarious moment for the WMC, which faces existential questions about governance and financing, even as the Milwaukee Art Museum looms as a potential inheritor of the lakefront complex. An institution with survival on the line should be looking for ways to unite its core constituency, not to fracture it.

This is not antiquarian fussing over a bronze likeness or a nameplate. The MacArthurs matter for reasons that reach far beyond Milwaukee. As Supreme Allied Commander in Japan from 1945 to 1951, Douglas MacArthur played a pivotal role in one of the most consequential transformations of the 20th century, guiding a defeated imperial military state into a democratic ally that now anchors U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific. In the shadow of Chinas maritime buildup, Japans rolemilitarily restrained yet increasingly forward-leaningowes something to MacArthurs statecraft and to the constitutional and civic architecture put in motion under his watch. Recognizing that legacy isnt hero worship; its historical literacy.

None of this argues for a Memorial that celebrates one family at the expense of every other veteran. It argues for telling Milwaukees story in full. The MacArthurs are part of that storywoven through the centers courtyard inscriptions, its programming, and its public art. Removing the exhibit without community consultation suggests not a philosophy of inclusion but a philosophy of subtraction: if everyone is honored in the abstract, no one is honored in particular.

There are straightforward remedies. First, restore the exhibit or, if space or curatorial direction has shifted, reinstall an updated, well-interpreted version that connects the MacArthur lineage to the broader tapestry of Wisconsin service. Second, establish a transparent process for adding, recontextualizing, or retiring displays, with input from veterans groups and lending partners. Third, publish a coherent plan for the WMCs financial and institutional future. Absent such steps, the Memorial risks drifting toward a future decided for it rather than one it decides for itself.

Milwaukees veterans deserve a home that remembers with precision and speaks with confidence. The War Memorial Center can be that place again. However, it will require leadership that views the MacArthur legacy not as a distraction from the mission, but as a doorway into ita means to teach visitors why this lakefront building exists at all and why the words carved in stone there still hold meaning.

Editors note: This article reflects concerns raised by stakeholders over the removal of the MacArthurs of Milwaukee exhibit and the families historical ties to the War Memorial Center.
The book Whats With Baum?  Woody Allens debut as novelist at 89 years of age  breathes the same air as his movies; that of the streets of Manhattan, visits to museums, bookstores and the Hotel Carlyle bar, Cole Porter songs, romantic entanglements, and a neurotic Jewish protagonist. There is no lack of nods to episodes from the celebrated filmmakers own biography, in which immense popularity and renown has given way in the last decade to allegations and rejection by a large part of the public, particularly in the United States.

In his novel, the third wife of Asher Baum, the fifty-something writer protagonist, comes from a notable Los Angeles family. She manages to convince him to live in Connecticut, a place that he, a proud New York City urbanite, hates. The beautiful Connie also has a ruling passion for her spoiled, know-it-all son, with whom the novelist finds himself competing.

As if that werent enough, Baum is hit with an accusation of assault by a journalist at the height of the #MeToo movement, and, with potential protests from the staff at the publishing house where he releases his work, he seems to be left without an editor. The novel echoes Allens situation with Mia Farrow, two of her children (Fletcher Previn and Ronan Farrow), and also the controversial withdrawal of his memoir Apropos of Nothing by the Hachette group following staff protests.

But in Whats With Baum?, the comic tone prevails. Allen, who has directed 50 films and authored countless monologues and comedy sketches since his teenage years, seems more interested in making jokes than in settling scores. He responded to this interview via videoconference, accompanied by his assistant, who was in the room with him but out of the cameras view.

Question. How did you decide to write a novel? Did you ever think about doing the story in another format?

Answer. Yes, I thought about it as a film or a play, but that turned out to be uncomfortable because I had to find the money, take meetings, find an actor and then go somewhere and direct it. If I wrote a novel, it wasnt going to be expensive, and Ive always liked writing prose, its something Ive done my whole life. I decided to do it like this, and have fun.

Q. The protagonist asks if anyone is open to listening to him with consideration and empathy. Do you share that doubt? Recently, your participation in a Russian film festival generated controversy.

A. That really doesnt matter to me. I didnt travel there, I participated via video call in a debate after seeing a movie. Its very important that people of good will, artists and the public, communicate and talk. We dont bomb each other or shoot each other, we talk about art, there was no intention to

Q. To validate an invasion, or support the regime of the country that promoted the festival?

A. I was there to talk about movies, and it didnt have anything to do with supporting a government. I made it clear that I think that Putin is completely responsible for the war. But that is my political point of view, the festival was film people talking about films. And that is important. Scientists and artists have to keep talking, rather than be divisive.

Q. In your novel, Baum remembers the discussions he had with an old friend in which they laid bare their conflicting points of view on all kinds of issues, including the Middle East. Is it hard to have those kinds of conversations nowadays?

A. At a dinner or taking a walk with close friends, a person has discussions about a multitude of things, and a lot of it is trivial, gossip and jokes. And I dont know enough to speak publicly, Im not an expert and I would turn into yet another show business person, ignorant of what is truly happening, who weighs in. With my friends, I can talk about anything because it stays in my living room and there is no consequence for proclaiming our stupid opinion in our exchange of misinformation. But doing that publicly is a waste of everybody elses time.

Q. The plot of the novel echoes some things you have experienced yourself, such as the employees of the publishing house protesting. Did putting that into fiction help you to process it?

A. What guides me when I write is trying to do something entertaining and fun. If something happens to me and I find it funny, I include it, like the part about the fish and the frogs and the flies that I put in my memoir. When I made movies, people thought that I was the character, but I never was. The roles that I played were incredibly exaggerated, for comic effect.

Allen, in Barcelona in 2023. Kike Rincon (Kike Rincon)

Q. In what ways do you see yourself in Baum, and in what ways does he differ from you?

A. I share his recurring complaint about how terrible life is, how scary it is, and how overwhelming the universe is compared to how small we are. Also, wanting to make something great but not having the talent to do it, and loving the city more than the country. But I dont have his brother, nor his life, Ive been a filmmaker.

Q. Youve been in the comedy business for 50 years, and focused on making people laugh. Does humor change with time? Are things that used to be funny no longer funny?

A. What changes is only the cosmetics. Chaplin and Buster Keaton came after the industrial revolution, and they made people laugh with physical things because the world was obsessed with railroads, factories, that was the cosmetic of the time. Years later came the Freudian revolution, people discovered psychology and comedians began to make jokes about that. The outward form changes, but the comedy itself does not.

Q. Currently in the United States, there is tremendous pressure on the comedians, late night shows and their hosts. What do you think about that?

A. The thing is, I was born a Democrat, so whenever there is a Republican administration, Im suspicious and complain. Its the same this time. We are going through a period in which freedom of speech and womens rights and abortion are being called into question, and all the things that the Republicans in power are doing, Im opposed to. With a little bit of luck, in the next elections, voters will kick them out and the Democrats will come and Ill complain about them, but in another way, not about civil rights in this country or the rejection of science.

Q. Its been said that Trumps election has marked the end of satire and humor.

A. It doesnt matter how bad things get, people will always make jokes. Even in Nazi Germany, they were whispering them. If comedians are free, there will always be humor about the country, politicians, sex, marriage. If they cant speak because its against the law, then there will be a serious problem. As long as there is freedom of speech, there will be humor, the important thing is for that right to be protected.

Q. In your work, you have frequently joked about antisemitism and parodied the sense of endless persecution. But in recent times, that conversation has taken on a more serious tone. What are your thoughts on that?

A. There will always be antisemitism because, as the Einstein quote goes, we are the pitiful remnants. There will always be prejudice against Jews, women, Black people, minorities, we already know that. When it comes to the Middle East, its a conflict zone and has been a problem for decades. Very intelligent people, very good writers and smart politicians have tried to resolve it, and they havent been able to. Its very complicated. I read something that a very intelligent person wrote in the newspaper, and the next day, theres something else from a different person, who is also very intelligent. There is a war of words. Its hard to talk about this, although clearly, I want it to be resolved peacefully and quickly, with the least amount of damage possible, but look at what is happening. I dont have anything very intelligent to contribute.

Q. You enjoyed enormous success and recognition and were known for your deep pessimism. In recent years, you have faced strong criticism and disapproval from part of the public. Did that pessimism prepare you, or has what has happened finally turned you into an optimist?

A. I work, I dont dwell on it. I made my first movie in 1967 and have never gone back to watch it, or any other. I dont read reviews, or interviews. All that is far removed from my life. I finish a project and I have a little bit of fun, I play music, I go to sporting events and I set out to work on the next one. When they ask me how I have had the time to make so many movies, write for The New Yorker and create monologues and plays, well its simply by not losing time thinking about myself or about what other people write about me. Im not interested in that. And not to compare myself, but when Dostoevsky wrote a book, Im sure that he didnt read what they said about him and think, next time I have to make it funnier. You dont learn anything doing that. Its important to work and keep going without getting distracted, thinking about how terrible life is and how people make it worse than it has to be. If youre a misanthrope, and I am one, people cant disappoint you.

Q. Despite that misanthropy, you dont seem to be isolated. In your novel you make jokes, for example, about the #MeToo movement that stalks the protagonist.

A. I joke about anything that comes to mind. I read the news and I have a superficial understanding, not a profound one, about all of it, what is happening. I have made 50 movies and not one has been about politics, but rather things that have happened to me, stories about men and women, existential thoughts.

Q. What are you working on now?

A. I just finished a play. Theres a production in Budapest that has been running for almost a year, another being rehearsed in Germany, and another in St. Petersburg, and theres another play that we might bring to the United States. Id also like to write another book.

Q. No more movies?

A. Only if someone comes to me with the money. I always have problems with financing, because they want to know what the movie is about and what star is going to act in it, and I dont want to argue about any of that with anyone.

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held wide-ranging talks with Bhutans PM Tshering Tobgay during which they discussed bilateral ties including trade and connectivity. Misri visited Bhutan on Friday, according to the Indian embassy here. His visit came after an inter-Governmental Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed earlier this week for the establishment of railway links between India and Bhutan.

During his visit, Misri had an audience with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and called on Prime Minister Tobgay and Foreign Minister

DN Dhungyel. In keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri visited Bhutan on 3 October 2025 for discussions encompassing the entire gamut of special and multifaceted bilateral partnership, the Indian embassy said in an X post.

In a social media post, Prime Minister Tobgay said that he was pleased to meet Misri and the two discussed a range of mutual interests, including connectivity, hydropower, people-to-people relations, and trade and commerce between Bhutan and India.

Misris visit comes after the Bhutanese foreign secretary Aum Pema Choden visited India earlier this week. The two foreign secretaries held consultations on Monday during which they reviewed the full spectrum of the bilateral engagements, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

During the Bhutanese foreign secretarys visit, the MoU for the establishment of railway links between the two nations was signed.
The Sri Lankan Government announced on Saturday that all tourists are required to obtain Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) prior to arrival in Sri Lanka. The new condition would be applicable from October 15, Sri Lankas Department of Immigration and Emigration said in a statement. ETA, which was previously applicable, was replaced by a new eVisa platform in April 2024. Four months later, the Supreme Court suspended the new platform and ordered reverting to the ETA. The noncompliance with the court order resulted in the imprisonment of the former emigration and immigration chief last month on a contempt of court conviction. This change applies to all foreign nationals, regardless of their nationality. Even travellers from countries that currently enjoy a fee waiver, like India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
Family members of three Salvadorans who were sent from the United States on the same flights as hundreds of Venezuelans, accused without evidence of being gang members, have gone six months without any information about them

Jose Osmin Santoss sister was last in contact with her brother on April 9 during a phone call from the immigration detention center in New York State, where he had spent a couple of weeks. I think theyre going to move me, he says. Were going to talk quickly, because we may not talk again, because I dont think theyll give me my right to a phone call again. Were headed to El Salvador. Tell everyone there, Jovelina, to be waiting for me around noon. Yes, I told him, I will call her, Ill tell her. But we didnt finish saying goodbye because the call suddenly ended, his sister recounts nearly six months later, speaking via video call from her home in the town of Glen Cove, Long Island, New York. She prefers to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from the U.S. or Salvadoran governments.

The flight that supposedly brought Osmin to El Salvador landed two days after that brief conversation. She thinks about their last exchange every day, like a thread that connects her to a past in which her brother was a flesh-and-blood 40-year-old man in her life, and not the memory he is today. Osmin never came out to embrace their other sister at noon as he had been hoping. After she watched other deportees come out, one after the other, their families receiving them relieved and smiling, she was told that her brothers name was on the list that also included several Venezuelans accused without evidence of belonging to the Tren de Aragua cartel. But his name was crossed out. Hed never boarded the airplane, they told her. When the family contacted U.S. authorities, they were told the opposite, that Osmin had indeed been deported on that flight. Since then, theyve been met with a wall of silence.

Given this official hush, enforced disappearance may well be the only apt terminology to describe what has happened to Osmin. The United Nations defines the term as the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person. the case of Jose Osmin Santos, along with those of Brandon Sigaran and William Martinez  also allegedly deported on the same flights that carried more than 250 Venezuelans, accused without evidence of being gang members, to the cells of Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the infamous maximum-security prison of Nayib Bukeles regime  has been brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Jose Osmin Santos, in an undated photo provided by his family. Cortesia

But for now, there has been only silence. None of the three men have been officially accused of belonging to a gang. The only documentation of the situation has been their deportation orders. The Salvadoran authorities did not answer questions from EL PAIS about their whereabouts. And lawyer Kelvi Zambrano, who has taken on their international court cases pro bono, says that all the families have initiated search processes, have approached all the relevant state institutions, and have even filed habeas corpus petitions, the appropriate legal remedy in this circumstance, but no information has been provided at any time.

Their families have been left to cling to rumors and the little information that they have been able to gather independently. Martinezs mother, who prefers not to give her name out of fear of U.S. immigration authorities in Donald Trumps second term, has seen photos of her 21-year-old son in the last six months. Although she has received no official information about his whereabouts or status and has not been able to speak to him, she is sure he is in El Salvador.

In June, Salvadoran President Bukele shared a video after Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran who was wrongfully deported, returned to the United States. Abrego Garcia has become a symbol of the cruelty of Trumps anti-immigration crusade. In the series of images meant to show the good conditions in which he was held at the Santa Ana prisonwhere he was transferred after political pressure from the U.S. opposition and which focuses on the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates not convicted of serious crimes  Martinez was also there. It was a ray of hope.

Martinezs mother wrote to Abrego Garcias wife on TikTok. She told me when she spoke with Kilmar, she would call me back. And she did. She called me and told me that Kilmar says that William is OK, that they were only at CECOT for 20 days and then they were transferred to Santa Ana, she says from her home in Texas. According to Abrego Garcia, there were 23 Salvadorans with the Venezuelans who were sent to CECOT, but only two were active gang members. The other 21 were separated from the group and of them, the six that did not have tattoos, including Kilmar and William, were brought to Santa Ana.

There is a massive difference between being incarcerated at CECOT and Santa Ana. Martinezs mother has been breathing easier since finding out her son was at the latter, and that he can go outside, be in the sunshine and work in a carpentry studio or at painting schools. Now, every day she waits for an unknown number to appear on her cell phone screen, to answer a call and hear the voice of her son, free at last, on the other end.

She clings to that illusion to keep at bay the guilt that surfaces when she recounts the circumstances of her sons detention. Her eyes well up with tears, and her throat tightens as she tells the story. William arrived in the United States to reunite with his mother about seven years ago and started high school, but at 17 he dropped out when his girlfriend became pregnant and began working to support their child, who is now four years old. He also helped his mother with the household bills.

William Martinez, first to the right, in an image of detainees at Santa Ana shared by Bukele in which his mother recognized him. Cortesia

But one afternoon last December, driving with a friend in his car, Martinez was pulled over. The friend, who was a minor and a U.S. citizen, had a small amount of drugs on him. Martinezs mother says the drugs were pinned on Martinez, and in a matter of days, he was deported to El Salvador. Two days later, she spent all their savings so that he could return with a coyote, but he was detained at the border in mid-December. He spent several months at an immigration detention center, until on March 5, he voluntarily accepted his second deportation.

When they last spoke on March 13, he said that they were going to send him to El Salvador. But after a few days without hearing from him, his loved ones began a desperate search in both countries. In El Salvador, a family friend visited offices and prisons asking about his whereabouts, but didnt manage to find out anything. In the United States, his file in the immigration database had disappeared, so his mother called the last detention center he had been known to be at. A woman answered. They told us that he had left mistakenly on an airplane with a lot of people who had been unjustly sent, but she couldnt really tell me anything further, says his mother.

The journey of 22-year-old Brandon Sigaran began long before. In February 2024, as he was going to work at dawn with his older brother, they were stopped by the police. Agents focused on Sigaran, taking him away while letting his brother go free. A little more than a month went by before the family learned what had happened to him, when at last he called from the Bluebonnet detention center near Dallas. He said he was accused of illegally crossing the border and belonging to a gang, which he has always denied.

At that point, the legal battle began, costing his family $25,000 and forcing them to pawn their trucks to cover the expenses. With that money, they hired three lawyers who were unable to do anything, despite demonstrating that Sigaran had come to the United States when he was nine years old, fleeing precisely from the gang recruitment that had subjected El Salvador to a reign of terror. They also submitted letters from the principals of the schools where Sigaran had studied that said he was a good, honest boy. But the judges ignored these arguments, and his deportation order seemed inevitable.

The last time we saw him was in September, exactly a year ago, says Karla Sigaran, Brandons stepmother. My son has an illness that leads to bumps on his skin, and if they dont give him medicine, those bumps burst. I asked him if they were giving it to him and he just shook him head. By October, he was desperate and depressed and ready to sign his deportation order.

The Sigaran family, with Brandon and his stepmother on the right. Cortesia

On March 13, Brandon called his family and announced that the moment had finally arrived. At that point, returning to El Salvador was a relief, one that was difficult to explain. The judge with whom he signed the deportation order told him that since he had committed no crime, when he arrived, he would be set free. But that never happened.

Faced with a total lack of information since that day in March, Sigarans family also hired a lawyer in El Salvador, who went to government offices and morgues to little result. Then in May, she was able to confirm that he was at CECOT. But she told us that she couldnt continue working the case. That she was very sorry, but she couldnt work the case because it meant fighting against the government, says Karla.

A few days later, the Red Cross called the family. They had also managed to confirm that Brandon was at CECOT, but that there was nothing that could be done, as he was part of an arrangement with the U.S. government. One thing had nothing to do with the other, recalls a still-desperate Karla.

Brandon has three tattoos. One of them is the word Bullet, the name of his old dog. Unfortunately for Brandon, it is also the alias of a well-known Salvadoran gang member. All signs suggest that those six letters having spelled his downfall.

Karla confirms that her son was on the same flight as the Venezuelans who were deported in mid-March. Two of them told her as much after they were returned to Venezuela. But, they said, upon arriving to CECOT, they were separated and didnt see him again.

As for Jose Osmin, who was allegedly flown to El Salvador in April with a much smaller group of deportees, no one has confirmed seeing him since the morning in late March when he was detained just a few meters from his front door, on his way to the train station to begin the long trip to Manhattan. He worked on Fifth Avenue as a bricklayer and repairman for several luxury stores, but that day he never arrived.

His siblings in the United States, El Salvador and Sweden have done everything they can, yet still dont really know where he is. At this point, they assume that the authorities deafening silence means he is in CECOT.

According to what Abrego Garcia told Martinezs mother, there are 17 other Salvadorans in the same situation. For the moment, only these three have been denounced as enforced disappearances. Osmins birthday was on October 3, but neither he nor his loved ones celebrated. In the absence of information, unease grips his family, weighing on both mind and heart. And their worst fears never leave them.

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The government boasts of a 60% drop in murders in the state, even though Guanajuato continues to lead Mexico in the number of homicides registered. Behind the figures that indicate success, there are still massacres, the discovery of mass clandestine graves, and executions

Jaquelines brother was shot eight times on a ranch in the city of Irapuato, in central Mexico. And, because their mother dared to report the crime, 15 days later, she was also killed. Jacquelines father had been murdered a few years earlier. And so, on August 14, 2025, this 18-year-old girl was left alone in the world.

In July, armed men broke into Eva Maria Vazquezs home. They executed her son, Jaime Gonzalez, in his bedroom. And, in the process, the intruders abducted her husband, Francisco Arias. Known as Panchito, he belongs to a collective that searches for missing people. She hasnt heard from him since.

Around that time, La Calera  a clandestine mass grave  was discovered in the same state. The dismembered bodies of 32 people had been left in the yard of an abandoned house.

Pedro Rodriguez, who survived an attempted murder last year, saw how, back in June, on a street parallel to his, gunmen entered a bar and shot down 12 people. They finished them all off, he notes.

Guanajuato, a state of just over six million inhabitants, accounts for 11.6% of all murders in the country. Since the beginning of President Claudia Sheinbaums administration, it has been a national priority. And today, the state and federal governments identify Guanajuato as one of the most representative states when it comes to the supposed reduction in homicides in Mexico. State Security Secretary Mauro Gonzalez believes that theyve achieved what was thought to be impossible. Official messages, posted on vehicles and billboards everywhere, announce that the decrease in homicides has reached 60%. The government insists on the accuracy of its figures, but around the kitchen table, residents insist on the number of deaths.

A billboard in Irapuato, announcing the reduction in homicides. Rodrigo Oropeza

Mexico has just completed its first year with a woman at the helm. Sheinbaum has consolidated a security strategy under her all-powerful federal secretary, Omar Garcia Harfuch. The commitment to giving greater power to the civilian police forces (compared to the Armed Forces)  and putting funds toward investigation and intelligence, coupled with a radical increase in arrests (there have been 32,000 arrests in less than a year across Mexico)  has allowed the president to offer a number: homicides have fallen by 32% during her administration. The 87 daily victims recorded in September of 2024 dropped to 60 this past August. And, in addition to the average, the federal government has presented some states as success stories: Zacatecas, for instance, has reduced the daily number of murders by 82% in the past year. San Luis Potosi has achieved a 71% reduction, while Nuevo Leon and Guanajuato saw homicides fall by 63% and 41% respectively.

The support from the National Palace has been decisive for Guanajuato, one of the few states in the country controlled by the opposition. Governor Libia Garcia Munoz  who belongs to the conservative National Action Party (PAN)  won the 2024 elections with the promise of overhauling the controversial state security leadership and halving the sky-high murder rate. Today, its no secret that collaboration between the two levels of government has been key to presenting the new results. The success has also been the trust generated with the authorities at the central level, in Mexico City. Thats fundamental, Mauro Gonzalez notes. Hes the secretary in charge of public safety in the state of Guanajuato. The national strategy and the state strategy go hand in hand.

Mauro Gonzalez, Guanajuato's secretary of security, pictured at the Coordination, Command, Control, Communications, Computing and Intelligence Hub (C5I). Rodrigo Oropeza

The state security czar, who trained in the Federal Police under Garcia Harfuch, lists the other factors behind this so-called miracle. A sub-secretariat composed of 250 police officers has been created for investigations (in Mexico, the main investigators are the ministerial agents of the Prosecutors Offices, who are overwhelmed with cases). Gonzalez is betting on a police force that prevents cases from occurring. The division has made more than 3,000 arrests (45 of those detained being key perpetrators of violence) and the officers have shared all the data they have with other institutions. This allows us to prevent many crimes, the secretary affirms. And all of this, the official insists, is done with the same resources that the agency had before the current administration.

Gonzalez recounts this inside the governments crisis room in the C5I (Coordination, Command, Control, Communications, Computing and Intelligence) complex, in front of a circular screen thats the size of what you find in a movie theater. Real-time images, recorded by thousands of cameras monitoring public spaces, can be seen. We have to attack crime, we have to be direct with it and I think the key here is teamwork, he points out.

As he concludes his interview with EL PAIS, its announced that one of the regional heads of the Attorney Generals Office, Juan Alberto Camarillo, has been shot to death. His body was found dumped on the side of a road.

Local newspapers report on the violence in the state on September 26. Rodrigo Oropeza

Violent day, the local Irapuato newspapers later proclaim, in capital letters: Three killed and another three abducted. The media count closes the day with eight executions in the state: some bodies were tortured and bound, while others were found in bags under a playground slide. Some victims were murdered inside their homes and businesses, or were retrieved from the Silao River. A daily routine, in a state where more than 1,900 people have been murdered since January.

The huachicol triangle

Guanajuato experienced its criminal escalation between 2017 and 2018. The number of missing persons increased from 620 to more than 2,100, while homicides and massacres soared. This industrial zone, crossed by two of the countrys most important highways, is a key geographical location for the northward movement of drugs, weapons and people. Fuel pipelines also pass through the area, fostering a lucrative business involving hydrocarbon theft, known locally as huachicol.

For the past eight years, in the so-called huachicol triangle  the cities of Salamanca, Celaya and Irapuato  violence has reached its peak. The Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, was born in the state  [with the full knowledge of] the authorities  to extract hydrocarbons, says researcher Fabrizio Lorusso, from the Ibero-American University in the state of Leon. However, he adds that the local cartel eventually diversified and became paramilitary, branching out into extortion, human trafficking, migrant smuggling and drug dealing. This meant taking on the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexicos most powerful crime syndicates, to assume control of the criminal businesses in one of the countrys most prosperous areas, which has grown at twice the national rate in the past. [This is known as] the Industrial Corridor, which connects the Bajio region with Guadalajara and Queretero, Lorusso explains. The battle continues to this day.

National Guard personnel posted outside Norma Barron's home. Rodrigo Oropeza

My brother was one of the first dead, says Yadira, now 36. Christian, who worked as a cattle rancher, was taken along with his truck on November 28, 2017. He was 25 and had a baby. His sister knew it was him when they found a body dumped on a road near his workplace. We came from a very quiet city, she sighs. Now, its rare to have a day when nothing happens. Those first bodies heralded a radical change in the daily life of a city of sprawling neighborhoods and low-rise houses, home to 600,000 people.

I have two children and I dont let them go outside. They can do whatever they want but they have to do it inside the house. We take them to and from school and home, the woman confesses. She explains that, as soon as night falls, life in the city shuts down. This week, there was a shooting at a very family-friendly restaurant they frequented often. A pregnant woman was also killed in a convenience store. My 10-year-old daughter told me, Mom, we shouldnt go anywhere anymore.

The fate of Corporal Pedro Rodriguez

It was my turn, Pedro Rodriguez told his wife, while crying on a stretcher on February 17 of last year. This man, with large, sad eyes, was a corporal in the Cavalry Battalion. He tells EL PAIS that he was accompanying his son, a pants tailor, to pick up some fabric. Drug deals were common in the area and many police officers were stationed nearby. That day, Rodriguez was putting the fabrics in the trunk when he heard gunshots.

The modus operandi was standard: two men rode on a motorcycle. One of them, armed, got off and fired his gun. The other waited, with the engine running.

It was the latter who spotted Rodriguez, 60. After several bodies had been left, dead, on the ground, the driver pointed at him directly. This humble man slammed the trunk shut and tried to throw himself into the closest house. He felt his foot and leg explode. He had been shot six times. He was paralyzed.

Pedro Rodriguez shows the scars caused by bullets after being an unwitting witness to a murder on the streets of Irapuato in February 2024. Rodrigo Oropeza

With no money to pay for an ambulance or a private clinic, his family took him to the cheapest public hospital. He was kept in a guardhouse until the guards threw him out. They were afraid [that the killers] would come and finish me off.

After numerous surgical interventions, Pedros life was saved and some of his mobility was restored. Hes now fighting for the Prosecutors Office to reclassify the crime of bodily harm (it wasnt just a graze, as they say) to attempted homicide. He wants to be officially recognized as a victim, so he can receive some compensation.

Pedro can no longer operate the sewing machines he used to help his son with. He cannot ride his bicycle to the central market to buy fruit to sell, nor can he work as a chauffeur. He describes all of this to EL PAIS before walking away with his cane.

Given the situation in Irapuato, Pedro Rodriguez was lucky. So far this year, 137 people have been murdered. 262 were killed in 2024 and 219 in 2023. They can kill anyone, each interviewee tells this newspaper. Terror lurks behind that statement. Jaqueline (a fictitious name, utilized for her own safety) knew they were going to kill her brother before it happened. Shed been warned by neighbors that two men were looking for him. Everyone knew exactly who they were; they werent hiding anything. They were already having other problems with the law due to robberies [they had committed], the teenager says.

Her mother decided to file a complaint after her son was killed. From then on, the criminals began following and harassing the family. They notified the local police, but nobody reacted in time.

On the afternoon of August 14, Jaquelines mother went out to the neighborhood store and was shot directly in the head. She was face down: she looked like shed fallen, like shed tripped, like shed fainted, her daughter says quietly. I arrived and, out of helplessness, I hugged her. I said, Mommy, wake up.

Jaqueline no longer wants to report her mothers murder, even though the Prosecutors Office is expected to investigate the case. Today, she lives in fear at a relatives house, while she tries to get her sister  who lives in the United States  to do the paperwork required to bring her there with her: I would dare to file a complaint from [the U.S.], she says.

Jaqueline at her home in Irapuato, Guanajuato. Rodrigo Oropeza

The national map of atrocities

Jaqueline, Pedro and Yadira are part of Una luz en el camino (A Light Along the Path). This collective, which already represents 1,200 homicide cases and 100 disappearances in the city of Irapuato and its surrounding areas, was formed by Norma Patricia Barron after her son Kevin and husband Juan were kidnapped in 2019. She paid one million pesos, around $55,000, as a ransom, but they were never returned to her.

Barrons fight led to the imprisonment of three individuals  one intellectual author and two material authors of the crime  belonging to the Jalisco New Generational Cartel. Since then, she has lived under the protection of the National Guard. Officers accompany her as she undertakes searches for the bodies of missing people.

In a courtyard, just before the rain begins to fall, she recounts the latest discoveries. In one case, on a single street in the city, 30 bodies were removed from several safe houses that belong to organized criminal groups. No, its impossible that things have gotten better. If anything, [theyre] worse, she concludes.

These horrific findings, Fabrizio Lorusso reflects, are part of what prevents the population from feeling that the level of security is improving. A specialist in disappearances, he details that the perception of security has [actually] worsened due to the terrifying impact of many atrocious acts, such as clandestine graves, mass disappearances and massacres, which have not abated.

On the national map of atrocities, the academic emphasizes, Guanajuato appears at the top. This speaks to the deterioration [of the situation] and continuity of the most brutal criminal phenomenon.

Portraits of murdered and missing people hang on the walls of the Irapuato Prosecutor's Office. Rodrigo Oropeza

Lorusso also points out that the official figures always pose a problem.

The reduction in homicides varies depending on the period. If I choose the month [with the highest number of killings] and compare it to the [month with the] lowest, the reduction will be greater. Meanwhile, the researcher, who is also the founder of the Platform for Peace and Justice in Guanajuato, presents other data: there are now more than 5,100 missing persons in the state. Additionally, 150 clandestine graves have been discovered, with almost total impunity in all cases.

None of the people that EL PAIS spoke to have received any information about progress being made on their case files in recent years.

Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani.

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In the neighborhoods of Guayaquil, the silence hangs heavy. No longer does one hear the shouts of children running after a ball, nor the music that once came from speakers on the street corners. Even the salsa has ceased. The daily hush is only interrupted when one hears gun shots.

People throw themselves to the floor, away from the windows, hide under a table or in any corner that offers safety. Outside, bullets ricochet randomly, a Russian roulette. Every shot may herald the end of a life, the irreversible rupture of a family. So it was with Ezequiel, or Eze, as he was called by everyone who knew him. A five-year-old boy who was shot to death on the doorstep of his home.

The hitman turns at the corner of Muisne Street, on the edge of Guayaquil, not stopping for a single second. His pistol points in front of him, its shots sounding one after the other, his target a young man in the middle of the road. Little concern for the safety of onlookers is evident. The sounds pierce the air and calm of the Sunday afternoon in August. A 16-year-old runs with one arm reaching back, shooting blindly while he attempts to flee the macabre scene hes left behind, as Ezes grandmother Mayra remembers it. Eze had been standing near the target, and hadnt run when the shooting began. He was paralyzed immediately when one of the bullets hit his back, a lethal blow.

A photo of Ezequiel on his mother's cell phone. VICENTE GAIBOR

In Ecuador, between January and August of this year, 386 minors have been murdered, the equivalent of three children and teenagers being slain every 48 hours, due to growing violence in the country. That figure represents a 50% increase in comparison with the same period last year, when 258 minors were killed. According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, 91% of these victims were killed by firearms.

Milena Pincay goes over every detail from the day her son Ezequiel was murdered. I had told him wed go out to play, but he couldnt wait and went out with my mother, she recalls. They lived in her parents small home, where the only space Eze had to play in was the bed where he slept. Since that day, Pincay has focused all her energy on her search for justice, raising money to cover the fees of a legal process that seems unending. September 25 marked the third attempt to bring charges against the 16-year-old who took Ezequiels life.

The young man who shot and killed her Eze is well-known in their neighborhood. Hes the child of some of the followers, says Pincay, alluding to the fact that the boys parents are active members of an evangelical church. They are selling their house because they want to get their boy out of jail, she says, upset and disappointed. At 26 years old, Pincay has not received any answers to heal the loss of her son. On September 4, Ezequiel would have turned seven, and they were unable to celebrate. Everything was ready for the party, but Pincay took some of the supplies and brought them to the cemetery. Alongside the grave of her son, they sang Happy Birthday, a bittersweet reminder of the boy, but also a way of facing a reality that no one has explained to her how to navigate.

Posters of Andreu Ezequiel and Cristhian, son and husband of Milena Pincay. VICENTE GAIBOR

With 6,021 homicides so far this year, mourning has become a perpetual part of life in the areas where organized crime ends the lives of children and recruits adolescents as its labor force. Violence has penetrated the most intimate parts of life, and it is transforming social structure and familial dynamics, according to sociologist Evandro Moreno from the Center for Social and Community Studies (CESCU), which works in the most violent parts of Guayaquil. Where the state has left our neighborhoods, along with quality education, security and public space. Those who step in to govern are the narcos, who come with their production model, their culture, impose new norms, reconfigure the ways the neighborhood relates to itself  and the people try to adapt to survive.

In the neighborhoods that have been most beaten down by the violence, survival depends on strategies that have become nearly routine: dont leave your house, dont stick your head out the window, dont go to the store, dont go to school on your own. According to CESCU, failure to follow these rules can also lead to tragedy. Such was the case of Mikel, a 14 year old who had gone just a few feet from his house to meet up with a friend, and was hit by a stray bullet from a shoot-out.

Moreno says that the damage goes beyond these killings, and that criminal logic has wound up infecting the entire social fabric. People who live amid this violence are impacted by a kind of trauma based on revenge: You killed my friend and I have to avenge his death, the sociologist explains. And therein lies one of the central problems: crime replaces fundamental values. Moreno warns of the bleak future that awaits neighborhoods where children grow up without a strong family structure, which is essentially what transmits values, a sense of security and affection. The family is nourishment and love, it regulates, calms and provides security, he says, emphasizing criminal activity can step into the void left by a lack of familial warmth.

Drug traffickers impose their own ways of relating. Children no longer greet their elders, they dont want to go to school, they dont understand why it is necessary to protect their sexual health. Theyre growing up without tools, Moreno says.
The instructors constantly remind us to be aware that every day in our position could be our last, says 18-year-old Ulan during a training session, already wearing the uniform of the Ukrainian army alongside a dozen comrades. They were children when Russia occupied Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014. They were teenagers when, in 2022, Moscow unleashed its full-scale invasion. Now, in 2025, having come of age, they are the latest and youngest group to voluntarily join an army decimated by three and a half years of bloody, high-intensity conflict.

Until this year, profiles like Ulans werent accepted at recruitment centers, where the mandatory age ranges from 25 to 60. That was until February, when the Ministry of Defense approved the so-called 18-24 Contract project, which ensures training under NATO standards. At the beginning of the current war, I decided I would join the army as soon as possible, admits this young man with big blue eyes from the northern region of Sumy.

All members of the group visited by EL PAIS are between 18 and 24 years old. They are completing their two-month training in an area of the country that their superiors do not allow to be revealed in this report. They are doing so after signing a one-year contract for which they will pocket around 52,000 ($61,000). In exchange, they will be deployed to an area where, although the government does not provide figures, reports indicate that there have been a significant number of casualties.

Although they will receive a considerable amount of money (the average salary in Ukraine is around $645 per month), Ulan doesnt list remuneration as the primary reason for donning the uniform. Not all of us can join the army. The economy is also important for the countrys survival, he says, while gunfire from target practice can be heard in the background.

Volunteers training on September 25. Luis de Vega

Serhii (no one provides their last name), a 39-year-old officer who works in an army unit that strives to maintain the mental health of soldiers, explains that they encounter two types of young people who are volunteering to join up. On the one hand, and predominantly, those who belong to a nationalist family and place great importance on the defense of the country; and on the other, those who come from troubled families who may see the salary offer as a way out of their situation.

In any case, he believes that caution is needed with regard to the impulse that may lead these young soldiers to minimize the dangers they face due to their lack of life experience and, at the same time, the fact that they almost never have wives or children.

Defend the homeland

Alexander, 21, has no doubt that the main reason for joining the army as a volunteer is to defend the homeland. He has just jumped out of a BMP 2 infantry fighting vehicle, rifle in hand, which is used for training exercises. When he was 17, Russia invaded and he fled to Poland with his family. His father returned and enlisted, but he was unable to do so after several attempts because he was told he was too young. With the government sponsored 18-24 campaign, he has found his opportunity. Quick, quick, quick! the instructor shouts, while asking the others to lie down on the ground in firing positions.

Alexanders mother, the young man explains, didnt want another soldier in the house. Several relatives have ended up in the army over the years. Nor did the young soldiers wife support him at first. The reality is that, as the countrys military leaders acknowledge, the army cannot stop recruiting because it must maintain a high level of personnel, even once the Russian invasion is over. In contrast to positions such as those held by Alexander and others who volunteer out of a sense of patriotism, there are hundreds of thousands of men  up to 1.5 million, according to authorities estimates  of military age who refuse to be drafted and live outside the law.

A Ukrainian army volunteer on September 25. Luis de Vega

The shortage of personnel has led the authorities in Kyiv to seek new ways to partially address the problem. Therefore, in addition to young people aged between 18 and 24, the army has now also opened the door to those over 60 who wish to enlist, although these will not be assigned to combat positions. Far from being an obligation, the 18-24 contract is rather an opportunity for people to make a conscious decision, gain combat experience, and achieve financial stability in just one year. It is the volunteers decision to extend their service or return to civilian life, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov emphasized at the beginning of 2025.

The contract entails receiving, up front, one million hryvnias (approximately $24,265). Of this money, 200,000 hryvnias is paid immediately and the remainder during the volunteers service. In addition, recruits receive a monthly salary of up to 120,000 hryvnias (approximately $2,930) as well as other benefits: an interest-free mortgage, state-funded training, access to free medical care, the right to travel abroad after completing a year of service, and exemption from being drafted for 12 months after the end of the contract.

Volunteers receive shooting instruction, September 25. Luis de Vega

Ulan, Alexander, and the others have been at the training camp for five weeks. Theyve practiced with weapons, learned how to move and coordinate, and how to protect themselves. Alexander already knows where hell be assigned as a member of the infantry, but hes not authorized to give details. The instructor shouts orders and advice. He positions their rifles correctly, tells them how to move in groups and individually. The recruits will soon complete two months of training and the kids will be assigned to their different brigades. The war continues in Ukraine, and the outlook is not encouraging.

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Comrades, everything the soviet Tory Party does and says is pretty much the same as what the soviet Labour Party says and does.

Wets

Comrades of the Peoples Republic of Soviet Britain, I commend and agree with whatever Comrade Starmer does and says. Comrade Starmer and the Labour Party have the same policies, and we practice the same ideology, albeit with different names.

We talk the talk, but never walk the walk. Fourteen years of nothingburgers prove my point. Thats another way we are the same as Labour.

I am pleased to accept the terms of the Labour Party in all policies. We are all the same and say the same things in parliament, and I agree with Keir Starmer in all things. We both are establishment party sections of the Big State.

Heres to more of the same in the future.
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Autumn can bring stress for both children and parents as routines settle into full swing. According to CBT specialist Alice OBrien, anxiety is the bodys natural threat detection system.

While it helps us prepare for challenges, it can also overwhelm children as they face the pressures of school, homework, and new environments. Anxiety may show up as school refusal, constant fear, or even physical complaints such as headaches and stomach aches.

OBrien explains that spotting the signs are crucial to dealing with the problem. While some level of anxiety is normal in the autumn months, especially as children adjust to change, ongoing patterns of worry may need extra support.

Read More: Double EuroMillions joy as Irish players celebrate wins of nearly 20,000 Each

Parents should watch for avoidance behaviours, such as refusing to attend activities or withdrawing from friends, as these can reinforce anxiety over time.

Alice encourages parents to listen carefully, acknowledge their childs worries, and avoid dismissing their feelings. You cant pour from an empty cup, OBrien reminds, urging parents to also protect their own wellbeing. Setting aside even one evening a week for personal downtime can help adults recharge and better support their families.

Strategies include setting realistic daily goals, creating predictable routines, and ensuring children have opportunities for relaxation as well as learning.

Rewards, such as a family hot chocolate at the weekend, can motivate children and remind them that life is not all school, all the time. Incorporating movement, outdoor time, or mindfulness exercises can also reduce stress and improve sleep quality.

Ultimately, small adjustments make a big difference. By recognising the early signs of anxiety and taking proactive steps, parents can guide children through Autumn's challenges while safeguarding the mental health of the entire family.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision on the N25 near Drinagh, Co. Wexford, in the early hours of Sunday, 5th October.

The crash, which involved a passenger van and a jeep, occurred at Ballykelly at around 1:10am.

The driver of the van, a man in his 60s, was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene. His body has been removed to Wexford General Hospital, where a post-mortem examination will take place.

A passenger in one of the vehicles was taken to Wexford General Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

A man in his 40s was arrested at the scene on suspicion of offences under the Road Traffic Act and is currently being detained at a Garda station in Wexford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Read More: Gardai issue appeal to locate missing 16-year-old Joseph Hughes from Co. Waterford

The road remains closed while Garda Forensic Collision Investigators conduct a technical examination, and local diversions are in place.

Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who has dash-cam footage from the N25 between 12:30am and 1:30am, to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 916 5200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
People in the Republic of Ireland have a lot of work to do to get to know neighbours in Northern Ireland, presidential candidate Jim Gavin has said, as he questioned whether the time is right for a poll on unification.

Mr Gavin made the comments while participating in a live television debate on RTEs The Week in Politics with Independent TD Catherine Connolly, who is supported by left-wing parties including Sinn Fein, and Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys.

He said: Im not sure if the time is right. Weve a lot of work to do with the north of Ireland.

Weve got a phenomenal country. My vision is to represent all thats great in Ireland, while giving hope to those who feel unheard. If elected, I will be a positive President that champions the best of us at home and across the world. pic.twitter.com/bZAPHZNThb  Jim Gavin For President (@gavinforthearas) September 28, 2025

Ms Connolly said she would like to see a referendum during her tenure if elected president, commenting: It has to be done by consent, with respect for all communities and all traditions.

Ms Humphreys, a Presbyterian from Ulster, said she had a unique understanding of both traditions in Northern Ireland.

Nobody knows better than me there are deep divisions in Northern Ireland, we have to deepen the understanding  that takes work.

The Aras has been a safe place for those conversations and I will continue the work of others, of Mary McAleese.

The debate comes after the publication of the Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll which put Ms Connolly leading the race for the Aras.

The independent candidate was on 32%, nine points ahead of Ms Humphreys (23%), and Mr Gavin trailing on 15%.

When the 31% of undecided voters are excluded, Ms Connolly holds 46%, Ms Humphreys had 33% of the vote and Mr Gavin was on 21%.

The poll also reveals the second preference intentions of those surveyed, with 60% of Mr Gavins second preference votes going to Ms Humphreys, compared to just 24% of his second preference votes going to Ms Connolly.

She has all the right characteristics, values and policies to make an absolutely powerful president of our great country." @EOBroin pic.twitter.com/oh5bUoxMLm  Connolly for President (@catherinegalway) October 3, 2025

During the debate, the candidates were also pressed on various controversies which have emerged through the campaign.

Mr Gavin has said he is looking into reports he owes a former tenant 3,000 euro, but that he did not have all the information about the matter.

It relates to a dispute with a former tenant around the time his own family came into financial difficulty.

He said: That matter was over 16 years ago. It was a very stressful time for myself and my family.

Like a lot of families and couples, we came into financial difficulty at that time.

Mr Gavin said: If it happened, Im very sorry that it happened. Im looking into it and I will deal with it with urgency.

I will work to build bridges in Northern Ireland and deepen understanding and respect for all traditions. pic.twitter.com/cqX75VAr9y  Heather Humphreys (@HeatherH) October 5, 2025

Ms Connolly said she did not know anything about reported garda surveillance of a woman she worked with who had previously been convicted of firearms offences.

She sought the help of a woman who was sentenced to several years in jail after being found guilty by the Special Criminal Court for possession of firearms and ammunition more than 10 years ago.

After serving more than four years, the former Eirigi member was shortly thereafter recruited by Ms Connolly upon her release to work on a committee on the Irish language.

Ms Connolly criticised media coverage by saying the womans privacy had been transgressed as she reiterated her support: I absolutely admire this person. This person was one of the small success stories of the prison system, full rehabilitation, a change in her life completely.

She said no rules were broken here and that the woman had made a full declaration.

Fianna Fail candidate Jim Gavin said he accepted that people were entitled to a second chance but said Ms Connolly showed a lack of judgment by signing the woman in to Leinster House with day passes.

Meanwhile, Ms Humphreys has said she did not oppose drink-driving reform at Cabinet.

It comes after former transport minister Shane Ross said Ms Humphreys opposed the measures before Cabinet agreed to the proposals and they were voted into law.

Speaking during the RTE debate, she said: I did not oppose it at Cabinet  and Cabinet is confidential  and thats the bottom line here, and Im not going to breach that confidentiality.

I did not oppose the legislation. I voted for it, as I said, not once but twice.

She added: You should not be drinking and driving, and that is it. End of story.
Former Fianna Fail TD for Louth, Declan Breathnach endorsed Fine Gael candidate for president Heather Humphreys as she canvassed in Blackrock this week.

The former TD and councillor explained his decision saying: Im here today to endorse you Heather and wish you every success. I have known you as a colleague on the council, in Dail Eireann and I am very conscious that you are a peoples person and you will be a peoples president.

I have a memory as a 15 year old of seeing Former President Erskine Childers travel to Dundalk on his election campaign and I believe you can succeed in renewing the Presidency in a way that the people will want.

Ms Humphreys began her visit in Blackrock and met with the Blackrock Tidy Towns group. She said: "Tidy Towns groups are at the heart of our communities. As Minister I always supported them, and if elected President I will highlight them and celebrate the unsung heroes in communities all across Ireland.

I was delighted to present Blackrock Tidy Towns Group with Ireland's Tidiest Small Town Award in 2024 which was very well deserved considering the great work they do here in keeping the village and the beach so clean."

Read Next: Louth community invited to help shape Irelands nature restoration plan at Omeath event

She then moved on to Ardee where she visited Ardee Credit Union and spent time talking to young people in the Dee Hub and Mid-Louth Youth Service.

After a short walkabout in the town, she visited Ardee Castle saying, "Im delighted that funding was provided by my former Department of Rural and Community Development to support the regeneration of Ardee Castle.

It was great to visit the Castle today and hear about the plans to progress this exciting project which will see this wonderful historic building in the Town Centre renovated and restored into a community space for the people of Ardee to enjoy.
Young people from Louth are invited to speak about global issues through ActionTalks, a national speech writing competition aimed at students aged between 14 and 18 years.

Organised by ActionAid Ireland and funded by Irish Aid, ActionTalks has inspired almost 1,200 students from 223 schools nationwide to share their ideas on some of the worlds most urgent challenges since it first launched 12 years ago.

This years competition, aimed at helping young people engage with global issues and to become thoughtful, active citizens, invites students to write a 600 - 800 word speech on one of three powerful global themes:

A fossil fuel free future and the fight against climate change

The importance of education in driving equality

Why funding womens rights organisations is key to ending violence against women

ActionAid Ireland CEO Karol Balfe said: ActionTalks gives students the chance to explore big issues and empowers them to speak out. Todays young people are tomorrows decision-makers, and they will shape the future of our planet.

"We need to hear their voices on climate action, education and womens rights because the choices we make today will define their world tomorrow. By discussing global issues, they get to think about big issues, to understand what they think about them and to see that global solidarity is so important.

ActionAids work focuses on supporting the hardest-to-reach women and girls around the world. Through its Womens Rights Programme, funded by Irish Aid, ActionAid partners with communities in Kenya, Ethiopia and Nepal to eliminate violence against women and girls.

How to Take Part:

Students choose one of the three topics and write a 600 - 800 word speech.

Teachers email the speeches to ActionAid by 16th January 2026.

15 students will be selected for the regional finals, with the six winners at regional level each winning a 50 voucher.

The six national finalists will present their speeches to a panel of expert judges in March.

The overall winner receives a 500 voucher, and their teacher 100
Dundalk families and space enthusiasts are in for a treat next Saturday, 11th October, as a series of events will take place throughout the town to mark Family Space Day. The day will feature planetarium shows, live talks, hands-on activities, and inspiring space-themed experiences for all ages. Hosted at Louth County Library and the Dundalk Credit Union Community Building, the event is part of World Space Week 2025 and is organised by Dr. Niamh Shaw as part of her community science programme Town Scientist, funded by Research Irelands Discover Programme.

Taking place from 11am to 5pm, programme highlights will include:

Armagh Planetarium Dome Shows

Experience the night sky like never before inside a portable planetarium dome from Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. Shows take place every 30 minutes from 11am to 5pm at Dundalk Credit Unition Community Building.

Engineering for Life in Space, 11am in Dundalk Library

How do astronauts sleep, cook and live in space? Learn what it takes to design a home in space with former NASA engineer David Bushman, who helped build life support systems for the International Space Station. Taking place.

Living in the ArcticThinking About Space, 3pm in Dundalk Library

Join Dundalks Town Scientist and explorer Dr. Niamh Shaw as she shares stories from her recent Arctic expedition. Discover what life was like on a ship in the frozen north  and why it might help us live on the Moon or Mars. Her interactive talk will include real footage, personal stories, and a Q&A.

Create your own space-themed accessory! 12pm  3pm in Dundalk Credit Union Community Building.

This creative, hands-on workshop is delivered by Town Scientist alumni and local parent, Eva Ponomoraw. Children and families will create their own space-themed accessory, going home not only with a beautiful keepsake but a new way of looking at the universe. Ages 8 and up, children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

All events are free, but families are asked to register in advance. A number of the events are fully booked but a waitlist is in operation. The full line of events and registration is available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-town-scientist-family-space-day-at-dundalk-library-and-dundalk-credit-tickets-1744060364499?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Speaking ahead of Saturday, Town Scientist for Dundalk Dr Niamh Shaw said: We have a host of amazing family events for this years Space Week. From talks, to interactive workshops, to journeys through space in a portable planetarium, there is something for all the family. I would really encourage people from Dundalk and beyond to mark next Saturday in your diaries and come along to one of our free events  you never know what you may learn or what you may be inspired to do! However we are asking people to make sure they check out and register via the Eventbrite link to avoid disappointment.

Read Next: Heather Humphreys brings presidential campaign to Louth

Space Day will be culmination of collaboration and hard work between a number of organisations  Dundalk Credit Union, Louth County Library, Louth ABC Programme in partnership with Louth County Council, and the team behind Town Scientist. It is thanks to their support and enthusiasm we can bring Space Day to life and we hope that the families of Louth will enjoy the day, find out more about Town Scientist  and come to more events in the future. None of this would be possible without the support of Research Ireland and their Discover Programme.

Find out more about Niamh Shaw and Town Scientist here: https://niamhshaw.ie/
A letter to readers, written by Louth artist, Derek Landy , is featured in Laureate na nOg, Patricia Fordes new non-fiction book for 8-12 year olds, Making It Up As You Go Along: A Childrens Guide to Writing Stories, which will be published by Little Island on 1 October 2025.

Beautifully illustrated by Mary Murphy, the book features letters to the reader penned by some of the countrys most beloved authors and illustrators, including literary powerhouses Louth native Derek Landy, Eoin Colfer and Catherine Doyle.

As part of her mission to inspire creativity among children and young people across Ireland, Forde has written a fun and practical guide designed to ignite the creativity of 812-year-olds. It will cover everything an aspiring storyteller needs to know, from where to find inspiration to creating characters to structuring plot.

The book was officially launched at this years Childrens Books Ireland International Conference in Dublin on Saturday, 20th September. Speaking ahead of the launch, Forde said the book is a call to action for young dreamers, writers, and readers ready to shape the stories of tomorrow:

When I became Laureate na nOg in 2023, I decided the theme of my tenure would be Samhlaigh, Samhlaigh! Making It Up As We Go Along because creativity and imagination has enriched my life and I wanted to ensure that every child in Ireland can unearth their own creative potential.

This book is a fun and practical guide for children and includes tips and techniques used by some of Irelands foremost childrens authors, including Derek Landy , in their own work. This book will be part of the legacy of my time as Laureate, and I hope it will help to inspire and empower the next generation of storytellers.

Matthew Parkinson-Bennett of Little Island Books adds: Ireland is a land of storytellers, and its wonderful to be bringing together some of our very best childrens creators for this wonderful book. Patricia is devoting her laureateship to both defending and celebrating the importance of books for all children, and were so happy to be playing a part in that project.

Maura McGrath, Chair of the Arts Council said: As well as being a beautiful publication in its own right, Making It Up As You Go Along includes a foreword by President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins and letters to the reader full of advice from a stellar line-up of twelve leading Irish childrens writers.

The publication of Making It Up As You Go Along is an incredible crescendo to Patricias time as Laureate na nOg. Her tenure also featured the 2024 Whole Wild World tour of the west coast of Ireland, stretching from Malin Head to Mizen head and is celebrated in the Whole Wild World documentary, debuted at this years Childrens Books Ireland Conference.

Laureate na nOg is an initiative of the Arts Council of Ireland. It is managed and delivered on the Councils behalf by Childrens Books Ireland and also supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
Celebrating Irelands gold standard champions of the food and hospitality industries, the winners of the Georgina Campbell Food & Hospitality Awards 2025 were announced at a gala lunch at the InterContinental Dublin Hotel this week, with two of the top awards going to Louth.

Of the two awards went to Louth, Conor Halpenny, Head Chef at Square in Dundalk was crowned Chef the Year 2025, while Ghan House in Carlingford, took home the award for Best Small Stay / Hideaway 2025.

Irelands longest running food and hospitality awards, the annual awards were established by the well known food writer in the 1990s, with the aim of giving recognition where it is deserved across a broad range of destinations and lead customers - both Irish and visitors  to genuinely hospitable experiences where they will enjoy great food that speaks of the real Ireland.

Unlike some commercially-led awards schemes, businesses cannot enter themselves for these awards, which are based solely on independent all-year assessments by a team of experts, who book anonymously and pay their bills like any other guest.

As an all-island event, a wide range of leading food and hospitality businesses of all sizes and specialities across Ireland were highlighted at the 2025 Awards, each one very special and contributing in its own way to the wonderful thing that is Irish hospitality.

The Georgina Campbell Guide aims to build up a balanced picture of Irish food and hospitality, not only by assessing the big names but also seeking out great destinations and produce that may be found in less obvious locations and not often reviewed.

For more information see www.ireland-guide.com.
Louth's Cllr Robert Nash has welcomed the commencement of improvement works at the old pitch and putt site in Muirhevnamor Park, Dundalk.

Sharing the details on social media recently, Cllr Nash described how the works, funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht under the Community Recognition Fund 2024, will focus on integrating the unused green space into the existing community park.

Works will include site clearance, crown lifting of trees, new surfacing works to formalise pathways, new fencing on the west and south sides of the site, and the addition of a pedestrian crossing to the park from Rockfield Court. A number of trees have been identified for removal due to Ash Dieback, new trees will be planted at alternative locations in the park. The works are projected to last six weeks.

"I am delighted to see that a previous unused piece of land will be redeveloped and handed back to the local community", said Cllr Nash.

"We all know how important outdoor recreational space is to the community and green space plays an important part in human health and also community health."

The Fine Gael councillor added, "I would like to compliment Louth County Council for their vision on completing a project such as this and I look forward to seeing it completed in the not too distant future."
East Cork restaurant and hospitality group Flynn Cush Ltd, which is owned by tech billionaire and Ballycotton native Pearse Flynn, has won two awards in this years Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards.

The title of best seafood chef of the year was shared between Frederic Desormeaux, executive chef in the Ballycotton restaurants The Salty Dog and Sea Church, and Dan Guerin, who is head chef in Cush Midleton.

Both restaurants use sustainably sourced ingredients, fresh fish caught off the coast of Ireland, and high-quality cuts of meat  while keeping the menus up to date by incorporating seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Sea Church offers panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean, while hosting multiple gigs and events in the St Colmans Church venue, which is adjacent to the restaurant.

The Salty Dog, which is nearby and faces out to Ballycotton Lighthouse, is open five days a week offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.

Meanwhile, Cush Midleton  which is located in the old Sage premises  maintains the high standards which previously saw it win numerous awards.

Running since the 1990s, the Georgina Campbell Irish Food and Hospitality Awards are one of Irelands most prestigious and longest running in the industry.

Winners are selected without prior knowledge.

Mr Desormeaux said he and his staff focused on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, none more important to me than fish, when working in Sea Church and The Salty Dog.

We love to provide diners with a sense of the place in which they are eating, and being so close to the sea gives us fantastic opportunities to work with local produce, which always makes their experience more enjoyable, he said.

Oliver Falter, general manager of the Flynn Cush Hospitality Group, said the recognition of the groups chefs was testament to the hard work they put in daily, and to what we had been trying to achieve across their restaurants.

Were thrilled to have some of the best chefs in Ireland and really excited to continue bringing the best food and hospitality to East Cork, he said.
Renters are accepting properties which do not leave them legally protected due to the housing crisis, with some not aware they have rights until an issue arises in their tenancy, a report has found.

National housing charity Threshold has launched its new report, Renting at The Frontier: Protecting the Rights of Licensees in Ireland.

It shines the spotlight on a significant group of renters, those classified as licensees, who often find themselves in informal rental arrangements.

Data from the 2022 Census indicates there could be nearly 50,000 households in such agreements. Given that around 11% of the population live in Cork, there could be over 5,000 such informal agreements in place across here.

Threshold said these renters are not protected by the Residential Tenancies Acts, have little to no rights, often have no recourse to the Residential Tenancies Board, and are largely absent from policymaking and legal protection.

'DIGS'

Licensees include a diverse range of living situations beyond the commonly understood categories of digs or lodgers. They may be sub-letting from another tenant, living in housing provided by their employer, caravans, or retirement villages.

This research has found many of these arrangements are based on verbal agreements, so licensees are left vulnerable to sudden evictions, poor standards of upkeep of accommodation, and a lack of recourse when issues arise.

Threshold notes that many of the research participants only discovered their licensee status when there was an issue with their arrangement, contacting Threshold only to find out that they have little to no rights.

Tricia Sheehy-Skeffington, Threshold board member and barrister; Ann-Marie OReilly, national advocacy manager, Threshold; Liam Herrick, chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission; and Valesca Lima, author of the report and assistant professor of politics, DCU, with the report.

However, some renters who believe they are licensees are, in fact, tenants who have more rights than they have been led to believe by a landlord. The report also noted that Cork city has experienced substantial increases in rental prices over the last decade, which can lead to people accepting tenancies with less protection.

Edel Conlon, Thresholds southern regional services manager, said that given the challenges in the current rental market, many people find themselves having to access informal rental arrangements that are not protected by legislation.

Licensees are left vulnerable to sudden evictions, poor standards of accommodation and a lack of recourse when issues do arise.

In the Cork office we often see landlords issuing licensee agreements, when in fact they are tenancies that come under the Residential Tenancies Acts.

It is important that people contact Threshold prior to commencing any rental arrangement so they are fully informed. Advice is available through our helpline 1800 454 454 and appointments are available in our Cork office at 22 South Mall, Cork.
The launch of the largest anthology of poetry by Irish women ever published will be one of the highlights of a literary celebration taking place at Cork City Library next Saturday.

The event, marking the 50th anniversary of Arlen House publishers, Irelands pioneering feminist press established in 1975, will include the launch of Washing Windows V: Women Revolutionise Irish Poetry, 19752025,which includes works by a number of Cork poets.

Arlen House founder, and Cork native, Catherine Rose will be joined by special guests including fellow Corkonian poet, translator and academic Eilean Ni Chuilleanain for the event.

Cork city senior executive librarian, Patricia Looney, said they are privileged to host the event.

This landmark anthology celebrates female poets, with over 300 contemporary writers from all over the island and further afield writing poems of power, potency and poignancy in English and as Gaeilge.

This event also will include a group reading with many writers reading their poems.

While admission to the October 11 launch, which will start at 2.30pm, is free, booking is required through Eventbrite.ie
Cork tourism businesses are looking to the winter with trepidation after a slower-than-expected summer period for some smaller tourist attractions across the county, according to a new study.

Tourist visits to Irish attractions are still below pre-pandemic levels, according to a new study by the Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA).

The organisation, the representative voice for the visitor attractions and experience sector in dealings with the key stakeholders in tourism across the island of Ireland, has revealed that two-thirds of its operators reported flat or reduced visitor numbers so far this year.

Data shows that 772,800 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in August 2025, an increase of 1% when compared with the same month in 2024 and an increase of 5% compared with August 2023.

However, this is still down considerably from 1,190,600 trips to Ireland made by overseas residents in August 2019.

Chief executive of the AVEA, Catherine Flanagan, told The Echo that, in general, the larger, very well-known sites around the country, such as the Guinness Storehouse, Cliffs of Moher, and Kylemore Abbey, had quite a positive summer in terms of both visitor numbers and revenues.

The smaller attractions found it much more difficult, and smaller attractions make up the largest proportion of our membership.

Anecdotally, that has also been coming across to me for Cork, she said.

Their members in Cork include Spike Island, Fota House, Blarney Castle, Midleton Distillery Experience (Jameson), Cobh Heritage Centre, and Titanic Experience Cobh.

A record number of cruise calls were made to Cork harbours this year, bringing more than 4,000 passengers to Bantry, Kinsale, Schull, and Bere Island, with Baltimore, Youghal, and Ballycotton being added to the destinations in 2025.

Ms Flanagan said that while there was good pick-up from cruise ships coming in, it was not a bumper summer by any means.

Businesses are worried going into the winter, with very high overheads a real challenge for a very seasonal sector, she said.
There have been calls for the extension of a pilot scheme which saw free suncream dispensers deposited in parks across Cork.

The pilot scheme  part of the HSEs National Cancer Control Programme  has now concluded, but at the inaugural meeting of the HSEs Regional Health Forum at Cork County Hall, Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan submitted a motion seeking its expansion.

A representative from the HSE South West branch said a report has gone to the Department of Health to review potential for a national rollout of the programme.

Health Promotion and Improvement is happy to engage with local authorities in relation to expanding the Cork city parks initiative further in Cork and Kerry, the HSE spokesperson said.

Mr Horgan said: It was heartening to have cross-party support across the region on this matter, and I want to see the three county councils engage proactively like Cork City Council did on the matter.

"Ive worked with my colleague, Senator Laura Harmon, on expanding this to OPW parks, but we need the local authorities to be funded and supported to roll this scheme out for 12 months of the year.

The Irish Cancer Society praised the pilot, noting the dramatic barriers removed when sunscreen becomes free and conveniently available  particularly in public spaces, and often used spontaneously.
CAIRO/JERUSALEM, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Egypt will host Israeli and Hamas delegations on Monday to discuss "field conditions and details" for the exchange of "all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners" under the recent U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Egypt hopes the discussions will help "end the war and the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people, which has continued for two consecutive years," the ministry said in a statement.

The anticipated meetings are part of Egypt's ongoing efforts, in coordination with other mediators, "aimed at ending the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip," it said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday voiced hope that all Israeli hostages held in Gaza could be released within days.

"We are on the verge of a significant achievement," Netanyahu said in a live video statement. "It's not final yet, but I hope that during the upcoming Sukkot holiday, we will be able to secure the release of all the hostages, both living and deceased, while maintaining our military presence deep inside the Gaza Strip." Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday, begins on Monday evening.

However, Netanyahu said Israel intends to keep negotiations limited to just a few days, adding that in the U.S. proposal's second phase, "Hamas will be disarmed, and the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized, whether through military action or diplomatic means."

Far-right ministers in Netanyahu's political-security cabinet and coalition have harshly criticized Netanyahu and the emerging agreement. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called Netanyahu's decision "a serious mistake and a sure recipe for Hamas stalling for time and the growing erosion of the Israeli position."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said if Hamas continues to exist after all the hostages are released, his faction will not be part of the government.

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu summoned the two ministers for an urgent meeting to convince them to support the agreement.

The U.S. proposal, which Washington said on Monday that Israel had agreed to, combines a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, phased Israeli withdrawal, and international oversight on Gaza's reconstruction and governance after the end of the conflict.

Hamas announced Friday that it had accepted the proposal in principle and was ready to open mediated talks, a response broadly welcomed by the international community, which urged both sides to seize the chance to end the war and ease civilian suffering.

On Saturday, two U.S. envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, headed to Egypt to discuss details of the proposal, the White House said.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces scaled back the offensive in Gaza on Saturday after the U.S. asked Israel to halt attacks in response to Hamas's announcement that it was ready to free hostages.

According to Palestinian medical sources, the Israeli Air Force launched a series of airstrikes Saturday morning targeting various areas of Gaza City, resulting in deaths and injuries. The health authorities said in a press statement that 66 were dead and 265 wounded at Gaza hospitals over the past 24 hours.

Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 67,074 Palestinians and injured 169,430 others since Oct. 7, 2023, while famine and malnutrition have claimed 459 lives in the enclave, including 154 children, according to an update by Gaza-based health authorities on Saturday. 
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has plans to build out a 24/7/365 surveillance team that focuses on scouring social media for case leads, as revealed in documents first discovered by Wired. According to public records, ICE has put out a request for information  which allows the agency to detail its preliminary scope of work to gauge any interest from contractors  that details using social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and YouTube to develop leads on wanted individuals.

For "urgent cases," the team is expected to work on leads with ICE's Top 10 Most Wanted within a 30-minute timeframe. However, the breadth of work ranges all the way to low-priority cases, like those involving someone convicted of a non-violent misdemeanor or "has no convictions but has a significant arrest history," with a more generous eight-hour window to generate leads.

According to the documents, ICE wants at least 12 full-time staff to work at its National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center in Williston, Vermont, which will require three staffers on duty at all times. On the other side of the country, ICE is looking for a minimum staff of 16 full-time contractors for its Pacific Enforcement Response Center in Santa Ana, California, that will also have a duty rotation of at least two staffers on for "after-hour requirements and emergency situations."

While the plans are in the very early stages, ICE's plans are aggressive and even ask how prospective contractors would use artificial intelligence to achieve its goals. The federal agency is no stranger to controversial tech though, as it has previously been accused of using facial recognition.
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WARSAW, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Poland has extended temporary border control measures with Germany and Lithuania for another six months, with the regulation taking effect on Sunday and remaining in force until April 4 next year.

According to Polish media reports, the decree was signed by Polish Minister of the Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwinski on Wednesday.

Poland introduced the temporary border controls on July 7 at its western border with Germany and northeastern border with Lithuania, later extending them to Oct. 4. Checks are currently conducted at 50 points along the Polish-German border and 13 along the Polish-Lithuanian border, according to the Polish Press Agency.

Speaking at a press conference after the Munich Migration Meeting on Saturday, Kierwinski said Poland is unwilling to agree to any regulations on relocating migrants within the European Union. He added that Poland has already paid a heavy price for guarding the bloc's external border, with nearly 25,000 illegal crossings recorded on the border with Belarus so far this year. 
British dairy farmers are reeling after milk prices were slashed by up to 18%, sparking urgent calls from the Liberal Democrats for government action.

The party is demanding sweeping reform of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), insisting the watchdog must be given the powers, funding and authority to hold major suppliers to account.

Recent announcements underline the depth of the crisis. Parkham Farms has confirmed an 8p per litre cut for November, reducing its price to 35.5ppl  an 18% drop.

Freshways is reducing its price by 6ppl, while dairy co-operative Arla Foods is trimming its October rate by 1.7ppl to 45.34ppl.

Figures from the House of Commons library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, reveal the steep decline the sector has already suffered.

Since 2015, the number of dairy farms has fallen from 12,643 to 8,738  a drop of more than 30%. In the same period, livestock numbers have shrunk from 1.13 million to just over 1.04 million.

Farmers also face the loss of basic payments and whats been dubbed the family farm tax, with no universal support scheme now in place for the first time since the 1940s.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrats environment spokesperson, said the price reductions could not have come at a worse time.

At a time when farmers across the UK are already having to deal with the fallout of summer drought  forced to spend more money on feed which further erodes thin profit margins  these cuts will come as yet another kick in the teeth, he said.

Farron argued that the current system of supply contracts is heavily skewed against farmers. There can be absolutely no justification for cutting prices for dairy farmers by such a scale.

"British farmers put food on our tables, and are fundamental to our national security. Enough is enough.

The partys demand is for a strengthened regulator able to launch proactive investigations rather than simply respond to complaints.

As Farron concluded, only a regulator with teeth will be capable of ensuring that farmers finally receive a fair deal.

The coming months will test whether ministers are prepared to intervene  or risk seeing Britains dairy industry shrink even further.
British egg farmers say years of costly welfare reforms are being undermined by cheap imports from cage systems still permitted overseas.

The UK egg industry has undergone one of the most significant welfare transformations in modern agriculture. Over the past two decades, producers have phased out conventional battery cages, committed to ending colony production by 2025, and expanded free-range and organic systems.

These changes were driven by sustained pressure from welfare groups, shifting consumer expectations and new legislation.

Animal welfare organisations such as Compassion in World Farming, the RSPCA and the Humane League UK led successful campaigns that mobilised public opinion, pushed retailers and packers, and left producers with little choice but to adapt.

The result, campaigners argued, was a win for hen welfare and for consumers who demanded higher standards.

But while domestic production has been transformed, critics point to a glaring inconsistency. Imported eggs, many from systems that still permit cages, are entering the UK market with little scrutiny from the same groups that fought to eradicate those systems at home.

Industry voices argue this creates a moral and commercial paradox. British farmers have invested heavily to raise welfare standardsincurring higher costs, reduced stocking densities and greater management challengesyet now face competition from cheaper imports produced to standards that would be unlawful in the UK.

The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) has repeatedly warned that this imbalance undermines both producers and consumers. It highlights food safety risks and insists that consistent standards should apply to all eggs consumed in the UK, regardless of origin.

Why the silence from welfare advocates? Observers suggest several reasons: limited resources, a lack of mandate to campaign internationally, the complexity of WTO and post-Brexit trade rules, and fears of appearing protectionist.

Some groups argue that consumer education and choice, rather than trade restrictions, remain the most effective way to improve global standards.

However, this position leaves UK farmers frustrated. The deposits paid into the Bank of Welfare UK are seemingly not paying out the dividends of ongoing support and loyalty, one producer remarked.

Possible solutions are being debated. Industry leaders propose welfare-based import standards to create a level playing field, though trade law would present major hurdles.

Others advocate greater supply-chain transparency, including clearer labelling on processed products that often contain imported eggs. Calls for joint campaigns between welfare groups and producers are also growing, aimed at promoting British higher-welfare eggs and educating consumers about the differences.

Analysts say the way forward requires cooperation, not confrontation. Welfare advocates would gain credibility by applying consistent principles internationally, while the industry could benefit from expanded market opportunities if higher standards were better promoted.

Consumer education, meanwhile, remains key: informed choices could reinforce welfare gains while sustaining British production.

The debate cuts to the heart of animal welfare advocacy in a globalised food system. Domestically, welfare bodies have achieved sweeping change. The test now, say critics, is whether they have the consistency and courage to address imports produced under systems they have long condemned.

As one industry figure put it, the question is not whether UK egg production can keep improvingit already has. The question is whether welfare advocates can apply the same standards beyond Britains borders.
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Every reunion with my beloved friends from the 80s is a walk down memory lane, filled with laughter, warmth, and the same unbreakable bond weve shared for decades.



So many beautiful memories, and yet every meet feels as fresh as the first! #80sStarsReunion pic.twitter.com/97uT70U4CV  Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) October 5, 2025

The 80s stars reunion saw the coming together of many actors, including about 25 leading film personalities from South India.

Friendship, unity, and solidarity

The 80s stars reunion was filled with fun and frolic, and reminiscences about their work and experiences as part of their annual reunion to celebrate friendship and brotherhood.

Friendships remain steadfast

80s reunion  The evening was filled with warmth, reflection, and camaraderie  reminding everyone that while the years have passed, the friendships forged in the 80s remain steadfast.

The stars from the '80s have a reunion every year to celebrate their friendship and camaraderie. Held on October 4th, 2025, in Chennai, the latest edition of the reunion made a heartfelt return after three years. The event saw the coming together of many actors, including about 25 leading film personalities from South India.The 80s stars reunion was planned for last year but had to be postponed due to the devastating floods in Chennai. But the gathering made a heartfelt comeback this year with actors Rajkumar Sethupathy and Sripriya hosting the event at their home as against the customary practice of holding the event in a five-star venue. The get-together is tipped as an intimate and meaningful meeting of friendship, unity, and solidarity in light of recent events that have touched the state deeply. The reunion turned out to be a fun-filled evening with actors performing for a medley. Lissy Lakshmi, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Khushbu Sundar, and Suhasini Mani Ratnam curated the event. The spirit and bonding was evident among the actors who shared the screen during the vibrant decade of the 1980s.Every year, leading film stars from the 80s catch up for an evening to celebrate their decades-long friendship and camaraderie. This year, a total of 31 actors attended the reunion, travelling from various South states. A few colleagues from the Hindi film industry were also invited. The event was filled with fun and frolic, and reminiscences about their work and experiences as part of their annual reunion to celebrate friendship and brotherhood. The evening was filled with warmth, reflection, and camaraderie  reminding everyone that while the years have passed, the friendships forged in the 80s remain steadfast. All celebs also posed together for a photo that can be described as iconic with some of the biggest celebs of the 80s sharing the frame.It wasnt a night of celebration, commented Suhasini Maniratnam, one of the organizers. It was a quiet gathering of friends who have known each other for decades  to express unity, empathy, and gratitude for the bonds that have outlasted fame and time, added Lissy Lakshmi, adding that the reunion stands as a symbol of friendship, and the timeless spirit.
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.
AMSTERDAM (dpa-AFX) - Stellantis NV is preparing a major investment push in the United States, with plans to inject approximately $10 billion into its operations, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The automaker is expected to unveil around $5 billion in new funding soon, supplementing a similar commitment made earlier this year. The reported that the multi-year investment strategy aims to revitalize key facilities in Illinois and Michigan, potentially reopening plants, expanding hiring, and launching new vehicle models. This move reflects Stellantis's renewed focus on the U.S. market, which remains central to its profitability. However, the company faces headwinds, including looming U.S. tariffs on vehicles manufactured in Mexico and sluggish demand in Europe, which has already led to the shutdown of several plants across the continent. 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.
Innovation at the Service of Fashion

PARIS, Oct. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On 29 September 2025, Shenzhen Futian Fashion Day returned to Paris for its second edition, as part of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode's "Welcome to Paris" program. Organized by the Bay Area Sustainable Fashion Alliance (BASFA), with support from the Futian District Government in Shenzhen, the event featured collections by three womenswear companies: NEXY.CO, YINER, and LAUREL (Ellassay Group). The aim was to promote cultural exchange and showcase the creativity of Chinese fashion on the international stage.

Three Distinct Visions of Modern Femininity

NEXY.CO, a high-end brand under EEKA Fashion Group, blends European refinement with Oriental heritage. Its Spring-Summer 2026 collection, The Time of MULAN, pays tribute to modern women-resilient and graceful like the magnolia flower.

YINER, the flagship brand of YINGER Fashion Group, merges Eastern and Western influences with subtle elegance. Its new collection, The Order of Nature, uses fruit as a metaphor for growth, guided by the golden spiral as a visual theme.

LAUREL, originally founded in Munich and now under Ellassay Group, draws from Bauhaus aesthetics and German craftsmanship. Its latest collection, The Eternity of Order, emphasizes geometric structure and timeless femininity through bold tailoring and natural materials.

Futian: China's Rising Fashion Hub

Located in central Shenzhen, Futian District is emerging as a strategic pillar of China's fashion industry, alongside finance and tech. In 2024, the added value of the fashion industry accounted for 15% of regional GDP, with over 1,700 significant enterprises generating more than 524 billion yuan in annual revenue. Anchored by the Bay Area Fashion Center, home to 30+ top brands, Futian is now an innovation-driven fashion cluster with global influence.

Partnerships and Innovation

This edition featured an MOU signing between BASFA and Luxurynsight, a French SaaS platform supporting global expansion for luxury brands. Futian's brands and designers will now gain access to top-tier analytics tools.

The event also integrated emerging technologies, with an AI-generated soundtrack accompanying the runway blending tradition with digital artistry.

The district is also making advancements in smart wearables, digital avatars, and AI-powered fashion.

With initiatives like the Istituto Marangoni's new China campus in Futian, the district cements its role as a future-forward fashion epicenter.

Shenzhen Futian Fashion Day in Paris 2025 celebrated design, innovation, and cross-cultural collaboration-redefining China's place in global fashion.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2788003/iMAGE1.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/shenzhen-futian-fashion-day-returns-to-paris-302575387.html
THE HAGUE, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Around 250,000 people joined a "Red Line" protest in Amsterdam on Sunday, calling on the Dutch government to take stronger action against Israel and help stop what organizers described as "genocide in Gaza."

It was the third nationwide "Red Line" demonstration in recent months, following earlier rallies in The Hague that drew about 100,000 participants in May and 150,000 in June, according to organizers.

Backed by 134 aid organizations, including Oxfam Novib, the protest urged the Dutch government to adopt concrete measures against Israel over its military campaign in Gaza.

Several Jewish organizations also joined the rally, emphasizing that Israel's policies do not represent all Jewish people.

"As long as our government continues to refuse to take concrete measures to stop the Israeli genocide and occupation of Palestine, we will take to the streets en masse," Oxfam Novib said in a statement on its website.

The statement also called on Dutch officials to "impose effective political, economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel as soon as possible." 
In good and bad times, India and Nepal have to live together, and as Nepal moves forward in shaping a new economic and developmental future, India should stand by as a committed and reliable partner

In the wake of new political changes in Nepal and economic disruptions, ushering in economic reforms for Nepals inclusive development is a must now. As per an estimate of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI), the Nepalese economy suffered losses of about INR 50 billion. This is unimaginable besides the precious lives lost, and for that, sadly, there cant be any damage control.

At the core of the Gen Z movement and the traction of support it commanded was a chronic failure of multiparty democracy in Nepal to deliver good governance and inclusive development for the masses; also, it failed to offer a level playing field for industry.

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Contrarily, the issues related to economic emancipation and further transformation were overshadowed by the political infighting that put question marks on the credibility of central political characters ruling the roost in Kathmandu and the provinces.

Crony capitalism was not just surviving but was thriving in Nepal, and a small class of oligarchs were having a major say in politics and businesses. An impure and inefficient system with inherent weaknesses was creating a permanent blissful ground for the masters of capital formation, who are destined to grow but without having any commitment to raising the stature of the country, its people and its image in the world.

Reorienting economic priorities with effective economic reforms for realising Nepals true economic potential holds the key at this juncture when Nepal is at a crossroads. A few priorities that should not be overlooked are: Making industrial turf competitive and progressive; strengthening sectoral performances, most importantly in hydropower; hand-holding industry with working capital and expanding market access; expanding global collaborations; aiming at all stages to contribute to human development

For positively changing the industrial landscape and strengthening Nepals stake in the India-Nepal bilateral economic ecosystem, there is a glaring need for re-energising the energy partnership between the two countries. The foregone opportunities should be kept in reference for learning instead of as irritants; the success stories should continue to inspire partnershipand there should be a resolve to tap the vast potential Nepal has with hydroelectricity.

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For navigating Nepals new transition for a better tomorrow, added thrust should be on creating quality businesses with significant employment-generation capabilities besides checking exodus. Business leaders in India should be encouraged to be proactive in looking for new opportunities in expanding and diversifying trade and investment ties with Nepal. It is necessary that Nepal deepen its economic ties with India and facilitate joint ventures that create immense economic opportunities.

Indias unwavering commitment to peace and prosperity in Nepal and its complementarity in its relations with Nepal will help in creating a healthier economic ecosystem in Nepal. While the economic scenario is troubledand it is unlikely that Nepal will emerge from it soonit would be wrong to assume that a condition akin to a breakdown is inevitable in Nepal. Economic adversity has created the space for course correction, and Nepal should devise a fresh approach to achieve this through calibrated efforts and enhancing economic partnership with India.

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Beyond the fast-changing headlines about Nepals endemic woes at political, economic and humanitarian fronts, there is a need to read between the lines and see where the scripts should prompt for a decisive transformation of institutional processes. As Nepal should realise its true potential, there is no reason that it will not overcome its developmental disorders. The new aspirations, combined with the conventional value system and resolve to make the country a home for all and not just for a privileged few, will usher Nepal to a bright spot in the world.

Nepal is a transforming country. India is now a player on the global stage. It is time to repose faith in constructive dialogue with empathy to resolve any matter that disturbs the calm between the two countries, including at the economic fronts. In good and bad times, India and Nepal have to live together. Restoring trust and confidence through constructive dialogue is very much possible, and there is no reason that the initiatives will not be taken in this regard and the headlines will not be positive with sustained mutual efforts.

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Nepals political transition is entwined with its economic transition; till the time the latter is not dealt with successfully, it is unlikely that Nepal will get its democracy functioning smoothly and with requisite altruism. Nepals problems are well-identified and understood but not adequately addressed. At the macro level, striking a balance between national politics and geopolitics and a resolve to attain a reasonable economic bandwidth will help Nepal accomplish true success for its democracy.

At the core of its transformational agenda, the welfare of the forgotten Nepalese should occupy a prominent feature. Lately though, Nepal should emerge as the zone of hope, rather than despair with endless human suffering, natural degradation and ambivalence of political opportunists. Nepals search for democracy is officially over; now the challenge is to complete its transition smoothly and successfully. This will ensure Nepal its fair place in the world.

Atul K Thakur is a policy professional, columnist and writer. He has co-authored a book with Amb K V Rajan, Kathmandu Chronicle: Reclaiming India-Nepal Relations (Penguin Random House India). The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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Syria holds its first parliamentary elections since Bashar Assads ouster, with most seats chosen by electoral colleges and one-third appointed, amid concerns over inclusivity and representation.

Residents gather to celebrate the opening of a new shop in Daraya, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, ahead of Sundays parliamentary election. (Photo: AP)

Syria is holding parliamentary elections on Sunday for the first time since the fall of the countrys long-time autocratic leader, Bashar Assad, who was unseated in a rebel offensive in December. Under the Assad dynastys 50-year rule, Syria held regular elections in which all citizens could vote. In practice, however, the Assad-led Baath Party dominated parliament, and votes were widely seen as sham elections.

Outside analysts said the only competitive element was the Baath Partys internal primary system before election day, where members competed for positions on party lists. Sundays elections will again fall short of full democracy. Most of the Peoples Assembly seats will be chosen by electoral colleges in districts, while one-third will be appointed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

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Although not a popular vote, the results are expected to be viewed as a gauge of the interim governments seriousness about inclusivity, particularly for women and minorities.

How the elections will operate

The Peoples Assembly has 210 seats. Two-thirds will be elected, and one-third appointed. Elected seats will be chosen by electoral colleges in districts, with seat distribution based on population. Originally, 7,000 electoral college members in 60 districts were to vote for 140 seats.

However, elections in Sweida province and Kurdish-controlled areas in the northeast have been postponed indefinitely due to tensions between local authorities and Damascus, leaving those seats empty. As a result, about 6,000 electoral college members will vote in 50 districts for roughly 120 seats.

The Aleppo district is the largest, with 700 electors voting for 14 seats, followed by Damascus with 500 electors for 10 seats. All candidates must be members of the electoral colleges.

After Assads ouster, interim authorities dissolved all existing political parties, most of which had close ties to the Assad government, and have not yet created a system for registering new parties. Consequently, all candidates are standing as individuals.

Why there is no popular vote

The interim government says creating an accurate voter registry and organising a popular vote is impossible at this stage, due to the displacement of millions of Syrians by the nearly 14-year civil war and loss of personal documents.

The new parliament will serve a 30-month term, during which the government aims to prepare for a popular vote in the next elections.

Critics have described the absence of a popular vote as undemocratic, though some analysts find the governments reasoning valid. Benjamin Feve, senior research analyst at Karam Shaar Advisory, said: We dont even know how many Syrians are in Syria today. It would be really difficult to draw electoral lists today in Syria or arrange logistics for Syrians abroad to vote.

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Haid Haid, senior research fellow at the Arab Reform Initiative and Chatham House, stressed the lack of clarity over how electors are chosen. Especially when it comes to choosing subcommittees and electoral colleges, there is no oversight, and the process is potentially vulnerable to manipulation, he said. He added that electoral authorities had removed names from published lists without explanation, fuelling criticism.

Inclusivity and representation concerns

There is no fixed quota for women or religious and ethnic minorities in the parliament. Women must make up 20% of electoral college members, but this does not guarantee a comparable percentage among candidates or those elected. According to state-run news agency SANA, citing Mohammed Taha al-Ahmad, head of the national elections committee, women make up 14% of the 1,578 candidates on the final lists. In some districts, women account for 3040% of candidates, while in others, there are none.

The exclusion of Sweida and Kurdish-controlled areas has intensified concerns over minority representation. Recent sectarian violence has killed hundreds of civilians from Alawite and Druze communities, many at the hands of government-affiliated fighters.

Feve noted that electoral districts appear designed to create minority-majority districts. The government could have merged these districts with majority Sunni Muslim districts to limit the number of minorities, which it did not do, he said.

Officials have suggested that al-Sharaas authority to appoint one-third of the parliament could improve inclusivity if fewer women or minorities are elected. However, Haid warned that the lack of participation from Sweida and the northeast would remain a significant issue, regardless of appointments. The dispute between de facto authorities and Damascus over their participation in the political process will remain unresolved, he said.

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(With agency inputs)
Political leaders in Washington are spending considerable energy blaming the other party for what could be an extended government shutdown and that effort includes shaping the narrative for next years elections. Read here

As the United States edges into a prolonged government shutdown, voters across political divides are growing increasingly anxious that both Democrats and Republicans may pay a steep electoral price for Washingtons stalemate.

What began as a tussle over health care funding has deepened into a battle for political survival, one that risks alienating the very constituencies both parties seek to court ahead of critical elections.

Virginia Beach feels the sting: Shutdown affects local economy, voter sentiment

In Virginia Beach, where government and military jobs underpin the local economy, the divide is on full display outside an early voting centre. On one side of the walkway, Democrat Betty Snellenberg hands out flyers for her partys ticket; on the other, Republican Grace Cook distributes pamphlets for the opposing slate. Yet, despite their partisan loyalties, both women share the same unease that their parties intransigence could cost them dearly if the shutdown stretches on.

The longer this goes, the worse its going to hurt everyone, said Snellenberg, 84, a retired naval intelligence employee. I dont want the Dems to back down because it shows weakness, but if it goes on for more than a month, itll come back and bite us.

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Cook, a 61-year-old former Department of Defence employee, fears that Republicans could face backlash during the 2026 midterm elections. It might hurt us in the midterms, she said. In this area  were a lot of Navy, a lot of DOD and federal jobs. If the pay stops, people are going to be angry at everyone.

The Hampton Roads region, home to the worlds largest naval base in Norfolk and thousands of defence-linked workers, is particularly exposed. Roughly 60,000 residents are federal employees and another 85,000 serve in active-duty military roles. According to Bob McNab, an economist at Old Dominion University, a sustained shutdown could wipe out $1 billion in monthly economic activity due to reduced spending by unpaid workers.

Nationally, public opinion appears to echo the worries voiced by voters in Virginia. A Marist, PBS News and NPR poll conducted just before the shutdown found that 38 per cent of Americans would blame Republicans, 27 per cent would fault Democrats, and 31 per cent would blame both equally. The divide highlighted the risk that the political fallout could engulf both sides.

A battle of narratives

In Washington, political leaders are devoting as much energy to shaping the public narrative as they are to resolving the crisis. Both parties have launched aggressive advertising campaigns aimed at framing the shutdown in their favour with Democrats tying Republicans to threats against affordable healthcare, and Republicans portraying Democrats as holding the government hostage over policy demands.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has rolled out digital ads in 35 competitive districts, accusing Republicans of standing in the way of affordable health care on purpose. A Democratic-aligned group, House Majority Forward, has added a $3 million push across 10 Republican-held districts.

Republicans, for their part, are using the shutdown to shift attention toward immigration, an issue they believe energised their base in the last election. One Republican campaign ad claims: Democrats are threatening a government shutdown to stop President Trumps policies. Another warns: The woke mob demanded a shutdown  so thats exactly what liberals in Congress are doing.

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North Carolina Representative Richard Hudson, who heads the House Republican campaign arm, said his party voted to keep the government open and blamed Democrats for the reckless decision to force a closure.

The harm it will cause working families rests squarely with the Democrats, and it will cost them their seats next November, he said.

Lessons from history

The political consequences of government shutdowns have varied over time. In 2013, Republicans faced early backlash for demanding changes to President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, but ultimately rebounded a year later with major electoral gains.

In contrast, the record-long 35-day shutdown of 20182019, driven by then-President Donald Trumps demand for border wall funding ended with mixed results: Democrats gained ground in the Senate, while Republicans held firm in the House.

Doug Heye, a former aide to Republican House leadership, believes the current standoff will only be politically damaging if it becomes deeply personal for voters. Voters tend to have short memories on this, he said. Unless a shutdown drags on and people really feel it in their paycheques, they move on.

But for many in Virginia, the effects are already real. Thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or are working without pay, and local businesses are bracing for a downturn. Because of a pullback in spending, the region could lose a billion dollars a month, McNab warned.

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Economic strain, political fatigue

The shutdown has already disrupted government services, from scientific research to the release of key economic data. Democratic state legislator Michael Feggans has sought to highlight the issue in his re-election campaign, warning that Trumps approach to governance is hurting local economies. Someone who always talked about the art of the deal is going on another shutdown, he said.

Republican opponent Tim Anderson countered that Democrats will initially shoulder the blame but warned the tide could turn. If this continues for a while, voters will start looking at the president as the responsible entity, he said.

Even within party ranks, frustration is growing. Some Republican voters in Virginia Beach told reporters they wanted Trump to hold his ground, even if it meant economic pain. Others, like independent voter Stuart, feared Democrats were losing the messaging battle. It seems to me, unfortunately, that the Republicans have the larger megaphone, she said.

As the shutdown moves into its second week with no clear resolution, the partisan blame game continues to overshadow the economic toll. For voters like Snellenberg and Cook, it is a wearying spectacle. Its supposed to be about the people, Cook said quietly, glancing at the early voting centre. But right now, it feels like its just about who wins the fight.

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With inputs from agencies
The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied claims that Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other Sumud flotilla detainees were mistreated, calling the allegations brazen lies. The ministry said all detainees legal rights were fully upheld, and Thunberg or others had not filed any complaints about their treatment.

Greta Thunberg and a group of climate activists are sailing towards Gaza. AP

Amid widespread criticism, the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday (October 5, 2025) dismissed claims that Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the HamasSumud flotilla were mistreated, calling the allegations brazen lies.

In a statement, the ministry said all detainees legal rights were fully upheld while in custody, and that Thunberg or others had not filed any credible complaints about their treatment.

The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the HamasSumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees legal rights are fully upheld, the statement read.

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The ministry also said Thunberg and other activists had refused to speed up their deportation, choosing instead to remain in custody longer. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody, it added. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations  because they never occurred.

However, two activists, Hazwani Helmi from Malaysia and Windfield Beaver from the US, told Reuters they witnessed Thunberg being mistreated, saying she was shoved and forced to wear an Israeli flag.

It was a disaster. They treated us like animals, said Helmi, 28. Beaver added that Thunberg was treated terribly and used as propaganda, describing how she was pushed into a room when Israels far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, arrived.
A system glitch at Denver International Airport led to a Colorado man being wrongly charged $19,824 for 27 minutes of parking, marking the airports second such incident in two months

Airport officials later confirmed that a system glitch caused the error, mistakenly matching Boyds license plate with another vehicles plate that differed by just one character. (Representational Photo/AFP)

Jim Boyd, from Glenhaven, was charged $19,824 after parking for 27 minutes at Denver International Airport (DIA) to drop off his wife for a flight to Germany. Boyd said the correct fee should have been $7, but his credit card statement showed a charge nearly 3,000 times higher.

Boyds parking receipt indicated his car had entered the garage on June 6, nearly four months earlier and had been parked for more than 169,000 minutes. Boyd confirmed this was incorrect, stating he had not been at DIA on that date.

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Airport officials later confirmed a system glitch caused the error by confusing Boyds licence plate with another vehicles plate that differed by only one character  a B instead of an 8. DIA worked with its parking contractor, LAZ Parking, to reverse the charge and issue the correct $7 fee, apologising for the mistake.

Repeated incidents

DIA admitted Boyds case was not isolated. Since June 1, four similar incidents have been recorded. Last month, a Denver woman was incorrectly billed over $2,300 for 14 hours of parking after the system showed her car had been parked for more than two months. DIA attributed that error to an entry ticket that had not been closed out in the system.

Officials said their parking system vendor, Flash Parking, has corrected the problem and updated the software. A fix was applied to all parking kiosks on the afternoon following Boyds incident. DIA stated these four cases were the only known errors out of roughly 1.5 million transactions since June and described the issue as not widespread.

Boyd expressed concern that others may not have the credit capacity to cover such errors and stressed the need for safeguards. DIA has advised travellers to verify charges on kiosk screens and, if amounts seem incorrect, to cancel the transaction, rescan their ticket, or contact an attendant.

The airport plans to install a new camera-based system within six months that will read licence plates and capture full vehicle descriptions to prevent future mismatches. Boyd said the experience has made him hesitant to return to the garage.
While in training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, the employee received a letter from Patel ordering his immediate dismissal

FBI Director Kash Patel dismissed a bureau trainee, effective on Wednesday (October 1), reportedly for the display of a Pride flag at his workstation.

The move has drawn scrutiny, particularly given the former employees decorated history with the bureau and the current political climate surrounding federal agencies.

The employee, an FBI veteran who had received multiple awards throughout his years of service, was participating in new agent training at the FBIs academy in Quantico, Virginia, when he received the termination letter signed by Director Patel.

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While the dismissal letter itself avoided direct mention of the Pride flag, sources cited by CNN indicate Patel accused the trainee of exercising poor judgment and displaying an inappropriate display of political signage.

Justification invokes presidential powers

The trainee had previously served in the Los Angeles Field Office as an FBI support specialist and also coordinated the offices diversity programme. It was at this workstation that he displayed the Pride flag on his desk.

A copy of Patels letter, obtained by MSNBC and dated October 1, confirmed the reasoning: I have determined that you exercised poor judgment with an inappropriate display of political signage in your work area during your previous assignment in the Los Angeles Field Office.

Significantly, the letter invoked US President Donald Trumps Article II powers to remove federal agency personnel. This is the same justification used in several other recent firings at the FBI and Department of Justice, which are currently subject to ongoing legal challenges alleging political motivation.

Policy and precedent questioned

The dismissal immediately raised questions about established bureau policy. Two FBI veterans told CNN that displaying a Pride flag at ones desk has historically never been considered a violation of bureau rules.

This recent action follows a trend of controversial personnel decisions under Director Patel.

Just days prior, he removed multiple FBI employees who had knelt during a 2020 protest in Washington, DC, an act then-FBI Director Christopher Wray had determined did not violate bureau policies.

Patel has dismissed or forced the resignation of numerous FBI officials since taking his position, including three senior executives who have since filed lawsuits alleging politically motivated terminations at the behest of Trump allies.

The environment has led to caution within the bureau, with MSNBC reporting that in the weeks before Donald Trumps January 2025 inauguration, agents and prosecutors began warning each other to be circumspect about revealing information regarding their sexual orientation or support for LGBTQ rights.

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Days after being arrested, climate activist Greta Thunberg has told Swedish officials that she is being subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody

Israeli forces have also reportedly taken photographs of Greta Thunberg where she was allegedly forced to hold flags. Reuters

Days after being arrested, climate activist Greta Thunberg has told Swedish officials that she is being subjected to harsh treatment in Israeli custody. Thunberg was arrested by the Israeli authorities while she was on board one of the vessels of the flotilla, which was travelling to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid.

According to The Guardian, the Israeli forces are also reported by other detainees to have taken photographs where Thunberg was allegedly forced to hold the flags. The identity of the flags is unknown.

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In an email sent by Swedens Foreign Ministry obtained by The Guardian, an official who has visited the activist in prison said she claimed she was detained in a cell infested with bedbugs, with too little food and water.

The embassy has been able to meet with Greta, reads the email. She informed of dehydration. She has received insufficient amounts of both water and food. She also stated that she had developed rashes, which she suspects were caused by bedbugs. She spoke of harsh treatment and said she had been sitting for long periods on hard surfaces," the email read.

Another detainee reportedly told another embassy that they had seen her [Thunberg] being forced to hold flags while pictures were taken. She wondered whether images of her had been distributed, the Swedish ministrys official added.

They dragged Greta by her hair

The allegations were also supported by two other members of the flotilla who were released by the Israeli forces on Saturday. They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others, the Turkish activist ErsinCelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu news agency.

Lorenzo DAgostino, a journalist and another flotilla participant, said after returning to Istanbul that Thunberg was wrapped in the Israeli flag and paraded like a trophy  a scene described with disbelief and anger by those who witnessed it.

The Swedish climate activist was among 437 campaigners, parliamentarians and lawyers who were part of the Global Sumud flotilla, a coalition of more than 40 vessels carrying humanitarian aid. The goal of the mission was to breach Israels 16-year maritime blockade of Gaza, but they failed to do so.

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Between Thursday and Friday, Israeli forces intercepted all the boats and arrested every crew member on board. According to The Guardian, most of the members of the mission are being held at Ketziot, also known as Ansar III, a high-security prison in the Negev desert. It is pertinent to note that the prison complex is used primarily to detain Palestinian security prisoners, many of whom Israel accuses of involvement in militant or terrorist activities.

In the past, activists, including Thunberg, who were detained by Israel were not criminally prosecuted and instead their presence was treated as an immigration matter.
India and Qatar are expected to finalise terms of reference this week to start talks for a free trade agreement (FTA), the commerce ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

India and Qatar are expected to finalise the terms of reference for a free trade agreement (FTA) this week, the Indian commerce ministry said on Sunday.

The announcement comes ahead of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyals two-day visit to Doha, starting on October 6. During the visit, Goyal will attend the Qatar-India Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce, which will be co-chaired by Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Qatars Minister of Commerce and Industry.

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Goyal will be accompanied by senior officials from multiple ministries and a large business delegation.

According to the ministry, the talks will cover a wide range of issues, including reviewing bilateral trade performance, addressing existing trade barriers and non-tariff challenges, and exploring ways to boost trade and investment flows between the two countries.

The talks are likely to include deliberations on the proposed India-Qatar FTA, with the way forward on finalisation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which will further strengthen economic cooperation between both countries, the ministry said.

ToR normally lays down modalities for negotiations of a trade pact.

Cooperation in other key sectors such as finance, agriculture, environment, tourism, culture, and healthcare will also form an integral part of the discussions, it added.

Qatar is an important trading partner of India in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with bilateral trade of over USD 14 billion in 2024-25.

GCC members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

India already has a trade pact with the UAE. A similar deal is likely to be signed with Oman.

Goyal has earlier stated that the proposal for an FTA with GCC is not on the table at the moment.

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In February this year, India and Qatar agreed to double bilateral trade to USD 28 billion over the next five years.

With inputs from agencies
Emergency teams are in a race against time, deploying sniffer dogs and heavy machinery to find those buried

Rescuers in Sidoarjo are battling both time and the dangerous conditions left behind by the school collapse as they search for survivors. More than 300 personnel are on site, working around the clock, but progress has been slow and extremely risky. AFP

The death toll from Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school collapse on Indonesias Java island reached 37 on Sunday, after rescuers recovered more bodies. The multi-storey building collapsed suddenly last Monday while students were gathered for prayers.

As of Sunday morning, the number of recovered victims was 141 people. 104 were in safe condition, 37 were dead, national search and rescue agency operations director Yudhi Bramantyo said in a statement.

He mentioned that 26 people were still unaccounted for.

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According to Yudhi, the death toll also included a body part found by rescuers in the debris on Saturday.

Budi Irawan, an official from the national disaster agency, informed reporters that roughly 60 percent of the recovery effort had been completed and expressed hope that it would be finalised shortly.

Our hope is that by tomorrow everything will be levelled and we can determine the approximate number of victims who are in the rubble, Budi said in a livestreamed press conference.

In a separate statement, Nanang Sigit, head of the local search and rescue agency, confirmed that the death toll had reached 37.

Officials noted that the rescue efforts were particularly challenging, as movement in one section could destabilise other areas. However, following the end of the critical 72-hour golden period for potential survival, families of the missing agreed on Thursday to allow the use of heavy machinery.

The exact cause of the collapse has yet to be officially confirmed, but preliminary investigations suggest it may have been due to construction defects and inadequate maintenance.

According to police, the collapse occurred in a part of the building that was reportedly undergoing unauthorised expansion.

While female students praying in a different section managed to escape without injury, most of the victims were male students aged 12 to 17.

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Jaishankar said India is working to resolve its trade differences with the United States, describing the tariffs imposed on Indian exports as unfair. He said both sides have yet to find common ground in discussions but expressed confidence that talks will lead to a resolution soon.

Any trade deal between India and the US has to respect New Delhis red lines and efforts are underway to reach an understanding, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday against the backdrop of a downturn in bilateral ties over Washingtons policy on tariffs.

The minister said India is actively working to resolve its trade issues with the United States, calling the tariffs imposed on Indian exports unfair.

Speaking at the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025), Jaishankar said the main challenge in IndiaUS trade ties is the inability to find common ground in discussions.

We have issues with the United States today  mainly that we havent yet reached a landing ground in our trade discussions. This has led to certain tariffs being levied on us, which we have publicly said are unfair, he said.

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VIDEO | Delhi: On Indo-US relations, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar at KEC 2025 says, "We have issues with the United States today - mainly that we havent yet reached a landing ground in our trade discussions. This has led to certain tariffs being levied on us, which pic.twitter.com/px1jUEzV5x  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 5, 2025

In August, US President Donald Trump had earlier imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Indian shipments and an additional 25 per cent secondry sanctions citing Indias purchase of Russian oil.

Jaishankar added that New Delhi is currently negotiating on 50 per cent of the tariffs imposed on India but insisted that the countrys red lines have to be respected. He said, There has to be understanding with the US because its number one market and because a lot of world has reached that understanding.

The minister also expressed hope that the tariff issues would not affect other aspects of bilateral trade. A large part of our relationship with the US is still business as usual, he said.

India and the US have already held five rounds of talks for a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the latest round concluding at the end of September.

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Jaishankar noted that Indias foreign policy approach is to build multiple productive partnerships without making any single relationship exclusive. The posture that India adopts is to have as many productive relationships as possible but to make sure that none of them result in the denial of opportunities in other relationships, he said.

On the broader global scenario, Jaishankar remarked that the rules-based international order has been weakened and, at times, discarded, which has changed how countries make key decisions. Cost may not be any longer a definitive criterion; ownership, security, reliability, and resilience are equally important, he said.

He also pointed out that some major powers now act unilaterally, shifting the global balance. They think they may not need the rest of the world as much as before Therefore, we have overall seen the global needle move towards competition, he said.

Concluding his remarks, Jaishankar stressed that Indias biggest challenge is rebuilding its manufacturing sector. We had lost decades as far as manufacturing was concerned, he said, adding that India needs to strike the right balance between advanced and traditional manufacturing to achieve optimal growth.

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The Global Governance Initiative proposed by China comes at the right time and will guide the world toward a fairer and more brilliant future, said a UN observer.
Members of a Moroccan online youth collective protested for the eighth consecutive day on Saturday, demanding better public health and education services.

A demonstrator gestures during a protest called for by the self-styled "GenZ212" collective demanding reforms to public healthcare and education in Rabat for the eighth consecutive day on October 3, 2025. AFP

Members of a Moroccan online youth collective protested for the eighth consecutive day on Saturday, demanding better public health and education services.

The demonstrations in the usually stable North African kingdom have bucked the perception of young Moroccans as being politically disengaged, and have been organised since last Saturday by GenZ 212, a group active on the web platform Discord.

In Tetouan, in the north of the country, hundreds of people gathered, chanting slogans such as The people want an end to corruption and Freedom, dignity and social justice, local media reported.

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In the western city of Casablanca, protesters shouted The people want education and health, while in the capital, Rabat, a dozen people gathered in front of parliament, an AFP photographer said.

GenZ 212, whose founders remain anonymous, earlier on Discord called for protests in 14 cities between 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) and 9:00 pm.

They want reforms to social services, particularly healthcare and education, as well as an end to corruption and the resignation of Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, whose tenure ends next year.

On Friday evening, hundreds of people rallied in numerous cities, including Rabat and Agadir.

Two days earlier, there were reports of violence in several smaller towns, with three people killed by police in legitimate defence after they allegedly tried to storm a station in the village of Lqliaa, near Agadir, the authorities said.

GenZ 212, which has more than 180,000 members on Discord, insists on the nonviolent nature of its protests, and the gatherings since then have been largely peaceful.

The rallies follow on from isolated protests that broke out in mid-September in several cities after reports of the deaths of eight pregnant women at the public hospital in Agadir who had been admitted for cesarean sections.

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Demonstrators have seized on the deaths as evidence of the public health sectors shortcomings, feeding wider discontent over social inequalities.
Nasa has halted several of its activities due to a US government shutdown and major budget cuts under the Trump administration

Nasa has announced that its activities are on hold because of a government funding lapse, with a notice on its website saying the agency is closed until further notice.

On Friday morning, the American space agencys website displayed a message stating, Due to the lapse in federal government funding, Nasa is not updating this website. This occurred just as the 3I/Atlas spacecraft was passing by Mars, and the Reconnaissance Orbiter was set to capture the clearest images of the comet to uncover its true characteristics.

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This announcement follows the US government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, after Congress did not approve a budget or temporary funding plan.

The shutdown, the first in almost six years, has led to thousands of federal employees being furloughed across various government agencies, including Nasa. Per official rules, only essential personnel needed to safeguard life and property are still working, causing most Nasa activitiesfrom space science research to public outreachto be put on hold.

The budget catastrophe

The Trump administration announced in May of this year a major reduction in the proposed Nasa budget for next year, slashing it from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion.

These cuts are expected to severely impact science projects, with a 33% reduction in their budget and a 47% cut across all Nasa projects. Furthermore, nearly 32% of the agencys workforce is slated to be laid off. Experts anticipate these deep cuts will significantly harm Americas space exploration efforts.

Earlier this week, a report released by the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation included a warning from whistleblowers that these budget reductions will also compromise safety at the space agency.
As Israel and Hamas prepare to engage in indirect ceasefire talks, US President Donald Trump said Israels PM Benjamin Netanyahu has no choice but to be fine with his Gaza peace proposal.

The talks come two days ahead the two-year mark of Hamass October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the conflict. (File Photo/AFP)

As negotiators converge ahead of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that we are close to finalising a peace deal, adding he intends to push for it in the coming days, Axios reported.

On Friday, before publicly urging Israel to halt its strikes, Trump spoke with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone. While speaking to Axios, Trump said his team had warned him that Netanyahu had reservations, but added that during their conversation, Netanyahu agreed to move forward.

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I said, Bibi, this is your chance for victory. He was fine with it, Trump said. Hes got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, youve got to be fine."

The breakthrough follows months of conflict that began with Hamass attack on October 7, 2023, and comes as both Israel and Hamas edge closer to ending the war. Over the weekend, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner travelled to Egypt to finalise technical details of a hostage release and discuss a lasting peace deal.

Negotiations begin in Egypt

Negotiators arrived in Cairo on Sunday ahead of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, with Israels leader expressing hope that the hostages still held in captivity would be freed within days.

The diplomatic efforts followed Hamass positive response to US President Donald Trumps roadmap for freeing the captives and managing post-war Gaza.

Netanyahu said on Saturday that he had ordered negotiators in Egypt to finalise the technical details, while Cairo confirmed it would also host a Hamas delegation to discuss the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.

Egyptian state-linked media had earlier reported that the parties would hold indirect talks on Sunday and Monday.

The US president warned he would not tolerate delay from Hamas, urging the group to move quickly towards a deal or else all bets will be off.

In a televised statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said military and diplomatic pressure is compelling Hamas to agree to release the captives.

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I hope that in the coming days we will be able to bring back all our hostages during the Sukkot holidays, Netanyahu said, referring to the Jewish festival beginning Monday and lasting a week.

On Friday night, Hamas announced its approval for the release of all hostages  living and remains  according to the exchange formula included in President Trumps proposal.

Trump hailed the statement as proof the group was ready for a lasting PEACE, calling on Israel to stop its bombing.

Netanyahu stressed on Saturday that Hamas will be disarmed either diplomatically via Trumps plan or militarily by us.

That night, crowds gathered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, calling for an end to the war and urging Trump to secure a deal.

The talks come two days before the two-year mark of Hamass October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the current conflict.

Strikes continue

Despite Trumps call for a pause in operations, Israel carried out deadly strikes across Gaza on Saturday.

The death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn today stands at 57, including 40 in Gaza City alone, said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defence agency under Hamas authority.

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Israeli forces have carried out sweeping air and ground assaults around the city in recent weeks.

Mahmud Al-Ghazi, 39, a resident of Gaza Citys Al-Rimal neighbourhood, said Israel has actually escalated its attacks since Trumps call for a pause, reported AFP.

Who will stop Israel now? We need the negotiations to move faster to stop this genocide and the ongoing bloodshed, he added.

The Israeli military said it was still operating in Gaza City and warned residents not to return, saying doing so would be extremely dangerous.

No role for Hamas

A Hamas official said Egypt, acting as mediator in the truce talks, would host a conference for Palestinian factions to decide on Gazas post-war plans.

In its response to Trumps plan, Hamas insisted it should have a say in the territorys future.

Trumps roadmap stipulates that Hamas and other factions not have any role in the governance of Gaza, while calling for a halt to hostilities, release of hostages within 72 hours, a gradual Israeli withdrawal, and Hamass disarmament.

Under the proposal, governance of Gaza would be handed to a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump.

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An AFP journalist in Gazas Al-Mawasi area reported hearing celebratory cries of Allahu akbar! (God is greatest) from tents as news of Hamass statement spread.

The best thing is that President Trump himself announced a ceasefire, and Netanyahu will not be able to escape this time (Trump) is the only one who can force Israel to comply and stop the war, said Sami Adas, 50, who lives in a tent in Gaza City with his family.

Hamass October 7, 2023, attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gazas health ministry figures, which the United Nations considers reliable. The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but shows more than half the dead are women and children.

With inputs from AFP.
Kim Jong Un said North Korea will respond to the growing presence of US forces on the Korean Peninsula

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the 12th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on June 24, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS/File Photo

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has promised to strengthen the military and send more weapons in response to more US troops in the South, as the country gets ready for a big anniversary parade.

In direct proportion to the buildup of US forces in [South] Korea, our strategic interest in the region has also increased, and we have accordingly allocated special assets to key targets of interest, Kim was quoted in a report published by the state media KCNA on Sunday.

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Kims recent statement follows a report from South Korea claiming that Pyongyang has gathered a large amount of highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium, indicating a big rise in its nuclear material stockpile.

I believe our enemies should be concerned about the direction their security environment is evolving, Kim said at a military exhibition event ahead of the parade.

He added that North Korea will definitely take further military steps to respond to the growing presence of US forces, though he didnt provide details.

Kim Jong Un has recently escalated his rhetoric, instructing top officials to fortify the countrys nuclear shield and sword, asserting that only a nuclear counteraction can guarantee North Koreas security.

Missiles and milestones

This heightened military focus coincides with a planned large-scale military parade on Friday, (October 10), to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers Party of Korea. During this event, North Korea is anticipated to exhibit its newest weapons and military hardware. Analysts cited by South Koreas Yonhap news agency suggest Pyongyang may unveil the Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and potentially even test-launch it around the anniversary date.

South Korean military sources, also quoted by Yonhap, report signs that Pyongyang is preparing to host tens of thousands of people for the evening parade on October 10. They have also observed movements of vehicles and military equipment.

Kim has maintained a hardline stance against South Korea and the United States, despite diplomatic overtures from both.

This is in the context of a recent shift in South Korean leadership, where President Lee Jae-myung (who took office in June) has pledged a more dovish approach to Pyongyang compared to his predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol.

Internationally, North Korea has been strengthening military ties with Russia, by supplying troops and artillery to support President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine. Kim Jong Un is also solidifying his alliance with China, shown by his recent visit to Beijing to attend a military parade with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Putin, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

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Hundreds of additional police officers have been deployed across Manchester after Thursdays deadly attack at a synagogue

Forensic officers arrived at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in north Manchester after a Yom Kippur attack that left two people dead and three injured. (Photo: AFP)

Pro-Palestinian rallies were held across the UK on Saturday, two days after the deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue, despite Prime Minister Keir Starmers appeal for restraint.

Two people were killed and three others seriously injured when 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a UK citizen of Syrian descent, launched a car-ramming and knife attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Police shot Al-Shamie dead within minutes of being alerted. Four people  two men and two women  remain in custody on suspicion of terrorism-linked offences after Thursdays assault, while an 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were released without charge.

The attack, one of Europes worst antisemitic incidents since the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel, has heightened fear within Britains Jewish community. Police have since increased patrols at places of worship, focusing on visible protection for Jewish neighbourhoods.

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Hundreds arrested at London rally

Around 1,000 people gathered in Trafalgar Square to show support for the banned Palestine Action group, according to organisers Defend Our Juries, while a smaller rally in Manchester drew about 100 participants. A spokesperson said the group stood in solidarity with the Jewish community, insisting that cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.

Ahead of the demonstrations, Starmer urged the public to respect the grief of British Jews, calling it a moment of mourning, not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain. Police later confirmed that 488 people were arrested at the London protest for supporting a proscribed organisation, with the oldest detainee aged 89. Four others were arrested for unrelated offences, while 297 remained in custody and the rest were bailed. Supporting the banned group has been a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act 2000 since July.

Meanwhile, the UK police watchdog said it would investigate the shooting of attacker Jihad Al-Shamie, as well as the deaths and injuries caused by police gunfire during the incident. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed there was no evidence of any firearms used other than by officers, suggesting two victims were accidentally shot as police confronted the assailant.
Amid Indias vows to respond appropriately to acts of terror, Pakistan battered from Operation Sindoor has resorted to warmongering rhetoric.

Amid Indias vows to respond appropriately to acts of terror, Pakistan battered from Operation Sindoor has resorted to warmongering rhetoric.

Days after Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said India would not restrain itself in future operations if Pakistan would resort to terrorism, rattled Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday said India will be buried under the debris of its planes.

Without providing any evidence, Asif repeated the claim of shooting down six Indian fighter planes during Operation Sindoor in May.

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Dubbing the Pakistani military Allahs soldiers, Asif dabbled into religious imagery.

Pakistan is a state founded in the name of Allah. Our protectors are Allahs soldiers. This time, India, God willing, will be buried in the debris of its own planes. Allahu Akbar, said Asif.

The remark came after Upendra and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Pakistan in public remarks.

In an interaction with soldiers in Rajasthan, Dwivedi said that if Pakistan wants to retain its place on the map, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism.

This time we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time we will do something that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to retain its place in geography or not. If Pakistan wants to retain its place in geography, then it must stop state-sponsored terrorism, said Dwivedi.

Separately, Rajnath said that India can cross any border whenever necessary to protect itself.

Rajnath said that any new Pakistani misadventure will invite a decisive response that could be so strong that it may change both history and geography.

Rajnath said, During Operation Sindoor, Pakistan attempted, unsuccessfully, to undermine Indias defence posture from Leh to the Sir Creek area. Pakistans recent buildup of military infrastructure around Sir Creek makes its intentions clear. Indias borders are being guarded by the Army and the BSF. together. Should Pakistan undertake any misadventure in the Sir Creek area, it will be met with such a decisive response that it would alter both history and geography.

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Andrej Babis, the populist billionaire, won the parliamentary election in the Czech Republic, but fell short of forming an overall majority

A man walks past the election poster of ANO 2011 (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens) party leader, billionaire and founder of ANO, and former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, ahead of the parliamentary elections of 2025, in Strancice, Czech Republic. Reuters

Andrej Babis, the populist billionaire, won the parliamentary election in the Czech Republic, but fell short of forming an overall majority on Saturday. The win marks a major political comeback for Babis, who was the prime minister of the country from 2017 to 2021.

Political analysts have maintained that Babis is expected to put the country on a course away from supporting Ukraine and towards Hungary and Slovakia, both of which have maintained a pro-Russia stance throughout the war.

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According to AFP, with 98 per cent of the votes counted by the Czech statistics office, Babiss ANO (YES) party captured 35 per cent of the votes. This was followed by the pro-Western coalition of the prime minister, Petr Fiala, with 23.0 per cent. The coalition defeated Babis in the 2021 election.

A pro-Trump PM?

According to AFP, the two-day elections in the European nation filled 200 seats in the lower house of the Czech parliament. A group of mayors known as STAN, also a member of Fialas government, received 11.1 per cent of the vote, with another ally of Fiala, the Pirate Party, getting an 8.7 per cent share.

It is pertinent to note that Babis is a self-proclaimed Trumpist. Soon after the results started to emerge, the Czech billionaire described the polls as the absolute peak of his political career. Voter turnout for this election was as high as 69 per cent.

Since Babiss ANO did not win the overall majority, the 71-year-old is expected to be invited to lead talks in forming a new coalition with the countrys president present. Before the polls, Babis had already ruled out cooperation with any of the parties that had been in the government after the 2021 election.

Hence, his potential partners would include fringe parties Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), an anti-immigration party that won 7.9 per cent of the votes, and a rightwing group called the Motorists, which received 6.8%.

The Czech billionaire would need to ally with both parties to be able to hold the overall majority. We will definitely lead talks with the SPD and the Motorists and seek a single-party government led by ANO, Babis said.
Five were killed as Russia launched a major overnight attack on Ukraine, targeting multiple regions with missiles and drones. As a result, Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace, and Nato allied aircraft were deployed.

Ukrainian rescuers conduct a search and rescue operation in and around a residential building heavily damaged during a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv that killed at least 10 people on August 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Image- AFP

At least five civilians died after Russia launched a major overnight attack on Ukraine, using drones, missiles, and guided bombs that targeted civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow fired over 50 ballistic missiles and around 500 drones across nine regions of Ukraine.

Massive strikes in Lviv, Zaporizhzhia kill 5

According to officials, four people, including a 15-year-old, were killed in combined drone and missile strikes on Lviv, a western city often seen as a refuge from fighting further east, according to regional officials and Ukraines emergency service. At least six more were injured, Ukraines police said.

The strikes left two districts without power, and public transport was suspended early Sunday, Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi reported. He added that a business complex on the outskirts caught fire, stressing it was a civilian facility with no military connection.

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One person was also killed in Zaporizhzhia, where the Russian attacks left more than 73,000 households without electricity, said regional governor Ivan Fedorov. Nine others, including a 16-year-old girl, were injured in the city, which saw residential buildings damaged and cars destroyed.

Six people, including a child, were injured in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, after a Russian guided bomb hit an apartment block. Over two dozen buildings, shops, and cars were damaged in the attack, prosecutors reported.

Other regions targeted included Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad, Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy said on the attack that, We need more protection and faster implementation of all defence agreements, especially on air defence, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning. A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is possible  and it is precisely that which could open the way to real diplomacy.

Poland scrambled jets, Nato allied aircraft deployed

Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace, and Nato allied aircraft were deployed.

Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness, Polands operational command said on X.

Air raid alerts covered all of Ukraine from 02:10 GMT, following warnings from the Ukrainian Air Force of incoming Russian missile and drone attacks.

Overnight attacks damaged infrastructure, power outages reported

Kyivs energy ministry said overnight attacks damaged infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, and Sumy. Lvivs mayor reported significant power outages and urged residents to stay indoors as air defence systems engaged incoming attacks.

The assaults come days after a US official said Washington would support Ukraine in launching deep strikes inside Russian territory.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Russian President Vladimir Putins offer to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons sounds like a good idea.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday described Russian President Vladimir Putins proposal to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons as a good idea.

Putin last month suggested that both countries uphold the caps established under the 2010 New START treaty, which is set to expire in February, provided the United States reciprocates.

Sounds like a good idea to me, Trump told reporters as he left the White House when asked about the proposal.

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Russias UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia recently said Moscow was awaiting a formal response from Washington regarding the voluntary continuation of the nuclear limits once the treaty lapses.

Any such agreement would come amid escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow, following reported Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace since Trump and Putins meeting in Alaska in mid-August.

In a video clip released on Sunday, Putin warned that US plans to supply long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, allowing strikes deep into Russian territory, would severely damage bilateral relations.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said last month that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain missiles that could strike deep into Russia, including Moscow, though it is unclear if a final decision has been made.

Trump, who has expressed disappointment in Putin for not moving to end the war in Ukraine, was not asked directly on Sunday about the prospect of supplying Tomahawks to Ukraine.

This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations, Putin said in a video clip released on Sunday by Russian state television reporter Pavel Zarubin.

One U.S. official and three other sources told Reuters that the Trump administrations desire to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine may not be viable because current inventories are committed to the U.S. Navy and other uses.

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Trump is touring a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the George H.W. Bush, off the coast of Virginia on Sunday, and will give a speech on a second carrier, the Harry S. Truman, later.

Tomahawk cruise missiles have a range of 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles). If Ukraine got the missiles, the Kremlin and all of European Russia would be within target.
Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets demanding the release of all hostages as Israel and Hamas work on engaging in indirect ceasefire talks.

Tens of Thousands of people took to the street of Israel demanding release of hostages from Gaza. X

Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets demanding the release of all hostages as Israel and Hamas work on engaging in indirect ceasefire talks. The hopes of the hostage release have been high after the Palestinian militant group partially accepted US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace proposal.

On Saturday, protesters gathered at the central rally in Tel Aviv, as well as in Haifa, Jerusalem and in northern Israel, Haaretz reported. While speaking at the Tel Aviv protest at Hostage Square, released hostages Gadi Moses and Omer Shem Tov, as well as Einav Zangauker, mother of the Israeli hostage Matan, urged Israeli authorities to ensure the smooth release of the hostages.

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It is pertinent to note that these weekly demonstrations are taking place amid preparation for new ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas of Trumps peace deal. As done before, the talks will be mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt.

The timeline is crucial

Both Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas have maintained that they would agree to some of the American deals clauses. In light of this, Israel has also scaled back operations in Gaza City on Saturday, and Hamas said it would be willing to release all Israeli hostages.

However, it is still unclear how the parties would address the issues that have previously torpedoed the ceasefire efforts. The issues between the two sides include timelines for hostages release and an IDF withdrawal and control of Gaza after the war.

For example, Trumps proposal outlines all hostages release within a 72-hour time frame, but a senior Hamas official has reportedly called the move unrealistic, Haaretz reported.

At the Tel Aviv rally, Einav Zangauker, mother of Israeli hostage Matan, emphasised how important the timing of the hostage release is. I want to share with you that Im dying of fear, " Zangauker told the crowds, which organisers said reached 100,000 people. But because of all of you, the families of the hostages are a bit less afraid.

My whole body is filled with longing for your laughter, my child, she told her son. I miss drinking coffee with you and asking what you feel like eating, I miss your arms that come to hug and how you protect your sisters. Ahead of the demonstration, Zangauker expressed concern that far-right Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir would attempt to thwart the ongoing procedure.

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We have never been this close to getting Matan and all the hostages back, she said in a statement outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. These are critical days, the saboteurs of negotiations are mobilising to pressure Netanyahu  we must stand as a wall against them  We cannot rely on Trump alone. I call on the citizens of this country  take to the streets with us.
This photo provided by Indonesia's National Search And Rescue Agency (Basarnas) shows rescue team members working at the site of a collapsed school building at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo district, East Java, Indonesia, Oct. 4, 2025. The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has risen to 37, regional rescue authorities said Sunday. (Basarnas/Handout via Xinhua)

JAKARTA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has risen to 37, regional rescue authorities said Sunday.

Nanang Sigit, head of the East Java Search and Rescue Office, said in a statement issued by the office that the excavation work has been challenging as victims were buried under the rubble.

About 25 people remain missing, and the death toll is expected to rise.

Part of the multi-storey Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo district caved in on Monday during unauthorized renovation, trapping dozens of students.

Rescuers deployed heavy machinery on Thursday after no further signs of life were detected. Earlier, they had relied mainly on manual excavation out of concern that heavy equipment could cause further collapse. 

This photo taken on Oct. 4, 2025 shows staff members transferring a body pack containing a victim of the school building collapse at Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has risen to 37, regional rescue authorities said Sunday. (Photo by Sahlan Kurniawan/Xinhua)

This photo provided by Indonesia's National Search And Rescue Agency (Basarnas) shows emergency workers transferring a body bag at the site of a collapsed school building at Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo district, East Java, Indonesia, Oct. 4, 2025. The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has risen to 37, regional rescue authorities said Sunday. (Basarnas/Handout via Xinhua)
US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, and Hamass response to the matter is currently awaited.

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line in Gaza, and Hamass response to the matter is currently awaited. After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas, the American leader wrote in a post on his social media platform TruthSocial.

Meanwhile, Trump said that Hamas has not given a confirmation on the peace proposal as of now, but maintained that if Hamas does, the ceasefire will be effective immediately and the hostages and prisoner exchanges will begin. We will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000-year catastrophe, Trump added.

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It is pertient to note that Trump has already warned that all hell will break loose if an agreement is not reached by the end of Sunday. Israels Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, also spoke about the deal. Our goal is to limit the negotiations to just a few days. Trump made it clear: We will not tolerate stalling tactics or evasions, the Israeli premier said Saturday.

The multi-phase plan is in play

While speaking to the media, the Israeli prime minister laid out a multi-phase plan:

Hamas will release the hostages while the Israeli military maintains control of all of the dominant areas deep inside the strip, he said. Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised. This will happen either through the diplomatic path by the Trump plan or through the military path, but it will be achieved."

The proclamation from Netanyahu came a day after Trump called on Israel to immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, he wrote in a Truth Social post. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, its far too dangerous to do that, Trump said.

However, hours after Trumps order, Israel launched dozens of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, Palestinian officials claimed. At least 36 people in Gaza have died since Trumps demand, according to the Gaza-based health ministry. Meanwhile, Hamas on Friday said that it would agree to some aspects of Trumps plan to end the Gaza war, including releasing hostages and handing over administration of the enclave.

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The Palestinian group insisted that it would seek negotiations over many of its other terms. The group agreed to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trumps proposal, so long as the field conditions for the exchange are met.

Hamas appreciates the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners, [and] the immediate entry of aid, the statement read.
Trump has sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and senior envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt to begin ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, as Netanyahu expressed hope of returning all remaining hostages home soon.

US President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US, April 7, 2025. Reuters File

US President Donald Trump has dispatched his son-in-law Jared Kushner and senior envoy Steve Witkoff to Egypt to begin ceasefire negotiations, the White House said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope of returning all remaining hostages home soon.

A White House official said the envoys will finalise technical details of a hostage release and discuss a long-term ceasefire, a day after Hamas agreed to free hostages under Trumps 20-point peace plan. Speaking to Axios, Trump said, We are very close to reaching a deal and is pushing to finalise it in the coming days.

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Egypt will also host delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday to discuss the proposed exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The talks come a month after Israel disrupted previous ceasefire efforts with an airstrike in Qatar that killed six Hamas negotiators.

Trumps call for restraint and Israeli airstrikes

Despite Trumps call for restraint, Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed dozens of Palestinians, local reports said. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, at least 17 civilians  mostly women and children  died in an airstrike on a home in Gaza Citys al-Tuffah neighbourhood, with around 20 others missing under the rubble.

Earlier, Israeli drones struck a gathering near a bakery and targeted several houses in al-Mawasi, an area previously declared a safe zone by Israel.

Hamas condemned the strikes, saying, The continuation of the occupations bombing and massacres exposes Netanyahus lies about reducing military operations against civilians.

Israeli army radio said operations would now be limited to the minimum, focusing only on defensive strikes. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said he appreciated Israels decision to temporarily pause the bombings.

Netanyahu and Trump push for deal

In a televised address, Netanyahu said, I hope that in the coming days we will be able to bring back all our hostages during the Sukkot holidays. He added, according to The Guardian, Hamas will be disarmed  either diplomatically via Trumps plan or militarily by us.

Trump said Israel has agreed to an initial withdrawal line coordinated with Hamas, after which the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange would begin. He told Axios, We had great receptivity for our plan  every country of the world is in favour. Bibi is in favour. Hamas went a long way, they want to do it. Now we will need to close it.

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He also praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for pressuring Hamas to cooperate.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza after Israeli campaign

Trump highlighted the humanitarian toll in Gaza, citing figures from the Gaza health authority showing at least 67,074 Palestinians killed and around 170,000 wounded, most of them civilians.

A UN commission and a leading association of genocide scholars have concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza  a charge Israel denies, asserting its actions are in self-defence.
A mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, near Brighton, was damaged in a suspected arson attack on Saturday night. Police are treating the incident as a hate crime, but the two people inside the mosque escaped unharmed.

Police and emergency personnel are at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester, UK, after a car-ramming and stabbing attack on October 2, 2025. (Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters)

A mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, near Brighton, was damaged in a suspected arson attack on Saturday night. Police are treating the incident as a hate crime. Two people were inside the mosque at the time but escaped unharmed.

A volunteer at the mosque said to BBC that two individuals wearing balaclavas tried to force open the front door.

When they found it locked, they poured a flammable liquid on the entrance and a nearby car, setting it alight. It could have been murder, the volunteer said.

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Fire crews were called to the mosque on Phyllis Avenue at around 21:50 BST. Sussex Police said the front entrance and a vehicle outside were damaged, but no one was injured.

Detective Superintendent Karrie Bohanna told the BBC, We understand the concerns this has caused within the community, and the impact that will be felt by the Muslim community as a result. There is already an increased police presence at the scene and additional patrols are taking place to provide reassurance at other places of worship across the county.

Another attack on Jewish worship place, 2 killed

The Peacehaven mosque attack comes shortly after another attack on a place of worship, when two Jewish people were killed outside a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday.

The suspect, 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent, was shot dead at the scene.

Everybody deeply saddened and appalled

Tariq Jung, chair of the Brighton and Hove Muslim Forum, said the attacks in Manchester and Peacehaven have left everybody deeply saddened and appalled.

He said, Irrespective of whether worshippers were Jewish, Christian, Hindu or Muslim, the last thing they should expect is that someone would try to harm them. I hope faith leaders and others within the community will come together to try and bring peace. Weve got to support each other at this time of great need.
The new regulation allows police to take into account the overall impact of multiple protests when determining whether to impose restrictions.

he government said police would be authorised to consider the "cumulative impact" of protests.

The UK government is giving police more power to restrict protests, specifically targeting the repeated, large pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as these frequent protests have created considerable fear for the Jewish community.

This decision follows a deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue on Thursday.

Even after requests from the Prime Minister and police to delay it, a pro-Palestinian demonstration still took place in London on Saturday.

The new rule lets police consider the total effect of repeated protests when deciding to set limits on them. The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a statement.

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Almost 500 of the over 1,000 participants in Saturdays protest at Trafalgar Square in London were arrested for supporting the banned group, Palestine Action.

The organisers of the Saturday protest in London defended their decision to proceed, rejecting calls to cancel it by stating that they were standing in solidarity with the Jewish community after the Manchester attack and that cancelling peaceful protests lets terror win.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary Mahmood expressed deep concern, noting that large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes, a fear she said was especially evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community.

She admitted that the current situation had made her very worried about the state of community relations in our country, citing a broad increase in both antisemitism and other forms of hatred, and concluding that malign and dark forces were active across the UK.

Her remarks followed an incident a day earlier where Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was booed at a vigil for the synagogue attack victims.

The attack itself occurred on Thursday at a north Manchester synagogue, carried out by the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent, who was shot dead by police.

The attack resulted in two deathsone person died outside the synagogue, and another died from a gunshot believed to have been fired by police during the confrontation with Shamie.

Three others remain seriously injured, with one also believed to have been accidentally hit by police fire. Separately, counter-terrorism police have received extra time to question four people arrested on suspicion of terrorism-linked offences related to the incident.

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The UK has been the site of repeated pro-Palestinian demonstrations since the conflict escalated in October 2023.
On Saturday, a federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked US President Donald Trumps decision to deploy 200 National Guard troops to Portland.

US Customs and Border Protection agents detain a man outside the US Immigration and Customs building during a protest in Portland, Ore. File image/ AP

On Saturday, a federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked US President Donald Trumps decision to deploy 200 National Guard troops to Portland. US District Judge Karin J. Immergut, who oversaw the case, was interestingly a Trump appointee. After hearing the Oregon and Portland lawsuit against the Trump administration, Judge Immergut issued a temporary restraining order.

According to NBC News, the court order will expire on October 18 and is subject to extension. In her Saturday ruling, Immergut wrote that the US Constitution grants Congress the power to call forth troops  the militia in the founding document  to execute laws, suppress an insurrection or repel an invasion.

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She went on to state that the Trump administrations attempt to federalise the National Guard, absent constitutional authority, undermines the sovereign interests of Oregon. This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs, Immergut wrote.

This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power  to the detriment of this nation, she furthered.

Not the final say

It is pertinent to note that Justice Immerguts Saturday ruling is not the final say on the matter. However, the Oregon judge wrote that the plaintiffs showed a likelihood of success on the merits, justifying a temporary restraining order. She blocked the implementation of the Trump administrations September 28 memo ordering the federalisation and deployment of the Oregon National Guard.

While reacting to the court ruling, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said on Saturday that justice has been served, and the truth has prevailed. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. No fires, no bombs, no fatalities due to civil unrest. The only threat we face is to our democracy  and it is being led by President Donald Trump, she said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a White House spokesperson suggested the restraining order may be appealed by the Trump administration. President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement  we expect to be vindicated by a higher court, spokesperson Abigail Jackson said. The ruling is now being seen as a setback for the Trump administration as it seeks to use military troops in some Democratic-run cities.

Last month, a federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administrations use of the National Guard and Marines in Los Angeles was illegal. In that case, the US Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco ruled that the administration violated the Posse Comitatus Act  the 1878 law that prohibits the president from using the military as a domestic police force.

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A US federal agent shot a motorist in Chicago on Saturday as a judge blocked President Donald Trumps bid to deploy troops into Portland

Federal agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) walk north on North Clark Street in the River North neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Chicago. (Photo: Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

A US federal agent shot a motorist in Chicago on Saturday as a judge blocked President Donald Trumps bid to deploy troops into Portland, with tensions spiking in both Democratic cities where the US leader says a security emergency requires military intervention.

They are the latest flashpoints in the Trump administrations aggressive mass deportation campaign that has seen heavily militarized raids and protests in places like Los Angeles and Washington.

Trump has repeatedly called Portland war-ravaged and riddled with violent crime, but in Saturdays court order, US District Judge Karin Immergut wrote the Presidents determination was simply untethered to the facts.

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Defendants presented evidence of sporadic violence against federal officers and property damage to a federal building Immergut wrote, but they failed to demonstrate that those episodes of violence were part of an organized attempt to overthrow the government as a whole.

Protests in Portland did not pose a danger of rebellion and regular law enforcement forces could handle such incidents, Immergut wrote.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden applauded the order, saying the victory supports what Oregonians already know: we dont need or want Donald Trump to provoke violence by deploying federal troops in our state.

The incident came as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Washington had ordered him to deploy his states National Guard troops, or else federal authorities would do so over his objections.

The Trump administrations Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will, Pritzker said on X.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the shooting in Chicago took place Saturday morning after agents were boxed in by 10 cars.

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Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon, DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at an armed US citizen, she said.

AFP could not independently verify the DHS version of the event.

The agency said the motorist drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds.

McLaughlin also accused Chicago police of leaving the shooting scene with officers refusing to assist us in securing the area.

Chicago police told local broadcaster Fox 32 that officers responded to the scene but the department is not involved in the incident or its investigation. Federal authorities are investigating this shooting.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has every authorisation needed for strikes in the Caribbean by the military against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs just off the coast of Venezuela.

Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, in Quantico, Va. AP File

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the military has full authorisation to conduct strikes in the Caribbean against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs off the coast of Venezuela.

Speaking in an interview on Fox News The Sunday Briefing, Hegseth said the targeted groups had been designated as foreign terrorist organisations. He confirmed that at least four people were killed in a strike on Friday, marking the fourth such operation in recent weeks.

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Neither Hegseth nor President Donald Trump provided evidence to substantiate claims that the boats were carrying drugs. Last week, Trump told Congress that the United States was engaged in a non-international armed conflict with drug cartels, without offering further legal justification.

Critics have questioned the legal basis for the strikes, noting that such operations are typically within the remit of the US Coast Guard, the nations maritime law enforcement agency. Observers suggest the attacks could be interpreted as a test of the limits of Trumps presidential powers.

If youre in our hemisphere, if youre in the Caribbean, if youre north of Venezuela and you want to traffic drugs to the United States, you are a legitimate target of the United States military, Hegseth said.

Trump on Sunday said the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean had halted drug trafficking from South America.

Theres no drugs coming into the water. And well look at what phase 2 is, he told reporters at the White House.

With inputs from agencies
Carlos Portugal Gouvea was taken into custody after allegedly firing two shots near a Massachusetts synagogue on the night before Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar.

A visiting professor at Harvard Law School has been placed on administrative leave after allegedly firing a pellet rifle near a synagogue in Brookline, as reported by the New York Post.

Authorities arrested 43-year-old Carlos Portugal Gouvea on Wednesday night outside Temple Beth Zion on Beacon Street. According to Brookline.News, he told police he was hunting rats.

Investigators stated they do not believe the synagogue was the intended target. However, court records show that Gouvea was charged in Brookline District Court with unlawful discharge of a pellet gun, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and malicious destruction of personal property.

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According to police, the incident triggered a significant response involving over a dozen officers. Two private security guards stationed outside Temple Beth Zion reported hearing two loud shots and seeing a man with a pellet rifle.

When they approached him, Gouvea allegedly placed the weapon on the ground, but a brief physical struggle occurred as the guards attempted to detain him, according to Brookline.News.

Gouvea reportedly ran to his nearby home after the incident but came back out shortly after, when police arrested and handcuffed him. Officers later found a broken car window with a pellet inside the vehicle.

The Harvard Crimson was the first to report Gouveas suspension.

Gouvea graduated from Harvard Law School and earned his doctorate there in 2008. He is also a professor at the University of Sao Paulo Law School and leads a Brazilian think tank focused on social and environmental issues.

A spokesperson for Harvard Law School, Jeff Neal, told The New York Post that Gouvea has been placed on administrative leave as the school seeks to learn more about this matter.

The school has not shared any further disciplinary actions at this time.

According to the court docket, Gouvea was arraigned on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was released on personal recognisance and is expected to appear in court again in early November.

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The incident comes as Harvard faces intense criticism over its handling of campus antisemitism. Jewish groups and federal officials have accused the university of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students. In response, the Trump administration threatened to cut billions in federal funding. Harvard sued, calling the move punitive and politically motivated, though both sides now appear close to a settlement.
Egypt reopened Pharaoh Amenhotep IIIs tomb in Luxor after 20 years of restoration, ahead of the Grand Egyptian Museum launch, aiming to revive tourism with its ancient treasures.

Egypt reopened the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep III to the public on Saturday after over 20 years of restoration work in Luxor, as the country prepares to officially launch the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The massive tomb, located on the western side of the famous Valley of the Kings, belonged to Amenhotep III, who ruled from 1390 to 1350 BC. Discovered in 1799, the tomb was looted shortly after its discovery, with its sarcophagus and other items taken, according to Egypts antiquities officials.

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The restoration, led by a Japanese team, took place in three phases over two decades and included the preservation of wall paintings depicting the pharaoh and his wife, explained Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, one of the largest in southern Egypt's Valley of the Kings and Queens, was officially opened to the public Saturday after years of restoration.



 https://t.co/9KXiRgEtyG pic.twitter.com/5HTb0QNAFc  AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 5, 2025

He described the tomb as very fascinating to The Associated Press at the site, noting that it contains a frame of the stolen sarcophagus box, with the lid positioned as it originally was.

The tomb begins with a sloping tunnel that goes down for 36 meters (118 feet) and reaches a depth of 14 metres (45 feet) under the Valley of the Kings. It contains the main burial room for the king, plus two other rooms for his wives, Queens Tiye and Sitamun.

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Unlike many other ancient tombs in the valley, this one isnt fully decorated, according to Ismail. The decorations that do exist include paintings of Amenhotep III alongside various ancient Egyptian gods. The burial chamber itself features inscriptions detailing scenes from the Book of the Dead, which is a collection of spells intended to guide the deceased through the underworld.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation notes that ancient priests relocated Amenhotep IIIs mummy to the tomb of his grandfather, Amenhotep II, also in the Valley of the Kings. This badly damaged mummy is now on display at the museum, along with 16 other mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and queens.

Amenhotep III, also known as Amenhotep the Great, was a highly significant pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty (1550 BC to 1292 BC). He took the throne as a teenager and governed for up to 38 years.

The reopening of this tomb is part of a broader push to boost Egypts tourism sector, a crucial source of foreign income. This effort is timed just ahead of the Grand Egyptian Museums official inauguration near the Giza Pyramids on November 1. Tourism, which relies heavily on Egypts ancient artifacts, has been struggling since the political upheaval and violence that followed the 2011 uprising.
KIEV, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 10 others injured in an overnight Russian attack targeting Ukraine's infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday.

The attack involved about 500 combat drones and more than 50 missiles, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and cruise missiles, the president wrote on social media.

Nine regions in western, southern, northern, eastern and central Ukraine were targeted, he added.

In the western Lviv region, four members of one family, including a 15-year-old, were killed, said the regional Prosecutor's Office. It described the attack as the most severe assault on the region since the start of the conflict, damaging several industrial and energy facilities.

Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyy said that the Sparrow industrial park was set on fire during the strikes.

Local authorities also reported strikes on critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, in the northern Chernihiv region and the western Ivano-Frankivsk region.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday that its forces had conducted large-scale overnight strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial sites as well as its gas and energy infrastructure. 
BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Italy and hold the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and then travel to Switzerland and hold the 4th round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue from Oct. 7 to 12, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced Sunday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is making the trip at the invitation of Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani and Swiss Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, said the spokesperson. 
TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and 25 others injured on Sunday in a three-vehicle chain-reaction crash near Iran's capital, Tehran, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

The collision occurred at 6:19 a.m. local time (0249 GMT) on a road between the counties of Damavand and Firuzkuh, in the city of Absard, involving a truck, a minibus and a sedan, according to Shervin Tabrizi, spokesman for Tehran's Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Tabrizi added that immediately after receiving the accident report, three ambulances, one ambulance bus and two additional EMS vehicles were dispatched to the scene.

Absard is a city located around 70 km east of Tehran. 
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Washington, D.C., Oct. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For years, satellite internet was dismissed as impractical, too slow, or too expensive to scale. But in a new presentation, bestselling author and entrepreneur James Altucher points out that Elon Musks Starlink has already crossed a major threshold  widespread adoption.

Elons Starlink has already been rolled out to millions of people worldwide! The satellites are in orbit. His plan has been successfully pulled off. And Starlink is already rolled out and disrupting everything.

Widespread Use Across Industries

Altucher highlights that Starlinks reach is not limited to households. The technology is being adopted across sectors that demand reliable connectivity.

Its being used on almost every cruise ship and plane in the world Its being used in the Ukraine conflict, where all other access to internet service has been cut off Its even being used in more than 2.6 million households.

This rapid integration demonstrates how quickly Starlink is moving from an experimental project to a backbone of global communications.

A Global Footprint

The technologys design allows it to transcend the limitations of traditional networks. Elons satellites are designed to wrap the Earth, forming a network to deliver lightning-fast internet to every inch of the planet.

As Altucher notes, the coverage potential is universal: Whether youre in Manhattan or in a remote rural cabin youll always have the chance to be connected to lightning-fast speeds.

This means both developed and developing regions stand to benefit  from Wall Street bankers to farmers in rural New Zealand.

Why Consumers Are Turning Away from Telecoms

Altucher emphasizes that adoption is accelerating not just because of access, but because of dissatisfaction with current providers.

The average American today could pay nearly $200 per month for their service service thats among the slowest in the world. By contrast, Starlink has the potential to deliver faster, more reliable service without the need for costly towers or cables.

For Consumers Like You and I, Elons Starlink Is a Godsend For the $2.18 Trillion Telecom Industry, Its Their Worst Nightmare.

Connecting the Unconnected

Beyond serving current internet users, Starlink is also beginning to bring billions of new people online. There are 2.9 billion people globally who do NOT have any access to the internet, whatsoever. And by connecting these people it could help unlock an incredible amount of additional economic value.

Altucher underscores the magnitude of this shift: Because Starlinks internet comes to you directly from space, it can reach anywhere in the world no matter how remote it is.

A Defining Technological Moment

Altucher frames Starlink as part of a broader historical trend. Whenever the internet takes a huge leap forward untold amounts of wealth are made over time by folks who see it coming.

He compares Starlinks adoption curve to previous milestones in internet history  from AOLs dial-up to cable broadband  but stresses that this leap may be the most significant yet.

About James Altucher

James Altucher is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, hedge fund manager, and venture capitalist. He has been recognized by CNBC and others as one of the best venture capitalists, angel investors, and tech entrepreneurs in the world.

He has a record of anticipating major technological shifts. In 2013, he declared that Bitcoin was the future when it traded at just $114. He also predicted Facebook would be worth $100 billion when it was still just a small startup. Today, more than 150,000 readers follow his work through Altuchers Investment Network.
ALPHARETTA, Ga., Oct. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What should homeowners know about pest control in Alpharetta, and why is it considered a year-round commitment instead of a one-time fix? In an article for HelloNation , Shane Blackwell of Daniel & Lawson Pest Control explains how the climate in North Georgia drives continuous pest activity, making seasonal pest control an essential service for local homes and businesses. With warm summers, mild winters, and steady humidity, Alpharetta creates a favorable environment for ants, termites, mosquitoes, rodents, and other common pests that emerge at different times of the year.

Blackwell notes that Georgias climate leaves little room for relief. Long stretches of heat provide prime breeding conditions, while rainy periods force insects indoors. Even in the cooler months, pests remain active. Unlike areas where winter naturally reduces pest populations, Alpharetta faces year-round pest problems that require vigilance and professional management.

Each season brings its own challenges. Spring is marked by ant activity in kitchens and bathrooms, making ant control Alpharetta services essential. Termite inspection Alpharetta is also critical during this time, as swarming termites signal mature colonies that can cause extensive property damage if left unchecked. By summer, mosquitoes thrive in standing water, and mosquito control Alpharetta treatments help reduce both irritation and the risk of disease. Stinging insects such as hornets and wasps also increase, building nests in trees, eaves, and even underground spaces.

When fall arrives, the focus shifts to roach infestation Alpharetta issues and rodent control Alpharetta strategies. German and American roaches thrive in basements, crawl spaces, and kitchens, while rodents squeeze through cracks and crevices as small as a quarter-inch. Once inside, rodents can chew wires, damage insulation, and contaminate food sources. Preventative measures like sealing entry points and monitoring food sources help limit infestations before they spread.

Winter introduces another set of common pests. Spiders often enter homes searching for prey, while overwintering insects such as stink bugs and boxelder bugs seek shelter in attics, behind walls, and in crawl spaces. Though these pests may not cause structural damage, their sudden appearance indoors can still be disruptive. Seasonal pest control ensures that these issues are addressed proactively, instead of waiting for a large-scale pest infestation to take root.

Blackwell emphasizes that effective pest control Alpharetta solutions require more than reactive treatments. Professional services begin with a detailed inspection to identify current pest activity and the specific entry points pests are using to enter the home. From there, targeted treatments are applied based on the time of year and the pests present. This approach, paired with preventative measures like sealing cracks, eliminating standing water, and removing food sources, provides long-term protection.

The benefit of year-round service is not just physical protection but also peace of mind. Homeowners who wait until a pest infestation has already begun often face larger costs and more complex treatments. By staying one step ahead with regular visits, seasonal pest control prevents minor pest problems from escalating. Whether it is termite inspection Alpharetta services in spring or mosquito control Alpharetta programs in summer, ongoing service keeps homes safer and healthier throughout the year.

For families searching pest control near me Alpharetta, Blackwell explains that finding a trusted professional means more than choosing a one-time solution. Pest control in this region is about anticipating seasonal shifts, understanding pest behavior, and staying consistent with treatments. This rhythm ensures that pests are not just removed temporarily but kept at bay year after year.

The insights are detailed in What to Expect from Pest Control in Alpharetta . This is according to Shane Blackwell of Daniel & Lawson Pest Control in Alpharetta, Georgia, who outlines how seasonal pest control adapts to the local climate and helps residents stay ahead of pest activity in HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is a premier media platform that connects readers with trusted professionals and businesses across various industries. Through its innovative edvertising approach that blends educational content and storytelling, HelloNation delivers expert-driven articles that inform, inspire, and empower. Covering topics from home improvement and health to business strategy and lifestyle, HelloNation highlights leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

Patrick McCabe

info@hellonation.com

www.hellonation.com





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e6be3b1f-222b-48c2-9eca-2558c0d5d0b7
A resident cleans a flooded road in Kathmandu, Nepal, Oct. 5, 2025. Rain-induced landslides have left 14 people dead and 8 others missing in Nepal, police said on Sunday. Incessant rainfall from Friday has affected daily lives in most parts of Nepal, triggering landslides and floods that have obstructed highways and roads. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)

KATHMANDU, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Rain-induced landslides have left 14 people dead and 8 others missing in Nepal, police said on Sunday.

"Different incidents of landslides have claimed 14 lives in Ilam district, while four others are missing. Similarly, four trekkers are missing in a flood in Rasuwa district," Binod Ghimire, Nepal Police spokesperson, told Xinhua.

Among the dead in Ilam, six were from the same family and five others from another family, noted Ghimire.

Incessant rainfall from Friday has affected daily lives in most parts of Nepal, triggering landslides and floods that have obstructed highways and roads.

A three-day ban on vehicular movement into and out of the Kathmandu Valley has been imposed since Saturday. 

A woman pumps water from her flooded house in Kathmandu, Nepal, Oct. 5, 2025. Rain-induced landslides have left 14 people dead and 8 others missing in Nepal, police said on Sunday.

Incessant rainfall from Friday has affected daily lives in most parts of Nepal, triggering landslides and floods that have obstructed highways and roads. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)

A man cleans his flooded house in Kathmandu, Nepal, Oct. 5, 2025. Rain-induced landslides have left 14 people dead and 8 others missing in Nepal, police said on Sunday.

Incessant rainfall from Friday has affected daily lives in most parts of Nepal, triggering landslides and floods that have obstructed highways and roads. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)




BALI, Indonesia, Oct. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MandalaChain presale is gaining international interest due to its inclusion in the leading crypto presale listing. The step enhances its position within the blockchain ecosystem and propels the public sale.

$KPG Is Already 5.1% Sold  Are You Willing to Be the Investor Who Waited Too Long?

Mandalain is a native utility and governance token known as $KPG. It now appears on major world presale sites, and it creates the buzz more akin to Floki 2024 pivot. The pre-sale price is 0.027 per token. To date, it has raised $2.3 million, or 5.1 percent of the quantity on offer, and still has more than 94 percent remaining. Round 2 will come to an end in 14 days with 7 hours to participate. Such an international listing is an indication of MandalaChain being ready to attain mass market focus and is a sign of developmental confidence in the usefulness and worth of $KPG.

The Blockchain Governments Already Trust  Why Are You Still Watching From the Sidelines?

Mandala Chain is a Substrate-based Layer 1 blockchain. It is set to transform AI-enabled digital countries using modular, sovereign infrastructure. The new project has already taken root in the emerging markets beginning with Indonesia. More than ten high-value uses, including digital identity, supply chain, healthcare, and smart cities, are being facilitated by multiple government partnerships there, which are powered by KPG fuels, including governance, transaction fees, smart contract gas, staking, AI computation, and infrastructure licensing. This matches the utility of the token with a firm operational base.

Connecting Your Wallet Takes Seconds  So Why Risk Missing the Allocation Window?

Through the widget of the official site, investors can connect their wallets. They choose an allocation level and price of the token. Supported contributions are USDT, USDC, ETH, and others. A concise wallet direction and terminology guarantee an unhindered buy to those willing to invest in time of the next frenzy.

Early Investors in Avalanche Made 12,000%  Are You Ready to Miss That Again?

The $KPG token can provide an investor with early access to a blockchain that will continue to expand. It brings together solid infrastructure, government collaboration, and AI development. Those investors that were not able to jump in early such as with Avalanche or Fantom can have a second chance. Analysts expect a potential ROI that may be more than the 12,000 percent returns of previous breakout tokens. Move fast and get tokens at this presale before it takes off.

KPG is a transparent and audited company with numerous government alliances. These reasons highlight its validity and viability in the long term. Do not delay, become a part of the MandalaChain presale revolution and be on the frontline of the curve.

Investors Worldwide Are Taking Positions  Why Are You Still Waiting?

MandalaChain is trending in terms of being listed on international crypto presale platforms. The world is becoming more interested in investors. The $KPG token is picking up pace, with the presale ongoing and the public sale close at hand. This places MandalaChain in the position to leverage market demand.

Only 14 Days and 7 Hours Left  Are You Brave Enough to Risk Sitting Out?

As of now, the $KPG is listed on global presale sites, the coin is generating actual hype like those of the crypto booms of the past. It is priced at $0.027 per token. The pre-sale has already collected 2.3m. Approximately 5.1 percent of the tokens have been sold, so there is still 94.9 percent to be sold. Round 2 will expire on a date of 14 days and 7 hours, which leaves investors with a time constraint to join. This inclusion on the lists around the world highlights increased confidence in the ambitious use cases and ecosystem potential of $KPG.

Governments Are Already Deploying It  What Excuse Do You Have Left?

MandalaChain is a Substrate based Layer 1 blockchain. It aims at AI-driven digital countries that have sovereign modular infrastructure. In Indonesia, it has already launched over ten high-value, real-world applications such as digital identity, supply chain, healthcare, and smart cities, all powered by the utility and governance backbone of $KPG as the transaction fee, staking, smart contract, and AI implemented. Such a solid base facilitates sustainable growth and increasing use cases.

The Buy Process Is Frictionless  Will You Still Complain About Barriers?

To participate in the public sale of MandalaChain, investors should be able to connect their wallets through the widget on the official site. They will view levels of allocation and prices. Donations are made in USDT, USDC, ETH, and other accepted resources. Students should have assisted wallets and read terms thoroughly before investing money. This simplified system provides all buyers with access and security.

Solana Delivered 21,000% Gains  Will You Forgive Yourself for Ignoring KPG?

KPG is in a position to make huge profits as it is supported by robust infrastructure, various government collaborations, and AI-friendly utility. People who were not there during huge gains over the years such as the Solana 21,000% ROI or Polygon explosion can now have an opportunity to enter early. It is estimated that the KPG would yield returns higher than those in the past. Investors are advised to move promptly to make allocations before the presale fills up because the hype and momentum are still gaining.

KPG is audited and supported with reputed partners, which outline its competence and prospective. It is high time to invest, get your $KPG tokens and become a part of the revolutionary journey of MandalaChain before the price soars.

For more information about $KPG visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mandalachain.io/

Buy the presale : https://token.mandalachain.io/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/MandalaChain

Telegram:https://t.me/+9NtdP2VucUAyZDhk

Email:info@mandalachain.io



Contact details:

info@mandalachain.io

Disclaimer: This content is provided by MandalaChain. 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.

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Albon and Sainz disqualified from Singapore GP

Williams launched an urgent probe after both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz were disqualified from Singapore GP qualifying for DRS non-compliance, with James Vowles calling the outcome bitterly disappointing.

Alex Albon, Singapore GP 2025

 Williams

James Vowles, Team Principal said, "During FIA scrutineering after Qualifying, the rear wings on both our cars failed DRS slot gap checks. As a result, Alex and Carlos have been disqualified from Qualifying for tomorrows Singapore Grand Prix. This is bitterly disappointing for the team and we are urgently investigating how this happened. At no point were we seeking a performance advantage and the rear wings had passed our own checks earlier in the day, but there is only one measurement that matters and we fully accept the FIA ruling. We have a car capable of scoring points here this weekend and will do everything we can to fight from the back of the grid tomorrow, and will immediately review our processes to make sure this doesnt happen again.
Russell shines amid ongoing 2026 contract tension

George Russell's stunning pole in Singapore came amid ongoing uncertainty about his future at Mercedes.

George Russell, Singapore GP 2025

 Mercedes

Italian journalist Leo Turrini told Sky Italia that Russell's qualifying form may have been fuelled by the situation. Not having a job guarantee has launched George towards a sensational qualifying session, he said.

His contract hasn't been signed yet - he's now done something extraordinary.

Rumours of tense exchanges between Russell and team boss Toto Wolff have swirled for days, though Wolff insists a deal is close. When asked if it was a matter of days, hours or minutes, the Austrian smiled: Something like that.

Russell himself said he is simply taking his time.

I think for any driver, when you get to a certain point in your career, things have to be done right, he explained. "Every time you renew a contract, it's the most important one of your life and it has to be done with good care.

There's nothing to worry about, and it will get done when it gets done.

Asked if he was being a tough negotiator, Russell laughed. "How many of these questions? You keep on going!

No, I don't think so. I think it's just about something that's fair, mutually beneficial. It's obviously different for certain drivers who may have a bit more power, may have a bit less power. But as I said, no more updates. Nothing to report. I'll be glad to tell you all once there is.

While Russell's renewal drags on, speculation about Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes seat for 2026 has eased. Wolff now appears to be defending the young Italian rather than criticising him.

All the other drivers have gotten used to these cars, but for him, it's only his first year, he said. But next year, everyone will be starting from scratch again. And I think he's doing a good job.

As for his earlier tough words, particularly after Monza, Wolff admitted: It worked to get him fired up. Antonelli agreed, telling L'Equipe: I needed a kick in the butt.

He also conceded a Q3 mistake in Singapore. I felt good in Q1 and Q2 and knew I could fight for pole. I wasn't clear-headed - I exceeded the limits of the car and its grip. I was more sideways than straight, which is a shame because at least the front row was achievable.

Elsewhere, Yuki Tsunoda's 2026 prospects remain uncertain. Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko said in Singapore: He needs to get closer to Max (Verstappen), returning to his familiar refrain after recently praising the Japanese driver's progress.

Tsunoda downplayed any differences between his car and Verstappen's.

The only update is to the front wing, so I don't think that makes a big difference, he said. The areas where I was lacking today were areas that should have improved, so I'll see how it goes from here.

As for Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, he's enduring a poor weekend, crashing twice at a crucial stage of contract talks.

At Alpine, Franco Colapinto's future also hangs in the balance. New team boss Steve Nielsen said the rookie's recent form has improved but decisions are still weeks away.

Franco had a difficult start. I think we've seen that equalise and calm down a little bit, he said in Singapore. "He's now had the measure of Pierre (Gasly) in the last two or three races. So he's on a par with him, which is good.

We don't know where that slope will end - we'll make our decision on Franco and whoever else is in the frame when we have to. But we're a few races away from that yet.

(GMM)
A tree pushed over by strong wind during typhoon Matmo is pictured by a street in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 5, 2025. Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall along the eastern coast of Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province around 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, according to Guangdong's meteorological service. Heavily affected by Matmo, many parts of Hainan Island, which sits to the south of Guangdong, still suffer from strong wind and rainfall late on Sunday. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

BEIJING, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- China activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response on Sunday as Typhoon Matmo -- the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season -- battered the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief has dispatched working groups to the affected areas to guide disaster rescue operations.

The Ministry of Emergency Management, in collaboration with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, has sent an additional 20,000 items of disaster relief supplies to Guangdong and Hainan, and 10,000 items to Guangxi.

The supplies include folding beds, moisture-proof mats and family emergency kits.

Additionally, the National Development and Reform Commission has urgently allocated 200 million yuan (about 28.15 million U.S. dollars) of central budgetary investment to support Guangdong and Hainan in emergency post-typhoon recovery efforts.

The funds will be primarily used for the restoration and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure and public service facilities in the affected areas, including roads, bridges, embankments, schools and hospitals, to accelerate the return to normal production and daily life.

According to local authorities, approximately 347,000 people have been evacuated in Guangdong and Hainan to ensure safety. 

Beer bottles smashed due to strong wind during typhoon Matmo are pictured outside a store in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 5, 2025. Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall along the eastern coast of Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province around 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, according to Guangdong's meteorological service.

Heavily affected by Matmo, many parts of Hainan Island, which sits to the south of Guangdong, still suffer from strong wind and rainfall late on Sunday. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

A tree pushed over by strong wind during typhoon Matmo is pictured by a street in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 5, 2025. Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall along the eastern coast of Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province around 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, according to Guangdong's meteorological service.

Heavily affected by Matmo, many parts of Hainan Island, which sits to the south of Guangdong, still suffer from strong wind and rainfall late on Sunday. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

Motor vehicles plough through a flooded street in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 5, 2025. Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall along the eastern coast of Xuwen County, Zhanjiang City in south China's Guangdong Province around 2:50 p.m. on Sunday, according to Guangdong's meteorological service.

Heavily affected by Matmo, many parts of Hainan Island, which sits to the south of Guangdong, still suffer from strong wind and rainfall late on Sunday. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)
A look at the Galaxy S26 Ultra, OnePlus 15 will go global, Week 40 in review

CAD-based renders of the Galaxy S26 Ultra reaffirmed the phone's design. The next Ultra will look like the current FE and lower-tier S models with a pill-shaped camera island on the back. It's also more rounded than the ongoing Ultra.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to pack a 200MP primary rear camera, a 50MP ultrawide unit, a 10MP 3x optical zoom camera with a downgraded sensor, and the 5x optical zoom unit found on the current S25 Ultra.

OnePlus teased the upcoming 15, unveiling its Sand Storm color and confirming the flagship will become global. The new color uses an industry-first micro-arc oxidation treatment for the aluminum frame that uses a high-voltage plasma process to forge a ceramic coating directly on the metal. The company claims this gives the surface 3.4x hardness compared to raw aluminum and 1.3x the toughness of titanium. The back of the phone features a fiber-glass panel with a smooth texture.

OnePlus also said that the 15 will have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The phone will be unveiled this month.



Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra new design renders leak The Galaxy S26 Ultra will sport a slightly redesigned rear quad-camera setup.



Speaking of Snapdragon 8 Gen 5-powered phones, the iQOO 15 was teased. The phone is also expected to debut in China later this month. It will likely pack a 7,000mAh battery. iQOO teased its telephoto via teaser camera samples in Berlin. The zoom will feature up to 100x digital zoom.

Motorola is hopping on the Air hype train with the Moto X70 Air. The thin phone will arrive by the end of October. Rumor has it the handset will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, as Motorola was named as one of the launch partners for that chip.

Samsung has not introduced many significant upgrades to the camera hardware of its flagship Galaxy S series since the Galaxy S21 series, and it appears that the Galaxy S26 family will be no different. According to a Korean news outlet, the company isn't planning any major changes to all three upcoming Galaxy S26 phones next year.

A quick reminder that according to the latest rumors, just like Apple, Samsung is planning to replace the Plus model with the Edge, meaning there won't be a Galaxy S26+ anymore. The vanilla S26 will likely be called the S26 Pro, though, which will reportedly feature the exact same camera hardware: a 50MP main camera, a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide shooter.

The S26 Edge will have a 200MP main camera, and a 50MP ultrawide. We already talked about the S26 Ultra - rumor has it we're getting a degraded 3x zoom and the same 50MP 5x.



iQOO 15 telephoto camera samples shown, may pack a 7,000 mAh battery The iQOO 15 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC and run OriginOS 6.



The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro is coming. The phone's model number was listed in an IMEI database. We don't know anything about the phone at this time, however.
The launch of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 unleashed a torrent of new flagships  among the first were Xiaomis revamped 17 series. The series has a slightly different makeup this year with a vanilla and a premium 6.3 model, in addition to a large model (named Pro Max this time).

Starting with the new one, the Xiaomi 17 Pro drew people in with its more advanced camera system. Its not equal to the Pro Max camera as that one packs a beefier telephoto module (larger sensor, wider aperture), though the sensor resolution and focal length are the same.

Some were tempted by the larger battery inside the vanilla Xiaomi 17, though even the 17 Pro model has a larger battery than the Xiaomi 15, its immediate predecessor. However, the most popular alternative by far is the larger Xiaomi 17 Pro Max  it has the better camera and the bigger battery, avoiding any either-or conundrums.

The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max itself has a bigger sibling to worry about  some are anticipating the arrival of an Ultra model, which will have superior cameras. The Pro and Pro Max cameras look quite capable, but the promise of a 1 sensor and dual telephoto cameras (one of which has a 200MP sensor) is hard to pass up for those looking for a cutting edge camera experience. That was what the Xiaomi 15 Ultra brought, anyway, were yet to see what the 17 Ultra will look like.

As for the new feature on the Pro and Pro Max, the rear display  is it a gimmick? Some think its amazing for the main camera selfies that it enables, but the majority is leaning towards not useful. Its not necessarily a gimmick, but why have a less capable selfie camera that puts a hole in the screen when you can use the rear cameras? Why not an under display camera? Right now people are not convinced that this new setup is worth it.

The Xiaomi 17 skips the rear display and packs a massive 7,000mAh battery  not that long ago we would have thought it impossible to fit that much battery in a 6.3 phone. You do lose the 5x/115mm telephoto camera with this one, getting only a 2.6x/60mm module, but the phone is also slightly cheaper than the Pro.

Judging by the poll results, Xiaomi was right to divide the 17 series into three models  each has found an audience. And there is an audience for the Ultra model, eagerly awaiting its arrival (Xiaomi hasnt said anything, but it probably wont arrive before early 2026).

In China, the Xiaomi 17 series is already a hit, surpassing 1 million sales in record time. Now its up to Xiaomi to handle the global launch well  will all three models be available globally or will it skip one? And how much will they cost?
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi (R) speaks during a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 5, 2025. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the recent agreement on resuming cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog can no longer serve as the basis for bilateral collaboration. (Xinhua/Shadati)

TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the recent agreement on resuming cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog can no longer serve as the basis for bilateral collaboration.

Speaking at a press conference, Araghchi noted that the enforcement of the snapback mechanism had "changed the circumstances," adding, "We are facing a new situation," according to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

In September, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reached an agreement in Cairo on a new framework of cooperation to address Iran's security and safety concerns. The deal came after Tehran suspended its cooperation with the IAEA in late June following Israeli-U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities and the assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. Under the arrangement, any IAEA inspections would require approval from Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Araghchi stressed that "the Cairo agreement can no longer serve as the basis for our cooperation with the agency."

He said there was no "justified" reason for invoking the snapback mechanism, warning that it would only further complicate negotiations and hinder diplomatic efforts.

Araghchi emphasized that Iran had demonstrated in practice that it neither sought to develop nuclear weapons nor to create conflict or escalate tensions, reiterating that diplomacy remained the only viable path to resolving the nuclear issue.

The E3 -- Britain, France, and Germany -- triggered the snapback mechanism in August, leading to the UN's reimposition of sanctions after the Security Council failed to extend sanctions relief in September. 

Foreign diplomats attend a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 5, 2025. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the recent agreement on resuming cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog can no longer serve as the basis for bilateral collaboration. (Xinhua/Shadati)

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi speaks during a press conference after his meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 5, 2025. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the recent agreement on resuming cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog can no longer serve as the basis for bilateral collaboration. (Xinhua/Shadati)
A Department of Corrections detainee is accused of having a cell phone in his possession and was charged in Superior Court of Guam on Friday.

Eugene Reyes Lane, 38, was charged with promoting prison contraband as a second-degree felony.

Guam Police Department officers responded to DOC around 8:34 p.m. on Aug. 30 to a contraband complaint.

A DOC officer told police that Lane was found with a cell phone in his possession.

The officer saw Lane in his cell, holding a cellphone and Lane appeared to be playing a game on it, the complaint stated.

The cell phone was confiscated, and Lane was secured in a holding tank, documents state.

The cellphone was turned over to police as evidence.
A temporary Simon Sanchez High School campus is inching closer to completion, with the Guam Housing Corporation finalizing an agreement to use GHC land and an apartment complex in Yigo for parts of the temporary campus.

GHC President Edith Pangelinan gave the update to the corporations board of directors at a meeting last week.

The housing corporation is a government agency that provides rentals and financial assistance to low- and moderate-income residents.

Pangelinan said GHC and the Guam Department of Education finished a memorandum of agreement for about 10 acres of GHC property that sits next door to F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School.

The deal will include the Guma As-Atdas apartment complex next door to FBLG, which GHC owns, and its parking lot.

The apartment buildings are projected to be renovated for use as potential classrooms, administrative offices, counseling and nursing offices and storage, Pangelinan told the GHC board.

An additional 20 temporary classrooms will be constructed at the site, she said.

GHC has asked for GDOE to prepare a retracement survey, Pangelinan added, to confirm the boundaries of the property before construction starts.

She said the Department of Land Management has already approved the survey and awarded a cost estimate. GDOE will have to cover the costs.

As of Friday, there did not appear to be any construction going on at the 24-unit Guma As-Atdas apartment building or surrounding property.

The temporary campus is meant to house Simon Sanchez High School students who currently attend double-session classes at John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning.

Typhoon Mawar destroyed the old Sanchez campus in Yigo back in 2023. Since then, double-session Sanchez students have been attending classes in the afternoons and routinely get back home after the sun goes down.

A temporary campus is meant to house students until a permanent campus rebuild is finished, with GDOE aiming to get students into the permanent facility by the School Year 2027-2028.

Outgoing Education Superintendent Erik Swanson has said that the temporary campus wont be ready to receive Sanchez Sharks by this school year.

The temporary campus project is funded using Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

Swanson in early August said GDOE was ordering furniture for the temporary classrooms, and could select a contractor for the project within six to eight weeks.

An update on the status of the contractor, and the construction timeline was not immediately available Friday.

GDOE spokesperson Damen Michael said the project was handed off to the Department of Public Works.
Correction: The story has been updated to reflect that representatives from Guam's medical board and the Department of Public Health and Social Services were unaware of the allegations.

Health City in Dededo was raided on March 6 by Naval Criminal Investigative Service, NCIS, Marianas under probable cause for selling unapproved performance-enhancing drugs, according to a recently unsealed warrant.

Documents were initially to be released in March, but U.S. Attorney Shawn Anderson submitted a request to have the documents sealed for an additional 90 days and another 90-day extension after that.

Case documents were unsealed on Sept. 16.

The case was terminated on Sept. 23 with no arrests or convictions.

Documents stated that NCIS seized various liquid drops such as SR, Ostarine, Cardarine, Ligan, S23 and Freak Show, along with King Kong supplement capsules, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, SARM, info documents, miscellaneous shipping invoices, and other steroidal substances.

According to a federal warrant filed on March 4, NCIS Marianas learned in October 2024 that Health City was selling SARMs for personal consumption.

SARMs are included on the Department of Defenses (now Department of Wars) prohibited supplements list and are an unapproved drug per the FDA.

They are a class of compounds with similar anabolic properties to anabolic steroids but have reduced androgenic properties.

Representatives from Guams medical boards and the Department of Public Health and Social Services told the Pacific Daily News they were unaware of the transgressions.

Health City declined to comment when contacted.

Orange Book review

The warrant was issued by an NCIS special agent, citing violation of 21 U.S.C. Sections 331(a) and 331(d) introducing or delivering for introduction, misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; introducing or delivering for introduction, unapproved drugs into interstate commerce.

The special agents report said NCIS visited Health Citys website, healthcitynutrition.com, on Dec. 27, 2024 and noted numerous SARMs for sale such as Freak Show, an item advertised to contain chemicals MK2866, GW501516, MK677, LGD4033, and RAD 140, and Super23, which was advertised to contain the chemical S23.

Per review of the FDA Orange Book, which is a database listing all FDA-approved drug products, none of these chemicals are approved for personal consumption, the NCIS special agent reported. Additionally, all these chemicals are on the prohibited Department of Defense supplement list.

According to the warrant request, the Freak Show online listing had a disclaimer classifying the product for research purposes only and not for human consumption.

The special agent added in his report that illicit sellers of unapproved and misbranded drugs sometimes falsely describe drugs as for research purposes to evade regulatory authorities or law enforcement.

In general, if a compound is truly intended for research purposes, and not to be used by people as a drug, it is not regulated by the FDA, the NCIS special agent reported. Individuals who sell drugs sometimes falsely claim that their products are intended for research purposes only in an apparent attempt to evade regulatory authorities or law enforcement.

Statements listed on the Health City website indicated that the SARMs were part of a prior study that was done on rats showed that giving them S-23 reduced the rats body fat percentage while increasing bone mineral density and lean muscle mass.

Supposedly, the study showed that taking S-23 in high dosages increased its fat-burning properties significantly, which was part of Health Citys selling point for supplements that help achieve significant muscle growth.

These statements made by Health City reveal their intention to sell SARMs for personal use, according to the warrant.

Undercover agents

Based on NCIS Marianas investigation before requesting the warrant, Health City was aware that the drugs were for research purposes only and falsely marketed the SARMs to affect the structure or function of the human body.

Two undercover agents were sent to buy supplements Quad Stack and King Kong in November and December 2024.

A Health City employee informed one of the undercover agents that SARMs are similar to human growth hormones and are new products and sold for research purposes only but obviously everyone takes it; furthermore, the employee gave recommended amounts of SARMs to take, but legally, they are not allowed to tell anyone how to dose the SARMs, according to the special agent.

The purchased supplements were sent to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory and found to contain Andarine, Ostarine, and S3, ingredients that are not listed as approved drugs for personal consumption, according to the warrant.
Theres a saying, Dont waste your bullets on an enemy who keeps shooting themselves in the foot. Right now, that enemy is us.

Were told to fear the likes of China, Russia, and North Korea. We imagine cyberattacks, spies, and invasions. But while we brace for threats from abroad, we ignore the damage were doing right here at home, damage thats deeper, more personal, and far more dangerous.

In just the past year, political violence in the U.S. has surged to levels that feel more like a war zone than a democracy. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while having dialogue at a college in Utah. Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in Minnesota.

The Pennsylvania governors residence was firebombed with Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family inside. Schoolchildren and churchgoers were gunned down. Campaign offices were shot up. Even police officers, firefighters, and the CDC headquarters were attacked.

This isnt just politics, its personal. Its neighbors turning on neighbors. Its people who use their freedom not to speak, but to silence. Not to build, but to burn.

Whats most heartbreaking is that this kind of violence isnt happening in countries with less freedom. In China, dissent is crushed. In Russia, opposition is jailed. And in North Korea, its unthinkable. Yet here, in one of the freest nations on Earth, were using our rights to tear each other apart.

Why do we think thats strength? Some say its the price of liberty and that open societies are messy. But this isnt a mess, its madness. Freedom without compassion becomes cruelty. And cruelty, left unchecked, becomes collapse.

Respect has degraded. Beliefs demonized. And compromise diminished. While doing so, weve chipped away at the very bedrock of our Constitution.

The foundation of our democracy was never built on agreementit was built on the ability to disagree with dignity. To debate without destruction. To compromise without shame.

But today, we treat compromise as weakness. We treat differences as danger. And we treat each other as enemies.

We fear what other countries might do to us. But no hack from Moscow, no missile from Beijing, no threat from Pyongyang has done what weve done and continue to do to ourselves. Weve made our politics toxic, our streets unsafe, and our institutions targets. Weve normalized hate, justified violence, and called it freedom. And while we fight each other, our real enemies watch. They dont need to attack us. Were doing the job for them.

If we want to stay strong, we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. We have to stop treating each other like enemies. We have to remember that freedom and democracy only works when we use it with care for one another, not hate for each other.

While the level of violence I write about has not been an experience we have had in Guam, I pray that it never happens. Let us be the country we say we are. Lets be better to each other before its too late.
We have just witnessed an interesting September 2025 regarding the military buildup of our island. The month started with the militarys decision to solicit proposals from the private sector for off-base housing, as a late band-aid to a problem created solely by the military to be borne by the people of Guam.

The Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority estimates the island is already short 6,000 housing units, and the military plans to bring an additional 10,000 personnel to the island in the next several years.

This would have not occurred if the Navy had actually done some serious previous long-term planning instead of the obvious crisis management. Instead, we have seen over the years a reduction of base housing in such locations as Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, South Finegayan, Andersen South, and Nimitz Hill.

Now the military solution will essentially become land acquisition outside the fence for military housing that at least will make landlords and land speculators rich at our expense, with the military essentially seizing available housing with apparently not even the legally required environmental reviews.

Already, the exorbitant off-base housing allowance has negatively affected the local community by being priced out of the rental market, which will get drastically worse.

Certainly, there is already fraud, waste and abuse in the current military housing program when a single individual on active-duty service can rent a three-bedroom unit such as can be found in my Yigo neighborhood paid for by the military.

What followed in September was the Guam Defense Forum that was simply a setting for the military to dictate their plans for our island.

Apparently, previously required mitigation was not discussed, such as ignoring the militarys obligation to improve and maintain Tanguisson Beach in Dededo.

Prior military commitments that there will be no land takings is propaganda as shown by off-base quarries for military construction, worker housing and industrial facilities, military trash going into our landfill, the proposal for a training area in southern Guam, and now the massive acquisition of off-base housing.

Other forms of land takings include closing off portions of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge at Ritidian for a firing range safety zone and the establishment of offshore exclusion zones.

Fortunately, the people and not the politicians stopped the acquisition of the ancient CHamoru village of Pagat from becoming a portion of the firing range.

Our political leaders are certainly culpable as I can recall. In 2019, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero simply stated, I support the military buildup. She is a bit late at the Guam Defense Forum in an attempt to express concerns with the military buildup.

Political leaders have too often looked the other way at injustices to our community and heritage that earlier included, most noticeably, their tact approval for the destruction of the CHamoru villages of Magua and Sabanna Fadang at now Camp Blaz and the continued destruction of our limestone forests.

An objective analysis of our islands recent attempts to cope with the military buildup concludes that we have been manipulated (the tools of money and patriotism are evident) to become the instrument of destruction of our island while being led to believe that the military buildup is for our own good.

The military buildup reminds me of the story of the camel that just wants to put its nose inside the tent to seek warmth in the cold desert night. The man inside the tent saw no harm and agreed. Soon, the camel was completely inside the tent and the man was pushed to the corner by the entrance and forced out into the cold.

This story certainly applies to the military buildup on Guam where the first initial steps are followed by larger disruptive movements to us, the people of the island.
VIENNA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known as OPEC+, on Sunday decided to raise oil output by 137,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, following a similar increase in October.

The decision was announced after a virtual meeting of member countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, OPEC said in a statement.

"In view of a steady global economic outlook and healthy market fundamentals, as reflected in low oil inventories, the eight countries will implement a production increase of 137,000 barrels per day in November from the previously announced additional voluntary cuts," OPEC said.

The group's additional voluntary production adjustment of 1.65 million bpd was first introduced in April 2023 and later extended until the end of 2026. OPEC noted that these barrels may be returned in part or in full, depending on market conditions and in a gradual manner.

The eight countries will convene again on Nov. 2 to decide on further steps. 




Haiti - Politic : PM expresses solidarity with families of police officers killed in duty





On Saturday, October 4th, 2025, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, during an emotional and solemn ceremony at the General Directorate of the Haitian National Police (DGPNH), paid a vibrant tribute to the police officers killed in the line of duty and reaffirmed the Government's unwavering commitment to supporting their families.



Surrounded by his Chief of Staff, Axene Joseph, and Vladimir Paraison, Acting Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH), along with all members of the High Command of the police institution, as well as the families of serving police officers, the Head of Government symbolically presented school kits to the children of the deceased police officers, on the occasion of the 2025-2026 academic year.



This gesture, he emphasized, "reflects the State's moral and republican duty to the families of those who gave their lives defending the Nation."



140 families of police officers who died in the line of duty each received a school kit along with a financial aid package. A total of 220 school kits were distributed during this ceremony, marking a concrete gesture of social support for these grieving families.



This initiative is part of a policy of social support for the loved ones of officers killed in action, while officially launching a series of measures designed to strengthen this support.



"The Government will never forget the sacrifice of these brave police officers. The State cannot ask its sons to protect the country and turn its back on their families when they fall. I am personally committed to this," declared Fils-Aime, his voice filled with emotion.



"These police officers made an inestimable sacrifice to defend the Republic. They paid with their lives for the safety of the population. We have an obligation to pay tribute to them and stand by their families." A father himself, the Prime Minister reiterated that education remains the noblest way to honor the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for peace. "The children of our heroes must be able to dream, learn, and grow up with dignity. Their future is a promise that the Republic must keep."







Director Paraison offered a powerful and dignified tribute to the memory of these valiant police officers who gave their lives to defend public peace, calling the government's initiative a first concrete step toward a sustainable policy of support for the families of police victims. "This gesture marks the beginning of a sustained commitment by the State to the children and parents of our fallen heroes. They will never be forgotten."







HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





PNH : Arrest of 4 Repeat Offenders:

On Saturday, September 4, 2025, the Haitian National Police (PNH) arrested four individuals who were preparing to attack a private individual returning from a bank in the Puits-Blain area, in Delmas 75. They are four repeat offenders well known to the police: Jean Robert Civil, Evenou Mesidor, Jeffery Lorigene, and Markely Jean.



IMO : Anaise Manuel, Representative of Haiti

The Embassy of Haiti in London announces the appointment of Anaise Manuel as Permanent Representative of Haiti to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Anaise Manuel met with Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez to discuss Haiti's maritime priorities and the development of a national strategy.



ULCC: The Minister of Youth counterattacks

Reacting to the Anti-Corruption Unit's (ULCC) investigation report, which alleges the use of 10 million gourdes for commemorative activities for the Battle of Vertieres on November 18, 2024, Devalis Octavius, the Minister of Youth, Sports, and Civic Action, published a counter-report prepared by her office, which includes legal, methodological, and technical considerations, concluding, "The ULCC report, in its orientation, is nothing other than the expression of a politically motivated campaign of harm aimed at tarnishing the image of people who sacrificed themselves to serve the country."  Download the Minister's counter-report (9-page French PDF): https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/MJSAC-Contre-Rapport-ULCC.pdf



OAS Urges the US to Renew the HOPE/HELP Act

Faced with Haiti's catastrophic socioeconomic and security situation, OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin urges the United States to immediately renew the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity Through Partnership for Encouragement Act and the extension of the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HOPE/HELP) Act. Their extensions are essential to maintain thousands of jobs in Haiti's textile industry and protect the incomes of more than a million families, Ramdin emphasizes. According to him, the non-renewal of these programs could increase poverty and encourage the integration of young people into criminal groups.



Panama will not send soldiers

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino Quintero, following the Security Council's approval of a "gang suppression force," declared, "We will not send troops to Haiti [...] Panama will provide free training on Panamanian territory to Haitian police forces as part of the new international mission to combat armed gangs."





Football Interuniversity Tournament Results

On Friday, October 3rd, in Petion-ville, Andre Laroche University and Saint Francis of Assisi University faced off in the interuniversity tournament. The match was close, with constant commitment and opportunities for both sides. Both teams found the back of the net, but neither conceded victory, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. On the program for Sunday, October 5th at Place Boyer (basketball): Quisqueya University (UNIQ) vs. the American University of Modern Sciences of Haiti (UNASMOH).



HL/ HaitiLibre


















In the coming days, the Hungarian EU Council Presidency is likely to find it difficult to forge a common position among the government representatives of the member states on the EU Commission's hotly contested draft regulation on online surveillance under the banner of the fight against child sexual abuse. Last month, the Netherlands had considered supporting the Presidency's proposal or at least abstaining. This would have called into question the blocking minority against chat control, according to which four member states with at least 35 percent of the EU population can prevent the adoption of a dossier. However, on Tuesday, the government in The Hague clarified it that it still does not see itself in a position to vote in favor of the initiative.

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In September, Hungary proposed limiting the controversial disclosure orders to known depictions of abuse. The search for new images or videos as well as evidence of stalking children via the internet (grooming) should be excluded. In essence, this was already attempted by the then Spanish Council leadership a year ago. Nevertheless, the Hungarian approach now appears to have more supporters than that of its predecessors. However, Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel from the right-wing liberal VVD party has now told Parliament that Hungary, too, has not sufficiently considered the government's concerns regarding the protection of fundamental rights in the areas of privacy and telecommunications secrecy as well as the security of the digital space. It would therefore not support the planned common approach of the Council.

Dutch spies do not want chat control

End-to-end encryption must remain possible, the Dutch executive emphasizes. Client-side scanning "of child pornography material" directly on end devices, which is still on the table with the regulation, would pose "too great a security risk for the digital resilience of the Netherlands". The Dutch Secret Service had previously rejected the draft regulation because the "introduction of a scanning application on every cell phone" with an associated infrastructure for evaluating the collected data would be a complex and extensive system that would entail risks for digital resilience. In an open letter on Tuesday, the opposition party GroenLinks-PvdA, together with civil society organizations, also called for a targeted, evidence-based approach that protects privacy and effectively combats child abuse. The proposal on the table, on the other hand, is based on untested technology. It is likely to weaken encryption and help authoritarian regimes with mass surveillance.

As recently as the end of September, hundreds of scientists used very similar arguments. They warned that the current draft would only bring minor changes compared to previous versions and that basic problems, such as the undermining of reliable encryption, would remain. Hungary has nevertheless put the project on the agenda of the Council's Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) for Wednesday, which is to prepare a corresponding decision by the justice and interior ministers on October 10 or 11. In previous attempts, Germany, Sweden and Austria, among others, declared that they could not agree to the text. Poland also pursued this line, but is said to no longer be among the staunch opponents.

(mki)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
The study involved interviews with students and staff across six Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking lower secondary schools. Researchers also observed daily school life and analysed how racism is addressed in local and national education policies.

Racism is widespread in Finnish lower secondary schools and remains largely unaddressed due to weak institutional support, limited training, and lack of resources, according to new research led by Gunilla Holm , professor of education at the University of Helsinki.

The findings show that racism is present in all schools regardless of their language of instruction or socioeconomic context. It appears in teaching materials, peer interactions, digital environments, and the actions or inaction of school staff.

"Racism was present in different forms in all schools, irrespective of social class background, language of instruction, or patterns of racialisation," Holm said. "Therefore, one can say that racism structures school life and schools operational culture profoundly."

Examples cited in the study include the use of racist jokes, slurs such as the N-word, Nazi references and gestures, and teachers failure to intervene. Staff sometimes downplayed incidents or ignored reports from students. This discouraged pupils from reporting racism and led to a loss of trust in the school environment.

Teachers and staff also reported a lack of clear guidance or institutional strategies for dealing with racism. Some staff working to promote antiracism did so without any formal support, often in isolation.

The study found that while short-term antiracism education for school staff exists, it is insufficient. "It needs to be developed into an ongoing, embedded process of professional learning and support," Holm said.

The National Core Curriculum for basic education does not describe racism as a societal, political, cultural, or historical issue. According to the researchers, this omission weakens schools' ability to respond to racism effectively. Equality plans are rarely used actively and do not guide practical antiracist work.

"Racism has been a persistent and under-addressed problem in schools in Finland," Holm said. She added that the research provided extensive data that had been largely missing in earlier studies. These findings give new insight into how racism functions both in everyday interactions and through institutional structures.

The study argues that racism in schools is not limited to peer interactions but is also structural. Teachers, materials, and institutional routines contribute to the problem when no action is taken. "What happens in schools reflects wider societal issues, and social inequalities also affect students experiences at school," Holm said.

The researchers concluded that schools lack the practical and conceptual tools to address racism unless policies and training are restructured. Staff expressed a need for better support, clearer instructions, and more time to address incidents meaningfully.

The report urges decision-makers to revise national education guidelines and integrate antiracism work into everyday school operations. Without policy changes and sustained institutional support, the research warns that racism will continue to be embedded in school life.

HT
The suspect was detained on Saturday evening, 4 October, in the Suomenoja area of Espoo. Officers located him in a private residence and carried out the arrest without incident.

The shooting took place on Monday, 29 September, in Toolo. The victim was hit multiple times with a handgun and required hospital treatment. He survived.

The police have reclassified the case from attempted manslaughter to attempted murder. Investigators said the change was based on information gathered during the pre-trial investigation, which included interviews, forensic analysis, and surveillance review.

Based on the evidence, I believe the act meets the criteria for attempted murder, said Tuomas Lindholm, the officer leading the investigation.

According to police, the victim had left an apartment in the building to open the front door for acquaintances when the suspect appeared in the stairwell and opened fire. The boy was part of a larger group visiting the location. He did not live in the building.

The suspect fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Police did not disclose how long the suspect remained in the Espoo apartment before being arrested.

Police said the shooting was not random and are continuing to investigate the relationship between the suspect and the victim. Lindholm confirmed that the two were not related and declined to comment on whether they knew each other or had previous contact.

Authorities have not released the motive for the attack. Investigators are examining the background of both the suspect and the victim to determine any possible conflict or connection. No other suspects are being sought at this time.

Police began searching for the suspect after identifying him during the early stages of the investigation. Officers tracked his movements across the Helsinki metropolitan area, focusing on several addresses before locating him in Espoo.

Forensic teams have analysed the crime scene, including the stairwell and nearby common areas. CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts were also reviewed.

No weapon has been recovered. Police have not confirmed whether the firearm used was legally owned.

The suspect is expected to remain in custody during the next stages of the pre-trial investigation. Prosecutors will decide whether to bring formal charges after reviewing the police findings. The case will move to prosecution once the investigation is complete.

The police said they will provide further updates when the case is handed to prosecutors.

HT
Israel intercepted the flotilla earlier in the week. The convoy of 42 boats, carrying over 450 activists from more than a dozen countries, was attempting to breach the naval blockade of Gaza. Six Finnish nationals were among those arrested.

Renaz Ebrahimi , a Finnish journalist detained by Israeli forces during the Gaza aid flotilla interception, has begun a hunger strike, according to a statement by the Global Sumud Flotilla. The activist movement reported that Ebrahimi, along with other detained participants, is protesting the treatment they have received in Israeli custody.

The Global Movement to Gaza, which organised the mission, alleged that detainees have been denied access to clean water, food, necessary medication, and legal counsel. According to the group, several detainees were subjected to physical mistreatment, including being blindfolded, handcuffed, and in some cases, humiliated by being forced to remove religious clothing such as hijabs.

The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs' Consul Chief, Jussi Tanner, downplayed the situation. Speaking to Helsingin Sanomat, Tanner stated that Finland sees nothing particularly unusual in the situation. He said Finnish citizens lose their freedom abroad in various ways every year and that the detained activists were not in danger.

Activists rejected this view, saying the Ministry had failed to represent the reality of the detainees' conditions. A statement from the Finnish chapter of the Global Movement to Gaza directly criticised Tanners remarks and disputed his assessment.

Ebrahimi is reportedly among dozens of activists on hunger strike. Global Sumud said the protest is aimed at drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the blockades impact on the civilian population.

According to the movement, those arrested have not been allowed to contact their families. Legal access has also been heavily restricted. The group said women detainees were among those forcibly stripped of religious garments during searches.

The Israeli government denied claims of mistreatment. The Foreign Ministry released a statement describing the allegations as brazen lies. It said all detainees rights were upheld, including access to legal representation, water, food, and sanitary facilities.

Contradicting the ministry's official stance, Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he was "proud" of the conditions imposed on the detainees. He labelled them supporters of terrorism and said they deserved the treatment they received at Ketziot prison.

Anyone who supports terrorism is a terrorist and deserves the conditions of terrorists, he stated. Ben-Gvir was also filmed mocking the activists as they were brought ashore.

Among the high-profile figures detained was climate activist Greta Thunberg. Multiple activists alleged that Thunberg was mistreated, including being dragged, wrapped in an Israeli flag, and paraded by guards.

Turkish journalist Ersin Celik said he witnessed the events involving Thunberg. Malaysian and American participants confirmed similar accounts.

Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi, also deported, told the Associated Press that detainees were mocked, denied medicine, and treated like monkeys. He accused guards of ridicule and harassment.

Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo DAgostino, said Israeli forces pointed weapons at detainees, stole their belongings, and used dogs for intimidation. He said they were forced to kneel for four hours with their hands zip-tied.

Malaysian public figures Heliza Helmi and Hazwani Helmi, both participants in the flotilla, told media that detainees were denied food and clean water, with some forced to drink from toilets. Heliza said she went without food for three days.

Italian MP Arturo Scotto, who joined the flotilla, said the activists were acting within legal bounds, while those who intercepted the flotilla had acted illegally.

Activists deported to Turkiye, Italy, and other countries have repeated similar accusations of harsh conditions. In Turkiye, 137 activists arrived in Istanbul on Saturday, including nationals from the US, Malaysia, Jordan, and Tunisia.

Spain and Greece confirmed their citizens were among those detained and yet to be deported. Spains Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said 21 Spanish nationals were expected to return home on Sunday. Greece reported 27 citizens arriving from Israel on Monday.

Aftonbladet reported that the Swedish activist may be able to embark on their journey back tomorrow.

The flotilla was launched in late August by Global Sumud to challenge the blockade of Gaza and deliver symbolic aid. Its interception sparked widespread protests and condemnation.

Israels navy seized the vessels in international waters. The country maintains that the blockade is necessary to prevent arms from reaching Hamas. Rights groups and several governments have criticised the operation.

The arrests come amid indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mediated in Cairo. Talks centre on the possible release of hostages and a ceasefire plan tied to a 20-point peace proposal by US President Donald Trump.

Trump said on Truth Social that Israel had agreed to begin a phased withdrawal from Gaza if Hamas accepts the terms. He warned Hamas against delays, saying the US would not tolerate stalling.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address on Saturday that Israel intended to bring hostages home within days. He said Hamas would be disarmed either through Trumps plan or by force.

Hamas has indicated a willingness to release all hostages but has not committed to disarming or relinquishing influence in Gaza. The group has agreed to only 9 of Trumps 20 conditions.

According to sources in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed more than 70 people.

Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages. Around 20 are thought to still be alive. In exchange, the group has demanded the release of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

In Israel, public protests have continued. Demonstrators in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are calling for the return of hostages and an end to the conflict.

HT
This photo taken on Oct. 3, 2025 shows a street decorated with lanterns and festive items for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival in Hanoi, Vietnam. As the Mid-Autumn Festival draws near, Hanoi's Old Quarter glows under the warm light of lanterns, with families and visitors filling Hang Ma Street to celebrate one of Vietnam's most beloved traditional holidays.(Photo by Dang Hong Dung/Xinhua)

HANOI, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- As the Mid-Autumn Festival draws near, Hanoi's Old Quarter glows under the warm light of lanterns, with families and visitors filling Hang Ma Street to celebrate one of Vietnam's most beloved traditional holidays.

For Nguyen Thuy Anh, a 32-year-old mother, this year's celebration feels especially meaningful.

"This is my baby's first Mid-Autumn Festival, so I wanted to take him out to Hang Ma Street to enjoy the festival," she said while gently holding her six-month-old baby.

"In previous years, I usually stayed home to eat mooncakes, thinking it would be too crowded outside," she recalled. "But since having a child, I just want him to experience everything."

Recalling her childhood, she said she used to carry star-shaped lanterns and join her family at the fruit table.

"Just being together with my family, eating mooncakes, that was already happiness," she told Xinhua, adding that she hopes her child will have similar festive experiences.

In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival traditionally marks the harvest season and the year's brightest full moon, and is celebrated as a time for family reunion, gratitude and joy, especially for children who parade with lanterns under the moonlight.

Among the crowd of visitors, international tourists also stopped to admire the colorful decorations covering the street's walls and rooftops.

Wu Yangcheng, a 42-year-old tourist from China, said, "I was immediately attracted by the countless colorful lanterns hanging on those streets."

Sharing the festive atmosphere here made her feel both familiar and unique.

"Perhaps it's because China and Vietnam share many cultural traditions," Wu added.

For Jonathan Turner, a visitor who had worked in China's Hong Kong for 35 years, the celebration reflected both nostalgia and discovery.

"Everything is really beautiful, the lights are beautiful, we love the lanterns," he said, sharing his special interest in homemade mooncakes in Vietnam, which still include salted egg yolk but incorporate local ingredients that impart a distinctive flavor.

Turner said he and his wife decided to visit Hanoi partly to experience the Mid-Autumn Festival and partly to explore the charm of northern Vietnam.

Despite their excitement, their trip coincided with the ninth and 10th storms to strike Vietnam this year, which brought heavy rain and flooding to Hanoi and nearby provinces earlier this week.

For local vendors, this year's festival season brings both challenges and hope.

Pham Duc Tung, a 41-year-old shop owner who recently opened a store on Hang Ma Street after years of working abroad, said he has been testing the domestic market with festive goods.

However, the recent typhoon has slowed business activity.

"The Mid-Autumn season has been quiet because of two typhoons in the past week," he explained. "Even a few days ago, it was still subdued, and I think it will stay that way through the holiday."

Still, he remains optimistic. "It's only a short-term effect," he said. 

Visitors shop for the Mid-Autumn Festival on Hang Ma Street in Hanoi, Vietnam, Oct. 3, 2025. As the Mid-Autumn Festival draws near, Hanoi's Old Quarter glows under the warm light of lanterns, with families and visitors filling Hang Ma Street to celebrate one of Vietnam's most beloved traditional holidays.(Photo by Dang Hong Dung/Xinhua)

Visitors shop for the Mid-Autumn Festival on Hang Ma Street in Hanoi, Vietnam, Oct. 3, 2025. As the Mid-Autumn Festival draws near, Hanoi's Old Quarter glows under the warm light of lanterns, with families and visitors filling Hang Ma Street to celebrate one of Vietnam's most beloved traditional holidays.(Photo by Dang Hong Dung/Xinhua)
Assyrian Party Holds Meetings in European Parliament on Christian Persecution in Syria

Brussels -- Amid continued violations and assaults targeting Syria's Christians--resulting in the martyrdom of many at the hands of unidentified attackers, injuries to others, and widespread looting of property and land, alongside persistent intimidation of those who remain steadfast in their homeland--the Syrian government in Daramsuq (Damascus) has so far failed to deliver on its promises of justice, accountability, and prosecution of the perpetrators.

In response to these ongoing abuses, high-level meetings were held in the European Parliament in Brussels, led by Fehmi Vergili, Co-President of the European Syriac Union (ESU). The discussions centered on the deteriorating situation of Christians and the Assyrian people inside Syria, and the mounting challenges they continue to face under the new government headed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

During the meetings, several key issues were discussed, including the security concerns of the Assyrian people, the effectiveness of humanitarian aid activities provided to them and their communities, and the potential role European institutions could play in supporting this process. The discussions also addressed ways to strengthen mechanisms for assisting local populations.

The primary objective of the talks was to ensure the safety of Christians and the Assyrian people and to bolster international solidarity with families living under difficult conditions. Extensive assessments were conducted to prevent any form of pressure or massacres against Christian people.

Given that the very name Syria ["Suriya"] itself stands as compelling evidence that this land is the ancestral homeland of the Assyrian people, the meetings emphasized the importance of increasing international support to protect the cultural heritage of the Assyrian people, safeguard religious freedoms, and enable younger generations to continue living in their ancestral lands--Beth Nahrain (Mesopotamia)-- without being forced into migration.
TEHRAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian lawmakers on Sunday approved a bill to remove four zeros from Iran's national currency, the rial, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The bill was passed at an open session of the parliament with 144 votes in favor, 108 against and three abstentions, the report said.

Iran's cabinet in August voted in favor of the zero removal plan, whose implementation still requires the approval of the country's Constitutional Council.

According to IRNA, removing four zeros from the rial is aimed at streamlining financial transactions. Iran's national currency would continue to be called the rial, with its subdivision called the gheran.

Following the removal, one rial would be equivalent to 10,000 at the current value and be subdivided into 100 gherans.

Iran's currency has suffered sharp depreciations since the United States withdrew in May 2018 from a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and the world's major countries. A reinstatement of U.S. sanctions against Iran followed. 
GUANGZHOU, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangdong Province has raised its typhoon emergency response to the highest level as Typhoon Matmo intensified, with cumulative evacuations exceeding 150,000 people to ensure safety.

The provincial flood control headquarters upgraded the response to Level I on Sunday morning. By Saturday evening, a total of 151,352 residents had been relocated, including 9,916 from maritime areas.

Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, moving northwest at about 25 km per hour, is forecast to make landfall around noon as a severe typhoon with winds of up to 45 meters per second. Heavy rain and storms are expected in coastal cities.

In preparation, the city of Zhanjiang has implemented a full-scale shutdown of classes, work, production, transport and businesses since Saturday evening, and closed all highways from Sunday morning. Maritime authorities have suspended operations in affected waters, with rescue resources deployed across the region. 
FUZHOU, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Five people who entered an abandoned mine in Youxi County, east China's Fujian Province, were confirmed dead on Sunday, local authorities said.

At around 9:50 a.m. Sunday, the county's fire and rescue bureau received a report that five people had entered the mine in Banmian Town and later lost contact. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.

By 1:20 p.m., all five individuals had been found and rushed to hospital for treatment. By 3 p.m., all five had been pronounced dead despite medical efforts.

An investigation into the cause of the incident is underway. 
NEW YORK, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Saturday that despite his repeated rejections of federal mobilization to Chicago, President Donald Trump will send in 300 National Guardsmen.

Pritzker said on social media that the Trump administration gave him an ultimatum: "call up your troops, or we will."

"In the coming hours, the Trump Administration intends to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard," the governor said.

"Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 National Guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement issued on Saturday.

Pritzker's comments about the National Guard being federalized came amid continued clashes between immigration authorities and protesters in the Chicago area.

On Saturday morning, law enforcement patrolling in Chicago shot an unidentified "armed U.S. citizen" who was allegedly on Homeland Security's radar, according to Noem.

Protests broke out in the city on Saturday, and armed border patrol agents deployed what appeared to be chemical irritants toward protesters.

Over the last month, Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into several cities, particularly Democratic-run ones, to curb crime and bolster immigration enforcement agents.

He already deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. in August. 
JAKARTA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the collapse of a school building in Indonesia's East Java province has risen to 45, regional rescue authorities said Sunday.

Nanang Sigit, head of the East Java Search and Rescue Office, said all the victims were taken to Bhayangkara Police Hospital in the province for identification.

"Legal proceedings will be carried out after the excavation work is completed," said Nanang Avianto, police chief of the province.

Part of the multi-storey Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo district caved in on Monday during unauthorized renovation, trapping dozens of students.

Rescuers deployed heavy machinery on Thursday after no further signs of life were detected. Earlier, they had relied mainly on manual excavation due to concerns that heavy equipment could cause further collapse. 
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani security forces have killed 14 terrorists and injured over 20 others during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the country's southwest Balochistan province, security sources said on Saturday.

The security forces launched the operation in the Turbat district after receiving an intelligence tip-off regarding the presence of militants in the area, the sources told Xinhua.

Security forces engaged the militants in a fierce gun battle, killing 14 terrorists and destroying multiple hideouts used by the group, according to the sources.

"A sanitization operation is underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area," the sources added. 
SYDNEY, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Five teenagers were arrested after a stolen vehicle collided with a police vehicle on Sunday at Nerang, a suburb in the City of Gold Coast in the Australian state of Queensland.

The group includes three 14-year-old boys, a 13-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl.

Queensland Police said that officers were patrolling along Riverview Road at around 3:10 a.m. local time, when they sighted a stolen Hyundai and a BMW. A short time later, another police vehicle was patrolling further up the same road in the opposite direction and was spotted by the lead Hyundai, which braked heavily.

The BMW collided with the back of the Hyundai and was propelled forward, striking the oncoming police vehicle. The Hyundai was pushed forward and crashed into a nearby parked vehicle.

The occupants of both the BMW and the Hyundai fled the cars on foot but were taken into custody shortly afterwards. The sole occupant of the police vehicle, a male sergeant, was transported to the hospital for assessment.

Police said that the BMW was stolen earlier that evening, and the Hyundai was stolen on Oct. 3. 
COLOMBO, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least three people died and three others were injured when a lorry collided with a bus in Narammala in northwestern Sri Lanka on Sunday morning, police said.

Police said the driver of the lorry lost control of the vehicle and collided with the bus.

The lorry driver and two others succumbed to their injuries, while three others were undergoing treatment at a regional hospital.

Sri Lankan police noted that many of the heavy vehicles in road accidents are poorly maintained. 
LISBON, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Four Portuguese citizens detained by Israel after taking part in a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza were released and repatriated on Sunday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The group, which included parliamentarian Mariana Mortagua, was repatriated from Israel and expected to arrive in Portugal later Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.

Mortagua, coordinator of the Left Bloc party, along with actress Sofia Aparicio and activists Miguel Duarte and Diogo Chaves, were detained between Wednesday night and Thursday morning when Israeli forces intercepted about 50 vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Portuguese Ambassador to Israel Helena Paiva visited the Ketsiot detention center in southern Israel on Sunday to ensure the repatriation procedures, the ministry said. A Portuguese diplomat is accompanying the citizens on their return journey.

The four Portuguese citizens were among roughly 450 activists of various nationalities taken by Israeli authorities to a detention center in the Negev desert following the naval interception.

The Foreign Ministry said earlier that the detainees "were not subjected to physical violence" but faced "difficult and harsh conditions upon arrival at Ashdod port and at the detention center," where they reportedly spent considerable time without water and food.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest humanitarian mission of its kind to date, aimed to break Israel's blockade and deliver aid to Gaza. On Saturday, more than 3,000 people demonstrated in Lisbon in support of the Palestinian cause and to demand the release of the detained Portuguese citizens. 
LONDON, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- British police forces are to be granted greater powers to restrict protests, the British government said on Sunday.

The new measures will allow senior officers to consider the "cumulative impact" of previous protests, and to instruct organizers to hold events elsewhere if a venue has been subject to repeated demonstrations, according to the country's Home Office.

The new powers will be "brought forward as soon as possible," and anyone who breaches the conditions will risk arrest and prosecution, the government said.

The move came amid the recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations following a deadly attack outside a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday. The incident saw three people killed, including the offender, and has been declared by the British police as a terrorist attack.

On Saturday, around 1,000 gathered in central London for an event supporting Palestine Action, an organization proscribed by the British government as a terrorist group. The Metropolitan Police said almost 500 people had been arrested.